Brother Love

An update from the land of sibling rivalry...

Elias adores his big brother already.  If Asa is in the room, Elias is looking in his direction, watching and listening to him.

Asa, for his part, loves Elias and generally remembers to be gentle and watch out for him.  The other day, we were letting Mommy sleep late - Asa and Elias were in the living room, while I was getting coffee for myself and breakfast for Asa.  Elias began to cry, and Asa called out, "Mummy, Elias is hungry.  He needs a bottle."  And then he came into the kitchen to make sure I was responding quickly.

Asa kisses his brother pretty regularly, and always before he goes to bed at night.  He is very protective: if someone other than Mommy or Mummy is holding Elias, Asa admonishes, "You be gentle!  Gentle with Baby Yi-as."  Or, if he is particularly concerned, "You don't hold him.  Mommy-Mummy hold him."

But we - Mommy and I - are definitely in the doghouse, as far as Asa is concerned.  He has finally started sleeping well again, although we've backtracked a little on nighttime potty training.  But naptime might well become a thing of the past, to our chagrin.  There are days when the best we get is a half-hour or so of "quiet time", during which I read to Asa while he lies quietly in bed.  I'm so not ready to let go of naptime...

For the most part, however, things seem to be settling back into a routine.  Asa doesn't seem to think that Elias' stay is temporary, and although this might be wishful thinking, he seems to accept that we need to care for Elias as well as for him.

This picture says it all: something between a cuddle and a headlock.  Probably the reality of our lives for the next sixteen years.  Or more.