Brothers at the Beach

Are these good-looking boys or what?? Lately I am constantly getting comments about how much Ian and Alec have grown, and it really is true. I like to joke that Ian grows "up" and Alec grows "out" because where they used to be close in height, Ian is now a head taller than his younger brother. And what Alec lacks in height, he certainly makes up in mass! He still uses that to his advantage sometimes, when he wants to intimidate big brother - and nearly always succeeds.

To Alec's credit, he did use his bulk to save a "damsel in distress" this week. We were at Owen's school to pick him up from Kindergarten, and the little boys love to play in the patio area while we wait. On this particular day a mean-spirited little boy decided to play tough with a curly-haired little girl and took her dolly away. I didn't witness the exchange as my back was turned, but another mom informed me that Alec immediately set the boy straight by jerking the doll out of his hand and promptly returning it to its grateful owner. So maybe we have a gentleman in the making after all! :)

Today we headed to the beach for a brief hour to have some family time and get some fresh air. I have to remind myself that Ian and Alec's experiences at the beach can probably still be counted on one hand, especially when they start to dig and throw sand and get completely messy from head to toe! At one point today, Ian decided to fling himself on the ground and simply lay there. It turned out to be just the invitation Alec needed to get into wrestling position, as you can see from the picture below!

It looks like Ian is smiling but really he was squealing and yelling, "Alec, OFF! Alec, OFF!" Of course, when the tables were turned a few minutes later he was quick to try and exact his revenge.

I love this last picture of the boys. In the background is our corner of Iquique, the area of town where we live just a few miles up the hill. It reminds me to be so thankful for the beauty that surrounds us, in the sand and the surf and the sea ... but most of all, for the two little brothers at the beach and finally in our home.