Rusty and Rocky could not be more different. I absolutely love the two of them both beyond what I ever thought possible, and even though they are very different, I can't believe how I love both of them in the same way...I guess it is the heart of a mother. One of the things I have really loved, however, is seeing the differences between them.
Kevin is always telling me not to compare them, because they are brothers and there will be enough rivalry between them, but I don't compare them for rivalry sake or to say one is better than the other, because I think they are both simply incredible and amazing gifts in our lives. I compare the differences just because I think it is incredibly interesting to see how different two children from the same parents can be!
A few things:
Sleep
From the start, Rusty didn't love to sleep. He wasn't that baby that slept through the night at two months...or even 18 months! He was still often waking up at least once a night at 18 months. I remember the first time Rocky slept through the night. He was about a month and a half old. I couldn't believe it. Ever since them Rocky has generally been a baby that loves his sleep. If he is not sick or fighting teeth he is usually sleeping well. It must be said, however, that he seems to be bucking that trend lately. He doesn't want to fall asleep, and once he does he seems to enjoy waking at least once, if not more! Rusty eventually did learn to sleep through the night, and now he is a great sleeper! He goes down with no problem and generally sleeps through the night. Here's hoping that his baby brother follows this trend some day!
Eating
Rocky loves food. He will usually try anything at least once. Rusty was not that way. We often had to practically force food into his mouth to get him to try it the first time. He is a good eater now, and although he doesn't love veggies he is trying more and more all of the time. He understands the "eat what is on your plate rule" and we try to make sure not to put a lot of food on there, and to give him options. Overall I really can't complain about his eating. He is also a GREAT example for his baby brother. Although Rocky loves to eat and will generally try most things once, sometimes he doesn't love what he tries, especially if it is veggies! This is where Big Brother comes in. Rusty loves to be helpful to his baby brother, and if Rocky seems to not like something-such as peas the other day-Rusty will take a big mouthful, saying, "Look Rocky!" and then chew it up saying, "MMMmmmm!" Rocky then can't wait to be just like his big brother and take a big bite himself, also saying, "MMmmmmm!"
This little trick has been such a gift! Rusty is such a loving and helpful big brother. He is always going to Rocky if he is crying to help him, he talks to him in the car to settle him down if he is crying, he feeds him, and...he gets him to eat food that he otherwise may not!
Attitude?
I don't think attitude is the right word for it, but I am not sure how else to express this. Our Rusty is so sweet and sensitive. He has an incredibly caring heart. He expresses his love verbally every day, about a million times a day. He tells me, "Mom, you are the best," multiple times a day. He says, "Dad, you're my best friend!" all of the time! He is always saying "I love you Rocky!" He is such a sweet, caring boy and he shows it through his words all of the time! Rocky also is very sweet and caring. Obviously he isn't talking a lot yet, but he seems to show his love a little differently. He is our little snuggle bug! He loves to hug and kiss. He gives us tons of big, open mouthed kisses, he hugs us while patting our backs, and he absolutely loves his stuffed animals! Rusty had tons of stuffed animals, but never really wanted them and still isn't attached to any in particular. Rocky has already shown a major attachment to two stuffies-both from my parents! The first is a big, super soft, stuffed black bear that they gave him for Christmas. The other is the original Sock Monkey. He calls both of them "Bear Bear," and they are the first thing he grabs and looks for in the morning and the last thing he asks for and snuggles up to at night. Regardless of how they express their love, the thing that makes me the happiest is the crazy love they show for one another. They are always tackling one another with their big bear hugs and the person Rocky loves the most is his big brother. He even said, "Budher" the other day and Rusty's entire face lit up! Rusty holds Rocky's hand in the car, kisses his cheeks and they always give each other a huge hug before going to bed each night. One thing I do know is that there is a lot of love in this house, even if it is shown in different ways!
Lovies
As mentioned above, the boys have different lovies! Rusty, although he never attached to a stuffie or a blanket of any sort, loved his soother! He was crazy for his soother and he didn't actually give it up until he was three! On his third birthday, we told him that he was now a big boy and didn't need a soother anymore. He gave it up just like that! He is now attached to a pillow! He is such a funny boy! He received a pillow that looks like the American flag from some friends of ours that visited about a year ago and he loves that pillow. I have offered him different pillows, but he always wants that one! Rocky, however, is already without a soother. He used one for about a month once he came home from the hospital, but then soon no longer wanted it. I was a bit relieved because it meant I wouldn't have to worry about keeping three on hand, going in in the middle of the night to find it when he lost it, and worrying about if it was still in good shape or not. He has, however, attached to his two special stuffies. He absolutely loves those things. The other day we even had to take his black "Bear Bear" in the car with us because he didn't want to put it down when it was time to leave.
Yep, our boys are definitely different, but they both bring insane joy into our lives. They both have smiles that light up their entire faces and make their eyes twinkle. They both shower us with love and affection. They both bring joy into the lives of everyone they meet. They both are incredible blessings and absolute miracles!
We love our boys, the sweet brothers!
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