Little Brothering It

Bianca and I are amazed just how quickly our two boys have grown this past year.  Isaac got a little brother, started school, and started karate.  Each of those things has given him confidence and posed challenges that he has overcome with flying colors.  Ethan's growth, especially in the last 30 days, has been incredible.  He is now communicating with a few words (Da Da and Idik, for Isaac, are his go to favorites) and some baby sign language ("more" is a favorite).  But the relationship between the two boys has been endlessly fascinating, especially when it comes to the socially constructed roles.

For example, we were chatting with Nanna and P-Pa on Skype (they really should just go all in and have their motto be: for grandparents, by grandparents) and Isaac was swinging around a play sword that came very close to hitting Ethan in the head.  Close but not quite.  But everyone, me, Bianca, and the two grandparents gave a reaction.  And so Ethan looked back at Isaac and started crying.  It was a clean miss, mind you, but he had the attention of a hit and so he obliged.  As a parent I cautioned Isaac.  As an older brother myself, I thought in my head "This little guy is GOOD."  We have had a few more moments of Ethan Little Brothering it here recently, not just this one.  Isaac comes toward him while he is playing with something and he moves it away from Isaac and starts to cry, or he falls down as Isaac walks by and he lets out a moan--all classic Little Brothering it moves.  

It's amazing that he barely has language capacity and yet Ethan understands inherently the notion of attention and the power dynamic between himself and Isaac.  

The flip side is also true.  Isaac has had a few Big Brothering it moments.  On Sunday, sealed in by unseasonably bad April weather, Isaac and I were playing Epic Battle.  There was, of course, a few moments of howling as Ethan Godzilla'd Isaac's perfectly aligned troops.  Isaac would pretend like he was disciplining Ethan or that his troops were choking hazards, but in reality he just wanted to get Ethan out of his space.  When Ethan went down for a nap, we played, but not to the point where Isaac was satisfied.  As Ethan stirred Isaac asked Bianca if she could "Put him down again."  

Being a sibling is probably the most last experience of a person's life and it is so fascinating to watch that experience develop.