When I got word that I'd be going to D.C. for several weeks to study, we set up a little trip for Cari to visit Nikki. As we though over how this would work, it seemed like it would be great for everybody. Nikki would have company while her husband was deployed, Cari would pass time with her sister who she has'nt seen in quite a while, the boys would play with thier cousin Michael, and I could come over and enjoy being with my family on weekends.
This would have worked perfectly, but we didn't factor in one critical piece of information: boys express thier love through violence.
Kade is three, Luke is one, and Nikki's son, Michael is two. There's no way that I could have known beforehand, but according to Little Boy Law, boys are required to hit someone every ten minutes. The only time when hitting is not required is while asleep, though it is still highly encouraged. Three-year olds are also required to submit a "tattle-tale" report for each hitting incident. This is a lot of work, and it's easy to see why little boys need naps and extra dessert to help keep the energy levels high enough to meet the rigorous requirements.
Our boys are nothing but patriots, and in keeping with Little Boy Law, they all three did their best to hit someone every ten minutes. As the adults were generally larger than the children, the boys chose to hit eachother most often, though not exclusively.
Often Luke would hit the Jax, the two-month-old baby. He also fulfilled the hitting requirement on my bald head several times. (I'm not sure what attracts him to my noggin, but he loves to smack my freshly shorn head. He giggles uncontrollably whenever he gets a chance to do this, which incidentally is usually when I'm sleeping or attempting to do so.)
Kade put most of his energy into hitting Luke and Michael equally. However, he's just recently learned the power of the lie, so if you ask him, he'll tell you that he never hit a soul, and that if there's any hitting going on, he definately wasn't involved.
Michael had to put a good portion of his hitting towards building up a good defense. With Kade being slightly larger, and Luke being somewhat unscrupulous about actually waiting 10 minutes before hitting again, Michael's tactic was something like the "Shock and Awe" concept from the Second Gulf War. He would wait until things reached a critical point and suddenly drop a slapping on the head of either Kade or Luke with perfect precision. It was truly a sight to behold.
None of the boys was seriously injured, though there is some speculation that Luke's nose might not heal straight. (Kade has no idea why there is a Lego-shaped bruise on Michael's forehead, the committee is still investigating the situation.) And even if someone had really laid a beating on someone else, that's not the point of this little story.
It was beautiful to watch them beat the tar out of each other. It was hectic and stressful as well, but it was worth it. I'll explain this:
I grew up without any brothers. This is not my parents fault, as they tried (unsuccesfully) four more times to produce a staggeringly attractive male heir like thier firstborn. They did their best, and I love my sisters. But I always wanted a brother. I always thought it would be fun to have someone to confide in and fight with and grow up with. I've got friends that are as close to brothers as is possible, and I love them both as much as I ever would love a brother, but it's just not the same.
Watching my boys beat the living tar out of eachother (or thier cousin, or their mother, or the freaky rabbit toy that sang some unrecognizable song) makes my heart feel light. Knowing that for all the hitting and pinching and fighting, they'll still grow up to have eachother as brothers is worth every smack on my sleepy head. Knowing that they'll have cousins their age who they'll love and miss when they're apart is worth every second I spent cleaning macaroni and cheese from off the ceiling (no, I'm not kidding...all over the ceiling).
It was nothing less than joyous to watch them play and laugh and run, and seeing them reminded me of what an amazing blessing it is to have them all in my life. It was a crazy couple of weeks, but I'd do it all again.
LUKES 3rd WORD, "BATMAN"
DADDY DINOSAUR
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