The Only Child

Dustin and Nathan's school exchange may be harder on Ethan than any of us. He has been terribly lonely here without his two brothers. He turned 12 in March and is such a big guy physically but still our little guy in so many ways. There were tears at the airport after seeing Dustin and Nathan off to their destinations. The first night he moved into our room stating that the upstairs is just too lonely and quiet without his brothers. He is now camping out at the base of our bed until Nathan returns on June 5th. The upstairs feels vacated, quiet and just wrong! Ethan has always had an affection for stuffed animals but it has been some time since he had played with them until now that he is the only child. I don't know if he is regressing some or has totally felt the freedom to play with his stuffed animals again knowing that no older brother is around to give him a hard time. It has been fun watching him playing make-believe with his beloved stuffed animals that had been put on the closet shelf until now. You hear people noting the 'firsts' with their children. Their first tooth, their first step....I once read how we would treasure the 'lasts' if we knew they were happening. The last time they sat in our laps, the last time they kissed us at the bus stop....this must be the 'last' of the playing make-believe with the stuffed animals and I'm treasuring it!