The Move

Over the last two years (yes- it has been two years as of tomorrow), you have listened to me talk about the exciting things going on in my class, you have listened to me scream "What the Heck!" about anything and everything- and you have heard me talk about my Littles.

AH, the Littles.

There are three of them. Chickadee- who turned 17 this weekend. J who is 12, and Littlest Little who is 9. The younger two are boys. (That was just a recap in case you are a newer follower).

Over the years, they have formed a bond. Not because they are all lovey dovey, but because they have realized that there is strength in numbers. Sometimes it works to their advantage- sometimes it doesn't. But The Mr. insists that it is good for them to "have something".
(I tend to disagree when that "something" is my last nerve that they have clenched in their little hands).


This weekend, I teared up as I really "felt" the bond between the boys.
Before I go any further, I have to give you a little back story.

This is J. This is J at the hospital the day that Littlest Little was born. This is J at the hospital the day that Littlest Little was born walking away very angrily. Why? Well he was very upset because Mommy stayed the night at the hospital and when he found out that baby brother was finally here and he was going to be go to the hospital to see him, he thought he was going to get to stay the night, too!!!
He was just a couple months away from three at the time. And Aunt Squirrel (my sister), thought it was cute- and she couldn't tell him any different. So he came to the hospital that afternoon, thinking that him and little brother were going to have their very first sleepover.

 J did recover. He was so happy to have him home! It was going to be great, not being the only little brother! Chickadee was now going to have spread out her evil big sister ways and he was going to have back up!!!
Well, if nothing else, she was going to play dress up and dolls with the new baby and that would eat up some of her time.....

It may be hard to tell by the "newbie" pic, but Littlest Little was "not-so Little" from the start. J was/is average for his size, but by the time the new baby was two and a half, he was as big as his big brother who was going on six!!!

They became a force to be reckoned with! It was soon after this pic was taken that Littlest Little got his prescription for glasses- and they were very similar to what J wore. With them being so close in size, they were constantly asked if they were twins! (We still get that question sometimes).

When Littlest Little was old enough to walk up and down the stairs in our house without me having a heart attack- we decided that it would be a good idea for them to become roommates. I mean, they were constantly together and played with the same toys. They watched the same shows and liked the same games.
It was official. They both received their eviction notices for the Ground Floor Residence and we moved them up to the bonus room and made the whole space their room.
I had a blast painting and matching. We did an Americana theme- rusty reds, shades of blue and lots of stars.

 

     It seems like it was much longer than it actually was but for the last six years, I turned the light out and walked away from two little boys in matching beds. I watched them both come down for dinner each night and I filmed from down the hall as they would come barreling down on Christmas morning together.

      It has been over the last month or so, but The Mr and I noticed that the three year difference between the two was starting to become a larger gap. Of course the age difference itself did not change, but  we noticed that their interests were growing farther apart. J is a pre-teen now. And Littlest Little is 9. 

    The shows they watch are different. The other kids that have come into their lives are different. The way they choose to dress is different. All of these differences were leading to the inevitable.

We worked all day Saturday. Moving furniture. Cleaning carpets. Sorting clothes and electronics.

And last night was the first night in a very long time that I turned the light out on only one little boy in a very big room all by himself. He was so little when he made the move up there that he doesn't remember when he didn't have J right there next to him.

During the day, Littlest Little acted so happy. He couldn't believe that he got the prime real estate, aka THE BIG ROOM all to himself. But when bedtime came, it was a  different story. He never said it, but he showed it. I asked him a few times if he was okay. I knew J would be okay- he has been wanting this for a while.

I sat here in comfy chair last night and cried like a baby- thinking about him upstairs. And J down the hall. I'm not ready for the "buds" to take different routes. 

I find some reassurance in the fact that later on in high school and college, the age difference isn't going to matter anymore- their interests will begin to intertwine again. And while I wish for time to slow down so I can enjoy them, I also want that time to come quickly- so that they have each other close again.

Out of all this sadness did come  with  quite a few laughs. Chickadee is NOT happy with the new neighbor! J has aggravated her all day. He knocks on her door like Sheldon- but repeats her name. He has invited her to a neighborhood cookout. He has knocked on her door several times asking to borrow things like a cup of sugar and a stick of butter. And every time he sees her out of her room he says, "Hi Neighbor!!"

She says she is going to TP his room after he gets settled (and I will let her because that is hilarious!)

 I have no idea where they get this stuff from! :)

Here's to the craziness that is my life!!! Thanks for being a part of it!

I hope that everyone has a terrific week! I will be here cheering you all on!