The boys

Looking back on my most recent articles, I noticed that I've had the tendency to wax philosophical as of late. Therefore, I devote this entry to my boys.

Caleb is getting much better - both with his colic and with sleeping. We solved much of both problems by actually putting him to sleep several times during the day. Colin always just fell asleep wherever he was, and so I wasn't used to the idea of having to actually put my newborn to bed! I've noticed that he also really needs touch. It's not that he needs to be physically held (although he really loves that too), but that he likes to have that contact. Even a hand on his cheek is enough to reassure him that I'm near. He loves to laugh, mouth open wide and deep blue eyes shining. His favourite song is the hymn "How Great Thou Art". This song settles him without fail, and it;s become his nighttime lullaby. He is growing like a weed. He is already wearing mostly 6-9 month clothing - not for the width, but the length! He won't be Colin's "little" brother for long! We'll be taking a trip out to British Columbia next month so that he can meet his great grandparents, and his great great grandmother.

Colin is embracing being two years old with every fiber of his being. He is testing his limits in almost every area, but is very quick to learn. Our phrases "not a toy" and "dangerous" seem to be yielding good results, rather than the standard "no!" He has an instant memory and is broadening his song repertoire. He is becoming addicted to watching movies, and so we are fighting the daily battle of limiting his screen exposure. But he is smart as a whip and misses nothing. He sees everything around him and only needs to hear or see something once before he's got it down. He is becoming a real social bug - often asking to call his friends and family members, or to have them over to play. He is still a Daddy's boy, but is starting to show preference for either of us depending on the activity. One of his favourite games is called "Chugga chugga", which involves James or I making train sounds as we chase him around the house. Colin is showing much more affection for Caleb, often bringing a pacifier when Caleb starts to cry. The other day, Colin said his first unprompted "I love you, Mommy" (and my heart melted completely).

I'm still adjusting to coping with a two year old and a baby, and Colin's independence and Caleb's dependence are making it a real challenge. But I'm loving it and cherishing each moment I have with them.