Grandma Kate (Josh’s mom) is here to see her two grandsons!
Naturally, she loves Sebastian and spends most of the day talking in falsetto. :) Misha loves having another person to play with, and he impresses Grandma Kate daily with the amount of energy he has.
We've been relaxing, taking walks, going to the park, giving the boys baths, talking, etc. We took a trip to Sioux Falls as well so Grandma Kate could spoil the new baby with new clothes and blankets!
We’ve been busy with a new aquarium project: setting up our 55 gallon tank with soil and live plants for our freshwater fish. This way, it will eventually stabilize, creating its own ecosystem and requiring very little human intervention. The process of getting it going, however, is quite involved. Josh has been pioneering this project, while Misha and I help out. Misha helps clean the tank, choose the fish, and feed them. He knows he can’t have cats or dogs since we live in an apartment, but he has been enjoying the fish. We also got him a venus fly trap, and he loves to watch it eat bugs.
But no pet, plant, or toy can compete with a little brother, even one who does little besides eat and sleep. Misha is still infatuated with touching Sebastian all the time, always asking to hug him, kiss him, and lay by him, once even asking in the store, “Please can I smell him?” That baby smell is irresistible! Growing up with my own sister and remaining close to her throughout my life is the reason I always knew I wanted more than one child. I’m so happy that now Misha can have a brother to grow up with. A sibling was the best thing we could have given him – better than any birthday or Christmas present. No matter where we travel or what we do, Misha and Sebastian will have each other.
A few weeks ago, the neighbors watched Sebastian for half an hour while I did an errand and picked Misha up from day care. After bringing Misha home, I explained that Sebastian was next door, and Misha got so sad he was close to tears. “I want Sebastian to live with us!” he told me. I had to quickly explain that the neighbors were only babysitting and that Sebastian is ours and he’s not going anywhere.
When the two boys sit in their car seats (right next to each other), Misha likes to let the baby hold his finger. He gets the biggest kick out of those little fingers wrapped tightly around his own big finger. He always asks me why Sebastian likes to hold on so much, and I say it makes him feel safe. Misha said, “But baby brother doesn’t need to hold on to my finger because there are no dinosaurs in Brookings! When I go to the dinosaur field, I can take baby brother in my backpack.”
Misha told me when he gets bigger he’s going to go to another family. “Oh? What family?” I asked. He said, “I’m going to grow up and go to another family, and I’m going to be the dad!”
Some other cute things Misha said recently:
He found some seeds outside and brought them in to show me. “And I can plant these and they will grow into a stocking up in the clouds where the giants live!” I said, “Oh, you mean a bean stalk!”
A few weeks ago Misha came trampling up the stairs after playing outside exclaiming, “I found a little fella! I found a little fella!!” It was a slug.
He was riding his bike while Josh and I were walking. Misha got quite a ways ahead, got off his bike, and ran back to us, announcing, “I’m a fast creature!"
Kisses from Daddy
Misha's learning how to pump!
Mommy and Sebby, all relaxed post-bath.
Misha's self portrait, freckles and all.
Misha!
Misha and I have been spending a little one-on-one time together on the bike trail. One day he rode his own bike beside me - he did a marvelous job riding all the way out to the little frog pond. My estimate is two or three miles, one way. Coming home, however, was a much slower affair - we made plenty of stops so he could drink water and eat Cheerios. The next day he was content to ride in the buggy. We looked for little creatures and picked wild flowers.
Our wild flower bouquet.
Misha and Sebastian. Yesterday, during one of Sebastian's bouts of gas, Misha commented, "It sounds like a dragon tooting."
Now what is that thing? So many things to look at!
Misha playing superhero in Sebastian's Whinnie the Pooh towel.
It always looks like the two boys are sharing secrets.
Now that is a satisfied smile if I ever saw one!
Sebastian is getting more and more proficient at using his neck muscles.
This is a photo of MISHA when he was about two months old, also working on those neck muscles!
Misha, seeing Sebastian's struggle to lift his head, splayed himself on the blanket beside him to offer moral support and encouragement.
This is another shot of Misha at two months.
Ok, back to Sebastian laying on his super-soft airplane blanket from Grandma Kate, which will be perfect to eventually pass on to Tanya's kids. :)
Sebastian responds really well to Misha. Whenever Misha is around, Sebastian is following him with his eyes. He bestows many smiles upon his big brother, as well.
Here it is! Sebastian's new onesie starring the crab from the Little Mermaid! What was that character's name again?
