Two of a kind

I have been trying for the past hour to upload some pictures from my camera to my computer but my computer isn't cooperating, so.....

I scanned this picture in. I finally got a scanner and this is the first time I've used it. I'm so happy that it works!


This is Ben and Max. I think Max looks like an old man. I love these two boys so much. This week the stomach flu has invaded our house with a vengeance. Max started it Tuesday night and we are all home sick from church today (except for Ian - he's a trooper). Max was still throwing up last night.

Ben was quite sick Thursday night but Max was better. Friday morning I told Ben he was staying home and then proceeded to pack Max's lunch. Max had a freak out of major proportions. Screaming. Gagging. Crying. Until he made himself so upset that he threw up too. Because he can't go to school without Ben. Never mind that Ben went to school on Wednesday without Max. Max started freaking out about walking to the playground by himself (I assured him that aunt Kimmy would walk him out but he didn't care). Ian texted me about 7:15 (I was at work) and told me that Max was way too upset to go to school.

Sometimes I worry about their relationship. Not for Ben. Ben is perfectly fine playing with Max or playing with his friends. Ben is even fine finding something to do on his own. I remember his first grade teacher told me that Ben was perfectly content playing by himself at recess. She said she wasn't worried because Ben was one of the most liked kids in the class. He just chose to play on his own because he didn't want to do what the other kids were doing.

Max is a whole other ball of wax. He has social anxiety. The first day back to school after he broke his foot he cried when I dropped him off. He didn't want the other kids to ask him about the boot he was wearing on his foot. Max refuses to bring or wear his glasses at school - even though one of his best friends at school wears glasses. He doesn't want to stand out or be different in any way.

If he has a friend over, he still wants to play with Ben. I think in a lot of ways Ben is his security blanket. He wants to sleep in Ben's room most nights. He wants to sit by Ben at mealtimes. Sometimes I wonder if it's healthy for him to be that attached to Ben.

But I know without any doubt that these two boys were meant to be brothers. They are kindred spirits. I am so grateful to be their mom.