{The Siblings Project 17} Brothers in March

You would think that after 13 months of joining in with the siblings project that I might remember to link up on the 15th day of the month, but once again I have forgotten. I was even really organised this month and got some photos of them a couple of weeks ago, not with the intention of using them for this post, but I thought they were perfect to use anyway. I think the first half of the month has just flown by and in all honesty, I haven't even known what date it has been for at least a week. I think that can happen when you're in a bit of a home life routine, where you don't really have many fixed plans or commitments, but rather that you sort of take each day as it comes and just live a fairly relaxed life. And the is how life is for us at the moment. While each day follows a fairly set routine, and Monday to Friday is generally quite fixed with playgroup and nursery runs, overall we aren't overly good at making fixed plans or thinking very far ahead. In a way this is quite nice as it allows us to be more spontaneous but equally I do quite fancy being a little more structured in how we plan our calendar, especially with spring just arriving.


Fridays are one of our favourite days of our week- there's no preschool or nursery run and I take the boys to our local village playgroup, have a chilled morning and then a whole free afternoon. I'll normally take them out for a couple of hours either for a walk or a hot chocolate and a cake or we will go and have a wander around one of our local towns. I took these photos last Friday and we went for a cake at Waitrose and a late afternoon stroll around the ruins of the castle. It was quite warm and the crocuses were all out in bloom. It was just one of those ordinary sort of afternoons and totally spontaneous, but one which was perfect. The boys were playing really nicely and we all had a really nice couple of hours. These are my absolute favourite kinds of trips out.

But while we may be terrible at making plans, what we do enjoy is having lots of relaxed days where we can do what we want. Days where it's just me and my two boys, where I let them stay in their PJs until mid-morning just because they're so engrossed in playing upstairs, or because they're having such fun together climbing on and off LO's bed. We are still at that stage where I spend a lot of my time having to divide myself in two and find them both something different to do- normally after L has ploughed through one of LO's jigsaw puzzles for the tenth time or demolished one of LO's towers. They bicker, they are a little rough and tumble and they get upset with each other constantly but I guess this is pretty standard in any sibling relationship.

Overall though, their bond is just growing so strong day by day, and now that Little L is well on his way to working out the whole walking thing, LO is getting more interested in playing with him. I think LO really loves having his own little companion, even if they wind each other up. LO is so very understanding and kind with his baby brother and I can sometimes forget that he's three when he's with Little L as he's so grown up and responsible. He'll check stairgates are closed, that he's in his highchair properly and he'll now help him walk around, holding his hand so he doesn't fall. I'll often stand behind the door to LO's room when they're together playing and hear them chattering to each other and giggling and it really makes my heart swell with pride. I know that when I was little, I just adored having a big brother to play with and I knew more than anything that I wanted to give LO a sibling to play with, to run riot with and to walk hand in hand with.

My two boys. Brothers. mischief makers and best of friends.