Brudders

To be honest, when I found out we were expecting our second baby, I was soooo excited, but also a little bit nervous.

Evert was a couple of days from his first birthday when we found out about little Koben's existence. Evert was still such a baby himself - and I really wondered how he'd do with a sibling, especially a sibling so close in age.

We read big brother books. We watched videos on Youtube of babies- laughing babies, crying babies, sneezing babies (Evert's favorite) - talking all the time about how we need to be so gentle with babies, how we can make a baby feel happy by singing a song, how Mama will hold the baby sometimes. I read articles about the best ways to help a toddler adjust. I tried to prep Evert as much as possible for the big changes about to take place, all the while cringing  in my heart about how he'd transition. I worried that he'd resent the new baby, that he'd resent the attention given to his new brother, that he'd lash out at us. Despite all the preparations, I worried.



Well.

It turns out I shouldn't have worried AT. ALL.

"Brudder" is probably Evert's favorite person in the whole entire world. In less than two months, I think little Koben has gotten ninety million gentle kisses. Evert is always concerned about Koben's whereabouts - he asks me, "Baby?" on the rare occasion that little Koben isn't in the same room.

One of the first days that I was the sole adult home with both my boys, I was holding a sleeping Koben and Evert pointed to him and demanded "down!" I figured that Evert wanted to sit in my lap and wanted me to put Koben down so I could hold him... nope. Evert wanted Koben on the floor so he could touch Koben's little hand and examine his little face. Mama is chopped liver around here.

Evert accidentally kicked Koben (softly- everyone was fine) while they were playing on the floor the other day. Koben cried - he was really just startled - and Evert watched with concern, and then when I told him that Koben was okay, Evert joined in with his own tears and gave Koben lots and lots of regret-filled kisses.

Koben doesn't really reciprocate the brotherly love just yet, but I have a feeling it won't be long until he's returning the kisses.

It's only been a couple months, and Koben's too little to really do anything to offend Evert greatly. I'm sure there will be conflicts between the two as they grow up. I'm sure that they'll fight over toys and push one another down. I'm sure that they'll eventually express jealousy and anger.

But. For the time being anyway -

I am really enjoying watching my baby become a big brother. It's brought out another side of him to love- and I love watching him love his baby "brudder."

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