Right Now- To Remember...

Oh these boys. They make me laugh so much every day... they are each so different and I equally love where they are both at right now.

Jacob.
His words are coming fast and furious now. He has the sweetest little falsetto voice that he uses in such a pitch that he usually gets what he wants the first time around. If not...look out. He is not so accepting of his ideas (getting in the knife drawer...climbing on the stove....putting nails in the blender...unrolling all the toilet paper rolls...) being denied. "Mooooooo-MMY!" he glares, and pouts....then shrieks....then flails on the floor, miniture fat limbs being flung in all directions...finally with no notice he is back up on his feet, wandering off to find what other kind of chaos he can rustle up.
He LOVES "Old Macdonald had a Farm" - "EIEIEIEIEI-OOOOO Mommy?" He has a little catch in his voice that is impossible to refuse...even for the 5oth time a day. Tractors are an obsession... he just says the word over and over to himself as some sort of comfort he loves them so much.
Jake still has the appetite of a small horse. He prefers fruit and vegetables to anything else. I had some cut up vegetables in the fridge last week (to try and get MYSELF to enjoy them equally...clearly this is not a hereditary trait...) Jacob kept getting into the fridge and dragging out the container of broccoli and carrots. By the end of the day he had eaten almost 2 full heads of broccoli! I was relieved that he spared me from it.
Oh he adores his brother. He is always watching Ben, trying so hard to make his 2 year old self 4. He thinks Ben is the funniest person in the world. As soon as Jacob wakes up from his nap, at the first little noise Ben jumps up- "Jacob is up!" he darts into his room and slams the door. For the next half an hour or so they can be heard laughing, talking, singing and of course using the crib as a trampoline. I am pretty sure that on of these days they are both going to go right through the bottom but until then I love hearing them play too much to interrupt.

Jacob is a cuddler. So is Ben, but not the degree of this boy who literally melts into me when I hold him. He buries his chest into me and his body goes limp. Even as he grows, he still loves a lap. Curled up in his rocking chair on my lap with his tractor blanket is his favorite place in the world (and we sing "EIEI-O" 10 more times...) Jakey LOVES to laugh...he will take any opportunity to let that belly laugh rip. It comes from deep inside him and catches his breath. It doesn't end until everyone in the near vicinity is also doubled over. It is as contagious as he is positively scrumptious!

Ben.
Ben, Ben, Ben. Where to even start. There is so much I want to remember about him right now! He is finally completely out of diapers/pullups... this is a big accomplishment for him considering the process we went through. This was something that was scary for him and we had two steps forward, one step back for almost 2 years. He won't let you anywhere near the bathroom if he is in there...in fact he would clear the whole floor if he could, but he is going and that is the main thing. He took off his night pull up this month and has been dry since. ...Now we get to start to the whole thing all over again with J...
Ben LOVES to create. He will pick through my recycling pile before it goes out and find things to glue, tape, paint and cut into something completely different and useful. He made a toy airplane out of toilet paper rolls and most recently a "chip crusher" out of a cracker box. "It turns 10 chips into 100!"
He is so happy. Ben wakes up with a smile, he goes to bed with a smile...he is often heard during the day declaring his love for random things including "this great day". He is a joy to be around. He makes me happy.
He loves bubble baths, making strawberry/orange "ice cream" in the blender, playing in the snow, building forts, drawing and having his afternoon show and glass of milk.
Ben is such a sweet boy, always ready to help his brother or give someone a hug. His feeling can be hurt easily and It is hard for me to think that I can't be beside him his whole life to protect his little heart. His shoulders slump, his eyes turn down and tears will run silently...

Ben and I do "school" every afternoon. Every day he asks "Can we do school today Mommy? I LOVE school". Last week he said "I want to learn something new EVERY day! Can we do that?" I think he learns at least 15 new things a day that I have nothing to do with but I didn't tell him that. He is printing well now and close to reading...which he is so determined to do.

What I love most, right now is how much they love one another. they are protective and loyal to each other ...they are quick to offer comfort and enjoy playing with each other over anyone else. I love that my boys are best friends and it is certainly the dream I had for them. Both are excited about the new baby, Jacob adores babies and I know he will be a loving and doting brother. Ben knows what being a big brother is all about and was very enthusiastic about welcoming another sibling as soon as he was reassured that a "new" baby doesn't mean we get rid of the old baby!

These boys. I love them more then there are words. I am so grateful for every day I get to spend with them I am so proud of who they are and who they are becoming.