And kisses

When Josie runs, Owen hugs. When Josie disses, Owen kisses. They are as different as night and day when it comes to giving out a little affection.

There is something special about an almost two year old boy who wants to hold your hand while he sits next to you on the couch. At night when he cries and I go into to check on him, he looks up at me, holds his blanket up and says, "cuddle" because it makes no difference whether he gets out or I get in the crib, as long as we can be close. When Owen wakes up from his naps, he needs to sit in my lap for at least 10 minutes just to catch his breath, feel some love and reconnected after the hour we spent apart.

Josie shows her affection with her eyes. They light with an extreme brightness when her dad comes home or when she sees me first thing in the morning. For a brief moment she may run over to give a hug, high five or lean in for a kiss on the forehead. But just as soon as you start to get comfortable holding on to her, she is squirming her way on to bigger and better things.

Part of me thinks Josie and Owen were just born that way. But maybe Josie never had a choice. Its a little hard to get used to someone holding you when your mom gets pregnant three months after you were born. But even on the day she was born Josie seemed happier looking around in her plastic bassinet than being comforted in my nervous but loving arms. She is loving in her own way - from a distance.

While I usually have to coax Josie into giving goodbye hugs and kisses, Owen runs and gives them without a second thought. "Can you give them a hug?" I said the other day when we were leaving someone's house. He ran past me and said, "And kisses," while he went and slapped a big wet one on our friend's cheek.