When baby number two is born we will have two boys under nineteen or twenty months old. I’m incredibly excited about this, but also a little nervous.
I think about the energy that Levi has and multiply it by five (we all know how little boys combined equals far more than 1+1=2!) I think about the amount of laundry in the days ahead, the grass stains, the bruises, the hallways clogged up with train tracks and matchbox cars. I think about the piles of sticks and bugs removed from lovely homes in the great outdoors to be relocated into pockets and jars and unsecured cardboard boxes within my home indoors. I think about mama’s taxi service to games and band practice (Levi is still very much obsessed with music). I think about how I will have to increase my capacity to cook large quantities of food, and handle the rising cost of the grocery bill as appetites build and boys turn into men.
I’m nervous. I’m excited. And I’m totally in love with the idea of having two of these:
This is Levi with his beloved cousin Jackson. (Our boys will be six months closer in age than Levi and Jackson even are.)
Jackson lives too far away. This makes us sad. But it does make for some very happy reunions when planes are boarded and bags unpacked.
Watching these two play together, explode into giggle fits, and try to impress each other with their latest tricks and funny faces brings a level of delight to my heart that I can only imagine is a glimpse of the feeling that will come when watching Levi with his own brother soon.
I can’t wait.
But for now, we’re just happy to be enjoying cousins. Because cousins are the next best thing to brothers. And cousins are pretty dang awesome.
Dear friends, I never had a sister growing up but always wanted one. Ryan never had a brother but always wanted one. We’re so looking forward to giving Levi a brother to play with. How about you? How is your family structure different or similar to the one you grew up with?
giggling along with the boys,
19 Comments
Greta
23 June 2011 at 1:33 pmCompletely agree on every level. As I said in one of my previous posts…I am now an “expert” bug hunter. And it’s too bad that you don’t live closer cause I would be happy to lend you both my boys as practice. 🙂 Because in our case 1+1=5 when it comes to energy and feeding off each other. Case in point if you think about what happened with my boys while at your presentation at Westside over Christmas with the buttons. Nipples? 🙂 And the noise level, oh the noise level. If you ever miss what one of them says, don’t worry because the other of them will gladly tell you l.o.u.d.e.r. 😉 But I love it. Every bit of it. Noise, energy, bugs and all. Soo excited for you.
Adriel @ The Mommyhood Memos
24 June 2011 at 11:00 pmhahaha, i will be calling you (ok, facebooking you) for support and advice, no doubt! thanks for paving the way and doing it with humor and grace! 🙂
sue stendahl
23 June 2011 at 2:09 pmadriel,
love your writing. am so excited for you. two boys under 20 months? wow. my girls are 9 years apart and i could hardly do it!
but my mom……..she had (1) Linda and then 12 months later (2) Steve and then 13 months later (3) Debbie
and then 16 months later (4) Mike. thankfully she waited 3 years to have me and 4 more to have Pam, but can you imagine? 4 kids under 3 years old…….all in diapers at one point, i think…….no laundry facilities….no car…..no wonder i’m wacky! haha. we have it easy…..
we have two families at the Cottage right now who have four boys each…..i have always said there must be a special place in Heaven for mothers of silly, crazy, dirty, rowdy, curious, affectionate, sincere and sweet little BOYS!!
xo to you.
Adriel @ The Mommyhood Memos
24 June 2011 at 11:02 pmtwo words for your mom: ROCK STAR. can’t say i’d choose to be in her shoes! haha, but of course we know children are a blessing! 😉
and i must say… there is something fascinating about moms of four boys! i know a few of them and i admire them a lot. i DON’T want to join their ranks if i can help it… but i do give them big props!!! 🙂
Nessa
23 June 2011 at 2:13 pmYou will love it. Watching our daughter with her new big sister is crazy awesome.. She looks up to her already – imitating her, learning from her. Magic.
Joey E
23 June 2011 at 8:09 pmI had a brother 14 months older. We had our share of squabbles (ok, flat out fights), but we were playmates too.
We have an daughter, then 2 sons. The older 2 are great friends, but it’s also fun to watch the 2 boys. We were shocked for a long time on how different they 2 boys are. God makes wonderfully diverse personalities!
Here are posts I wrote about each of my sons on their birthdays (both in December):
http://differentway4kids.blogspot.com/2010/12/so-blessed-to-be-his-dad.html
http://differentway4kids.blogspot.com/2010/12/no-hug-for-you.html
Katherine
23 June 2011 at 8:58 pmWe have one girl (3) and a boy (1.5). I will admit- I was totally disappointed to find out number two was a boy. I grew up with a sister and loved it. She is still my best friend. So I had images of two little girls, 22 months apart, who would be the best of friends.
I know you’re not supposed to be disappointed about your baby’s sex but I was. It feels like breaking a mommy rule or something.
Surprise! My little girl and little boy are the best of friends! And I am meeting more and more adult friends who say that was always the case with their sibling-of-the-opposite-sex.
