siblings

My siblings are loving on each other something fierce these days.  Loving on each other until, quite abruptly, they decide to bug the heck out of each other.  All or nothing with these two. 

I remember my friend and favorite birth/mama mentor Jody saying that you never love anything as much as you love your child until you see how much your child loves your next child.  This couldn't be more true.  My kiddos are so connected and so in love with one another, that I hardly know what to do when I'm just with one of them alone.

Sol and I have had some unexpected q.t. this week after I got a call from Caroline yesterday saying that he had a fever of 103.  I ended up staying home half of yesterday and all of today with my boy.  It's so weird for us to have this kind of time together.  It's funny, this year, I've actually had more alone time with Eliana in the hour that we share before we go get Soli.  We have these, "mommy-daughter" dates and go for frozen yogurt or for a bike ride in the park or to the library.  They are super special times and have served us quite well. 

I realized yesterday as I threw out the term, "Mommy-Soli date" to Sol, that we've never really had one of these.  We drive to Caroline's together in the morning, but I'm usually busting the radio and thinking about the gazillion of things ahead of me in the day.  He kicks it in the back with his paci and Softie and we just cruise.  My one-on-one time with Elie is much more intentional. 

But I think my guy is coming into the age where he will be able to appreciate this kind of special mama time as well.  After he got over the fact that he wasn't going either a. to Caroline's or b. to Eliana's school, he quite enjoyed himself on our little jaunt around the park.  With his fever broken and only some gnarly green snot rockets to remind us of the rough germ-y battle in his little system, he raced through Greenough in his "fast shoes."  He loves nature time, loves to talk about the "big creek", smile at strangers, throw rocks and pick grass and leaves.  He's also so good at articulating himself these days.  It seems that overnight he went from two word phrases to four word phrases.  For example, before if I said, "Wow!  Look at the big creek, Soli!" He'd say, "Big creek!"  Now he says, "Look at big creek!"  It's awesome.  With this illness he was able to say, "Soli need medicine now" and, then, "Now Soli happy!" 

The other cool thing that's happening is that mainly, at least when well-rested, reasonably fed and generally content, Eliana can actually get past her brother-envy enough to be a kind, helpful big sister.  The other night when Sol was feeling bad Eliana said, "Here, Soli, come sit in sissy's lap.  There!  Didn't that make it all better!"  She's way more in tune with his emotions and gets that being a big sister is actually really cool and can make her parents extremely proud and happy.  They move like this little unit these days.  Totally in step, ready for their next adventure.