Love for My Boys

First, Sam. Sam is in such a sweet stage right now. Gentle, giving, fun, sweet, easy. He loves to cuddle and share.
He's talking a ton now and growing so fast. He's learning to ride a bike and yesterday and twice today, he pooped in the potty! He's only 21 months!!!
He's working on his two year old molars and has been carrying around an old metal rattle to chew on. This morning he accidentally whacked Davis on the head with it. Davis cried and I pulled him in my lap. Sam ran over and crawled up next to us on the couch. "What happened?", he asked, deeply concerned. I explained that he had hurt his brother. Sammy said, "So Sorry, Dadis. Hug.", and gave him a big hug. Then he said to Davis, "I loves you.".
I've never heard him say he loved anything or anyone and I was so touched to hear him say it to his brother.
He would follow Davis anywhere and does. He leaps from the couch after Davis and tromps through the grass. He executes death defying maneuvers far above his skill level every day just to keep up. I swear that's the reason he's using the bathroom already- He just wants to be like Davis.
He goes to sleep as easy as pie and enjoys himself all day.
He eats anything you give him and eats it all. He loves to dance. He loves routine. He reminds of me of little things I need to do all day long in order to keep his routine the same. He likes to dance and play ball. He loves music, but would usually rather watch than join in.
When he falls down he demands kisses and still wholeheartedly believes that they heal him instantly. If it still hurts, he just assumes he needs more kisses and will stand up demand, "Mah Tiss!" (more kiss), until he gets enough of them to feel better or forgets he was hurting in the first place.
He still smiles easily and only wants you to smile at him. He is eager to please and takes great comfort from his home, his family and our close friends. He is shy and quiet in general, but has a terrific belly laugh and playful spirit.
We just adore him right now. We are so lucky to have one child in an easy phase since our other child is in a rather difficult one right now. There are no favorites, but it does go a bit easier when one is on your side.
Davis is having a hard time right now. From what I hear, three and a half is hard age. He's defiant, willful, stubborn, clingy, sensitive. He's pushing the limits all the time. He wants me all the time, but he doesn't want to listen or obey. He's prickly and testing me all the time.
He has always been a relatively easy and easy going child, but that has changed. He is loud and has lots to say and wants to be in the middle of it all, unless he feels the slightest bit out of his element and then he shrinks in fear and appears to want to crawl back into the womb.
He is fractious and almost bratty and I have often of late been pushed to my wit's end with him.
But I have discovered that if I hold him in my lap and reassure him of his special place in my heart and in this family he does so much better. If I am gentle with him instead of angry. If I let him win some of the battles. If I stop what I'm doing and spend one on one time with him, we do so much better.
He is so smart. He can sit through game after game of candyland all the way through. He can assemble a puzzle in just a few minutes and then begs for another. He sings all the time. He creates songs out of the depths of his mind and sings them at the top of his lungs.
His vocabulary impresses me all the time. He is excelling at problem solving, improved by the need to find a reason why I don't need to say no to his latest request.
I find that he is an awful lot like me. This may be a problem in the future. Or now.
And he loves his brother. Most of the time. He loves that he has a constant playmate who will usually follow his lead and who will invariably give up the toy that Davis wants in exchange for a different one.
And I love them. Is it obvious? Motherhood is hard and this three and a half year old stage is hard, but I still find it rewarding every day. Every day I find a way to be grateful and I find more love in my heart for them both. Even if it's after they're asleep and looking clean and angelic and quiet and the trials of the day have faded. Even if it's just then, I love them more every day.