Brothers

Poor Jack-Jack has nightmares and wakes up occasionally, crying.  Crying hard, and talking too, ‘cause he is a talker.  It is usually impossible to tell what he is saying (as any person who has tried to listen to a story told by a bawling child knows.) But he has the cadence of a story, with sentences, and the long word – drawn out at the end of the story “bbbeeeeeaaaaaaaar”.

Later he can tell you what his dreams were about – his bed filling with water, bears in his room, scary guys in the closet.  :(

It is terrible to think of your two or three year-old child having nightmares!  But, I find it impossible to slow down his little imagination.  While I hate waking up at 1AM (usually followed by 2AM, and 3AM, and 4AM once the cycle begins); I love to hold Jack in my arms and know he is comforted by me.  I know that one day, his fears will not be assuaged simply by my presence.  Soon he may feel too old to “need” me.

This morning.  Early, early, this morning, Jack had another nightmare. (I know it is a bad nightmare, that he is really scared, if I hear him cry, but he doesn’t leave his room to come and get me.)  My poor Jack!  I hurried upstairs, but found that he had gotten out of bed, and his cries were coming from Owen’s room.  The hiccupping story was being told to to a bleary-eyed 4-year-old as Jack climbed up onto Owen’s bed seeking sympathy from HIM!

My heart stopped.  I actually felt jealous!  But at the same time, my heart grew because I love the love between them. I want the boys to seek each other out when they are hurt or scared, and I want them to care about how the other feels.

I scooped Jack up, turned off the lights, and brought him back to his room.  “Don’t leave my room, Mama.  Don’t leave my room!” he cried and held on tight.  I sat with him, until he leaned toward his pillow sleepily forgetting that he was scared to go back to bed. 

As I went back into Owen’s room to give him another goodnight kiss, he groggily lifted his head.  “Here’s mine, and Jack’s is beside the door.”   I saw a small white bear lay by the door.  One exactly like the one Owen was sleeping with.  I was touched that Owen, woken at 1:30 AM, cared enough about his brother to seek a solution to his fear.  And for Owen, there is no better solution to any situation than to be comforted with a “nai-nai guy.”

While I have to admit that I hope Jack wakes me up the next time he has a nightmare {I still want him to need me in this way} It was a beautiful to recognize the special relationship of Brothers that is growing between the boys.