Becoming brothers

This morning hubby came in the bedroom after checking on the boys and asked if I'd seen their pirate game before.  They were in C's room together, each inside a bucket with a stuffed animal by their side, sword fighting.  "Nope, that's a new one."  As I sat on the bed putting my shoes on I listened to their giggles coming from the other room.  "I didn't think that would ever happen."  "What?"  "The two of them, actually playing together."  "Really?  You thought it would never happen?"  I thought about it for a second.  "Yeah, I really did.  Those first few months home, I honestly thought it would never happen."  

Hubby wasn't here for the worst of it. For the rocking of two little boys' worlds. Hey guess what you two...this is your new reality. Neither of them happy about it. At all.  He doesn't remember how heartbreaking it was to watch.  Because he didn't see it.  He got home just as little hearts were starting down their road to healing.  He doesn't have those sad memories from that time in our lives.  I do.  But, I have something else.  A deep and profound appreciation for the sound of shared laughter bubbling down the hallway.  These moments that maybe seem routine to him still surprise and delight me. 

We are fast approaching the one year mark of being a family of four.  And the dust is settling.  Out of it is emerging a real, genuine relationship between my two boys.  How they have both grown and gone beyond their comfort zones these past 10 months.  Discovering that there is actual joy to be found in being, and having, a brother.  Little moments like when lil' peanut gets hurt and runs straight for C to bury his head in his lap.  I marvel at how his trust has grown and that he has chosen to let his big brother in.  And when C takes lil' peanut's hand and helps him toddle up the stairs to the big slide at the zoo.  Making sure no one passes them because it's his brother's turn.  And when they emerge at the bottom, both laughing, C tells me "He was just a little bit shorter, just barely, so I went down with him, so he'd be safe."  Man, my heart swells.