Best Friends

 These two boys are getting to be really close and I"m so glad that they have each other.  Dylan looks up to Ryan and is always trying to do everything he does.  Ryan does a special program at the library just for his age group.  While Ryan is learning and interacting with kids his own age, Dylan soaks up some special time with me.  Usually we sit at the sunny little tables and read book after book.  But even though Dylan enjoys that special time, he will ask every so often, "where's Ryan?"

Ryan in turn is a great big brother.  He is very patient with Dylan.  I feel like I say that a lot, but it is just so true.  If Dylan is throwing a tantrum or fussing to get his way, Ryan tries to help him by giving him the right words: "Dylan say....Mom....can....I....please...have....a drink." Once at the playground another child said something not very nice to Dylan and Ryan immediately took offense and defended Dylan in a voice that carried across the playground, "Don't say that about my BROTHER!" I think my heart melted away into a puddle instantly, it swelled with such pride.

Now that spring is finally here, it is so fun to watch them play together in the backyard.  They have a little wooden swingset, of which we took half of the set down last summer to make room for our inflatable pool.  The part left standing is a little platform area, a swing and a slide.  They refer to this as their "treehouse," and they are constantly playing in it.  Ryan takes his little broom and dustpan out and likes to sweep it and keep it "clean." He built a  little "fireplace" out of rocks, charcoal and long grasses the other day.

They also like to take their lunches outside and eat them in their "treehouse."  Dylan mostly likes to maximize dirtiness.  I often find him digging or pouring water in one of the empty flower beds, covered in dirt or mud, burrying toys and digging them up again.    I predict they will both need baths nightly during the summer, while we could get away with less frequent bathing in the winter months.  

Of course they still get into scrapes and little fights with each other, but it's becoming more frequently the playful kind of wrestling.  Dylan has made big improvements in "sharing" and his language skills have improved so he can tell Ryan what he does not like instead of lashing out and hitting, pinching or hair pulling.  Two boys are such wonderful blessings!