Anyway. I adore my little boy. Wouldn’t try him in for a girl:) And, also, still hope for a little girl so my oldest has a sister. And maybe even another little boy one day:) That’s how I grew up- two boys and two girls- and I think it was pretty great.
Adriel @ The Mommyhood Memos
24 June 2011 at 11:06 pmThat’s so cute! My brother and I are great friends too. Growing up we were in completely different worlds… but as adults we’ve really connected and I’d choose to be with him more than most anyone else I know – a top friend for sure!
I always wanted to have 2 boys and 2 girls growing up too. Now that I’m a little older we’re just taking it one kid at a time. 🙂 Would probably like to have at least 3… but we’ll see how 2 goes first! Ryan and I would LOVE to add a girl to the mix someday. Hmmm, we’ll see how we go. 🙂
Kerry McCullough
23 June 2011 at 10:16 pmOh yea, I always wanted a brother OR a sister. I’m an only child and it was so lame growing up! Family vacations, trips to the pool, fun horsing around before bed– all the things that if friends are busy, you don’t have anyone to play with. Brothers and sisters are a must for my family. I want to have 5 or 6 🙂
Adriel @ The Mommyhood Memos
24 June 2011 at 11:07 pmYou want 5 or 6?? You go girl!! 🙂 Love it!
P.S. you’re very, very brave!
Laila @OnlyLaila
24 June 2011 at 1:26 amI am the youngest of 5 and my son has a 2 sisters and 1 brother from his Dad. I think it’s great to have siblings, its a great to watch your children playing and learning from one another.
Courtney @ The Mommy Matters
24 June 2011 at 3:12 amI had a sister growing up, but we are close to 5 years apart and still don’t get along all that well. The husband and I are really looking forward to having another baby (hopefully soon) so that our kids will be close enough in age to actually be friends with one another. The age difference with us was so great that we were always into totally different things. And the husband is 18 years older than his little brother, so he’s more of a father figure than a brother.
Adriel @ The Mommyhood Memos
24 June 2011 at 11:09 pmMy brother and I are 3.5 years apart and weren’t very close growing up. I think the age gap plus gender gap (particularly with older girl/younger boy) made us seem worlds apart. (You know, the “girls mature fast thing” – definitely true in our case.) BUT we are now very, very close and he is one of my best friends!!
Carol
24 June 2011 at 3:26 amAh, Adriel, you have touched on the greatest thing about having more than one child. I have two girls, I never had a sister. How awesome it is to watch the two of them together (5 1/2 and 2). They are now at ages where they play with the same toys, share kindly, watch the same cartoons. Simple things like walking in to the Living Room and seeing the back of their little heads while they watch TV side by side makes my heart explode. I imagine all the fights they’ll have over clothes, and the late night gab sessions they’ll have about boys. Giving a child a sibling, or even having a great friend to share childhood with, regardless of gender, is a fantastic gift.
Adriel @ The Mommyhood Memos
24 June 2011 at 11:10 pmYour girls are so cute!!
betty
24 June 2011 at 8:40 amour boys are 20 months apart and you will love it (except those times when you hate it;). they are best friends. they have their own rooms but kept sleeping together so we got bunk beds. now they sleep in one room in the same bunk. right now they are 7 and 8.
Adriel @ The Mommyhood Memos
24 June 2011 at 11:11 pmHAHAHA, this is hilarious. I had to read this comment out loud to my husband too and we both had a good giggle. Love that your boys are so close. I know it doesn’t always end up like that, and we can’t force our kids to be “friends” – but it sure sounds ideal to me. Really hoping our boys will be close like yours!
casey
26 June 2011 at 11:51 pmAdriel, I feel terrible that I haven’t been by in a while! I have not been blogging or blog visiting as much lately as my mom was in town for a couple of weeks and I missed keeping up with you! This post is so sweet. I didn’t realize that you and your hubby shared the common bond of not having had a sister for you or brother for him. That is kinda a neat thing to have in common as hubby and wife and also so special that you both will have a second son to bless Levi with and you guys get to experience that together. So sweet!! I would love to have another daughter for D. We shall see what the Lord wills. lol. How are you doing friend?
Adriel @ The Mommyhood Memos
27 June 2011 at 2:40 pmHi Casey! I totally understand. Have still been reading yours… but quietly. 🙂 I’ve been busy too and haven’t had much time to visit others and comment. Your time with your mom looks like it was amazing. It’s hard being far away isn’t it?? I KNOW! 🙁 We just returned from 2 weeks in Sydney. Was a very busy but very good time – catching up with friends, meeting with supporters, fundraising, and of course spending time with family (best part!). Just got home yesterday and it’s good to be home!! I’m doing well, just a little tired from a big two weeks with no nap times for me 🙂 and lots of teething molars for Levi (meaning lots of interrupted night sleeps for us!). Other than that, life is good and we are doing fantastic! xx