Fall into the gap

I have watched the four-year gap between my boys with curious interest since Tasman was born back in 2006. From the wide-eyed tender touch of a blonde-haired four-year old, scared he was going to break his Buddha bellied brother to today’s version where giggles click to punches with one snatched Lego guy or stolen turn at the Playstation.

One and five!

I remind Hudson and now more often, Tasman, that they are brothers, not going away anytime soon and even though the gap is widening with every new growth of hair (save me) and every new lost tooth, they still should recognize each others worth.

They fight now, well not really rockem sockem stuff, but healthy play fighting that easily escalates to a rainfall of tears from crybabyish Tasman and a slew of he started justifications from Hud. I intervene randomly, both because I have to save our furniture and because I want to witness this rough interaction which almost always evolves back to goofy tenderness.

Tasman gravitates towards Hudson everywhere, he is his freaking hero. But now with Hud being in grade five and gathering with his own snotty, profane group at school, he is crowding Hud a bit and I understand. A grade one brother is tolerable to a point, but you don’t want him in the middle of the circle offering his views on whatever it is grade five boys actually talk about. (Corn nuts? Girls? Farts? Do girls fart?)

So I explain it to Tasman everyday. Give your brother some space at school. Say hi, but don’t try to tackle his friends or punch him for attention. He doesn’t get it, I wouldn’t either, but thankfully Hud is mostly tolerant of his leechy brother and, when we have someone sleep over and they have to bunk together, I am guessing he doesn’t mind too much.