Sisters – April {Siblings}

I am a little late with my siblings post, I actually have lots of photo’s of my Little Ladies together this month thanks to school holidays, Easter, lighter evenings and the milder weather. I have just neglected to find the time to write the post! At the moment it is actually pretty difficult to get a picture of one without the other as they are constantly together, of course they rarely look in the same direction or are busy running after/into one another but they are just the best of friends and I love watching the bond they have grow, more than anything in the world.

When you are a little sister (of which I am too) I think it becomes so ordinary that there is someone there, it is just what your world has always looked like, someone around to both annoy you and entertain you every day. To show you the world from a child’s perspective, to help you and to protect you in all that you do. As a big sister with a 4 year age gap however I guess it might feel strange to suddenly have to share your life, your every day and in that moment all of the possessions which were once yours become theirs too. You share your space and understand what it is like not to be able to go the toilet in peace without curious little feet right there behind you – something Mummy has been explaining for years!! E though, has taken to this change without batting an eyelid, not once has she shown animosity to little R and has opened her life and her heart with the most natural, adorable and protective nature. She has made me so proud and has certainly made that transition from 1 child to 2 that little bit easier. Of course we are sensitive to this and have a rule that E’s bedroom is her space and if she wants to close the door and not have to worry about R taking the books off the shelves or climbing all over her bed then that is ok, yet she rarely does, she loves to have her in her life.

R is so attuned to her sister that she even cried when she does, I have quite the little drama queen in my eldest Little Lady and something as simple as a stubbed toe or a scratched finger can be met with the most ear piercing scream, which then starts her little sister off crying in pure sympathy and – as soon as I ensure everyone is ok of course – I can’t help but laugh. I look at my two little loves that at this time are my whole world and me theirs, and know that this is the start of their relationship. One that I do not own and will follow it’s own path but one that I find so intoxicating to sit back and watch. Thankfully E finds her sister so funny that it usually helps the situations and within a minute everyone is happy once again.

Ever since E was a tiny little dot she has been a baby/toddler/child that has to be met with food immediately, as soon as her little eyes open and adjust to the light of a new day. From the moment she could talk the word “breakfast” was her way to greet me of a morning and still to this day she has to have a drink of milk before she will entertain the idea of getting dressed. So in our house the milk is brought upstairs and drank in our bed, we snuggle, we chat, we wake up to face the day and we love it. Generally R wakes first, we lift her out of the cot and creep across the landing past a still sleeping E, but last week as R toddled her way across the landing to our room she spotted Daddy coming up the stairs with the milk, she let out a squeal of excitement and a physical shake at the sheer prospect of a drink, a sure fire sign she is the double of her sister and then what followed really was the epitome of the bond between them.

She ran up to E’s door and banged so hard with both hands shouting “ilk” “ilk”. The fact that her reaction to seeing milk was to immediately share the information with her sister melted my heart and even at her tiny 14 months old she knows they are a team, she has a person, the one to share everything with; even before having it herself. A true little sister. Of course the big sister reaction is somewhat different and her response was to yell “shut up!!” through the door like a grumpy teenager – but once she came out she was in fits of giggles.

It really did give me a little flash to the future, in that time it probably will not be the milk that they are excited about; but to have someone there, on your side, to share joy, life and everything in between is such a priviledge. E is so protective, a little mother in the making and is so keen to show her little sister the world that the other day she asked if we could go and show her the daffodils in our local park. So off we went armed with my camera and our hats and coats – please come out sunshine! They ran around exploring and looking at the sea of flowers, and as much as R likes to emulate her big sister and follow her around…. it is clear on days like this that E loves to follow her little sister just as much. My Little Ladies, a team.

xx