My Double Rainbow

More and more it's looking like this is the future for Noah and Judah:

Everyone we meet (whether at the grocery store or the doctor's office) never fails to proclaim that Judah and Noah look like twins. Yet at Noah's visit to the pediatrician last week it was revealed that he is now only 30th percentile in height, a precipitous drop from how he started in life, at 90th or so. But at Noah's age, Judah was still a very tall 75th percentile, I think.

Gotta love Judah's fake obligatory smile.

If we continue on this trajectory Judah will probably end up being at least 6 feet and Noah will be a nice, compact 5'6'' maybe?

Just one of the many delightful differences I'm noting in these brothers. I have to say, when it comes to having 2 kids, I'm realizing that (to borrow a phrase from the queen of teen-pop--I love you Taytay!) two is better than one.

There is no greater joy or entertainment for me than watching my 2 kids interact. Even if they're being nasty to each other it's just straight up hilarious.

Noah experiences the fine line between affection and annoyance...all the time.

Their interactions usually fall into one of 3 categories: (1) intense jealousy/covetousness, (2) Noah copying Judah, and (3) benign neglect.

In the first category, it never fails to amaze me how intensely Judah will want something that Noah has simply because Noah has it and likes it. Even an object that Judah has scorned mere SECONDS ago, becomes like the Ring of Power to Golum when Noah starts to treasure it.

Judah has no interest in being in this toy...until Noah is enjoying it.

A few weeks ago they were fighting over a stupid tiny pink guitar that plays horribly off-key tunes when you press it's buttons. It was a secret Santa present from Judah's preschool and he didn't care for it that much. But when Noah grabbed a hold of it all hell broke loose.

Future school bus bully--parents beware.

Thankfully Judah's not a physically aggressive guy or else he could just easily pummel Noah and grab things from him. But Judah is quite the physical pacifist. Instead he screamed and cried in anguish for his toy back, yet never lifted a finger against him.

Noah on the other hand knew exactly what was going on and proceeded to goad Judah on by offering him the guitar and then jerking it away as Judah got closer. The little bugger can definitely dish it out. He would also run away on his short stubby legs and hide in plain sight, like in the corner of the room. So freaking cute right?

Of course I let this go on way too long as I haven't laughed this hard since I can remember.

The second category of interaction, Noah copying Judah, is probably the cutest darn thing I've ever seen. Noah doesn't smile much but he beams with pride and joy whenever he is successfully copying Judah--like when he wears Judah's superhero cape and/or sunglasses.

This is the look on Noah's face when he's about to attempt a 'big boy' activity--sheer determination and joy.

Last week I turned around to find my sweet little guy poking Judah's foam sword into my leg and giving me a look like "I gotcha Mommy!" Of course my heart melted and I pretended to die the same way I do when I'm playing with Judah. That little Noah just slays me, in every sense of the word.

And just yesterday Judah was roaring ferociously in the back of the car, when I suddenly hear this tiny high-pitched vocalization. At first I couldn't figure out what Noah was doing, but when that little noise was emitted consistently each time after Judah's roar I realized Noah was "roaring" too. At the stoplight I turned around and said "Good roars Noah!" and he beamed like the sun.

But most often, Judah and Noah are in category three, benign neglect. They enjoy being in each other's presence, each doing their own thing. Judah will build a spaceship from stackadoos or read his comic books and Noah will just putz around, picking up a ball, fingering a car, flipping through a book, what have you. Noah is so good at entertaining himself around the house that way I call him my putz-er. Just putz, putz, putzing around.

The Don and his pet pool boy.

But once in a great while, there will be a fourth category of interaction--a shining moment of great and incomparable joy when my two kids are actually making each other smile and laugh, on purpose. Recently it's in the form of Judah chasing Noah, Noah squealing in delight at being chased, Judah tickling Noah when he's caught him, and then Judah letting Noah go so he can get chased again.

So cute it makes me want to force them into matching outfits every day.

Sometimes it's Judah handing Noah a toy that he knows Noah would like or entertaining Noah when he knows Noah is prone to fuss (like on the changing table or in his car seat).

And often it's when I tell them "Kiss your brother!" and each kisses the other because the command could've been intended for either one.

And they always love each other just enough to comply.