Leif is such an interesting little fellow. Sensitive is what I usually call him. Sometimes he will cry over every little thing and only be happy if he has things just the way he likes them, other times nothing will make him happy, and other times he is happy and giggling about the littlest things. I thought Asher was a man of routine, but Leif is even more so. Once things are done a certain way, he wants them that way all the time. One example is that we read a certain book before nap and bedtime each day and I was getting pretty sick of it. I brought up a very similar book to have some variety, but Leif cried and threw the book whenever I tried to read it and only wanted the old one. Austin said he has been able to read the new one, but he will not have it from me. Another example is that whenever we go to our favorite park, up until yesterday we had always had a snack after playing and I let the boys sit in the front seats of the car while they were eating. Yesterday when we were leaving the park, we didn't have a snack because I had forgotten one, so I just put the boys in their carseats. Leif had a fit and was straining to get into the front seat. Its cute how much he remembers and likes to repeat it.(Interestingly, he has never done this when we don't have a snack at other parks).
Leif hasn't been as good of an eater lately as he usually is. Both boys have had an eternal cold that just won't go away. They both have a cough and a snotty nose, but are fine otherwise. This might play a part in Leif not eating as well. Despite his refusal to eat much at meal-times, Leif is magnetically drawn to the fridge. As soon as he sees it open, he comes over as fast as he can and inserts himself in so I can't close the door. Sometimes he takes out a yogurt and insists that I open it for him (although he usually only eats half), but other times he just peruses the shelves until I take his hand and walk him away. I'm not sure what it is he is looking for in there.
Leif still relies mostly on whining and pointing or bringing us things to let us know what he wants, but he does use a few words other than mom/dad and shaking his head yes/no consistently and clearly. One of those words is "shoes". This is no surprise given how much he loves to wear his shoes or the delight he takes in bringing other people their shoes. (But he only likes one pair of shoes. I tried to put the exact same pair of shoes on him, only different in that they have bears on them instead of a fire engine, and he cried and tried to get them off.) He also says "di, di" (dip, dip) which means he wants graham crackers and milk to dip them in, and "ki" (Kix) his favorite breakfast cereal. Although his vocabulary seems pretty limited right now, Leif understands very well the things that I tell him. If I ask him to throw something in the garbage or get some kid plates out for dinner, he is right on it. I assume he is just like Asher-he has a big vocabulary, he just doesn't use it right now, but it will all come out all at once. (My guess is he won't be quite as chatty as his older brother though)
Leif has a peculiar hobby that has us a little worried for his teenage years. He loves to kiss! He puckers up and smacks his lips at me all the time to let me know that he wants a kiss. He also likes to kiss Asher and Daddy. Strangely, he also likes to kiss random objects--think the toilet, playground equipment at the park, his stroller, toys, the dishwasher, windows. Anything he can get his lips on. When he is in the kissing mood, he wanders around kissing anything that comes his way. Its the cutest thing to watch. And of course because Austin and I get such a kick out of it (or he gets told repeatedly not to kiss something, like the toilet) Asher also likes to go around kissing things just to mimic his brother.
Here are some photos of Leif that I got today:
