Brotherly Love

While suddenly having a baby brother around was a little bit of an adjustment at first, Tyler loves his new role of Big Brother. It's a job he takes very seriously. He's always loved to be my helper, so it is no surprise that he loves to help with the baby. I told a few people before Carsten was born that I had no fears about how gentle Tyler would be with the baby or if he would like him, I was more afraid that he might be a little too helpful. I was pretty much right on. He's very careful and loving and gentle with him. But he thinks he can do anything we do with the baby. He has tried a couple of times to pick him up all on his own. Tyler loves to help, but he's also very sensitive about it. It breaks his heart into a million pieces if he thinks he's helping and is told not to. So we're trying really hard to teach him that he always needs to ask to hold him and let us help him. We don't want the poor guy to get into trouble just for loving his brother!

Tyler has come a long way in the 'loving his brother' department since he met him at the hospital. That first day all he really would do is touch Carsten's head. He barely sat still for a picture with him and he would have thrown him right off his lap if Carl wasn't helping him hold him. I asked him once if he loved his brother and he completely ignored me. I asked if he liked him and he said yes right away. A few days later he was ready to admit that he loves him. :-) Those first few days when we came home he really didn't like it when Carsten cried. I don't think he really knew what to do. He would want to give him a toy, but then when Carsten didn't take it and get excited he would feel bad about it. And mostly he just didn't want to talk about the baby at all.

Now that we've been home for two weeks, he is a pro at being a big brother. He asks to hold him often. He constantly brings him toys and stuffed animals to play with. He loves being the one to pick out his clothes, get his diaper, and lay a blanket out on the floor for him. He likes to push his swing and I think his favorite thing might be helping with bath time. If Carsten spits up, he takes off running for a burp cloth. He also is constantly talking about when he himself was born. He says it about almost everything Carsten does or wears. "I do that I born." He's been enjoying hearing stories about the things he used to do when he was born or what he did or didn't like. And he likes to look at baby pictures of himself that look a little like Carsten.

Tyler never calls his brother Carsten. It is always "Baby Carsten". And whenever Carsten is getting into trouble (you know, like when he pees on his own face or projectile poops while being changed), Tyler loves to say, "Carsten Malachi!" He's also been calling himself Tyler Malachi. We've been working on that though, and I think he remembers it's Tyler Daniel now. :-)

 This was right after we got home from the hospital. Tyler was still very unsure.

 

 

Both of them were happier by themselves in these pictures.

 

But we did manage to get this one free of tears from Carsten or random rolling all over the floor by Tyler.

Tyler's coming around - although Carsten still doesn't seem sure.

And it's official. Tyler loves his brother.

 

Tyler was sooo excited to wear matching shirts!

I love watching these two together. At this point obviously Carsten mostly just sits there and looks at him. But it is fun to watch Tyler study him. He really does like him. He went from telling me not to help Carsten if he was crying, to singing songs and trying to help him all on his own. It is very sweet. Both of these boys are so sweet and I am excited to watch them become best little friends.