Brotherly Love

There's nothing that makes me happier than hearing my kiddos get along whether they're laughing with each other or giving hugs/kisses without mauling one another.  It's funny, when thinking about being a mom someday I always focused on my relationship with them-the love, the deep connection, how invested I'd be etc.  I never thought about my kids' relationships with each other.  Ironically, it's seeing THEM love EACH OTHER, helping each other that makes me just as, if not even more, happy than my own love for them individually.  It really shines a light on an often quoted scripture in the Book of Mormon, "...when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God."  (Mosiah 2:17).  I now feel that I can understand, on a tiny scale, how God must feel when he sees us loving and being kind to one another.

Yesterday we were driving home from Rubios and Andy started fussing out of nowhere and Jake, without missing a beat said, "I know Andy, I know."(something I always say to Andy when he's fussy while we're driving)- We all busted out laughing.

I remember the first time Andy really fussed/started crying in the car on the way home one day and Jake at first was getting annoyed at him-telling him to be quiet (an understandable response when you don't know that babies don't listen/understand).  But we started talking about why he might be sad and what we could do to try and help him/make him feel better, rather than focusing on how it bugs us.  I asked if we should say a prayer for Andy so he would feel better and Jake instantly agreed (I love this age-they're always eager to pray with 0 doubts about whether it will help or not).  We said a prayer (me thinking it would be a good way for Jake to learn a practical way to use prayer-not even thinking of whether it would work), and Andy stopped fussing and I know it was because of Jake's simple faith-not mine, and I learned something.  We sang songs the rest of the way to keep Andy happy.  Not to say we don't still have to have daily talks about how we don't poke Andy in the eyes, or cover his face with a blanket/burp cloth, or how we don't growl/roar/basically make a loud noise in his face and make him cry, cause we do.  I just have double the opportunities to turn to and use the gospel in my daily life as we all are learning how to serve, love, and encourage Jake and Andy to be loving brothers and it's really worth it when you're able to capture sweet moments like this:

 Both of them beaming the entire time:

love this one:

Also just for kicks and giggles, Look how cute!

sigh, my lil side-sleeper/thumb-sucker

I could seriously stare at sleeping babies ALL day-nothing is more sweet, not even puppies.