"Mom, He's Just a Baby"

Usually it's the parent who has to remind the older sibling that the baby is "just a baby," as the baby unintentionally breaks the brand new toy car; screams at the top of his lungs when you don't get him his bottle fast enough; or when the big brother decides that it might be fun to take little brother for a piggy back ride. And we've done our fair share of reminding Jaden that Elijah is "just a baby." But lately, there has been a little role reversal going on at our house, as my sweet little Jaden has been reminding me that Elijah is in fact... just a baby. Here are a few situations we've experienced lately:

• It is very typical for us to take a 45-minute drive to El Paso every weekend or so. The boys do great in the car and are typically very content the whole time. On one particular trip, Elijah must have cried the entire way there. I finally said, "Elijah, that's enough!" Jaden said (in the sweetest voice you have ever heard), "Mom, you should just say, 'Lijah, don't cry, it's okay.'"

• We introduced Elijah to a sippy cup several months ago and he is finally getting used to using one; but regular milk is a different story. He's not too sure he likes the taste of that yet. As he was sitting in his high chair with a sippy cup full of milk, Elijah decided that he didn't want it, so he chucked it overboard. I playfully asked, "Elijah, why did you do that?" Jaden said, "Because babies do that sometimes, mom."

• Anyone who knows Elijah knows how much he LOVES to eat! There isn't a single food that that little boy doesn't gobble right up! As I was feeding him applesauce one day, I couldn't get those spoonfuls into his mouth fast enough. He began to scream in between bites. We have been working on the sign for "more," so I was trying to get him to sign "more" instead of screaming at me! Jaden patiently informed me, "Mom, he's just a baby...sometimes babies cry."

Isn't it amazing what we can learn from kids and how they remind us of what's important!