The Lawyer, the Polite Gentelman and Little Miss Trouble

My boys...

A never ending experience of fun, joy, FRUSTRATION, smiles, and surprises.

This little darling...

is great lawyer material. He has become SO stubborn, SO set in his ways, SO adept at making sure he gets what he wants and that he gets the last word.

Me: Gedalya, put on your pajamas.
Gedalya, put on your pajamas.
Gedalya, PLEASE put on your pajamas.
Gedalya, put that toy away and put on your pajamas.
Me: [takes toys away] Did you hear what I said, put on your pajamas. I'll hold this for you since you seem to be too distracted by it.
Gedalya: [I'll cut to the chase because I'm not sure that anyone is interested in reading exactly how he shrieks and shouts] FIRST GIVE ME BACK THE TOY AND THEN I'LL PUT ON PAJAMAS!!!!

And he will not relent. He will NOT put on his pajamas until I give that thing back. Or until he falls asleep on the floor pajamaless.

Another scenario:
Me: Gedalya, will you please throw Adel's diaper in the garbage.
Gedalya: [ignores]
Me: Zusha, can you please throw away Adel's diaper? [or I would get up to do it myself...]
Gedalya: NOOOOOOOOOOOO [jumps up and down flapping his arms]
NoNoNoNoNooooo!!!

And he gets up to do it himself. He can't handle the fact that someone is doing what he was asked to do. That's the competitive soul inside him. Usually it's an easy way to get him to do something. If he doesn't listen the first time, I say that it's okay, I'll do it and he'll screech and jump to do it first. But sometimes... I ask him to take his negel vasser to the bathroom and he refuses. Eventually I take it myself and he gets his tantrum on. In cases like this, I just can't let him have his way. He is agitated and wound up and going nuts- he'll spill the entire bowl on his carpeted room floor if I give it to him. So I quickly take it to the bathroom, spill it and lock the door. Otherwise this wildo childo will refill the bowl, take it back to his room... etc. FUN TIMES!

This sweet boy...

is growing up! He's becoming so mature and surprising me with his lovely behavior more and more often.
He gives in to his brother a lot. Once we were at the library and Zusha was sitting next to me. I was reading him a book. Gedalya was looking at some other books on the shelf. Then Gedalya came to join us. He wedged himself between me and Zusha and slowly, inch by inch, overtook Zusha's chair! What do you think Zusha did? It surprised me too- he went to the other side of the table and brought another chair for himself! I was stunned speechless. And this is just one example. There are way more stories of Zusha quietly letting Gedalya have his way than I am able to remember.

Whenever we have one of those Gedalya's episodes I wrote about above, Zusha understands when I wink at him and say, "Zusha, please do ____" and doesn't put up a fuss.

There are so many scenarios. He helps Gedalya pour a drink, always shares his food, and generally looks out for Gedalya. In a store, he'll keep checking to make sure Gedalya isn't left behind or didn't wander away.

That's not to say he never fights or takes away toys or hurts Gedalya, but the pleasant episodes are becoming more and more frequent and I'm so happy.

This little Miss:

~is~

She's knocking packages of food off the shelves in grocery stores! She reaches her pudgy little hand with dimples on the knuckles out of the stroller and bonks the items until they fall.
And I couldn't be any happier!