Basic Instincts

Hello there,

I'm sorry if I've caused any undue anxiety because of the delay in getting today's post up. (Though it's nice to know that you checked in anyway.)

Unfortunately, my tardiness is NOT due to the arrival of Bab-E Brother, who remains securely in the womb, ignoring the eviction notice and Dad-E's plea for a tax deduction (which evaporates in less than 48 hours).

No, it's been a hard week at work and an even harder week at night. Last night it was a battle between sleep and the blog, and sleep won (thankfully). As we continue to battle Little Brother over staying all night in his toddler bed, those 3 am awakenings/rockings got the best of me.

Apparently, Little Brother is giving us a foreshadowing of days ahead.

After all it's a basic instinct/mantra of new parents to "sleep when you can."

I've said this before, but I find it interesting how (at least) some aspects of our childrens' personalities seem to be hard-wired. They really do "come out of the box that way". A child's actions and interactions in the early moments of life can tell you a lot about that personality. Basic instincts, of sorts.

Big Brother was very quiet immediately after he was born. He just looked around and seemed to take everything in. At age 1 or 2 weeks, he liked us to carry him around the house, pausing to look at picutres and various other objects in the room.

Today, he's still on the quiet and calculating side. He's extremely curious and asks detailed questions. In new situations, he starts out acting very shyly, but as he becomes confortable, his vibrant personality shines through, which leads him to be surrounded by friends. He is a technophile: puzzles, trains, cars, legos, computers, and playing with his Mom-E's iTouch. When we go outside, he has to play with his bike, Little Brother's bike, and their foor-powered car. He has some interest in soccer, baseball, and running, but he's definitely more passionate about the technology.

Little Brother, on the other hand, screamed a lot when he was born. He was very "vocal." When we first brought him home, Mom-E and I joked that he fed for 30 minutes every half-hour. I have amnesia for the first week of his life; probably because we were horribly sleep deprived.

Today, he continues to be very vocal, repeating EVERYTHING EVERYBODY in the family says, though with good understanding. He doesn't like to sleep much, especially in his toddler bed. :( However, he's such a sweet, happy guy, it's hard to get frustrated with him for long. Whenever I'm home, he pretty much throws a tantrum if I don't carry him around. In contrast to Big Brother, who goes straight for the bikes, Little Brother is a budding ball player--golf, basket, foot, whatever.

(Although lately he does sleep with a plastic screwdriver under his pillow. Don't ask.)

It'll be exciting to see what Bab-E Brother is like in those first moments of life, and if that is reflected in his personality.

Of course, he's got to come out of the box first. Hint hint. C'mon dude, we're waiting.

See you in 2010!
Busy-Dad-E