sister sweet

I love my kids, and my kids love me.  But, I play second fiddle when they are around each other.

Abby is, hands down, E's favorite person on earth....and Abby is pa-reety fond of E too.  It's awesome.

Kyle and I were talking about this yesterday.  About how lucky we've been that Abby adjusted to sisterhood so well.  Did she show signs of regression?  Sure, but mild ones.  She wanted to be swaddled, she wanted a paci, she wanted to be rocked...that kind of thing.  I can honestly say that she has not shown one second of aggression or anger towards E since day one.

She has been annoyed with her before - we occasionally get a, "Mommy, E-train is too loud!" when she's crying in the car or something.  But 99% of the time, Abby steps up to help.  When we're driving somewhere, and E starts to fuss, Abby will hold her hand and say in her high pitched baby-voice "It's ok Ewizabeff, don't cry, we're almost home, it's ok, you want a song? Ok.  I'll sing one for you"  Abby recites her lullabies or makes funny faces or weird noises to help distract E.  Sometimes she tries to bounce/shake the car seat to soothe her, she gives her toys, strokes her head, sings songs...she sings lots of songs.

Abby is very protective of E too.  If she's sleeping, Abby will be the first to tell you "We have to be quiet! Don't wake up E!  She's sleeping.  Shhhhh!" But - the second we hear that she's awake?  Abby jumps up, stops whatever she's doing and said "E-train's awake! Can I go see her??"  Then she runs upstairs, into her room, and peers between the crib slats at her and usually says something like an exaggerated "Gooood Mooooooorning E! Did you have a good sleep? Huh? Didya?"  And of course, E just stares at her and grins the biggest grin she can manage.

They love each other, and I'm so thankful for that.  This age is so sweet.

Anytime we hold E up so that she's eye-level with Abby - she laughs.  Like big belly laughs.  Her favorite is when I'm holding her going down the stairs and Abby is coming down behind us.  It allows them to be nearly eye level.  Abby makes faces at her and empty threats like, "I'm gonna eat you! I'm gonna catch you! Here I come!"  And E just laughs and laughs and laughs.

And on a related note, Abby is a super helper.  Like seriously.  I love that I can ask her, "Abby, can you go downstairs and look for E's paci - I don't know where it is, but it might be by the couch"  Abby will say "ok!" and come back with it.  She loooooves to help hold E's bottle and to get us diapers or burp cloths or things.  She likes to "share" toys with E by putting them on her chest or next to her.

Oh, and another favorite thing of Abby's is dancing for E.  She loves to play music and dance to make E laugh.  E loves it too.  And so do I.

There is just something so perfect about watching them together.  Abby was born to be a sister, it's so obvious.  And I know things will change.  E will eventually start toppling Abby's perfectly built towers or rearranging her most recent organization project and Abby will flip and yell and cry and probably hit  and kick.  I know.  And one day E will come running to me with big tears running down her face because Abby wouldn't let her play with her.  And that's all well and good too.  It's the way things have been since time began I imagine.

But for now?  They show nothing but sweetness, and it never ceases to amaze me just how much they really truly love each other.