Brothers

When I look back at this phase of our life ten or twenty years from now, I really want to remember clearly Victor's reaction to his new brother.

Adopting an older child is a big adjustment. With a new baby, everyone expects sleeping, crying, lots of nursing, sleepless nights. With a new child who has 7 years of development and habit-formation under his belt, you really have no idea what his personality and behavior will be like. We all have our own set patterns of behavior, too, so molding to each other is a process. I think we're getting better at understanding each other every day.

But, from the get go, our sweet 5 year has just taken it all in stride. Ignace is his brother, and that's that. If they have a disagreement about something, he states plainly his gripe and then moves on to, "hey, let's play army guys."

He explains his favorite things. He encourages him to try new things ('you're gonna LOVE it,' he often says.). He has very rarely been visibly irritated. He is proud and happy to have a brother. They talk at night after lights out and again in the morning when they wake up. They have developed a form of wrestling (called 'dino-wrestling' of course, after Victor's favorite prehistoric creatures).

In spite of a few injustices inflicted by the new brother (I don't believe there was malicious intent here, just figuring out how family life works), good ol' Vic is loyal to the core. ('Even though you lied, you still have my trust!!')

There is a purity and sincerity in his acceptance of this new sibling. I am inspired by his selflessness and touched by his readiness to love a perfect stranger.

So, maybe he is 5 and still sucks his thumb. Maybe he isn't quite ready to ride a 2-wheeler ('you know, Mom, I have seen grown-ups with training wheels!'). In the 'love one another' department, he is well on his way to maturity.