I'm overdue for a roundup of things I want to remember about the boys. Right now my boys are 4 years old and 2 years old and this is what I want to remember: 

The way Cedric always has a song in his heart. He'll be chattering along and then burst into song as if it was the natural next part of the conversation. In current rotation: "Finkle, finkle little tar," "Hello, how do you do?" "Baby shark, do doo, do doo doo," and "Five little ducks went out one day..." I've often told him that he has a song in his heart and the other day he looked at me with a beaming smile and said, "I have a song in my heart."

Dash being such a sweet big brother - hugging Cedric, scratching his back, and patiently asking, "Well, what DO you want?" when Cedric is having a two-year-old moment. 

Watching Dash do the Magnetic MightMind game and watching his mind work. 

Cedric's toddler meltdowns being a bit easier to manage/handle than Dash. Perhaps it's the personality difference, or that this isn't our first toddler rodeo. Or maybe both. Thankful either way. 

How wild and riled up the boys can get. Separately my boys have energy but together - whew! I love how much they love to wrestle and play, especially with Chris.

Cedric's beloved stuffed animal cat, Sevy. When Cedric stayed with my sister-in-law while we adventured in the PNW he fell in love with their cat. For Christmas my sister-in-law gave him a stuffed animal cat that looks just like their Siamese cat and for his birthday he got another stuffed animal cat. He calls them both Sevy and sleeps with both every night.  

Cedric's bedtime routine: reading books with him lounging in my lap, saying "night night" to the characters in the book we're reading, gathering him in my arms, getting a last drink of water, and depositing him into bed. As I lay him down he just grins, and sometimes even chuckles, so happy to be going into his crib. He turns onto his belly, gathers his night-night (blanket) and two Sevy cats underneath him and then tucks in his feet. I pull his shirt down to over his lower back, cover his with a blanket and tuck him in, pat his little bum and say, "I love you," and leave the room. He says, "Bye-bye, Mama," as I leave.

Cedric tucking his little fists under his shirt and then suddenly revealing them with a big "TA DA!"

All the audiobooks we listen to in the car. (I mentioned a few of them here.)

Finding Dash in the front room cleaning up all the toys, unasked, after I had put Cedric to bed.

Cedric bursting into tears at the sight of a suited-up firefighter at a birthday fire station tour. 

How excited the boys get for new library books.

Dash loving being read chapter books before bed. He especially loved Amy Namey in Ace Reporter, Stuart Little, and Three Tales of My Father's Dragon (just a few word like "hate" and "whip" that we change on the fly).

Cedric's constant commentary as we drive to and from daycare each day: "I see sunset!" "I see bus!" "New road, new houses, guys!"(when we pass a neighborhood being built) "Fire engine!" "Mis-mis lights!" (christmas lights)

How happily each of the boys runs to their daycare classrooms each day. Around December drop-offs suddenly became so much easier and happier with Cedric. 

After his birthday, Cedric thinking the two candles we light at dinner time are for him.

How focused and intent Dashiell is when he is coloring. When we pick him up at preschool he's often completely absorbed. Often he'll stick his tongue out to the side of his mouth.

Explaining to Cedric the day after his birthday that it's not his birthday any more. Cedric taking matters into his own hands and bursting into, "Happy birthday to Thedic!"

 Cedric being Zingo obsessed. Just a few minutes after waking up he'll look into my eyes and say, "Mama, want to play Thingo?"

Enjoying taking Dash on outings. He's such an awesome sidekick. 

Dash's growing pains.

The earnest look of their shining brown eyes.

The way Cedric says, "Oh-tay."

Eating out at restaurants as a whole family and finding that it's something we can actually do and enjoy now - hip hip!

P.S. What I want to remember posts from the archives