Brotherly Love

The other day, Justin, my impulsive spitfire, was being kept inside for his own safety.  This imprisonment, for Justin, is the worst of all punishments.  He needs fresh air and open spaces to survive.

"But, Mommy, puh-lease, puh-lease!  I HAVE to go outside!"

"Justin, how can I be sure that you'll make wise decisions and be safe?"

"Don't worry, Mommy, I'll be with him," Carsten assured me.

And that's how it goes with those two.  They are absolutely inseparable, and absolutely opposite.  Justin acts, Carsten thinks.  Justin rushes headlong into danger, Carsten calls him back.  I've pretty much decided that when Justin goes off to college, I'm sending Carsten with him.

They've been a pair ever since the day Carsten was born.

And they were opposites from the beginning.  Justin loved his first trip to the beach.

Carsten- not so much...

Justin was an imp even as a crawler.

Carsten just hung out. 

And Justin's been getting Carsten into scrapes for a long time.

But Justin is good for Carsten too.  He pushes him to be far more bold than his own nature would lead him to be.  He's always trying to convince Carsten to do something that goes against cautious Carsten's natural bent.  And, of course, as big brother, he is often attempting to talk Carsten into doing something that is really in Justin's best interest.

Carsten, however, is not very easily persuaded.  Like the time a couple of weeks ago when Justin wanted to "trade" Carsten for a toy by promising to let him play with a new toy- in two months...if he gets it for his birthday.

"Carsten, if you let me play with your Lord of the Rings game, I'll let you play with my new Star Wars Legos at my birthday."

"No."

"But the Star Wars set is really cool.  You're going to love it.  Have you seen the picture in the catalog?  All you have to do is let me play with your game."

"No."

"But, Carsten, think of your FUTURE!"

I think the future holds many adventures for these two buddies.