So Young Now...

MAX'S SHADOW
When I told Max he had a shadow, he looked at his reflection from the light onto the wall, and said "oh yeah, I know." I laughed and told him that it was a little bit more than that. He does not yet understand the magnitude of having a shadow. His shadow is little brother Jack. I can watch for hours how Jack just follows Max around, imitates exactly what Max does, and says exactly what Max says. He wants to play with the exact toy that Max has at the moment he has it. If Jack doesn't want to do something or wear something, and I say that Max is doing/wearing it, he immediately changes his mind. Even when Max is at preschool, Jack's phrases, facial expressions and physical actions are just identical to Max! And really, I love to see it, I think it's all good, except at times, when it turns bad!! Max doesn't see a downside, but, there is one. He now has to be a perfect role model for his little brother! When I ask Max to come in and eat his vegetables, Max whines and moans and screams "but I don't liiiiiiike broccoli" and the next thing you know, Jack, a former broccoli-lover, hates broccoli! Max refuses to clean his toys when I ask him? Jack will no longer put his things away when I say "clean up!" Max won't wear a hat, Jack won't wear a hat. Max doesn't want to go to bed, Jack screams "no way!" when I tell him it's bedtime! Now I am constantly on poor Max to be really good...to be perfect...so that Jack will learn only good habits. Even taking that into consideration, Max adores having Jack as his shadow, which is very good, because when Jack first made an appearance into this world, Max was having none of it! Max was outright miserable about the new baby for a solid three months, and then it took a few more months for him to start coming around! We knew Max would come around eventually, but I never imagined how close they would become. I can't wait to see them bond even more as they grow!