Brothers!

I haven't blogged in awhile - which makes me a bad blogger I think. I ordinarily give up on things that I'm not good at, but I do enjoy sharing our life, because even though it is challenging at times, we are very blessed. On the topic of blessings, tonight I am SO GRATEFUL for the gift of my two youngest brothers. (I like my third, "oldest" younger brother too, but he's in Texas, busy finishing up his last semester of college, and not the subject of this post for that very reason.) 

Back to my two youngest brothers. They are so wonderful! They fill my life with so much joy, and laughter, and excitement, but more so than that, they are Jack's favorite thing in this world. I mean more than cookies, tractors, trucks, trains, his blankie, you name it....David and James are his favorite part of life. At just over a year old (before he said Dada by many accounts, but thank goodness long after he learned to say Mama) Jack learned to say, "DA-wid!" (for his Uncle David). A few short weeks later he was calling James "JAY!" (a great nickname as it was my dad's! :)). It was amazing to us that some of his first few words revolved around his uncles! Notice that both names end in ! This is because when Jack says their names, it is always with a serious amount of excitement.

He spends every Tuesday with my mom (he is so blessed to have a day with Grandma while we are away at work) and this summer he was just in heaven being around my brothers all day long. It was quite the adjustment when they went back to school in August and I'm pretty sure the best part of his Grandma day now is when the boys get picked up at school (although I think Jack enjoys the cookies that Grandma indulges him with too...). 

If he hasn't seen them for a day or two, he will now ask me about them, in the sweetest way. He looks up at me and says "Dawid? Jay?" and then a few seconds later, "Gnana?". Nana , or Gnana...think the "gn" sound from gnochhi + "nana",  is always included in the list because they are a little tripod, and he wants to know where they are/when he is going to see them, but the boys come first (this breaks Nana's heart...what grandma doesn't want to be #1? but like I said, my brothers are Jack's favorite things in this world!). Every time he asks about where they are it warms my heart, because we are so blessed to have them play such a large role in his life, and ours. We live 1 mile away and see my mom and brothers so often that Jack just understands that they are a part of his orbit, as my mom says. And that is such a blessing, especially as we all miss my Dad on a daily (or hourly) basis. Jack looks just like a little Phillips too! His hair is just the same as my brothers, and when he wears a plaid shirt and is smiling I always think about how much my dad would adore the little man is he becoming. 

As we await the arrival of baby #2 (just 3 weeks until my due date! my how this pregnancy has flown by) I feel so blessed that Jack gets to experience being a brother so soon, because I have been so blessed by my own siblings. I know Jack is going to be a really great brother too. When I picked him up at daycare today, he said, "Hi Mommeeee!!!!" and then proceeded to gently rub the baby bump. Just because. Just a little "hi there mommeee and baby" rub. It was so sweet! 

Uncle James, Jack & Johnny at the county fair this summer.

Jack's favorite place to be...in Uncle David's arms!