Day 20 - { life with exacto, fluffy, and hummer }

note: this post has a soundtrack! Click play to hear it -- and don't turn up your speakers too loud. Unless you really like Mozart.

Music Playlist at MixPod.com

There are three wonderful young men in my life, who bring sunshine to me every day. Here's a post about some of those warm rays. :)

 

 

These guys are pretty unique. Have you ever met a household of boys that breaks out in song, singing MOZART? There's a CD we have that's just one of those cheesy Mozart collections, like "Mozart classics", or something like that. The first track is the overture to Le Nozze di Figaro and they LOVE it, especially Hummer. I'll be downstairs and suddenly hear it booming out from upstairs. Hummer says that the louder it is the more beautiful it is. He'll put the track on repeat and just sit there listening, saying reverently, "Beautiful. Beautiful."

(The only track they don't like is a soprano solo from one of the Masses. They always say, "Fast forward!" as soon as that operatic voice comes on. Rats. I was hoping they would be REALLY unusual and love opera. . . .of course, then they'd probably get beat up at school. :)

 

Last week was such a blast because Exacto and Fluffy were on Spring Break, and they had a whole week to be with Hummer and play as much as they wanted.

One of their favorite games lately is Train the Puppy. Not our resident puppy, though. Hummer is the trainer, and Exacto and Fluffy get on all fours, and the house reverberates with human barking and "NO! BAD DOG!" and "GOOD PUPPY! You did SUCH a good JOB!"

 

Mr. Hummer has recently signed his own personal declaration of independence. Complete independence at the age of 5 is a bit premature, of course, but he won't listen when I tell him that it's just not a good idea for him to drive the car. Or jump OUT of the car and run towards Target as soon as I turn off the engine. (Yikes!)

This little Don Juan, who still kisses the hands of people who are "sweet", now refuses to accept kisses! He wipes them off, screaming, "EW!" It has turned into a game. Instead of tickling him to tease him, I kiss him. He shrieks and runs away. I do it again. He shrieks and runs away. (Just doing my part to get him ready for kindergarten. Hey, it's important! :)

One thing that amazes me though, is that Hummer is reading the Book of Mormon independently! Isn't that incredible? Often, he'll choose that for his bedtime story. He's actually working his way through 2nd Nephi right now. Awesome.

 

Then there's my sweet Flufferoo.

He's is so tender-hearted, it just melts me. HE still loves kisses, thank goodness.

One of our special traditions when we visit Benjamin's grave is that no matter what, Fluffy runs to hold my hand as we walk. He is the one who usually stays with me while we visit (DC is usually still at church, Exacto waits in the car, and Hummer is half a mile away seeing how close he can get to the lake without falling in).

Fluffy is quite the musician already! He can play the note flashcards in less than a minute now. He's working toward his first piano recital, and has 6 songs memorized for it already.

I love going through his school papers every day, and counting up the 100%'s. (He gets a bean for each 100% paper :). He likes to draw cute little men with the 00's as eyes.

At PT conferences yesterday, his teacher praised him to the skies and made me blush by saying he was likely a genius. But then she said it's because she knows he's smart, but he's off in lala land half the time. She said--and I quote--, "Then I have to say, [Fluufffy]! Helloooo!"

Nice.

 

 

Exacto is . . . .

. . . .anti-photo-taking

Nana worked her magic and got some great pictures while they were visiting. Her secret? To give a special gift to all three boys, ON CONDITION that they promise to co-operate for pictures. Fluffy and Hummer don't mind pictures. But it took Exacto a while to decide to agree to this. And yes, he kept his promise. He's pretty awesome that way.

. . . .iPod-sharing

Remember that iPod nano he got for Christmas? I was a bit concerned at first that he would soon have those earbuds permanently in his ears, and we'd have to wrangle out some rules to keep things peaceful. I shouldn't have worried. This almost-11-year-old big brother lets BOTH his little brothers use his iPod almost every time they ask! He knows how much I would love to have one, and so he's suggested several times that I use it while he's at school.

He bought the sweetest little speakers for it, and at night when they were all in bed (and before the batteries on the speakers died), they would listen to stories he downloaded. He'd put it in the middle of H's and F's bedroom floor and turn it way up so they all can hear. He is so the big brother I wished for when I was growing up. :)

. . . .district-chess-tournament-going

Today was the day. My Exacto went to the district level in 3rd grade, too, but not 4th grade, and now, this was his last chance to do the tournament. Hummer and I went to watch. He took one out of the three games. Of course, he was a bit disappointed, but I was amazed at what a good sport he was.

And then there was an impromptu fourth game, which only lasted a few minutes. Look at Hummer's face, and you'll see why I say Exacto wins, hands down! :)

 

 

"Verily I say unto you my friends, fear not,

let your hearts be comforted;

yea, rejoice evermore,

and in everything give thanks."

Doctrine & Covenants 98:1