Alex Loves Andy!

And Andy's okay with Alex, too.

Andy's demonstrations of love towards Alex are more of the give-the-baby-something-inappropriate variety, such as when I caught Andy cramming a goldfish cracker into Alex's open, grinning mouth. "Noooo!" I shouted, heroically leaping over the couch and tucking and rolling until I could reach the offending cracker and pluck it out of my four month old's slobbery little mouth. "Do NOT give the baby food," I scolded Andy. "Do you remember why Alex can't eat food?"

Andy nodded solemnly and replied, "Teeth." I have tried to ingrain the fact that Alex can't eat because he has no teeth into Andy's head. I know that Andy gets this, but I guess he just wanted to see what would happen. On a side note, Andy thinks the reason that Alex cannot do many other things also has to do with Alex's lack of dental parts.

"Can Alex go to preschool today?"

"No. Teeth!"

"Can Alex play with one of your cars?"

"No. Teeth."

Andy is, however, starting to offer Alex various toys to play with. Today, Andy gave Alex the beak part of a chicken costume we have, saying "Here Alex!" while Alex looked down, puzzled, at the plastic beak. Andy also explains TV shows to Alex. "Alex, Caillou," he says, as if making introductions.

Also, if Alex is not in the immediate vicinity, Andy will ask where Alex is. "Mommy, Alex?" Andy asked, cocking his head to show concern. I had left a sleeping Alex in his car seat in the kitchen yesterday after returning home from the library. To have a little fun with Andy, I mimed being shocked and upset and said, "Oh no! Did we leave Alex at the library?" Andy instantly became frazzled and went to hunt out his little brother, finding him near the refrigerator and shouting out, "Mommy, Alex HERE!" Which of course woke up the baby, so there's yet another lesson I've learned. Don't make finding Alex into a game.

Alex obviously adores his big brother. Alex has taken to giggling at his big brother rather joyously. It's clear that Alex finds big headed, schmoopy Andy just as funny as the rest of us do. Even when Andy is doing something decidedly unfunny, such as emptying a full glass of water directly into Alex's pack and play.

Alex even smiles at Andy when Andy brushes Alex's hair. If you've ever survived the pleasure of having Andy roughly and repeatedly bash a hairbrush into your skull, you understand that this is not an event that might make an average, sane person smile. But Alex digs it, soaking up the big brother love whenever and however he can get it.

So, it's beginning- a beautiful, somewhat harmful love between the two brothers. When Alex sprouts a tooth, though- watch out. Andy's going to assume little Allie can do EVERYTHING.