I was asked for birthday gift ideas for the children. Here’s a cliff notes version of their current interests.

Noah gets up before the sun rises no matter what day it is or how late he stayed up the night before. This fact makes me think the hospital switched babies. Noah likes to play PS2 and DS games. I know too much game is not good for Noah, but I really like it when he plays multi-player with Tommy. Noah uses the PS2 to watch movies in his room. It’s a little like watching cats and dogs cuddling when all the children gather in Noah’s room for a movie. Noah loves to read and he has started doodling little cartoons. He loves ‘inventing’ things and whines regularly about his desire to have a treehouse or fort for his laboratory. He is smart, funny and extremely sensitive.

Evan spends his day trying to put everything into his mouth. He likes to make messes and climb to dangerous places. He adores his siblings and any attention they give him is rewarded with giggles and smiles.

Amy is egocentric and bossy. Despite the gallons of detangle spray I apply daily, she always has a wild, messy look. Her imagination is her talent and she creates elaborate pretend worlds with any toy she finds. She watches too much television, but when Jack’s Big Music Show comes on, I have to sing and dance along with her.

Sarah is trying to learn about photography. She likes to draw cartoons of friends and thinks new pens, markers and paper are the greatest. She almost always has one or more IM conversations going on while she also has the cell phone glued to her ear. She likes pop music and spends hours picking out a single song on itunes. She is moody and negative one minute and helpful and mature the next minute.

Tommy has changed and grown more than I ever could have imagined. He rarely tantrums and is usually a very nice companion. He wants to be funny and loves to interact with familiar people. I don’t know if it’s his anxiety or his experiences with peers, but he has become increasingly isolated. He wants to spend all of his time safely shielded by his computer. His computer needs more oomph to play some of the games he wants to play. He likes his DS and car rides are easier when he and Noah play them together. Tommy likes to cook. He loves to read and will stay up all night reading. During the summer he spends a LOT of time in his tent reading and playing DS.

They are all wonderful little people who I love with all of my heart. I’ll add more as I think of it.