Six months have passed already since we welcomed Bear into our family. How does the time pass so quickly? It doesn't really. Some days the hours drag on, each moment marked on the clock with a loud TICK which echoes in your brain. There is crying and whining and giggling and constant movement, no break in the action to be found. Other days pass by in a blur, whether from sleep deprivation or simply too many things on the schedule to allow you to stare at the clock and wonder when bedtime might be arranged today.
Last weekend was Easter. We broke from our normal routine of a road trip to the coast and spent it with Grandma here in town. It was pretty nice even if we missed the beautiful ocean and visiting with my brothers. I took the kids to a local park for a community Easter egg hunt. Ruckus found 12 eggs and got to stand on a real firetruck and meet a real fireman, and Bear sat on the grass and looked beautiful in the spring sunshine. We had my mom and her husband over for Easter dinner and another (indoor) egg hunt, ate ham and dessert and really just enjoyed the family time.
Bear has been cutting teeth over the past couple of weeks so he was very cranky, but he has two new teeth up top to show for it, and a recent growth spurt has his toes pressed to the very end of some of his sleepers. He rolls all over the living room these days, over and over and over until he either runs out of room or arrives at something interesting. If you sit him on the floor he can stay that way for a few minutes before tipping over. He'll have a checkup and some more shots in a couple of weeks.
Ruckus loves having a little brother and seems to enjoy his presence more and more as Bear grows a little more independent and interesting. I think he will really have fun with him over the next few months. It's absolutely wonderful to see them making each other laugh, and knowing that it has all just begun is very exciting. They do occasionally fight over toys. Bear will roll over to one of Ruckus's trucks and start mouthing it and Rucks will say 'That's not nice brother!' just before snatching the toy away. And Bear will cry. It is hard to see but also a good opportunity to teach Ruckus about sharing, and taking turns.
Ruckus has some favorite sayings these days. He especially likes to use the word 'so' and sounds very cute when phrases normally used by adults slip out. When I get home he says 'I'm sooo glad you're here Momma' or 'I'm sooo proud of you!'. When I leave for work or put him to bed he says 'Goodbye Mom, good luck!'. We are working on 'please' and 'thank you' and he uses them about half the time right now. He repeats everything he hears and likes to state the obvious ('I've got my shoes on!' or 'Uncle still have jacket on!'). He still cries when denied something he really wants but for the most part temper tantrums have eased up and given way to finding a way to make you say Yes.
I love having two sons, absolutely love spending the weekends with them, and spend the other five days of the week looking forward to going home. Even when we all have a bad day, I look back on it fondly.
