The first week of December was brutal. I’m not sure if it was the cake from Lukas’ birthday or his baby incisors finally coming in, but he really kicked up the “terrible two” act a few notches. He has often refused to let me get him dressed or even change his diapers and would frequently get upset that he wasn’t allowed to do something, but after his birthday that happened with greater frequency and duration.
On the fifth of December Lukas refused to nap and was a pill all afternoon. I kept the fussy fossa up till almost his normal bedtime. As I placed the crying captain cranky pants into his crib Sophia came up behind me. I almost scolded her because typically when she comes in it is with disruptive motives, but this time she said, “I want to give this to my baby so he can feel better.” She gave him one of her own stuffed animals, a bunny, to make Lukas feel better. He took it and fell right to sleep. It was truly one of those moments where those silly human emotions take over and tears well up in the eyes making it difficult to see.
The next morning Sophia wanted her bunny back. She gave Lukas his own bunny, which Sophia had held captive in her own room shortly after Lukas had received it on Easter. He probably didn’t know or remember that was his anyway. It didn’t matter, it was from his big sister and he has slept with that bunny every night since. Poor bunny is now missing his cotton tail and has a hole in his neck that needs mending. He has also had a few whiskers pulled out.
The Bunny on the left is Sophia’s that she lent to Lukas for one night. The bunny on the right belonged to Lukas but he had not seen it since Easter, so in his eyes it was a gift from big sister.
Lukas ADORES his big sister. He wears her slippers while she’s at school and then wears her shoes when she gets back. Anytime something of hers is lying around he picks it to give it to her. It’s just too stinkin’ cute watching him retrieve her things. It took a while to teach Sophia that just because Lukas was holding something of hers didn’t mean he was taking it. Most of the time he’s trying to be sweet and give her things back to her. Ok, maybe it’s only half the time…or less. I’d have to make a spreadsheet for real precision and I just don’t have that kind of time.
It’s possible Sophia has a valid reason for shrieking anytime the wobbly toddler passes by a room where something of hers may have settled, but I’m pretty sure she’s over reacting most of the time. He may on occasion randomly run up and grab fists full of her hair, but it’s not like he grabs her toys right out of her hands, holds them over his head, and then runs around the house at twice the speed she is capable of. Probably only because he can’t…yet.
The other day Lukas was playing with his trains and Sophia wanted them. We’ve explained over and over again that the trains are Lukas’ toys and he doesn’t have to share if he doesn’t want to. All of his toys are in the toy room because he can’t go up and down the stairs by himself. There are also toys such as wooden blocks and duplos that belong to both of them. All of her toys are in her room.
Sophia became upset because quite frankly she wants what she wants, and by some stroke of pure luck mixed with a highly developed psychic ability by the toddler, what Sophia wants just happens to always be in Lukas’ hand at the very moment she wants it. Lukas didn’t want to see his big sister cry so he gave her a train. She refused to actually accept it, because once she starts crying that’s pretty much it. Lukas then takes her hand and places the train in it and tries to close her fingers around it. Poor little guy tries so hard.
Yesterday the kids were playing with Lukas’ trains. Sophia wanted a specific train that Lukas didn’t want to give up. I reminded Sophia that those are his toys and he doesn’t have to share that specific one if he doesn’t want to. Her solution, “I want him to take a nap!” Oh siblings. Sometimes I understand why my friends envied the fact that I was an only child.
