We’re back.

After a crazy few months I was finally able to get rid of my stress induced writer’s block. There have been a few big changes in the lives of the brothers. Big Brother has mastered reading and now has the ability to sit down with a book and read to himself. I was so excited about this because as a very avid reader I love getting time in to sit down and read a chapter in a new book. I say chapter because that is a small little goal I can reach in the house of boys. Now Big Brother can snuggle up with a book and his mom and we can read together. Little Brother sometimes even gets one of his baby books off the shelf and sits with us copying our intense stares at the pages of a book. Aside from that he took the training wheels off his bike! Hooray I’ve only been trying for 2 years. Someone told him he gets extra speed from the extra wheels? I don’t know where he gets this stuff but he did let us take them off!

Little Brother has mastered the whole potty training process after a year or so of struggling. I tried not to push him too much in hopes he’d get it on his own. He would spend a week trying his best to get to the bathroom in time only to spend the next week fighting to stay in diapers as if his life depended on it. I realized if he had a diaper he’d go in it and if he didn’t he would use the potty. Well a little over two weeks ago I took the plunge and just switched him to underwear only. I was afraid of all the accidents that would come but told myself if I didn’t commit to cleaning up pee and just dealing with the struggle he’d never get it. Sure he had his accidents, he peed at a birthday party and pooped one day at the park but after a few days of only having underwear he got it! So its been a nice few weeks without diapers. I still have some leftover from when I hide them so I guess I’ll have to send them to a friend with a baby in a size 5. We’ve been blessed at night time he hasn’t peed in bed.

I wonder if anyone missed the diaper diaries? I missed having some free time to sit down and just think. I had been very distracted because our family dynamic had changed for about a month and a half. We took in a foster child during that time and I was in the middle of potty training both Little Brother and the other little one. They were about the same age so as you can imagine life with two extremely demanding and busy two year olds in a house too small for them to get all their extra energy out. The place was loud and it didn’t take long for the Little ones to gang up on Big Brother and drive him completely bananas. He couldn’t play cars, watch TV or sit alone to relax with only Little Brother here so imagine how pestered he was! I can’t say I have ever really sat down to think about becoming a foster parent but now that I have I recommend it to others. If you have space in your heart and a little room in your home you should consider it. Our lives changed so much in such a little amount time that it was hard to absorb how much we changed a little one’s perspective. All I can say is when you open up to another child you do notice how they come to you one way and when they leave they are going in a completely different way. I’ve been told that there is a shortage of foster families in Akwesasne. When a Mohawk child cannot be placed with family or within the community they are moved to surrounding towns. Sometimes all they need is a temporary home to be safe and loved while family is located. I just wanted to throw it out there, if you care and have some time and attention to give and share with a child you should. I don’t think our Mohawk children should be sent off reserve if they can stay where their culture, language and families are. When the little one had to move it was like a punch in the gut. I didn’t realize how easy it is to get so attached to the idea of one more. My boys were sad as well. Big Brother tried not to seem so upset but I could tell. Little Brother cried in the doorway when it was time to say goodbye. Big Brother said, “I’m the Big Brother no matter!” Well that is what our little family had been up to for the last two months and after a little time out and settling into our old routine we’re back.