9 Months (again)

Two things, quickly as I'm getting further and further behind with these monthly journal entries, both of them revolving around how much Quinn adores her brother.

When we decided to have children, and yes it was a conscious decision as it should be for everyone, I was constantly advocating for two little munchkins so that they could grow up together. Xtimu was a little more hesitant, even after we had Lucas and his presence continuously created magic in our lives. Unsure of how to proceed, fate stepped in and, though the decision wasn't as conscious this time, we began to prepare for our second child.

Xtimu was blessed with a brother when she was two-years-old and to this day, they share a special connection. I was always hoping that if we were fortunate to have two children that, for one, we'd have one of each gender and, two, that we could help them nurture the same type of cherished relationship that Xtimu and Spider share. Well, though Lucas has his moments, they both have embraced each other with warmth and beauty thus far. But one thing is for sure, Quinn is absolutely in love with that little guy.

The other day I was driving home from one of the many activities that Lucas is now becoming involved with and I discovered a small joy in life. We aren't the type of parents that do things in the normal fashion, so you won't find window shades plastered with disney paraphernalia. Instead we use a thin baby blanket that we tie to the OSH handle and drape over Quinn's seat to block the sun. On our way home the other day, I began to hear Lucas' maniacal laugh blossoming from the backseat periodically. I knew that he was doing something with Quinn and usually when he laughs like that I begin to anticipate one of her banshee calls. Well, he was taking the blanket and pulling it completely over her head so that she was buried beneath it and then ripping it off really quickly. Just as I was about to tell him to stop, I heard his laughter coming from the backseat again but then I froze. It wasn't just one laugh but a duet and I almost didn't notice that the two of them were laughing together because they both have the same laugh! It was one of the most joyous sounds I have ever heard in my life and I was so glad that I didn't put the kibosh on it. I serenely listened to the two of them laughing hysterically the rest of the way home.

Now that Quinn is beyond three-quarters of a year old she has reached the wandering age. She is crawling. I remember continuously being warned that your life was over once they start crawling because you always have to have an eye on the squirrely little ones. All I know is that for some reason I feel more free once they begin to move around. The best part about it is that they begin to do things for themselves. If they want something to look at, they go over and get it. Our house is 95% baby-proof so I feel pretty comfortable letting them wander, plus you can't too far away when you only have 750 square-feet to explore.

Anyway, the other day Lucas was konked out for the count while both Xtimu and I were struggling to muster some energy. What that meant was that we were both preoccupied with things that required very little movement. Meanwhile, Quinn was wandering around the house checking out toys and dogs and shoes and books and whatever else she could get her hands on. Things carried on in this way for an hour or two until she eventually made her way through the kitchen and into the doorway of Lucas' room where he was taking a nap. Well, I guess she realized that her brother was nowhere to be found and went looking for him. I was out in the living room so, when I began to hear her yelling loudly, I had no idea what was going on. She did this for a few minutes repeatedly until I decided to check out the situation. Quinn was sitting on the floor of the entryway to Lucas' room and was shouting at him to get up, in her own language of course. It was absolutely adorable. She'd become completely tired of both Xtimu and I ignoring her so she went off to find her favorite companion so that they could play together.

Oh, she is one special little child. She really makes you feel like you are an important person in this life and I must concur, that the more time I spend with these two little people, the more I do feel important. Maybe I'm just discovering that the important things in life are right here in my small family, our little community of four. It's a beautiful place to inhabit.