Monday, February 4, 2008

Not Twins

Believe it or not, people ask me all the time if Isaac and Jonah are twins. For the record, Isaac and Jonah are 20 months apart. Also for the record, I don’t normally dress them alike, but sometimes I just can’t resist. I bought these two sweater vests on sale from Hanna Andersson for the boys to wear to church.

I think my idea of matching boys became more of a motherhood fantasy because I clung to it even when Jonah told me he would NEVER wear his sweater vest the same day Isaac did because it would be embarrassing. (My cousin Claire recently had a different motherhood fantasy fulfilled and you can read about it here.)

I became determined to get Jonah and Isaac to wear their sweater vests at least once on the same day. I begged, I pleaded, and I used guilt! (Jonah, remember how you didn’t get me a birthday present last week? Well, this could be it!)

Finally I asked Jonah what it would take. “I will buy you a snack, anything you want!” I pleaded.

Jonah, however, was not interested in food, he was interested in money. “Two dollars,” He said.

A bargain! I thought, but I couldn’t let Isaac out of this deal empty handed and I wasn’t about to give him an extra two dollars. The sweater vests only cost $12, for crying out loud! I asked Jonah if I could give him one dollar and Isaac the other dollar and he agreed.

Sunday morning I told them since this would be the only day they would dress the same, I was owed a nice, loving brother picture. Jonah definitely put up a stink and declared that the picture was NOT part of the original deal.

“You better not put this picture in my scrapbook.” Jonah said.

“No! Of course not! This picture won’t go in your scrapbook, don’t even worry about it.” I assured him.

Jonah then followed up with, “And you better not put it on your blog!”

Uh…

I laughed and told him that I paid a dollar and I could put it on my blog if I wanted to.

In the first set of pictures I took before church, Jonah insisted on putting his arm around Isaac and Isaac insisted on having nothing to do with Jonah’s arm. In a freak accident, while Isaac was trying to avoid Jonah’s arm, the vacuum cleaner handle disengaged and swung down, hitting Isaac SMACK on the back of the head. That pretty much ended that photo session.

After church I was still pretty much working with monkeys. Just one good picture and the motherhood fantasy would be complete! “PLEASE,” I begged, “just one nice picture.”

This was the best one. This was the only one where both were smiling. You will notice, however, that Isaac’s finger seems to be stuck in his pocket. Somehow, he got his finger down in a hole and couldn’t get it out. But at least he was smiling.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

That is the perfect picture of Jonah and Isaac! You can totally see their individual personalities – even in matching sweaters!

Maybe we can elect Jonah to be the next president and he can turn the economy around with his cunning economic skills. Didn't his fortune cookie fortune say something about him being successful in his next economic venture...?

Anonymous said...

Oh, Afton! Your blogs make my day! Keep 'em coming! (and give your kiddos a hug for me!)