"Be two boys," my two year old says. He likes when daddy carries two boys down or up the stairway together and always requests it. He knows it is only a "daddy" thing because there is no way mom could carry the dense, stout, and quickly growing two year old with only one arm. He must be close to 40 pounds and the baby 20. These two boys adore each other. They make each other laugh hysterically when I'm shopping and they are bored. One will rub the other's head, hug, and offer a toy as consolation for a cry. Here is a description I wrote while watching them the other day: "
Baby tosses water cup down. Toddler, "I kean dat up. I kean up dirties. STOP making mess, baby Kiko. STOP. Mommy, baby Kiko keeps making mess." Toddler cleans water, whacks the baby's tray with the washcloth, and takes a moment to "cut" his brother out the highchair with his toy chainsaw. Baby laughs hysterically."
These two boys are growing up so quickly. I feel like each day goes more quickly than the one before. My husband has been on nightshift all week, working all night long and sleeping all day, and I've barely noticed. We have breakfast with him in the mornings, usually oatmeal the toddler's current favorite. He makes me coffee, does the dishes if I wasn't able to get to them the night before, and even stops at the store if we don't have something we would like to have. Baby, I LOVE YOU. Thanks for taking such good care of the 3 of us and helping me out! You are truly the best.
Anyway, every week we've been running around doing this and that and possibly that is what helps to pass the time so well. At the pool, for my toddler's good friend Julia's birthday party, the toddler impressed me by swimming independently of me the entire time. I guess those swim lessons with dad this fall really paid off. He had floaties, but still he was not afraid to kick by himself or jump off the edge or to simply not be with mom. It was liberating for me to have a stress free pool experience (and baby was with me too). In addition, he pronounced his friend's name, "Julia," after having called her "Ju juey" so cutely for probably an entire year. He calls her brother William "Wheel wheel." He also said clearly, "That's really neat" last night. He has always been a talker, much more than we'd like, but is barely is understandable half of the time. When he adds new consonants to his vocabulary or self-corrects a word he had adopted in place of the true one for months, I am stunned.
We went to North Pole library's story time today, for the 4th time in about 4 months and my boy was the star of the show. He clapped during "B.I.N.G.O," and stomped during "If you're happy and you know it," waved his fingers and tickled his nose and everything else Ms. Tina, his teacher for 30 minutes, asked him to do. In addition, he answered all of her questions including recalling details from a book she had just read, that he'd never seen before. Details that I couldn't recall, like which snowman had wheels for ears (boy) and a strawberry for a nose (dad) and fish for eyebrows (cat) and on and on. My boy may not know his ABC's, but I realized today that he is as smart as a whip. Dad's rolling his eyes as he reads because he knew it all along. I told grandma Linda and she said she never doubted he would be brilliant. Still, his favorite part is the end of the story/song time, where we move over to the tables and do a craft. Today, he made a snowman out of cotton balls. Wednesday he made the crown above. Baby brother gets a kick out of this library time also. It's nice that they offer such a great experience for small kids for free each week.
As the baby crawls into the cupbard, playing with empty mason jars, I should brag of him too. A bit ago, I forgot to put the gate up at the bottom of the stairs and he made it half way up before I caught him. Bad mommy. He claps his hands now. He cries for "ma ma" and happily says "da da." He tells me by putting his fingers together and apart (sloppily) that he would like "more" food. He's getting his front top two teeth to match the bottom two that are finally all the way in. He needs his first haircut. He got his first pair of walking shoes the other day and can cruise in them and also take them off with ease. He is doing just great. I hope he doesn't walk for a few more months. He crawls quickly enough.
I realized last night that I hadn't taken notice of the dog (albeit letting him out to defecate and subsequent food) for probably several weeks, maybe months. So, I let him sleep in our bed, on my husband's side, with the baby last night. And I'm letting him nap on the bed with my husband now. Poor Harley. He was our "first" and he is so neglected. I will make some time to love him each day . . . at least until summer when we are busier yet and he can play outside.
My mom just informed me that the elder of their two horses died of old age this morning. He would eat treats, but not drink, and because he would not get up the weight of his organs hastened his deterioration and they had to put him down. She asked me to break the news to my son in little people terms as he is fond of his two toy horses that represent their Scooter and Buck. I wonder if he will understand what I am trying to say or if I will even attempt it.
I LOVE the age that my kids are right now: 13 months and 35 months. The younger of the two is agile and communicative enough that he can play baby games, and the older is innocent enough that he still finds joy in the same games. So, they play together: wrestling, tickling, invading each others' space, but also cars, animals, peek a boo, telephone, tools, whatever. It is amazing the number of games the baby can play with only the words, "Ya" (nods head), "mama," "da" (dad), "hi," and "Aaah" (squeal of disapproval). And, they play separately too. The baby empties my purse and tosses a ball around the house, while the toddler asks, "What did the baby put into his mouth, mommy?" And, "I'm playing garbage truck, mommy," while filling a plastic bag with blocks and animals, for example. They play like this together, and apart, for hours. I have to intervene very little sometimes. 
