luuuuke

Poor, poor Lucas B.

This little darling has so suffered from Second Kid Syndrome. Even in utero, he got the short end of the stick. He was my percocet baby, because when you have migraines every day and a toddler to care for, you take drugs. Well, I did.

The first year of Lucas' life passed by in a complete blur. I struggled so much just to function with two kids. I didn't spend hours on end laying on the couch, just holding my baby (like I did with Eli). Couple that with the fact that Lucas, from a very early age, was a non-cuddler. He loved to be held, but hated to be held close and snuggled. He wanted to be upright and looking out. And as soon as he was mobile, he took off and never looked back.

So it has taken me by enormous surprise to realize that my sweet little baby boy is suddenly a toddler. I blinked, and suddenly he was rounding the bend to two. Talking non-stop (although, still can't understand a word he says), catching a ball, asking for labels (window? outside? cow? - which all sound like "flargaflafel"), and exercising his considerable sense of humor. He's already a little comedian and will do anything for a laugh.

For the longest time, Lucas refused to be read to - wouldn't sit still for a book if you paid him to. One night a few weeks ago, he brought me a book, sat in my lap, and opened it up. He sat for the whole book! Then he brought another one! My little teacher heart went flippy floppy and I immediately upgraded his educational potential from community college to Ivy League. And, just as I suspected, as I read more with him, he is finally making some actual words. The cow says "Boo," by the way.

I know that as mommies, we don't like to pretend that feel the same way about one of our children as the next. But the truth is, I felt kind of disconnected from Lucas for a long time. He was a needy baby and has the most obnoxious whine you've ever heard. He wasn't hard to love, he just wasn't as easy to like as Eli had been. So the best part of Luke's transformation into a toddler is that I like him so much better. Is that terrible? Well, it's true. I feel closer to him, more connected, and enjoy being with him more than I ever did when he was a baby. He is fast developing his own personality, and I love getting to know him as a little person. He's silly, funny, intelligent, and very lovey. Now, he loves to cuddle, and I can't get enough.

I do, however, worry a bit if we have a third kid. What does third kid syndrome look like - I call him "Three" and stick him in his crib with a hamster feeder?