A Comparison of Curious Siblings

Young toddlerhood is such a curious age. It's also an age that lacks impulse control, haha! Tupperware cabinets get emptied, toilet paper rolls pulled out, towels pulled down. It happens ALL DAY LONG. The thing is, I've gotten smarter along the way. Qtips are no longer kept where little hands can get them. Toilet paper rolls are generally kept on the counter...sort of ghetto, but saves the loss of tp in the long run! These preventative measures still don't keep Willa from being curious. The other day she climbed up on the dining table and took a bite out of literally every apple in the bowl. Then she proceeded to throw the apples off the table. I forget how busy young toddlers keep you. She moves things from room to room and throws things ALL THE TIME. I find things from the kitchen in my room. Or her latest has been throwing the clock next to my bed down the stairs. It has happened twice now, so the clock has been moved. Except, I really liked having a clock next to my bed. Oh well. One day soon it will be able to be back. 

All four kids are just a couple weeks apart in these photos. Connor and Isla had loads more hair that Callum or Willa, but at least Callum had enough hair at this point for a haircut! She apparently takes after her mom. I didn't really have hair until I was two. 

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A Four Way Comparison

I am sure the people that gifted us this outfit when I was pregnant with Connor never expected it to live on and on...and on and on. Here we are, four kids in, with all four wearing the same outfit. Connor, Isla and Willa are all around the same age, at five and a half months old. They are also all sitting in the same bumbo I originally bought for Connor. Callum is two month younger and laying on the floor. I still think Willa looks most similar to Callum, though she looked more like Isla than I remembered. And Willa was so kind to take one for the team and wear this hot outfit when it was 100* out. The things you do for a sibling comparison photo! Poor Willa still has no hair, whereas the others did.

I have kept almost none of the baby clothes this time around, purging things as soon as Willa grows out of them. But this outfit, it went in a drawer...mostly as a just in case (KIDDING Ian, kidding...so calm yourself down). But I am sure I will get rid of it later, because what would my kids do with it when they are all grown anyway?

Oh my babies! The biggest thing I have learned the more babies I have is how insanely fleeting this time is. I swear Connor's first year lasted several years. And here we are with Willa half a year old in what feels like the blink of an eye. Don't mind me while I go hold my baby tight and cry...

P.S. two of my favorite sibling comparisons that I do are coming up - an 8.5 month comparison, and  the same monkey outfit.

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A Sisterly Comparison

It's no secret that I love a good sibling photo comparison. I've done a lot throughout the years. But the one I can do with Willa in the same outfit as the other three kids is still a few months off...and the poor girl will have to put on a warm winter outfit in the middle of the summer for it too! Sorry girl, but its gotta be done. So I decided to go back through old photos of Isla and see what outfits we still had hanging around. I was actually surprised how few outfits we have left that I have pictures of Isla in. But we still had this one AND the pictures are from around the same time. Perfect. And, perfectly enough, we also still have the same chair. 

I tried to get Willa to sit in the middle of the chair like Isla was, but it could not be done. She must not have the core strength yet. Which I also found photos of Isla sitting up in the bumbo at this age and I don't think Willa is quite ready for that either. So I settled for the side of the chair. Willa smiles so easily, so naturally it is a photo of her smiling. For the next photo, I did one of them laying down. I apparently should have looked at the photo of Isla first because I have Willa laying the opposite direction. Oh well. It's still a fun comparison. You can't tell from this picture because of Isla's big bow, but Isla actually had decent amount of hair at two months, whereas Willa pretty much just has some fuzz. 

Though the girls look similar, I still think Willa looks way more like Callum as a baby than the other two. It will be fun to see what she looks like and who she looks more like as she gets older. Her hair isn't as dark as Isla's was, so the jury is still out as to what color hair she will have too. But the doctor said at her two month check up that chances are she will keep her blue eyes, as they haven't started changing yet.


Here are a few of my favorite comparisons of the older three over the years - 8.5 months old, in the monkey outfit and in their crib at 19 months old. In the last one, I can't believe how much more hair Connor and Isla had compared to Callum at the same age. Connor's hair was just perfect. 

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Helpers

People are always making comments about how the older kids must be such a big help with the baby. In my head I am usually rolling my eyes at them and think about how it's not like they are doing all the laundry and making dinners and such. But then my perspective changed a bit the other day.

Callum was acting like, well, a three year old on the walk home from school and was requiring ALL my attention...and both my hands. Connor instantly offered to push Willa's stroller. When we got home, Callum still needed me. Isla jumped in and asked to hold Willa. All the sudden, I realized they help in small ways that really add up. And I really need to not overlook those little things. Without asking or prompting, they will put Willa's pacifier back in her mouth if she starts fussing. Isla loves talking/playing with her. And lately, at bedtime, Willa and I have been laying down with Isla. Both Isla and Willa fall asleep, then I get up and put Willa in her bed. It really has become a special time for me...and hopefully for them as well.

