What's S'Happening with the Stockwells: Band of Brothers

So there's a scene that plays out at least five, maybe ten times a day in our house. It goes a little something like this:

Player A starts chasing Player B around the (unfortunately circular) first floor of our house. Player A is either roaring, growling, screaming "I will BITE you!", or making some similarly loud and scary noise. Player B is screeching in a combination of terror and glee. Please note that Player A is sometimes played by Ethan, but can also be played equally well by his understudy, Adam. Similarly, Player B can be played by either Adam (lead) or Ethan (understudy). Player C (always Mommy) is inevitably trying to cook something in sizzling oil over a hot stove. Player B ultimately runs smack into Player C, who has to react quickly so as not to spill hot oil all over the offending party, who then attempts to climb up her legs as if they were a tree trunk.

Player C: "Player A, I would think that Player B's actions indicate that maybe he is all done with this game, don't you?"

Player A: "Oh. I didn't know that." (suspect, given the number of times we've rehearsed this scene...although I will concede that the mixture of laughter and tears from Player B are a bit difficult to interpret.)

Game ends momentarily. Action begins again, after (maybe?) 30 seconds, when Player B starts (stage) whispering, "Chase me, chase me, chase me!". Repeat scene. Again and again and again, until Player B sinks teeth into Player A and/or the game ends in a giant tackling mess with both players demanding ice packs. Sometimes we even get lucky and Player D enters the scene and joins in this ridiculous chase game as a tickling turkey (who happens to sound more like a chicken). At least Player D manages to keep the other players out of the kitchen.

Sigh...how did we get so many Y chromosomes in this house? Ben tells me that this is how brothers bond, and that he always wished he'd had someone to wrestle with when he was growing up. I guess I'm glad these two "bond" as much as they do, but sometimes I wish there was just a tad more quiet Lego tower building and just a wee bit less beating each other up. The intense physicality that accompanies having two sons so close in age is mind-boggling, at times enervating, and frankly just so foreign.

But it's not all wrestling contests and human jungle gyms. The boys do have their (rare) quiet moments, when they're working on a puzzle together, or coming up with some elaborate game (which, mind you, always involves moving furniture and usually involves someone getting wet). And despite the fact that they sometimes play like worst enemies and often bicker like an old couple, these two are thick as thieves. Ethan is a big brother in every way - he is the alpha male, the ringleader, picking every game, its rules, and each participant's roles. He is also Adam's biggest cheerleader. We've been trying to get Adam interested in the potty, and Ethan has become his #1 fan, pulling out stickers whenever Adam has success, encouraging him to wear his special underwear, and carrying around a notepad so he can "record" when Adam uses the potty (uh oh...the spreadsheeting begins). And he loves being a substitute parent when Mom and Dad aren't looking. When Adam was recently upset about something, Ethan hugged him close and said "There you go, now you're calming down. Take a deep breath." (Do I say that?!) Ethan always alerts me when Adam is getting into trouble, and I often overhear "OK Adam, now I am going to put you in time out" when they're playing together in another room.

In return for all this love and kindness (ahem), Adam plays a pretty fantastic little brother. He is patient and flexible to a fault, agreeing to all the roles and games Ethan has planned for him, always the willing participant. If Adam has something that Ethan wants (let me rephrase that...when Adam plays with anything at all and then Ethan realizes he MUST HAVE IT just because Adam is playing with it), all Ethan has to do is ask Adam nicely and Adam will gladly hand over the goods. Adam showers Ethan with adoration and love, and wants to share anything and everything with "Efan!". And who must tuck Adam into his big boy bed every night? His big brother of course.

Together, these two are solid. Their bond is stronger than each of their bonds with us. They have countless inside jokes (most of the bathroom humor variety) and love to exclude me from their playtime, saying "No girls allowed!". I take pride in the fact that we have (to date) raised boys who are sensitive and affectionate, showing each other (and us) love on a daily basis. But there is no denying that these boys are all boy. And the further my boys move from babyhood towards boyhood, the more striking the gender differences and the more I must work to relate and to understand what makes them tick and move (and move and move and move). All joking aside, I adore mothering sons, even with all the boundless energy and the potty humor. And I am so happy my boys have each other, that they always, always have someone to wrestle with.

Some pictures from last weekend in Boytown...