brothers

One of the most amazing things about parenting so far has been watching the relationship between these two boys develop. There are moments of pure sweetness, loyalty and laughter. There are also moments of profound conflict, screaming and tears. And so these two begin their journey as brothers. I was chatting with my coworkers over our holiday lunch a couple weeks ago, and many of them have older children. They all told me of how their children loved each other fiercely and fought with each other intensely. They told me not to be afraid of the fighting - it is part of being siblings, part of them learning to work things out with each other, part of them being children and developing the ability to give, take, assert and empathize. I gotta say, the thought of my boys getting bigger and stronger is a bit scary at times. Being 6.5 years older than my brother, we did not fight much - but then again, we did not bond much either. We were just so far apart in age (and interest) that our worlds did not have many opportunities to intersect. With my two boys, being two years apart, I think I am in for a very different ride. While I've been reading all sorts of books and blogs out there about parenting, the conversation with my coworkers reminded me to take the time to enjoy their relationship - in all its facets. They tell me that my boys are only going to be boys once, that I shouldn't fret too much if they don't always get along, that I should thoroughly soak in the times they exhibit their deep love for each other...and that they will grow up one day, and (so they tell me) I will miss the chaos and mayhem. So this new year, I will try to take this to heart, to live in the moments, and remember to enjoy. Happy New Year everyone!