And then there was Anthony. I've been asked if it's hard not to have favorites with your kids, and the answer is "absolutely not!!!" I love BOTH my kids SO much, I could never imagine loving one more than the other. After my post about Ethan, it might seem like I just adore Ethan, but I can write just as much about my love for Anthony. I think it's so cool how God makes our hearts capable of loving so many people with equal amounts of love.
My first year with Anthony wasn't as easy as Ethan's, but the circumstances were SO different. We moved to Winnipeg about 2 months before I had him, I didn't have access to a vehicle very often, Ethan almost 18 months old when he was born, and Chris was pretty much working all the time. Looking back on that year makes me kind of sad actually. I don't think I enjoyed my kids as much as I should have. It was so hard. I was basically a single parent and completely isolated. I ended up getting depressed, and found basic things hard. Things like getting two kids out the door, dishes, playing with my kids, giving baths, getting ready for the day, just basic every day things.
But I still adored my baby Anthony. I cherished every moment he was awake in those first few months because I knew they would slip by, all too quickly. I loved it when Ethan was sleeping, so I could give Anthony the same one-on-one attention that Ethan got as a baby. From the beginning, Anthony was a happy baby. He smiled at 3 weeks old, and never stopped. He giggled (something his brother never did as a baby!!), cooed, and loved interacting. I'm so thankful for both my boys' big smiles because they bring so much light when the world can seem so dark.
So as for who Anthony is today:
- Fun - this boy loves to have fun! He is constantly laughing and trying to get us all to look at him. It's not good enough for me just to acknowledge him, after I have, he'll call "Eesan! Eesan! (Ethan)" until his brother answers (and it's actually very cute because I often hear Ethan saying "wow" to Anthony just to be nice, ha ha!!), and then onto Chris "daddy look! Daddy look!"
- verbal - I don't remember how much Ethan was talking at this age, and I know he was also an early talker, but Anthony blows me away all the time! He is now putting 2 - 4 words together on his own:
- mommy, what you doin? (seriously, ALL day he follows me around asking, then when I answer he says "oh." Then asks again)
- want up
- want this
- let's go
- here we are
- over there
- mommy look! Airplane! Up there! (he LOOOOOVES airplanes, and I hear this alot!)
- he can count to 4 (whenever I put food on his tray, he always counts the food one, two, three, four... one, two, three, four)
- want another one
And the thing is, anyone can understand him, it's not just baby babble. We were just at a party on Sunday, and he was asking the other parents for things, and they could understand what he was asking for.
- musical - Anthony sings and sings the instant any music comes on. He not only sings, he dances to all music, and if we're not dancing, he tells us to! "Eesan, dance! Eesan, dance! Mommy, dance!" Ha ha! Needless to say, we do A LOT of dancing around here!
- demanding - Anthony knows what he wants, and he will make it known! I think that as a second child, he has to make himself heard, so he does! Neither Chris or I ever give into tantrums, so they don't last long at all, but he will frequently throw himself on the ground and shriek :D
- cuddly - Anthony loves cuddling, and I love it! After a nap, he just wants me to hold him and he rests his head on my shoulder. Ethan was not cuddly at this age, so I'm just soaking it up for as long as I can!
So that's my little 18 month old! He's a funny little guy who adds a lot of spice to our home. I can't imagine life without either of my boys, and I love the different dynamics they bring to our lives. I will hopefully post a video to show a little glimpse of our life :D
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