My Little Monkey

It's been awhile since I've written about the whole second child phenomenon. When Adam was a baby, I constantly marveled at how different it was the second time around. Having the perspective of a second-time mom, I sweat the small stuff less and coveted every fleeting stage more. I knew that the bad stuff would be over before I even had time to figure out how to fix it, and that sadly, the good stuff would also be over just as quickly. Seeing the importance of living in the moment, being truly present, is one of the greatest gifts my children have given me. And it is Adam who has reaped the side benefits of this revelation - a more relaxed mom who eats up every stinking bit of his adorableness and turns a blind eye to his mischief far too often.

I recently commented to Ben that I am really enjoying Adam's early two's and that I just don't remember Ethan's being so fun. Then I made the connection - I was in a walking coma for the first quarter of Ethan's third year, sleep-deprived and exhausted by the demands of two (essentially) babies. This time around, I am actually getting a full night's sleep (most nights), finding "me time" on a regular basis, and able to sit and play with one or both boys without constant interruption from a demanding newborn. It's nice.

As I reveled in every adorable moment of Adam's infancy, I am similarly enthralled with his toddlerdom. My little monkey is such a charmer, and cracks me up multiple times a day. Tonight at dinner, we were talking about a trip we took to Hawaii when I was pregnant with Ethan. We showed the boys a picture of us with Gwen and Mike on that trip, and said that Ethan was actually in Mommy's belly in that picture. Adam, deadpan, said "Where's Brian? Is he in Auntie Gwen's pocket?". You never know what's going to come out of this kid's mouth. On Sunday we were having one of those rare lazy mornings, where all four of us were sitting around the breakfast table, listening to music, the boys coloring and the 'rents reading the paper. Out of the blue Adam looks up at us with this gigantic grin and says "I happy". You make us happy too, little man, all of us. Even if you do make a ridiculous face when we're trying to take your picture.