quirks

Rhett starts kindergarten this Wednesday (modified year-round school in these parts) and my heart is both breaking and jumping for joy. My sentimental side wants to remember these turkeys and all their quirks because they're growing up too quickly and dang it all...I have too many emotions about that. 

Way back when I was little {but not too little! because I have vivid memories of this!} I used to have to line up a series of objects on my pillow (like a porcelain giraffe, an bookmark with a Earth on it, and a geode to name three of a healthy dozen) before I went to sleep. Like sleep protection amulets...or something. Low maintenance, easy going, and normal? All me. My kids' bedtime routine consists of a swift teeth brushing, a book or two and ensuring that all the fans are set to the highest speed possible for added white noise so...sleep amulet lullabies are not a Miller child quirk ...quite yet. And I hope they don't get any crazy and coddled ideas when they suddenly learn to read and randomly decide to peep this post.

But, anyway! The kids do have quirks...sort of.

I guess.

Let's explore them!

Rhett:

- Anything that has an unusual oder he declares that it smells like old lemons.

- He's growing up and says things like, "Now, don't get carried away!" to Rad when he starts splashing like a lunatic in the bath. Or one of my favorites "Cool your jets mom."

- Has zero tolerance for any food that he says tastes "frosty" ie: that doesn't suit his picky palate.

- When we are heading out the door he always says, "Come on amigos, come on!!"

- He is an expert at the art of camouflage and I often find his pressed up against a wall or frozen in a strange place/position and if I try to address him, he'll get feisty because he's "camouflaged" and I'm not supposed to be able to see him. (He also will turn of the light and close the door in my closet when I'm getting dressed and excitedly admire his camouflage powers in the pitch black.)

- He ask-demands for gallon after gallon of water daily as if he's just returned from a seven year Saharan sojourn.

- Is very particular about having two "stuffies" (stuffed animals) and three certain blankets draped over him layered in a certain order before he goes to sleep, with his sippy of water tucked into the corner of his bed. If I'm in a rush and forget even one of these six elements...HELL to pay accompanied by much huffiness and attitude on his part when he stomps out of his room to correct us.

- When life throws Rhett an especially exciting moment that makes him exceptionally giddy, his go to physical manifestation of his joy is to run in place and punch me (or Jake) repeatedly in the butt.

Rad:

- Calls me honey. Or "Hi dear!"

- Employs a highly inefficient high-knee run on his tip toes if he needs to get somewhere quickly.

- Cares deeply about the state of his/my skin. He reports freckles, moles, and scratches the instant they surface on either party. And he won't stop talking about his (our your) scratches for hours on end with continued/intense examination and lots of duck lip kisses.

- He's also been known to stick his hand behind a mirror and get very, very confused when it doesn't appear on the other side.

- If your sitting down he takes it as a sign that you're in the market for a rousing game of duck, duck goose and pats your head. Hard.

- When he gets an "owie" all he needs to feel better is for you to kiss the tip of your finger and give the injured area a light, one finger (no more!) touch.

- Pillows are his kryptonite. Throw a pillow on him and he'll lay thrashing on the floor till you come and remove the pillow from he being. A trick I should use more frequently come to think about it...

- Any person who happens to be sitting in a public place and who has a large belly, might get a belly poke or even a belly nuzzle from Rad. Yes. It's weird. And of all his quirks this is the one that we're trying to redirect ASAP. For reasons that I assume are obvious.


Beck:

- I'd say he's your pretty standard 4 month old.

- Loves him a good fist chew session when he manages to snag one out of the air.

- Not directly a Beck quirk but related to him...when he starts furrowing his brow, Rhett gets all up in his face, and asking, "What's wrong, Beckie-Beck??" when he starts to cry/whine.

- He seems to really enjoy sitting on the couch with his brothers. Although his facial expression are strictly stoic 97.3% of the time.

And that's enough for today. Maybe for a lifetime? I think so.

I don't doubt your toddlers/kids are cuter/less infuriating. I don't doubt it at all.

;)