Big Brothering and Little Brothering

My boys have entered the stage that I've been looking forward to for nine months!--Well actually 18 months! They play together---not just in the same room or around each other but actually with each other. It's so heart warming to watch them interact with one another.
The toddler generally parallel plays with other children and toys, as in he plays along side but not necessarily with the same toys as another child. The baby doesn't really have friends yet to play with. So the fact that they play with each other is a huge milestone.
The baby crawls over to where the toddler is playing and pushes his way into the heap of toys or pulls himself up onto the furniture or activity table. That is one of the best sites, watching them play on opposite sides of the same activity table.
Today, the baby figured out how to climb all the stairs up to the second floor. The toddler ran up and down the stairs cheering him on. It's scary to realize that the baby is closer to toddlerhood than infancy. And soon they really will be able to play together, out in the yard or on the soccer field---or row together in a double or a pair (fingers double crossed that they follow me down that path).
Now my in-a-perfect-world-no sibling-rivalry children haven't completely mastered getting along. There is some snatching and some annoyance. There are some tears when the big one snatches from the little and several, "No, no touch!" from the big one to the little one. Especially where THOMAS (as in the Tank Engine) is concerned. They both gravitate to the toys with wheels which means they are both getting early lessons on sharing trucks. But generally speaking, they are really starting to get along and be friends.
In the beginning, the toddler wanted absolutely nothing to do with hugging or demonstrating affection to the baby. He would run in the opposite direction if asked to hug the baby. Now not only will he hug the baby when asked, he more frequently does it voluntarily. When asked, "do you love Mommy?" The answer is "Yes." When asked, "Do you love Daddy?" The answer is "Yeah...Daddy is the poot-der (computer)." And when asked, "Do you love Matt?" The answer is "Y-E-S!!!" That's exactly the way it should be!
The toddler is beginning to be able to say "lil brodda" and "big brodda". I'm glad to know that he's beginning to learn his role, at least one of them, in this family. I'm realistic enough to know that there will be fights and rivalry between the two of them, but I'm really trying to instill in them from the beginning that they are best friends. That's why I've kept them in the same room. Eventually, I want them to have their own rooms again. I know they need their space and individuality, but for right now I want to foster that closeness. I want them to know that no matter what other friends they make, wherever they may go, whoever they may date/marry, or whatever they choose to do, they will always have each other as their best friends. That's what big brothering and little brothering is all about.

This has always gotten me through: remember-- when all else fails, two things always remain the same--faith (however you individually define that) and family.