Strange Love

Our boys are both cuddlers, but they go about it in odd ways.

Jonathan has become the Phantom Snuggler. Sometime between one and four in the morning, we can count on the pitter-pat of little feet. A face will appear by the side of my bed, saying "Mommy, let me in!" Half asleep, I hoist Jonathan up into bed with us. He pulls on my pillow to maek a spot for himself, then expertly tucks himself under my arm. Later in the night, he'll migrate over to Chris's side. I generally wake up again at about six with his feet digging into my ribcage. If we tell him he has to stop wiggling or go back to his room, he'll lie absolutely rigid, arms at his side, hardly daring to breathe. At the first hint of sunshine in the window, he's bouncing up and down, saying "Morning's here! Wake up!"

Alex, thankfully, sleeps soundly these days. He's actually sleeping better now that he's finally getting good naps in his crib during the day - I think he was just overtired before. He's so anxious to get to bed in the evening that he won't let me cuddle him anymore. Once he's done with his bedtime milk, if I put him on my shoulder, he fusses and flips sideways. He's asking me "It's bedtime - why am I vertical?" So I have much less time with Enormously Heavy Sleeping Baby Furnace these days.

He does most of his cuddles in the daytime. He's taught himself to walk backwards and is enormously proud of this accomplishment. He likes to show off when we sit on the floor to play with him. He'll slowly back away, bouncing up and down with a quiet "Eh eh eh." However, once your attention wanders, watch out. Pretty soon he'll run up to within five feet of you. Then he'll turn around and back into you until his butt is resting on your knee, at which point he sits on the floor and leans into you.