I love Michael Paul

-- He likes to play pretend more and more. Last night I was playing with the dollhouse with him to keep him away from Lily and Andrew's Pokemon game. I of course had to be the mommy doll. He was distressed that the bathtub was broken and there was no water. Then he spied a Barbie doll across the room. He ran over and said, "Giant mom!" and handed her to me to include in the play. And was distressed when Barbie wouldn't fit in the tiny dollhouse bathtub.

--The stink bugs are back. All over our screens in the hot afternoon sun. One of Mike's favorite past times is flicking them off the screen. He yells, "Oh no! Eeew! Sink bug!" and then rushes to flick it. On Sunday he decided to try something new. I caught him aiming the laser from Buzz Lightyear doll's arm at the stink bugs. Making shooting noises and trying to kill them with his laser beam.

-- I have given him Andrew's old pre-school rolling backpack to take into Lily's pre-school 3 times a week. Tuesday was the first day...and he was giddy with delight at having his very own "pack". And it has Lightning McQueen on it. Score! It was a little sad when he rushed back to the classroom and hung his pack on the hooks with the other pre-schoolers. To his credit, he didn't cry when I made him leave. One more year, Mikey.

-- We went grocery shopping Tuesday...just the two of us. Seriously, could grocery shopping be any easier than with only one child in tow. Well, of course ZERO children would be easier. Whatev'. Mikey was giggling so hard in the fridge aisle...we were kissing and poking and maybe there was a little tickling going on as I picked out our yogurts and cheeses. He's just fun...and he got quite the attention of the other shoppers...all grandmotherly types.

-- He is wired differently than my other kids. He is such a problem solver. Can't reach something? Get the stool. Hungry? Don't bother asking, just go in the fridge/pantry and help yourself. Sister won't share? Don't cry about it, just punch her as hard as you can to teach her a lesson.

-- He has some serious "Mom-dar". The second I leave the room, he's all, "Where ma go?" And it is totally embarrassing how totally incapable of leaving me he is. But I try and cherish all those long hugs and big kisses. Even if he totally wipes them off as he grins with eyes full of mischief.

-- He is not able to calm himself down. Mike is so often even tempered, that when he falls apart, he has no coping skills. The problem is, we just don't have that many opportunities to practice taking deep breathes and separating himself from the issue at hand. Which is usually that I won't let him knock everything off the counter. Or have 7 yogurts from the fridge. Or fruit snacks. Or chips. 9 times out of 10 it is food related.

-- He is full of empathy. He worries when some is crying and rushes to pat them or hug them. When I sneeze, he calls from the other room, "O-tay, ma? O-tay?" He is dramatic about his empathy, putting his hands on his cheeks and saying, "Oh no!"

-- He is funny...and he knows it. He makes his dolls burp and say "Q-kee" (excuse me). Then he takes a tissue and wipes their bottoms (?), all the while smiling mischievously. He was wearing a onesie to bed last night, and I asked him where his belly button was. He tried to lift up his shirt and couldn't. He said dramatically, "Oh no! Can't find it!" Then looked down the neck and said, "Oh! Der it is!"

I love him.