You Want Quirks, I'll Give you Them Seven Times Quickly

What a weird title, sorry, it's one of my quirks - I write the title before I write the post, then I usually have to go back and adjust it because what spills out of my tappity-type fingers is not what was sitting in my brain file.  Grace wrote about her kid's quirks, and I love that kind of stuff, so I'm joining in with some of the current Martin quirks, one for every kid and their quirk-passing parents.  Oh wait, that will make 8 takes, which is great because...

COLLEEN:

I love even numbers when I group or list things.  After every odd numbered kid, I knew/hoped I would have another one to make an even bunch.  So if there's ever a Martin Baby #7 there will most likely be a Martin Baby #8.  And wow, that would be a lot of kids!  Right, Michelle?  I also have another weird quirky number thing, I don't like to set a timer or microwave to a number ending in zero or five.  so if I want to heat up some food or set the timeout timer, you can bet it will read 3:01.  I always add an extra second or two.  I can't sleep without a sound machine or fan or something producing white noise.  I'm a wicked light sleeper and every little noise wakes me up, so this at least blocks out some of those.  I always pour myself fresh glasses of water, take a sip, leave it, come back later, dump it out, refill with fresh water and repeat cycle.  Why can't I ever just drink a whole glass?  Prefer my salads at room temperature and my egg salad warm (and homemade) but to really enjoy tuna salad, it must be from a restaurant.

PHIL:

He likes to have all the "work" done at night by the time the kids go to bed.  Then he can relax.  This means he is usually found making lunches while cooking dinner while doing dishes, etc.  I'm always like, let's do the lunches later!  But he wants it all done already.  He also can not go to bed right after everything is finished and the kids are asleep.  He needs some unwind time in the form of TV watching or he feels like his whole day has just been a work day, with no relaxation.  (I prefer sleep as my method of relaxation.)  When he exercises at the gym, he always changes his shirt after for the ride home.  Plus he wears a hat while he works out to keep the sweat out of his face, and uses a towel to wipe off his face.  So after each workout, he has a lot of laundry to do.  He wears old shoes with holes in the bottom even though his wife buys him brand new ones for Christmas.  Won't eat mayonnaise, sour cream, or seafood.

JOHN-PAUL:

He gets completely lost in books, and is oblivious to anything else going on around him.  Which means he loses a lot of things, then thinks they are stolen.  He prefers one certain brand of boxer briefs and does not appreciate when his younger brothers wear them...oh the joys of a joint underwear drawer.  He loves to sleep in said boxer briefs only, but we make him wear pajamas in the winter months.  Money and gift cards burn holes in his pocket like crazy.  He feels the need to put something funny in everything he writes for school - which so far seems appreciated by his teachers.  He's been wearing deodorant for a long time now, even though he still doesn't need it.

ANDREW (10):

He has this crazy high-pitched laugh that he does when he's acting like a goofball.  He loves to get everybody riled up and into something physical - playing basketball, wrestling on the floor, running around like lunatics.  He can't sleep without a nightlight and stores all his treasures under his bed.  Every night after his shower, he makes his hair stick up a little in the front so it dries like that.  When you tell him to go read, he acts like he's dying.  Likes peanut butter, like chocolate, does not like them together.

EAMON (8):

This boy needs physical touch in the worst way.  He gives these super long and way-too-handsy hugs to us everyday.  It's sweet and disturbing at the same time.  When he eats, he does so sloooooowly and has the tendency to put tons of food in his mouth, then sit there like a chipmunk until he can chew away at it for twenty minutes.  He is always found tossing a ball around or washing his hands.  He has perfected the mommy voice when he talks to the baby, pitch and all.  Likes his cheese cold, not melted.  Will not touch ketchup.

MAGGIE (7):

She is the quirkiest about her hair.  She will only wear it in a ponytail or down with a headband.  That's it.  If you want to get her to do something, threaten her with "or I'll braid your hair" and she'll do it pronto.  Even getting it cut is a process, she only allows the hair stylist to spray her hair with water, not wash it in the sink.  Sleeps so heavily in her makeshift hallway bedroom and won't wake up even though people are walking back and forth to the bathroom or turning on the light or talking.  She needs to have like ten stuffed animals in her bed with her, along with her blankie.  She keeps everything and thinks it's under control because she puts them in various boxes and containers around her room.  She can be found Irish step dancing her way through the house, why walk when you can jig?  Will not touch ketchup either.

XANDER (3):

Bites his nails - all twenty of them {shudder}.  Freaks out about tags, and begs us to cut them off his clothes.  Can physically dress himself but you wouldn't know it by the no-bones-floor-drop he pulls every morning.  Needs a sippy cup of water next to his bed at night, and a pillow with the tag still on to hold as he sucks his thumb.  If he's watching a tv show, he makes everybody in the room be one of the characters..."ok, you're Peg and you're Cat, and you're Ramone..."  Tells us most mornings that he doesn't want to go to school, then tells us every afternoon that school was so much fun.  Has a tendency towards pessimism and speaking without a filter.  Tries to get away with saying potty words by insisting he was saying something else "No, I said but, not butt!"

DECLAN:

Hates diaper changes.  Loves his nuby (pacifier).  Throws anything he can.  Does not like to cuddle.  Sleeps on his belly with a blankie.  Is very frustrated by his inability to talk and walk.  Says "mmm" after every bite of food.  Points with his whole hand, a la Vanna White.

Linking up with the quirky and adorable Kelly, and hoping you all have a wonderful weekend and aren't getting yet more snow like us :(

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