Cheerio butt (and his brother)

JB snapped these pictures before work this morning. Look closely in the second picture. You'll see Elijah's "cheerio butt." :)

Isaac has had his own cheerio butt after a meal a time or two. We've just never captured it on film.

So the boys are alike in many ways. But also different in so many ways at the same time.

Last night when I got back from the shower I attended, I witnessed a perfect example of how different my boys are. I took my shoes off by the back door. Normally, we put them on top of Scrubs' kennel immediately (so Elijah does not eat them) and then later move them to our shoe closet. But anxious to see my little men, I just set them down on the floor and left them there.

Ten minutes later, after we were done reuniting, I wandered into the kitchen to get a glass of water. The boys followed me. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Elijah grabbing my shoes and taking turns walking around the kitchen with each of them. Out of my other eye, I see Isaac take the shoe from Elijah and say "no-no" and put the shoe where it goes on top of the kennel.

This is totally typical of how they are. Elijah finding the trouble and Isaac attempting to stop it. Both behaviors are amazingly cute (even if Elijah's is a bit frustrating.) Two days ago, I found Elijah going through the trash in the laundry room. Isaac was just standing there, leaning against the wall saying, "No-no" over and over again. I even think I could see behind his eyes an internal discussion revolving around how he could clean this up.

Another example. Yesterday morning I was in the guest room / library. I watched as Elijah took a book off the shelf. I told him no but had my hands full and couldn't put the book back. A few moments later I saw Isaac pick the book up and say, "Daddy's." Then he made a fervent attempt to put the book onto the shelf.

I am not comparing the boys in a negative sense. While Elijah is overly curious and therefore finds himself hearing the word "no" more often than Isaac, we know that these characteristics, if channeled appropriately, can become the core of who he is when he gets older. I can see Elijah being a scientist, studying bugs, something unique that other people would find boring.

I love them both so much -- my little Isaac and my little "cheerio butt."