Sunny Winter Boys

Higher! And....W doesn't need me to push him anymore....

Bup enjoying winter play.

How do you enjoy these sunny, snowy winter days?

Deep Rooted Sibling Angst & NET

While I was pregnant with Bup and W was just a baby himself...really, only 1yr....I imagined these two black haired little boys, with curly or wavy hair and beautiful blue or green eyes, maybe a dimpled chin, that would be friends...buddies...pals....brothers to the deepest level.

Fast forward 4.5 yrs and we have two light brown haired boys, more blonder in the summer....one with hazel green eyes and one with blue, blue eyes, both tall, both adorable and fun and sweet with one vying for the other's attention and the other dismissing his younger brother in anger and annoyance and frustration. 

"W never plays with me."

"R is so annoying. He's is too crazy, too weird. Why do I have to have a brother? I never wanted a brother. Give him to another family."

Not the words I ever envisioned from or for my sweet little boys who are to be brothers and friends, not brothers and enemies. There's enough of that in this family world.

This brotherly angst was running much deeper than just simple sibling rivalry. 

Nothing was working. Not encouragement, not talks, not setting up similar interests, toys, not reprimands, not hugs, not one on one time....NADDA!

We needed help. Big Help!

This is where the magic takes place.  After the desperation. 

Our chiropractor is a NET Practitioner.  

How do I explain NET? Neuro Emotional Technique. A practitioner tests your body against specific questions and your body responds yes or no, then those areas are adjusted (in this case chiropractically using an activator), specific pressure and pulse points are held, questions asked, affirmations made, and breakthroughs happen. 

It's amazing. It's unbelievable. It sounds like hocus-pocus, crack pot stuff.

It's magical.

It works.

What came out of the these sessions? A greater understanding that W's resentment of Bup all started when Bup was diagnosed which coincidentally is a few months before W's diagnosis. Bup's diagnosis time affected W in so many ways....having his mom taken away for weeks, days and hours at a time due to appointments, hospital stays, seizures, etc. At 3yrs, W's world still revolved around me and there was a lot of uncertainty happening in our home. Even though, B and I thought we were doing our best to keep things regular and normal for both boys, to keep W in the loop and not tossed aside. All of this affected W deeply. Deeply and strongly. Heartbreakingly.

The first treatment brought a breakdown in W. Tears, sad, soul breaking tears. Straddling me, head on my shoulder, crying such sad tears and begging to be done and leave. 

The next two treatments brought no tears. Brought out a happy, patient boy with a bodily response in a positive manner. And now....

After three treatments, W and R are happy, friendly, sharing a room, sticking up for each other,  and play together! This is a FIRST for us.  Even Bup notices the difference as he stated in the truck, "I just like my brother W. He plays with me."

Truly magic.

And I am ever so grateful. 

Can I explain it? Not very well. But NET works. It works and it's worth it. To see and listen to these little brothers play together and laugh together and no more words of hurt.....that is worth everything to me.

Boys Will Be Boys

Oh.
Mothering boys. I love them dearly, but really. Who signed me up for this!
Why am I ranting? Well....

Today....after many small challenges, breakages, forgetfulnesses, on their part of course (cause Ha! It's never me. Never the Mom!) ....I sent W to the linen closet for a towel as I was cleaning up a spill in his room.  He did not return.

So, I sent R to "help" him. R did not return.

Off I went. Meeting silence in the laundry room. R standing in the middle and W....

.....well, W was attempting to crawl out of the washing machine.

* * * * * * * 

As W started sliding down the railing on the school steps, I reminded him that he was going to fall on his little noggin. 

Well, it wasn't his noggin that got hurt.

"Owwww!" As he holds his...ahem....private parts.

"I hurt my nuts."|

Gahhh! What?! WHERE did he get that word!

"Uh, W, where did you learn that word? We don't use it. It's just slang and doesn't sound nice."

"Why don't we say "Nuts"? It's the same as penis."

"Uh, no." And then an explanation ensued. By the way, B the D is with us...he's the DAD and a MAN and so why am I giving male anatomy lessons?!

To which W replied, "Well, there feels like there is a ball in my testicles."

Ugh! I give up!

* * * * *

A couple of weeks ago we were visiting dear friends out of town. They too have a funny little man who witnessed a moment when R and I were talking and not communicating well. 

Little Cutie Cornberg....age 5yrs.....tells his mom, 

"That brain surgery didn't work very well, because he's not listening."

Bahahahaha!!!

Now! If that's not the quote of 2011, well, I don't know what is!

Warrior Brothers

Okay, I'm one of THOSE moms who does not want her children playing with toy guns, pretending to fight, war, etc. TV viewing has been monitored...toys declined.

I have found it is inevitable.

They do it regardless of whether they have the weapons or not. Hockey sticks become shotguns. Trio blocks and lego build guns, missiles, and lazer beams.

Recently, I have given in .... a little. There are now light sabers and nerf swords in our house. They're fantasy right? So somewhat better than guns, but now there are two nerf guns as well....with rules. Am I justifying...maybe. No shooting each other, artwork, or parents.

Last week, the neighbor children engaged in a nerf war in the back alley and side street. W joined in and was THRILLED. I let him. Happily. I sat on the garbage box in the back alley while R rode his Hot Wheels bike and watched. It pleased me to see my son included and so, so so happy.

Am I crazy? Maybe.

Hypocritical...maybe that too.

But when you see the joy of a child who is included and making friends and the hilarity in one naked warrior brother, it's hard to resist.

There is no easy answer in this subject. I've discussed it with my sister and our psychologist many times...both tell me to let it go, set parameters and let my boys be one of the boys.

So, sometimes my boys are one of the boys and other times they have the crazy mother who blocks You Tube and YTV and keeps nerf guns on top of the fridge where they are handed out at a mother's discretion. Does it matter? Only time will tell....