"normal" is over-rated

I've never liked the word "normal" and I try desperately not to use it, ESPECIALLY when talking about my kids. My mom used to say "why can't you just be normal" to me all.the.time and it really hurt because I look at people and don't really think ANYONE is normal, right? I mean what is normal?

However, I am not ashamed to say that whatever normal is, my sweet, wonderful little Jackson, is not. He's got these little "quirks" (that's what we've decided to call them because it's less hurtful than "omg that kid is freaking weird" lol).

Example #1 hugging/petting/chasing the vacuum cleaner. Often, if I've misplaced him, I can go into my closet and there he is laying on the vacuum sucking his thumb. Then he'll sit up all excited, petting the vacuum, practically begging me to sweep the floors. And of course I give in (our floors have never been cleaner, btw).

And how about his...uh...foot fetish(?). Most babies have a "lovie" of some kind. A blanket or stuffed animal that catches their eye around 9 months of age. Jack...nah...none of those were good enough. For Jack, it's socks. yep, any old sock, will do (clean, of course). If he's crying, you hand that boy a sock and he'll immediately put his thumb and half of the sock in his mouth and he'll be asleep in no time.

This one is a two-fer because you can see the sock in his hand and he's also under the Christmas tree which is his new favorite place.

He thinks it's hilarious to growl at people (me mostly). He'll hide behind something and I'll hear him start "grrrrrr" and then he'll peak out from behind whatever it is and laugh his little head off.

And last, but not least, he sleeps like this....

It's total cuteness, but ohmehgah he's a cranky little guy when he wakes up after being in that position for an hour.

We've talked about it and decided that if he ends up like that kid from "the middle" we're going to love him just the same. ***the saaame*** (sorry, you'd have to have seen the show, to think that's funny but i couldn't resist).