Whats that?!?!?

The other night after dinner Blaine and I had the idea to count Eli's all time number one phrase at the moment...."whats that?"  He has about four different ways he says the phrase....whaaaaats thaaaaaaat? (really slowly and with a lot of interest),  whatsdat? (as fast as he can say it, making into one word), "what IS that?" (really pronouncing each word)....anyway, no joke, in the first 6 minutes we started counting, he said it 19 times.  In the first 20 minutes, it was 40 something....we eventually lost track. 
I guess that is what they mean when they say toddlers have a natural curiosity about everything.

He has the same curiosity with Owen.  He loves to watch him, touch him, kiss his toes, hold him and check on him while he is still sleeping.  He seems to think he is pretty funny, even though he doesn't do much more than lay there, occasionally sneeze, cry and eat.  Which, by the way, he doesn't quite get the eating thing,  he just watches and you can see the wheels turning in his head just trying to figure out why and how is Owen eating like that!  Eli pretty much wants to be anywhere that Owen is.

Tomorrow, Blaine is going back to work.  Ahhh! I have got to give this guy some serious credit.  He has been super dad these past 4 weeks.  I always knew he was great, and a wonderful father, but he really stepped up to the plate and has been a huge help!  This morning while I was getting my coffee, all I could hear in the room next door was giggles...giggles from Eli and giggles from Blaine.  It was such a sweet sound, and it just sounded like they were having so much fun together, and they were, and they always do. 


I think the reason this transition in our family has been as easy as it has is because Blaine has been there for us and with us for four weeks.  We decided that when Owen was born, Blaine would pretty much be responsible for Eli, so I could focus on Owen, but also make sure Eli knew that he was still heard and was getting the same amount of attention as before.  Blaine has gotten up with him every morning, fed him, gotten him dressed, entertained him, took him to and from school, changed (almost) everyone of his diapers, taught him  new things, bought him more than a few new trucks to play with, and taken him to family events even when I wasn't ready to get out with Owen.  Saying that he was been wonderful is an understatement!  I feel like these boys are so fortunate to have the dad that they do.  And its a good thing because as much as I love playing with trucks, trains, bugs and balls, and I really do, watching Blaine play with all those things made me realize that I'm just not quite as much fun playing with the trucks and trains as he is.  He lays on the ground with Eli, and makes all the right sounds, teaches him how to make the trucks jump, and crash, and calls them by the right names (flatbed truck, front loader, scraper....), windowsills, walls and tables become perfect race tracks and train tracks, and he can play with him for hours and not get bored.  Even when he has to answer the famous question "whats that?"  100 times in an hour,  he does it with patience, and excitement every time. 

So, if you were to ask me how things are going, my answer today would be that things are great and we are all adjusting better than expected.  If you ask me the same question after Sunday, I may have a totally different answer!  I hate the Blaine has to go back to work at all, but know that its inevitable and we will figure out a way to get through the day without him here with us!

I wish I knew the perfect words to really tell Blaine how much I appreciate him, and love him and let him know that I think he is the perfect father to our sons.  I am seriously going to miss him when he goes back to work, especially when Im waking up with Eli at 6am again after waking up with Owen every three hours throughout the night.  Sigh....we will get through it!