In just the last few weeks, I've started noticing something really cute - Connor and Xander are actually starting to play together sometimes. It's usually one-sided, in that big brother is in charge and determining just about everything that they do - but it's still cute.
Connor has even kind of claimed his little brother as his own. He's long been saying silly things like "I love Xander, Mommy love Saw!" and refusing to allow me to switch it around. "No, you love Saw," he will tell me, and then add "I love Xander!" even more emphatically than before.
And I think it has something to do with their new found playing. It could be a bit of resentment for the special allowances that are sometimes made for Sawyer, but mostly I think it's just recognizing a kindred spirit (he and Xander have eerily similar personalities) and in finding a new play buddy. Just this morning, while exercising his recently discovered freedom of getting up by himself, he decided to liberate Xander, too.
I could hear them from my room, where I was trying to sleep in, since Connor woke up with Daddy this morning (at 7 a.m.!). After watching television downstairs for a while, I heard him sneak back upstairs and down the hallway, where he opened the little guys' door and actually tickled Xander awake. I know this, because if Xander is actually awake, he's going to be kicking on the door demanding release, and he wasn't doing that. He wasn't doing anything until Connor opened their door and walked into their room. Then all of the sudden I hear Xander laughing so hard he can barely breathe.
Connor managed to get him downstairs all by himself - even remembering to close the door for Sawyer (who was still sleeping) and closing the baby gate behind Xander after they made it downstairs. They played together for almost an hour before I had to get up and referee (and get Sawyer up).
For the moment, Xander seems to be enjoying the extra attention despite Connor's need for control. Of course, it won't stay that way for long. Xander has just as much of that take-charge personality as Connor does, but clearly he's enjoying the interaction and is letting it slide. Watch out for that quick flash of temper though, because if you push him too hard, he's going to strike out (usually by hitting you, which we're working on).
Right now, Connor and Xander do things like play chase, running around the maze that is our downstairs laughing and looking over their shoulders to see how close they are to each other. Sometimes they toss the inflatable balls back and forth or roll cars across the room to one another. Their favorite, though, is to hop on the ride-on Lightning McQueen cars (when Mommy allows them out of storage) and chase and bump each other.
Perhaps they've been watching a bit too much NASCAR with Daddy on Sundays? Hey, rubbin' is racin', right? Just a little brotherly love . . .
