9 months

Last night I took some time to go through Connor's pictures from when he was 9 months old. The same age that Evan turns this very day. At times I will be looking at Evan thinking it is Connor and then realize it is Evan. My mind wanders in and out of the past frequently these days. Evan is the age Connor was when I found out I was pregnant with Evan. There are definitely differences that I see but they are uncannily similar in so many ways. Connor has always been a ham and it is very evident in his pictures. He is always making funny faces and even back then he loved to make people laugh. Every picture he is making fish lips or scrunching up his nose. Evan is definitely a mommy's boy. He loves to cuddle and snuggle and give hugs! He is not into making funny faces but has this infectious giggle especially when his brother gets him going! Evan is Connor's biggest fan despite the fact that Connor is rough with him much of the time (mostly in fun though) and is always telling him, "no baby!" When Connor was 9 months, I thought he was such a big boy. With Evan, he is a big boy now, but I still think of him as my little baby and that he shouldn't be doing big boy things yet! Connor was doing all the same things at his age and I spent lots of time with him practicing. Evan is doing most of this on his own cause there is not enough time in the day to practice (well, I still do but the dishes won't be done or certainly the laundry)!

Perhaps they are the perfect set of siblings? Connor, the entertainer and Evan, his biggest fan! They are close in age so everyone assumes they will be best friends. It could also turn out the other way and they will be worst enemies. For me, that is the nuturing aspect of parenting. We can teach them to respect and love one another and be each other's biggest fans. Sometimes it is scary to think how much we influence how our children behave and ultimately grow up emotionally. It has been a long 9 months, yet it has gone by so fast. Before I know it Evan will be one, I will be back to work and life will go on. Time to start living in the moment again!!