he gets that from me

Blake's been especially needy lately, for some unknown reason. He tends to get in my face and my space A LOT, and I hear "Hey Mom?" approximately one hundred times a day. He says it even when we're in conversation and he clearly has my interest, and it's quickly driving me nuts.

One of the things the teacher mentioned in the parent/teacher conference was that he tends to not respect other people's space, crowding them when he wants their attention. Yep, that sounds familiar.

I don't know if I've inadvertently taught him this, being distracted until he's rightupinmybusiness, or if this is something he gets to grow through and out of that he came up with on his own. Probably a little of both, though I'm not really sure how to correct it without dropping everything each time he calls to give him my full and undivided. Of course, that might teach him bad habits of a different sort, so I should probably just go on ignoring him.

The upside to all this is that he's also been SUPER affectionate lately, asking repeatedly for "lovins" at bedtime and every other time. Leaving his room without enough lovins (hugs and kisses) elicits tears.

"I just need some lovins. I just so sad."

He's gotten to be a really good hugger, too, nice and tight, sometimes wrapping his legs around my waist to really get the point across that I am being hugged and hugged well. He's seen me do this with Rob.

Or not. But we are affectionate when we're around one another, so maybe he sees that physical touch is something I respond favorably to? If that's the motivation, he is darn right. Touch is one of my love languages, and a good friend once accused me of being "aggressively affectionate." As in, "I'm going to give you a squeeze whether you like it or not."

Does that make me needy?