Why it's worth it

Today

We were playing with Vivi's Peek-a-block set (thanks, Grandy!). To be more precise, Isaac was playing with it--dumping the blocks in the tower, hearing the song, letting the blocks fall out of the tower--I was watching him and offering encouragement (what a good mom!), and Vivian was trying to reach any block Isaac put down for a minute (though not having much luck, as forward motion is still a new concept to her).

At one point, she turned too far and fell over backwards. Not too hard, so I just said, "Uh oh! Vivi fall down and go boom!"and picked her up. Which, for some reason, completely tickled Isaac. He laughed hysterically and proceeded to repeat the phrase for the next 5 minutes, despite the fact that Vivian did not fall down again.

A little while later, I was changing his diaper and out of the blue he said, "Giving Vivi hug?"It took me a minute to understand what he was saying but I finally got it. And although I didn't know what prompted it, I thought, "Aw. What a sweetie!"

And then he said:

"Vivi fall down and go boom? Giving Vivi hug? Make it all better?"

Tell me that doesn't warm your heart!



Yesterday

I lay on my back on the sofa with Vivian sitting up in my lap. Isaac was happily wreaking havoc with his toys in the same room. Suddenly he looked up and noticed where his sister was.
"Up! Up! Up!" Trying to climb on top of me and Vivian.

"Hold on, buddy. Vivian's in my lap right now. Why don't you keep playing with those Leggos?"

"Up! Git in mommie's yap! Up!"

"Okay, okay. Here let me help you."

"Aga carry Vivi! Aga carry Vivi!'

And so I helped him up, seating him on my lap behind Miss Viv so he could "carry" her. There they were, my two precious angels, Isaac with his arms tight around Vivian, Vivian turning her head to grin at her big brother, and for a minute we were the happiest family on the block.