Brüder | Zwei Kinder in einem Wäschekorb

Bruno nicht erkennen, wie groß er ist. Er tut alles, seinem Bruder tut.

Bruno doesn't realize how big he is. He does everything his brother does.

Brothers | A new space

Mamaw and Pawpaw's house is beginning to feel like home, and the boys have been having a great time exploring this new space. Bruno has discovered all the secret pint-sized paths through the house, and especially enjoys the step out of the kitchen onto the screened in porch. As for Sebastian, he's traversed every inch of the front and back yards, played with the water hose, and made enormous strides in his biking skills. I can hardly watch him when he gets so daring on those two wheels, but am so proud of how brave he is. His legs and arms are covered in scuffs and scratches, and he handles them like such a big boy.

I can't believe how fast they're growing. I want to remember every detail of these days.

P.S. More of these brothers.

Brothers | An afternoon at the park + the ultimate parenting book (in my opinion)

this was crazy. i need some bungee cords for the bike...

Lately, life has been difficult with Sebastian. He's had a hard time with transitions of any and every kind (it's time for bed, lunch, to go to the store, etc.) even though we are diligent about giving him ample warning of our plans. As we approach his 3rd birthday, I've been reflecting on this thing called parenting. Until age 2, things were pretty simple with Sebastian. He went down for naps and bedtime with ease, he was happy in any situation and went with the flow of things, and although he's been a picky eater for a while, we never had problems getting him to sit down at a meal. This can be frustrating, and there have been times where I've been at my wit's end. But what I'm realizing about all of this is that this is actually what is supposed to happen.

Now let me clarify: the part that is supposed to happen is that Sebastian is supposed to grow up. He is supposed to form his own opinions, and desire to follow his plans and ideas for things. He is fighting to become an individual, distinct from his parents. The part that is not supposed to happen, or maybe I should say, happen for long, is this extended period of agitation, discontent, and need to always assert his opinion and stick with it until the bitter end.

I am learning, thanks to this incredibly helpful and inspiring book (go buy it now!), that when Sebastian displays this kind of behavior, he is having a difficult time with a change, there's too much stress or stimulation, or he is simply struggling to understand how to assert his individuality. He didn't just magically become a bratty kid. This book has already helped us tremendously in figuring out how to create a more peaceful, enriching environment for Sebastian, and you know what? It's not even been a week and there is a marked difference in him. He is back to his cheerful, goofy self the majority of the day. We still have struggles, but they're spotty, and we're working through them in a healthy way.

A few things we've done:
-When he needs mommy, he gets mommy (Okay, when this is possible).

-TV time has been drastically reduced. For the first few days we cut it out completely. Since then, I ask him if he wants to watch something for a bit, instead of waiting for him to request a movie when he's at an emotional low. This means that he's not filling his emptiness with a movie, but is learning to work through tough situations with play. Even with this small difference, he's been able to handle the end of TV time much better.

-And probably most important, I'm working on my attitude. I'm trying to react more calmly, gently, and lovingly when he's acting out. From the book, "'When your child seems to deserve affection least, that's when they need it most.'" I'm also trying to take him outside more.

As I was reading more of Simplicity Parenting last night, I came to this quote:

"Nature is a warm sensory bath that can counterbalance the cold overwhelm of too much activity, information, or 'stuff.' Time in nature calms and focuses; for most children, it takes only a few minutes for them to begin to explore. Watch as they seek out places that feel particularly right to them, as they gather symbolic objects—leaves, sticks, bits of moss—that they discover. You can't manipulate nature, it must be delved into; it's a vibrant but neutral canvas onto which a child can pour their creativity."

Watching Sebastian take off yesterday chasing a squirrel was proof enough for me of the truth of this statement. Also, a toddler chasing a squirrel might be the funniest thing on earth.

Someday I dream of having a great outdoor space for our children so they can have nature more readily accessible to them. Just for fun, here are a few of my favorite ideas: built in slide (i tend to be overly cautious when it comes to playgrounds—I'm not the only one who thinks they're deadly—so i love the idea of a slide that i don't have to worry about my kids falling off of...), and check out this post about creating an outdoor play space. I really kind of just want some large mounds of dirt. Growing up, there were a few construction projects my parents did, which created mountains of dirt for summers at a time. I remember building stairs into the dirt mountains, alcoves, and even bringing some old rugs up to the flat spaces. In my mind, it was like living here.

P.S. More of these brothers... specifically this post. Oh, and for posterities sake, Sebastian calls a teeter totter a "tigger tiger."