Now if only I could convince one of them to change poopie diapers ;)

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From One Train Lover To Another

It really doesn't feel like that long ago that I was building fancy train tracks, chasing trains around town and visiting the train station for my train obsessed Connor. Thomas was his favorite thing to watch there for a while. He went through a phase where he carried one train engine with him everywhere he went. He even slept with it at night! Alas, now he is a smart mouthed second grader, who thinks most of what his mom does is wrong. 

But now Callum is getting into trains. It's fun watching the same trains Connor played with getting pulled back out and played with again. And I'm back at that phase where I wonder if I should kragle (a little lego movie reference for you non lego movie watching folks) a train track together because it gets pulled apart approximately 2 seconds after I put it together. Well, actually it usually is being pulled apart while I am putting it together still. And that is always followed up with an, "Uh-oh, broken" in the most adorable toddler voice. I totally remember thinking about gluing a track together when Connor was little. I have since thought to myself, had I done it then, it would have worked out well then and now! But I have also wondered if I would have held on to something that wouldn't have been so easy to store. So many thoughts for a train track, right?!

I tried going and finding a picture of Connor with his beloved koko train he always had with him, but couldn't find one. In the process, I came across these adorable pictures though. I still have those overalls and I am pretty sure we still have a train hat around here somewhere. I am thinking I will definitely need to recreate those pictures with Callum. Also seeing pictures of cute little innocent Connor, who was always my little buddy has my mama emotions all over the place now! 

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Isla & Callum

For so long, Callum has just been the baby. The one that they guard their things from. The one they force to do whatever they want. The one they never include. But recently, things have changed a bit.

Isla has started playing with Callum.

She has started purposely including him and doing things with him. They have this adorable little budding relationship. Callum will go curl up with Isla on the couch. He will climb up right next to her. It's so stinking cute. She will grab his hand and lead him places to go play together. It really warms my mama heart.

Given the age difference of Callum to the other two, I didn't know what to expect in terms of relationships and when/if it would start. I know some age gaps are so large relationships don't even develop until adulthood. And some siblings just never mesh together.

It's nice to see Callum not being just left all alone, blocked from the playroom. I'm not saying it still doesn't happen from time to time. They are siblings after all. But to see him getting included really makes me happy.

On a side note, it was our contractor that found the kids doing this yesterday and he responded, "Oh, how fun!" I was slightly embarrassed that they had pulled all the blankets and pillows off Isla's made bed to jump on it. But really, they were having fun. And the contractor has kids, so I am sure he gets it. If he doesn't get it, I am sure he has been in my house enough to know how we roll. Speaking of that, a subcontractor told me he liked that I was raising my kids more free, able to climb around, make mistakes and hurt themselves. Makes me wonder if they are hearing too much crying when they are over working! But we are a bit of a zoo around there, so yeah.

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A 19 Month Comparison

I know, I know, another comparison. But this is basically my last one, unless I want to do first day of school comparisons or something. Plus, I love any excuse to walk down memory lane. I literally loved going back and looking at toddler Connor and Isla while looking for their pictures. Remembering how life was. Remembering how they were. Anyway, here's all three of my babes at 19 months, freshly awoken in the morning, in the same crib. 

Callum

Connor

Isla

Connor

Isla

Callum

Whenever I think Callum is really starting to get a head of hair going, I look at picture of the other kids at the same age and am always shocked. At this point, Connor had numerous hair cuts and Isla just had a ton of long hair. But that's ok, I'll take his cheeky little smiley demeanor any day over him having a full head of hair. 

In case you care to check out the other comparisons of the kids - a cheeky comparison, three little monkeys, 8.5 month comparison, three kids, one outfit and same hat, different boy. 

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When Your Sister...

When your sister colors all over your face (and scalp!), then tries to pass it off as you. Nice try Isla, but Callum's skills aren't that good yet. One does have to wonder how she got him to just stand there while she did that. I mean, she was even able to use multiple colors. And poor Callum got a double whammy from Isla, because when she saw me scrubbing his face, she wanted to help! It was bad enough that I had to scrub until he wouldn't tolerate it anymore, fed him a popsicle, then scrub again. 

On the plus side, Isla now knows not to color on peoples faces. Are my kids the only kids that do random things then say, "You never told me not to?!" I always think, I never thought I would have to tell you not to...insert the craziest things you would never imagine having to tell someone NOT to do. The struggle is real people. 

^^ Can we all take a moment to laugh about the look on Callum's face in this picture?! That truly is how he felt about the whole situation. Poor kid got the raw end of the deal. 

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A Cheeky Age

There is something about 16 months that's a cheeky age. Or maybe a curious age? It's the age where you have to move all the toilet paper rolls or they WILL be unrolled. And actually, shutting the bathroom door is better because otherwise the toilet may or may not get played in. The tupperware cupboard gets unloaded five times a day, along with the toy box and bookshelf. So I had to laugh when I found Callum in the above situation, remembering my other two in very similar situations. 

