Preserving a Few More Memories

I forgot a few things when I posted yesterday and these are things I'd like to remember.

When Bugga gives kisses, he makes the fishy face as his pucker. I love it. And sometimes he thinks that just making the face is giving a kiss, not actually making contact with anything.

Bugga likes to use sign language for certain words even though he knows how to verbalize them. He'll say "more" and "please" with his hands. That's it. Nothing else.

Bugga pronounces thank you, "ank ya."

Bugga is always handing me things and saying, "Heee go" (here you go).

Bugga seems to think that the garbage can is a garbage truck and he pronounces garbage truck, "gabeh juck." He's always telling me to put bugs and other "ewy" things in the "gabeh juck."

Bugga says "yeah" with his whole body - head bobbing, torso bouncing. I love it. It's the greatest! He's so expressive.

Buddha likes to teach Bugga words. I'll hear him from another part of the house saying, "Bugga, can you say 'down truck' or 'cars?'" And the other morning he came bursting into my room (nice way to wake up, eh?) and announced that Bugga had said, "sorry." He was very excited. I could just imagine him in the crib with Bugga, getting pummeled and then teaching Bugga to say "sorry." Buddha is such a great big brother.

Tonight we took our walk at the high school track and we brought Buddha's bike for him to cruise around on. Near the end of our walk, The Chief encouraged me to sprint 100 yards, just for old time's sake. I told him it would probably make me puke, but agreed to try anyway. I took off down the track and flopped on the ground at the finish line. Then I hear Buddha yelling at me and I lift my head off the ground, look down the track, and see this little body hurtling toward me at top speed. He had gotten off his bike to run with Mommy. He was so proud of running with me and it was so cute to watch his little legs pumping. When he reached the number marking his lane at the end, he yelled, "SCORE!" (We had been saying this every time we strolled/walked/biked over the numbers as we walked around the track). We rounded another curve and then it was The Chief's turn to test his speed. He and Buddha stepped up to the starting line and took off when I yelled "Go!" Bugga started squirming and wanted to get out and run, too. He kept saying in this distressed little voice, "wun, wun!" So, I let him out and he took off down the track with his hoodie-covered head, his swishing sweat pants, and his bare little feet pittering and pattering their way toward the finish line (and red soles). He started out running toward The Chief, but then he veered toward Buddha. Buddha put his arms out, Bugga put his arms up, and Bugga ran into Buddha's outstretched arms where he was warmly embraced and patted on the back for his accomplishment. I wish I would have had my camera with me. That is a moment I hope I'll never forget. It was so sweet and reminded me that despite all the fights, power struggles and tantrums, my boys really do love each other and enjoy each other's company.

Incidentally, I did feel like puking for a while after my pathetic attempt at a sprint. Nothing like a slow 100 yards to remind you that you're not in your prime anymore.

Here's a video of me trying to get Bugga to say "Ewww" and "Die" over a bug. Excuse my loss of patience with Buddha at the end. It had been one of those days. Oh, and Buddha was right, it wasn't a bug, but I was trying to improvise. It didn't elicit as strong a response as normal from Bugga. He seemed skeptical, but it did the job.