Sibling competition

Mornings are the easiest time for me. After Sammy goes to school, the twins are fed and changed, I have at least an hour for myself. Why is that? Why do I get this me time in the morning? Why don't I get a break in the afternoon? Just pondering....

I have a slower day today. A group of physical and occupational therapists and a developmental educator are coming by today for the twins. Then Sammy has his first soccer practice this evening. We'll see how he enjoys it. I don't think he's going to be into sports. He is a music lover- he keeps asking me for guitar lessons. I need to afford a decent guitar first.

Anyway- he keeps trying these sports out because of this incessant competition with Neil. Neil is definately the sports kid. Neil's very good at soccer. Now Neil is gearing up to play football in the fall- that I worry about because he's so small. That and he doesn't handle getting hurt very well. Sammy can handle getting hurt- he's Mr. Tough Guy. Sammy wants to play football too.

Its this back and forth competition. Sammy played football a couple of seasons ago and he hated it because it was so cold one morning, that his hands hurt and he couldn't even hold the football. Anyway, because Sammy played, ever since then Neil has been clammoring about playing. Sammy never wanted to play again...until now. Now Neil is signed up to play in the fall and now Sammy wants to play again.

Same thing with school. Sammy is always trying to "catch up" to Neil- who is 2 grades ahead. Sammy is extremely smart and is actually very close to catching up to Neil and I think he's even surpassed Neil in reading skills. But, Neil is very good in math and Sammy is forever trying to catch up to his level. I don't know if its good or bad for either of them. On one hand, Sammy pushes himself to learn more and more, yet on the other hand, the closer Sammy gets to Neil's level, I'm worried that Neil will feel that he's "failing" at something and he's such a perfectionist that this could take a toll. At least its good that one excels in sports and art and the other excels in academics and music. Right?

I wonder what's in store for us with the twins? We got special seats for them yesterday called Bumbo seats. They are seats designed for babies that have good head control and they allow them to sit up. Well, I put them each in the seat and realized that neither of them has good head control yet. Their adjusted age is just over 2 months, so wobbly head control is expected at 2 months....but their actual age is just over 4 months...so of course, Mommy worries. That's what Mommy does.