Beckett

Jeff and I always try to schedule special alone time with each of the boys. A couple weeks ago Beckett and I went to the mall to ride the carousel together. We also picked up pizza and he helped me return some stuff I ordered online. It was a small thing but it's really nice to be focused on only one little boy. We've taken the boys to bounce houses or even just out shopping alone, and it's very fun.

Beckett is loving playing with words and letters and sounds lately. He wants to know what every word starts with, and loves sounding out the letters and guessing. He also likes to play verbal games where he asks things like, "Why is your name Bryn instead of Tin?" He loves to rhyme and try out different ways to say familiar words. Though sometimes we can lose track of it in our concerns about Theo and school, Beckett truly loves school and I think actually looks forward to going.

Beck loves playing a game the boys got for Christmas called the Ladybug Game, which involves lots of counting and identifying words and numbers. There seems to be no or hardly any concern about who actually wins (though there is lots of talk about "I'm going to win!" or "Theo's in the lead!"), but they really love playing it. Beck has a longer attention span for that game as well as the Curious George memory game they play a lot.

Beck is less comfortable playing independently than Theo and, when Theo is uninterested in playing with him, Beck will try to initiate intrusive or annoying play in order to coerce Theo into unintentionally playing with him. Beck will steal a toy and run away gleefully, or just push Theo around to try to get his goat. Theo will more frequently ask to be alone and to play by himself, though they do play together most of the time.

Beckett is generally more affectionate than Theo and often asks for "lots of kisses" at bedtime. He's more sensitive to anger from me or Jeff and needs to be reassured if we are concerned for someone's safety or frustrated at something other than him rather than "mad" at him. Theo more often acts like he couldn't care less whether we don't like what he's doing.

Beckett is now a more adventurous eater than Theo, which is a shift from the past. Though it's hard to tell what he actually likes, because he's often more interested in pleasing me in asking for the broccoli or saying "mm, this is good!" than Theo is. But Beck certainly eats more, both at home and at school, and less can throw him off from eating.

Beckett uses more sophisticated language, sometimes hilariously. He'll say, "Theo, you can play with this toy, if you wish" or "if you like." He has a more extensive vocabulary than Theo and I hear him sometimes trying out new, longer words under his breath. He gets embarrassed if he thinks I am listening to him. Beckett also has better articulation of his words and sometimes corrects Theo, not unkindly. The other day Theo was telling us about a character in a book, and Jeff and I kept hearing, and repeating, "Bear? His name is Bear?" After a few times back and forth like this I looked at Beck for help. Beck smiled, looked at me, and said, clear as day, "His name is Bill."