Brothers | Two peas

These pictures sum up their relationship perfectly. Hilarity mixed with adoration. Bruno just can't get enough of Sebastian, and Sebastian loves nothing more than to make Bruno laugh. Seb's goofiest side comes out around his little brother, just to make him laugh, and sometimes he shows his tenderness toward Bruno by sitting next to him during a diaper change and singing, "Jesus Loves You."

I can't imagine two more beautiful, loving, hilarious boys.

P.S. More of these brothers

Brothers | A comparison

Sebastian at 8 months on January 30th, 2011 and Bruno at 8.5 months on March 7th, 2013.

I can't even wrap my mind around how amazing, unique, expressive, and joyous these two faces are. 

I love these little guys so very much.

More of these brothers.

Brothers | January at the park

This morning was everything a morning in the life of a stay-at-home mom should be. I'll be the first to admit that I have a serious case of feet-dragging most days. It's a challenge for me to be proactive about getting my kids outside and doing things, and it's a challenge for me to engage them in indoor activities as well. Goodness, could I be any lazier? At least this is what I'm thinking about myself most days.

This morning was different. It was Cody's first day of class, so we drove him to school just before 10 a.m. and stopped at the park on the way home. It was the first time taking both boys to the park since Bruno was an infant swaddled in my Maya sling. It was amazing to see him watch Sebastian closely as he scaled the larger-than-life blue staircase, followed by a speedy descent down the spiral slide.

Then Bruno got to try the swings for the first time! Mostly he just watched Seb again, but I think he really loved hanging out and getting a chance to be on his own for a few minutes. Next, we tried the teeter totter—Bruno on one end and Seb on the other.

It was perfect, and these two guys never cease to amaze me. I never thought that watching my children be siblings would be this cool.

P.S. More brothers.

Brothers | Sweats

These guys are so happy because they're looking at Auntie Bekah in the flesh! She arrived late yesterday laden with all kinds of treats and the cutest ever matching-ish outfits. Auntie keeps them stylin'.

Brothers | "Next Bruno."

These two.

Anytime Bruno is on the floor for a diaper change, or because I'm working on something or other, Sebastian sidles right up next to him, gets down on the floor, and says, "Next Bruno."

P.S. More brotherly love.

Brothers | "Hold you, baby?"

Seb kills me daily. His skills at the english language are blossoming all over the place, and his affection for his baby brother is sweeter than syrup. Bruno says the feeling is quite mutual. I hope and pray they stay best friends for all time. Also... do you like how Bruno is totally maxing out those 0-3 mo. pants? Yes, I've got some new, much larger ones, in the works, but I'm first learning how to not accidentally sew the legs into a merman costume, and second—and much less embarrassing—perfecting my pattern.

Wish me luck!

P.S. More brotherly love.

Brothers | What Bruno (at 2.5 mo.) Wore, Vol. I

You may be a little confused by the title of this post. I intended to snap a few pics of Bruno looking cute in his outfit yesterday, but Seb jumped in, too. I didn't mind because it's so adorable when he wants to be in pictures with Bruno, or pays any kind of attention to him (there have been lots of kisses around here!). Plus, it resulted in some seriously adorable shots of my dynamic duo.

About the outfit... shoes are Teva, found at a consignment sale; pants are from Walmart; Gap onesie was from my mom. In thinking about this outfit, and why I loved it so much, I thought of a great tip when buying children's clothing. I've had a terrible time trying to match outfits for Bruno, even though we have quite an array of items to choose from. It seems that the colors just don't work together unless it's a set, and quite honestly, I'm not so into sets, unless they have mixing and matching potential. The blues, though all baby blue, are in various shades that just look silly when they're paired together, so the things I find myself using most often in Bruno's outfits are usually more simple, earth-toned colors. They are so much easier to mix and match, and far less of a headache. So if you're like me, and hate seeing a onesie or pair of pants worn only once, use the same principle you would use for your own wardrobe, when you're shopping for baby clothes. Buy things that have lots of mixing and matching potential. Of course, there is always the exception to that rule, because sometimes babies just need a little something crazy and cute to wear. (Oh, and so do you.)

See what Seb wears.

Brothers [NEW!] | Together, forever, that's how it must be

Reading to Bruno in Hillsdale.

"Look at me! I'm going to invade your space, knock your play mat to the ground, and pick you up!" 

"Kick! Kick!" Seb likes Bruno's special talents, kicking being the most impressive.

In which I dump on you a lot of melt-your-heart-right-down-to-your-toes pictures of my two littlest men being brothers. You're welcome.

P.S. Technically, this is the first brothers post. That play mat really brings them together...