Sympathy Pain

The boys and I had an all guy night. Jack was dropped of at work, and I picked Tony up about 5:30. We went to Target then on to Chik-fil-a. Why chik-fil-a? Well, other than their delicious chicken sandwiches, they have a play fort. One of Jack’s favorite things in the world.

Jack finished his dinner, and tried to pretend that he didn’t want to hit the playfort. He’s 9 now, you know. but the primal instict was to great.
After seeing his brother getting crazy on the play for, Tony had to try…Can you tell he has bowing of the tibia? He can’t.

I’m sitting here, eating red and green M&Ms out of a glass Frosty figurine my Mom gave Jack. Did you know there are 2 different shades of green M&M? Now you do.

Christmas is always tiring. I don’t care who you are…if you have kids…it takes a toll. Our house is no exception.

We did Christmas Eve at Sarah’s parents. They live about 20 minutes away. Tony was great until we crept past his bedtime…then demon baby visited. I kept waiting for the spinning head and green pea soup, but we skirted out before we reached that point.

Christmas morning was pretty non eventful. The one year old didn’t know the whole Santa thing had happened, so we waited until I picked up Jack from his mom’s. This has become my annual tradition. Wake up and go rescue the boy from breakfast with his mom’s family. They are extremely nice folk, but there are presents to be unwrapped at my house, so why eat breakfast? Next year I’m going to see if he wants to do Christmas eve and morning with us so he can help play Santa.

So we hit the presents when we get home. I got a camera for my computer…I’m a dork. Sarah got a bright pink bike with white wall tires. We played the new Wii game Jack got, and Tony ignored his new gifts, wanted to play with his big brother or splash in the toilet.

We then headed to the in-laws again. We had a blast. The boys raked up with more stuff. Our house is about to pop. I got an awesome shirt that has a speaker in it that plays “theme” music…I can’t wear it in the house…so sayeth my wife.

Then we take Jack to his aunt’s house for their yearly Christmas evening meal. I walk him into the house, every year, and it never gets less awkward. Again, they are great people, but I am not part of that family any longer. I was for 9 years, but not anymore, so it’s just weird.

Then we head back to the house, sans Jack, and relax.

That’s Christmas day at the Comer-Brown house. Hope yours was festive and restful…

I woke up Saturday morning. The house was quite. Tony had woke me up with a couple of grunts transmitted through the intercom.

I got up and made my way to his room. It was another sleepy Saturday morning…and I wasn’t asleep. Then his smile hit me, and I was glad I was the one who had gotten the wake up call.

I changed his diaper, and he gave me the, “why am I not eating” grunt. So I made my way to the kitchen, and he gets louder and less patient for the chef.

I’m missing and shaking his bottle while he grunts and whines some more, and then…silence, followed by different voice, sweet and small.

“It’s all right Tony. Dad’s almost here. It’s alright.”

The commotion has woken Jack, who has is standing beside the changing table, with crazy bed head, holding his little brother’s attention while I complete the gourmet meal of formula.

“Good job, Jack,” I say and he beams with pride. He is so proud to be a big brother..and I’m proud of him.

My son…my oldest son…is very excited about his brother. We called him soon after the doctor’s office.

“Cool” was his response.”Very cool.”

He ask some questions, but not many. We talk to him about what’s going on. He’s always interested in how big the baby is. We usually try to come up with something familiar to compare to the baby’s size, such as a plum, banana, base ball. He knows the baby is 50 times smaller than him in weight.

He told his mom he “wanted one of both” after we told him we were having a boy. I guess we never went into the “only one in there” talk with him.

He’s got a great sense of humor about it. “Sticks and Stuff Comer” was his latest name suggestion. I think it’s copyrighted.

I love my son. He’s an amazing little boy. I hope that Sarah and I can raise lil peep and Jack together to be great brothers. I’m a little nervous about that. I want Jack to know that this house is as much his as any-one’s. That is going to be the hard part.

Any suggestions? How do you we create a home for our new son that allows Jack to feel like he’s as big of a part of it?