Archie took a while to adjust to this huge change. His big brother has been part of his life since he was born, and as soon as Dylan started preschool, I looked after a friend's son, so he had a playmate still every day. He is a middle child, used to constant company and he loves having someone to share his play with. He is happy to play alone, but he wants conversation as he does it and he would always pick playing together.
Finn is laid back, and at six months the change didn't bother him so much. At eight months now he is starting to play, to communicate, to entertain his brother and whilst he is no substitute for an imaginative four year old, Archie loves him. Whilst Finn is still not particularly interested in moving, he wants to be part of his brother's games and he has the biggest smiles when he thinks he is being included. He chats in his own language and Archie interprets him in some rather strange ways, but they are happy this way.
Our new routine is set between the hours of nine and three fifteen. We have to make sure we are back at the schoolgates on time for their all important reunion. It has been amazing watching the bond between my youngest two develop. The big two are so close they are the best of friends and I want Archie to continue to have a friend. Finn has a lot to learn but they are finding ways of playing together and poor Finn is always getting cuddled (unfortunately Archie has a tendency to cuddle with his arms around his neck).
I grew up with a brother and sister close in age and my memories are of the games we played. I remember the arguments too of course - they are inevitable when any three people spend that much time together but mainly I remember how we played. Obstacle courses in the gardens that we set up together and raced around competing. Upturned tables that we hopped between as rabbits with hutches under chairs. The playing pretend with schools and shops that I see my own children doing when they pack their Trunki and go on 'holiday' to their bedroom. I still have a close relationship with my brother and sister and I hope that my boys carry on being friends as well as siblings.
Archie and Finn have two years to get used to each other, we have two years of our new routine, of it being the three of us every day. I hope that they get closer as they spend more time just the three of us and as Finn gets more mobile and able. I know crawling will change everything all over again, but once they are both walking and running, I imagine there will be no stopping them together.
It's lovely that you have two years before your routines change again. For us, Little Man starts preschool next September and for me that is far too soon for me to have no little people to run around after! x
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