The Best of Friends

Adam and Eleanor have always gotten along, for the most part--more than I would expect two 4 year olds who spend so much time together. But this year, their relationship has really blossomed. It warms my heart to see them getting closer and acting like brother and sister.

Eleanor has the stronger personality of the two--to anyone who knows them, this isn't news. She's been quicker at learning just about everything--except numbers, of course--and she's quite adept in social situations. Until recently Adam couldn't really express what he was thinking about what was going on around him because his limited speech just didn't allow him. But his sister wouldn't have any of that. Eleanor began sticking up for Adam, making sure he got his prize from the Happy Meal when she did, giving him her extra chicken nugget she didn't want, keeping track of his likes and dislikes, reminding me that Adam needed to be buckled in the carseat just like her--as if I'd forget. I guess it's been a sweet, but often one-sided twinship (I'm making up words here...) Now that Adam is talking all the time and saying just about anything he wants to, their relationship is changing, and definitely for the better.
Tonight, I was holding Ethan because he was getting tired and a bit cranky, and because I just love to cuddle with him and the twins decided to play a pick up game of baseball in the foyer. Yes, in the foyer...ask me if I thought I would have let that happen 10 years ago. Anyway, big yellow plastic bat, big white plastic ball. Eleanor would pitch, Adam would attempt to hit the ball. Mind you not one pitch crossed the plate, nor was one ball hit, but each time they would yell, "Homerun!!!!!!!!!!!!! Out of the park!!!!! High ten!!!!!" (A high ten is a high-five with both hands. They also give each other high-threes and high-zeroes. A high-zero is in essence a knuckle bump. Hilarious.) After three pitches one of them would exclaim, "Change sides." (Incidentally, all of their baseball teminology was learned on Wii Sports--easily the favorite game in our house.) Then Adam would pitch and Eleanor would hit. No matter what the result, they support each other. "Don't give up Adam!" "Try again, Eleanor!" I just sat there on the step, with a giant grin on my face, tears welling up in my eyes. I've discovered that often happens when you're a mom, but it happens even more often when you're a mom of preemies who started out with little chance to even leave the hospital. I thought that maybe those memories would fade, and I guess they have a bit with the mundane happenings of daily life. But when something new occurs, when a milestone is reached, it floods back pretty quickly. Never has a baseball game between two 4 year-olds meant so much.



A photo of our little Ethan for those of you wanting an update. :)