Being a brother

Even in the past few weeks, I’ve seen a huge change in the way you and Dench deal with each other. You’re holding actual conversations (usually about dinosaurs), you’re playing together, you’re fighting a lot, and you’ve become her personal stylist.

At the indoor playground, Dench climbed up the giant inflatable slide, and got stuck at the top in a rare moment of self preservation. There was a string of small fries behind her on the ladder and they resorted to clumsily making their way around her, and she sat there looking down the slope in misery. I called to you in the bouncy castle and asked you to come help Dench get down. You ran over, climbed the slide, and sized up the situation. You looked at her, she looked at you, and you put your hands around her leg and yanked at it, dragging her down with you until the two of you tumbled to the bottom.

Every night we take Dench upstairs using the same ritual, part of which involves her getting to the top of the stairs and calling down to all who remain downstairs “night NIGHT!”. You are the one who says something back first, usually, and the other night it was “Night night Dench! I hope you dream of rocket ships, the zoo, and Target!”

In the last two years I’ve watched you go from becoming a brother to being a brother.

Protected: School party

I’m not sure what exactly your superhero name should be

Lori and Amy’s birthday (three months later)

Minihammer impersonating Jake the dog.

4th of July BBQ assembly

You call them “minstructions.”

Nana and Cousin E

In July.

Nana C

A rare moment of collaboration (and quiet, for that matter)

Guitar Hero

Kinect