Brotherly Love

When Dustin and I were expecting Reid and people began to find out how close in age the boys were going to be, many told us that their children were close together and they had no regrets. “They’ll be the best of friends” was something we heard often and still hear now. Dustin and I would always respond in agreement and with a smile. We believed that as well but what we didn’t realize is that the best friend process would start so soon. When various people told us this we were thinking once they turned two and three or some such age but at seventeen months and almost five months they are already on fast track to becoming best buds.


 

We didn’t know that as soon as he was old enough to began to notice things, Reid would sit and just watch his big brother or that when his big brother would come his way Reid’s face would light up and he would smile, wave his arms and kick his legs in excitement. We didn’t know that Everett’s face would also light up, that he’d laugh at Reid’s cooing or that Everett would crouch down, raise his little voice to an even higher pitch and say “hi!” followed by a whole bunch of Everett speak. We didn’t know that Everett would already try to share his toys, cup or feed him toddler food. Or that he would want to hold his baby brother, would constantly lay on him, hug him or kiss him usually following it with an “aww.” And we didn’t know that Reid, as he grows older, would start to laugh at Everett, reach out for him and try to play with him too.

 

We thought these moments were to come in the years ahead so it was with much delight when we started to witness these precious events start to occur now. We’ve come a long way from the day when Reid was born and Everett refused to acknowledge him and it’s with much relief to realize that Everett’s little fits of jealousy have decreased as he realizes that Reid is here to stay, that he is actually a fun little friend and not a threat.
  

Sure we have some not so fun moments that aren’t filled with so much love. They are babies and brothers after all but there are plenty of sweet moments brought on only by their love for one another. Trust me, these moments are not set up. I will admit I have tried to have Everett reenact things so I can get a picture but he is too little and isn’t ever interested. And so most of these pictures are a “drop everything and take it” kind of deal. Sometimes I miss the moment and just have to lock it away in my memory, or try too, but sometimes I succeed. The quality of the photograph might not be so great but the quality of the moment is priceless. Every time.