Watching the Wheels

Thing 2 has always shadowed his big brother. This isn't surprising since they're only 14 months apart.

But lately I've noticed some specific examples of Thing 2 coming into his own. I remember last year when they both started preschool (side note - I may bitch about the state I live in, but we are very fortunate to have free preschool in our town - it's lottery based, but most people get into it and a state grant pays for it) at the local elementary school. As a four year old Thing 1 attended five mornings a week and even rode the bus. Thing 2, barely three, only attended two mornings a week. I had no reservations about Thing 1 in school - I knew he would be fine. But Thing 2...well, I knew that he would have trouble. Or, more accurately, that he might feel a bit lost. He was in the classroom right next to his brothers, and their classes were frequently combined for lessons. So I thought Thing 1 would take care of his little brother.

Wrong.

Not that he was awful to him, but Thing 1 had his own friends and his own agenda. I can't blame him for wanting his space and his own identity. But it was always so sad to me that Thing 2 would follow his brother and his brother's friends around, or that if I asked Thing 2 who his friends were he would list his brother's friends.

We started swim lessons this week. Once again, because they are so close in age, they are in the same class. But something has changed. Instead of following his brother, Thing 2 went into the water first, and started playing with another boy on his own. This is just one small example of his newfound independence and confidence that I've been noticing.

I love watching the boys grow. Oh, don't kid yourself, they aggravate me, but the truth of the matter is that there is nothing better than watching them learn, live, and change. Like every parent, I want so badly for them to have the best lives they can have. So watching Thing 2 starting to spread his wings it brings me joy. Pure, unadulterated joy.