Two Teenagers

"When brothers agree, no fortress is so strong as their common life."

Today is our second child's birthday. He is now a teenager!

Ethan aka Eepy aka E.

We like to call him Creepy Eepy - and we know why.

Ethan is an awesome son, brother, and friend.

He is very responsible, very loving, and a lot of fun to be with.

He has been saving up his babysitting/lawn mowing/b-day money to get an Itouch. We surprised him with one this morning.

He is now a very very happy boy.

A little more expensive than our usual gifts, but 13 is a special year.

Plus, I don't have to pay to feed and entertain a group of people at a party. We just had a nice dinner as a family - at home - food I already had. Then Tom brought home ice cream and toppings to make special desserts.

It was a good night.

A good day.

I think one of my highlights was getting Ethan up this morning for school.

Brandon got up first, as usual, and was ready to go to catch the school bus.

He saw Ethan's gift on our desk being charged. He asked me if Ethan

knew about it yet. I said no and that I had to go wake him up.

Brandon ran into their bedroom and laid on Ethan's bed, gave him a hug and wished him a happy birthday.

There was a time when it was just the 2 of them - and at that moment, this mommy had a little flashback of it. In our old house there were two little toddler beds in one of our bedrooms. I used to tease that we should put a "B" and an "E" on their beds just like Bert and Ernie on Sesame Street had.

(But it would be for Brandon and Ethan.)

Brothers are special.

And now they are both teenagers. Whoa.

Time is speeding right along.

While Ethan was enjoying his morning of cottage cheese with a candle in it (he has a hard time eating anything for breakfast)

and staring at his new Itouch and Playstation game - he gave us money to go out and buy it for him - he said to me, "Thanks Mom. I love you."

I said, "You're welcome Ethan. I love you."

Then Jacob looked at Ethan and said, "I love you."

First time ever saying it where you could actually understand him.

What a special birthday gift from one brother to another.

Brothers are truly special.