La Vita Bella: Sibling Love

I've found that I really enjoy going back and reading old blog posts. It's so easy to forget the little things that Anna did or said, or things that happened. I love how a blog can be a journal as well.

So with that said, I want to share a bit about Anna and Alex.

It's funny how their relationship has transformed. When he was first born, it was a little hard on Anna. I think she felt a little ignored. As he got older, she would get mad if he looked at her toy. Then it changed to him touching a toy and she would get mad. He used to pull her hair and she would get really mad. Then for a while, she wanted him to pull her hair and thought it was funny. Now, that he's more solid and mobile, he's become her little doll, almost. She kind of push him down, to make him lay down. Or try and roll him over. I've caught her holding his hand or wrist, trying to make him push a button on a toy.

Lately, he's become more of a playmate for her, which is really cute to watch. She'll put her blanket over him and try and play with him. She'll want me to put him in the hall and make him crawl with her. This can be problematic, when he doesn't feel like crawling. Anna gets really mad. She'll try and do other things with him. We'll get out the toy tunnel we have and they'll crawl in it together.

Of course, she'll still grab toys out of his hands, try and push him out of the way, get mad when he has one of her toys, not want him to come in her room because he chews on her books, etc. But overall, their relationship has really grown.

The last few weeks have been kind of odd. Anna has changed into this little please/thank you princess. It's really kind of weird, but I love it. She's started to saying thank you for EVERYTHING. She'll tell me, "thank you for saying yes, that I could eat this bread." or "Thank you for getting me some milk." It's really cute, but I have no idea where she got it from. Maybe nursery? Or maybe she's just realizing that when she's nice and polite, she'll get her way more??? She's starting to say thank you for all the little things I do for her.

She's also starting to ask me if it's okay to do certain things. The weirdest one was, when I got her a glass of milk with a straw. After a minute, she asked me, "can I just drink it out of the cup?" Like she really needs my permission to do that! It was really funny.

I've been letting Anna watch a TV show when Alex naps. I try not to have the TV on when he's awake. As soon as I come out from putting Alex down, she wants to watch Pingu. It's this penguin claymation show, that's actually pretty cute. They don't use words, just kind of gibberish, but you're still able to understand what's going on. She's started to sing along with the songs and the little sounds the penguin makes. She has also started learning how to use the Wii-mote and turn the show on herslef. I still help her and every time she says, "thank you for helping me." She'll even hum along with the sounds the Wii makes as it's loading Netflix.

Alex is developing so much lately. He understands so much. The other night, I undressed him, and he started crawling away from me, which he usually does. I told him, come here so I can change your diaper. He looks at me for a second, then crawls out the door into the hallway. I started crawling after him and started laughing, which must have been loud, because he made a loud squeal and starts taking off really fast down the hallway! It was like he knew it was a game and I was chasing him. It was so cute. This repeated about two more times that night.

Today in church, he learned how to wave! It was amazing. A little girl, two rows back started waving to him, and he started moving his hand in a waving motion back at her. He did this a few more times at church with different people. Then did it with my mom and dan's parents on Skype. He's so smart! Did I mention that he just turned 9 months? :)

We've started him on finger foods and he loves it. He could probably eat all day. He gets so anxious and antsy when he knows he's about to get food or if I'm holding food while holding him. He'll try and get it from me.

He's such a squirmy little guy. When it comes to changing his diaper, it's gotten so bad, that I usually have to put his diaper on him when he's on all fours, or standing up. I can't get him to stay on his back. I've had to wipe his little poopy bum while he's on all fours.

Here he is, after he had escaped from me, during a diaper and clothing change.