Interaction

There has been interaction between our babies ever since we first brought Luke home from the hospital. Clara took to calling him "baby" very early on (even before he was born, actually), and recently has started switching back and forth between that and "Lukie" (or, what sounds more like "yucky," although we can definitely tell it apart from the real "yucky," which she also likes to say a lot).

Clara has always kissed him and hugged him. Early on, she loved reminding herself (and mimicking me) to be careful with him by saying "gentle, gentle" while she rubbed his bald head.

And recently, she asks to have him brought to her before bedtime or upon waking up from a nap by saying, "kiss, kiss!" if I'm holding him. I lean him down to her and she plants a wet one on his cheek.

It's adorable. They have always loved each other, lighting up when the other was around (especially on Luke's part), and really getting along.

But not until recently have they really started actually playing. They have played ever since Luke could sit up, really, but not like this. It was more like Clara dropping all her toys on his lap and him playing with them, one at a time.

But now, they play together.

I can't get enough of it. I could watch them all day, Clara playing with Luke like I play with her, and Luke just cracking up.

I caught some of today's playing on video, just because I wanted to be able to listen to Luke's laugh here whenever I wanted. Of course, he wasn't laughing as hard as before I started taping, but I was able to capture some:

I'm so grateful that God chose to bless us this way, giving us two babies so close in age who will grow up to be (God willing) the best of friends. Being their mother is better than I ever imagined, even though I had a lot of time to imagine. God is so good!