Oh, the love...

We've had Luke's "big boy" bed waiting for him for over a year now. It will be the unused bottom bunk right below Owen. I didn't realize how patiently his brother, Sammy, had been waiting, too.
Yesterday I was in the basement and found the guardrail we will use for him. I washed it up and put it on the bed while the boys were outside playing. When they came in, Sammy was excited beyond belief to see it. "Is Luke going to sleep with us now? Can I sleep in the bed with him?" Then he went back and forth from the nursery, gathering all Luke's stuffed toys and blankets. He set them carefully on the bed and then coaxed Luke up to see everything.

I knew Luke was still a bit too young to make this transition. Our other boys were around this age (21 months) when they gave up the crib, but they all went into a toddler bed AND to their own room, where it was quiet. It will be quite another thing to have Luke move into a room with 3 other boys who stay up late talking (sometimes fighting). When Sammy found out Luke would not be sleeping in the room with them yet, he was CRUSHED. I had no idea it meant so much to him - he was literally SOBBING.

To make it up to him, I offered to have him sleep in Luke's room with him, to which he immediately agreed. I put a large blanket on the floor and had him grab his sleeping bag and pillow. I put Luke in his crib and Sammy laid on the floor next to him. I closed the door and never heard a peep.

But before we went to bed, Chris and I went to check on them...

I've never seen such an incredible bond! This morning when I went in the nursery, Luke was still sleeping (thumb in his mouth, per usual) and Sammy was just laying there gazing at him and gently rubbing his back. I tear up just thinking about it.