All three kids are just a couple weeks apart in age in these pictures. Actually, Connor and Isla's pictures are only a day in age apart, but Callum's is a couple weeks before. Also, apparently the first two situations happened while I was in the shower. These days I shower before the kids get up, but Callum still finds plenty of time to roam and get into things because, life/three kids. Can we also take a minute to notice how much hair Connor and Isla had compared to Callum. I was actually thinking the other day how thick his hair is getting...until I saw those full heads of hair!

I really do love the curiosity of children, even if it means a lot more clean up for me.

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Three Kids

The thing about three kids is they keep you busy. I often find from the time I get up until the time the kids go to bed, I may not even get five minutes to sit and do something for me. Now, I don't mean all that time is directly spent on the kids, but there are things like laundry, dishes, cooking, cleaning, etc that also just take time. With all the busyness, sometimes it can feel like the one that screams the loudest is often the one to get the most attention. And, for all intensive purposes, that's the baby. Because of this, carving out special time each day with Connor and Isla has become important to me. Usually that time is in the form of cuddling up to read because I really enjoy reading and they seem to really enjoy being read to. But that also can look like coloring with Isla, playing scrabble junior with Connor or even running an errand alone with one of them. It doesn't happen often that I get out alone with just one of them, but I really like it when I do. When they are alone with me, they seems to come alive and just talk and talk and give their opinions on anything and everything and I totally eat it up.

The other day I walked to get Connor from school without Isla with me and he literally held my hand the whole way home from school and just talked and talked about his day. Now, he normally talks on his way home from school, but with Isla not there, the talk didn't quickly turn to pokemon! I have always valued picking my kid up from school because they just seem extra chatty about the little things that happened that day as soon as you pick them up. Those walks and drives home from school are always some of my favorite times.

I am acutely aware that every day I am laying the groundwork for the relationship I will have with my children later. I am also aware that I am laying the foundation for the relationship they will have with each other. All this terrifies me, but also makes me want to be the best person I can be.

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A Valentines Comparison

^^ This face is what has earned him the name "cheeky monkey" lately. Especially when we tell him no. He tends to give us this look and goes right back to what we said no about.

Callum got his lunch all over his shirt on valentines day. And, in an effort to not look like a slob, I decided to change his shirt before we picked Connor up from school. At the bottom of the shirt pile, I found this valentines shirt I had forgotten about. It had been Connor's, and I had never even put it on Callum. So, I threw it on...and since the gnome hat matched and it brings me such joy, it went on as well.

I decided to go back and look for some pictures of Connor wearing the same shirt. Alas, the only ones I could find were cell phone shots...and iphone cameras have come a long way since then! Still, you can see little Connor in it. Connor, who would only be 3 weeks older than Callum, yet had multiple haircuts by this point, and still a head full of thick hair. Connor, who had already been walking for 5.5 months at this point. Speaking of that, I can't believe how much more grown up babies look in pictures when they are walking vs sitting. Either way, cheeky Callum is blazing his own trail in this family. And lucky for him, my picture taking skills have gotten better, so the opposite is true for the cliche about the youngest having no pictures of themselves. We have the most of him!

^^ Can you believe I had hair not that long ago that was long enough for me to pull back?! Sometimes I kind of miss that convenience. 

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Differing Personalities

One of the fun things about having more than one kid is watching their personalities shine through when they are both in the same situation. I was really struck by this when the kids were playing astronauts the other day. Connor is very literal and wants to look like a real astronaut. He wants to study real astronaut photos and make sure he looks just like them. He even told someone that came over all about his mission to space and when they asked if he went to space with his mom, he responded, "No, stranger astronauts." Isla, on the other hand, is my entertainer. She wants to make people laugh and found it so funny that people couldn't tell who she was when she covered her face with the hat inside the astronaut helmet. She actually said, "people can't tell if I'm a boy or a girl...hahahah" (that's her laughing, not me). I decided not to let her in on the fact that we could see her hair ;)

Speaking of that entertaining personality, last week Isla brought her USED qtips to show and tell. I made her bring a second item in the car with her, thinking that she would perhaps change her mind. But she didn't. I feared show and tell would go horribly, but it did not. Apparently a crowd of 4 & 5 year olds find earwax covered qtips hysterical. When I went to pick her up, one of the teachers said, "Well, Isla got what she wanted, everyone laughed." And sure enough, we hadn't even made it to the car before Isla was excitedly telling me how everyone thought the qtips were so funny. Back when Connor had show and tell, it was all business for him. In fact, we were told it was a first for his school when he brought a smoke detector to show and tell with him.

I just love watching their little personalities shine through. Sometimes I get nervous that they will get rejected by their peers, but they don't. Then I remember, they are dealing with other kids their own age, not jaded adults. Oh, my babies, I wish you never become jaded and self conscious. Be who you are meant to be. Let your beautiful hearts and personalities always shine through. 

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