Playmates

Even though Tyler isn't even really holding his head up during tummy time yet (which looks more like it's because he's comfortable on his tummy, rather then he can't lift his head, but anyways...) Timmy has found ways to make him a playmate already.  Whenever Tyler isn't being held, Timmy is near him and trying to include him in his activities and play with him.  I'm thrilled that almost all of this interaction is unprompted, Timmy just loves him and wants to do things with him!

On top of singing to Tyler and playing with his fingers, Timmy has instigated 'this little piggy,' and regularly coo's at him, talks to him, and comforts him when he 'fusses', telling him, "It's okay, Tyyyler, Mommy's coming."  He also turns the fish mobile on Tyler's swing back on whenever he notices it has stopped, and will play with it while Tyler's swinging.

Timmy has also found an ingenious way to get Tyler to play interactively with him!  Whenever I put Tyler on his blanket on the floor, Timmy starts rounding up his cars or trains and they circle Tyler.  He'll line them up near Tyler's feet, and as Tyler wiggles around, he'll kick them out of place or knock them over.  Timmy will either laugh and applaud Tyler for managing to knock them over or pretend that wasn't what he wanted to have happen and say his catch phrase, "Hey, what's the big idea?!" 

He is anxious for Tyler to be able to truly play with him though... One evening he noticed me preparing Tyler's dropper of vitamins and asked what I was doing.  I told him that I was going to give the vitamins to Tyler and they would help him grow big and strong, and asked him if he wanted to watch Tyler drink it.  Timmy got a big smile and I was surprised at how interested he was, he was kind of bouncing up and down and said, "I'm watching, I'm watching, I'm watching," as Tyler drank the vitamins, and then continued to stare at him.  After a moment he looked up at me and asked, "He's growing?" and motioned with his arms going from little to big.  I had to laugh a little and explain to him that he wasn't growing big right now, but that the vitamins would help him be healthy and get big eventually.  Timmy looked a little disappointed...

A few times this week, when we've told Timmy it's bed time, he's gone over to hug or kiss Tyler and say goodnight, all on his own.  One night Tyler was in his swing when it was time to go upstairs, and I could tell that Timmy was saying a lot more then goodnight, but I couldn't hear what it was.  Last night Tyler was in his crib watching his mobile when Timmy was headed to bed, and Timmy said, "I almost forgot!"  and ran back to Tyler's side.  He climbed up on the rail, held on to Tyler's foot, gently wiggling it, and sang "Rock-a-bye Tyler" to him before climbing down with a big smile and telling me, "I sang him a lullaby," and running off to his room.  It was so sweet and unexpected!  I'm thrilled that it's now worked it's way into our night time routine!