You scratch my back, I'll scratch yours

It has taken quite a while, and it's certainly not all rainbows and butterflies, but it's been pretty fun now that Brendan is at the age where these two can actually play together.  Sure, Brendan doesn't know how to play with half the stuff (...according to Niall: "he's messing it all up!!"), but it's so cute to peek into the room when they think I'm not looking and see Brendan handing things to Niall and Niall telling him what they are and where they go.

As you can see, Brendan is a pretty dedicated worker.  If Niall plays his cards right, he'll have his own little lego assistant for all of his towers without ever having to get up from his seat. 

But Brendan is pretty lucky, too.  I mean, he does get to dress up in whatever big bro sees fit.  

And stand next to him while doing big boy stuff.  It's a pretty coveted position to be in as a one year old. 

And maybe even get chased if he's super lucky.

All of this new found independence and brotherly togetherness can be really exciting and fun and all, but at times it can also be a recipe for disaster.

When Niall wants to play with a new truck, B wants to sit in it...

When Niall spends an hour putting a giant puzzle together, Brendan wants to destroy it...

When Niall decides that he finally wants his fireman stuff back, Brendan crawls away as fast as humanly possible...

Poor thing doesn't even realize his brother is about 3 times as fast as him and he will never get away, but you gotta love him for trying.  Well, I love him for trying-- not sure about Niall.  I think these sweet faces might only work on me...

I have to say, though-- for as many times as Niall tries to (and sometimes does) clobber Brendan, he is really a caring and protective big brother.  Sometimes, I don't know what would happen if he weren't there to be my second set of eyes.

The other night, I was 100% positive that I closed the door at the top of our stairs, but it must not have clicked shut.  Well, Brendan stuck his little fingers in there and propped it open and was sitting there at the top of the steps looking down.  I was brushing my teeth and I heard commotion, so I ran out to find Niall pulling on Brendan with all of his might yelling "No, Brendan!  You can't go down the stairs by yourself!!" 

Another time, Brendan had gotten a huge chunk of food off the ground that Niall had dropped and I didn't notice-- he was chomping away and about to choke when Niall ran up to me with this concerned look on his face, saying "Mom!  Brendan has something in his mouth!"

Now, Niall's favorite thing to do since they've been sharing a room is run up to Brendan's crib when he wakes up in the morning and baby talk with him in this ridiculous high pitched voice that he must have gotten from me baby-talking with Brendan.  "Good Mooorrrningg Brendy!!! Hiiiiiii!!  Wake up Bren!!  It's me, it's Niall!!"  And I walk in there to find them giggling and trying to touch each other through the crib slats. 

Stuff like that makes up for all of the bickering and whining and fighting over everything.  It's always been the most important thing in the world to me-- my kids being close.  And I know it sounds a little premature to speculate, but I can tell these boys are going to be best friends.  I am sure of it.