Soft in the Center

This may shock everybody but I am not always spouting my cynicism or oozing of sarcasm. I really do have a soft spot, and no I am not talking about that baby induced pudge around my post pregnancy belly. And no Frank, I am not talking about that spot either. My soft center is my kids and even more so their love and adoration for each other.

I always knew Axel, my oldest was a kind hearted loving, caring boy but I never knew the extent of what he was capable of until his sister, Gaby was born. All the sudden this little was also born on that day. He is 10 years older than her and I thought there would be some jealousy or at minimum some indifference on his behalf, but I quickly learned the depths of his love when he would whisper to her... "you'll never have a boyfriend as long as I am around...", or when he would say "the first time a boy comes around to pick her up for a date, mom, promise you'll call me and I promise I'll leave my wife and kids at home, just to come over to your house and interrogate the guy and chaperon if I have too."....

The when my daughter was only a year and a half old my youngest was born, our little EE, or should I say HER little EE. Once again, I was nervous thinking she would have difficulty understanding that this new little person would be taking up some of "her" time. That she would have to, at the tender age of 18 months, learn to share and be giving and understanding.
But to our amazement she took to him right away. There are days that she seems more his mommy than I am. She is, should I say, obsessed with his needs. His need to be fed. His need to be changed. His need to be burped. His need to be played with. His need to be read to. His need to be loved. If the boy so much as coos she runs over to check on him. And of course, nothing seems to be important until she shares it with him.

And Axel, now has his "best buddy", his shadow to be. The one who will benefit from all his worldly knowledge. The one he will teach how to fool mom, how the do back flips on the trampoline and into the pool, how to play football, how to pitch a tent and build a fort, and of course all about girls...... the list goes on and on.... everyday Axel adds to it.

Now not only have I been lucky enough to see how much they love each other but, there is just something special about when the 12 year old runs around playing with the 1 year old and both of them pause to include the newborn.

Tonight was a perfect example.... While I was standing at the sink doing, my motherly duty of the bottomless pit of dirty, dishes Gaby thought it was cute to put a laundry basket over her head (and she was right it was adorable) but even cuter was when she would walk around bumping into walls and falling over in the midst of fits of laughter and cackles. Gaby decided that her older brother should join in the fun and then ran over and put the basket over his head. The roar of laughter broke out even among mom and dad. Axel took this in stride and decided to chase her down... The two began to play a game of "cops and robbers" as explained by the older one. They ran laps through the house and would wait around corners to "surprise" each other which usually entailed a kiss and a giggle. Of course the whole time, the newborn (who for some odd reason was not partaking in the chasing fun- no clue why maybe he's just lazy) would hear the giggles and giggle himself. Well when his older siblings heard him giggling they would do a lap past him and give him a kiss before the other one would catch up to tag them. It was the best sight in the world.

I have had very few moments in my life where complete happiness was so simple. Just some giggling and sweet kisses all of which neither involved me... just my babies. Life tonight was perfect!



**** DISCLAIMER for those who were looking forward to their daily dose of flippant observations, you were cheated and for that I apologize... but in my defense please refer back to my first post - the part about, part of this blog is partly for my children to have a diary of their daily lives and tribulations. Stayed tuned tomorrow to hear about my adventurous first playdate ramblings- it's a doozie****