Best Friends

EM and JR were born 20 months apart, so they have been best friends for a long time.  They play together inside and outside, with toys and imaginary friends, with trains and polly pockets.  Even though EM is less than two years older than JR she is very motherly toward him.  She makes sure he understand what's going on by explaining things in simpler ways and usually lets him win when they play a game.  JR adores his big sister just as much and always needs to know where she is and what she's doing.  He will play any game she comes up with- he is just happy to imagine with his favorite playmate.

When LD was born almost a year ago, Josh and I talked about how we hoped EM and JR still enjoyed "playing" when LD was old enough to join them.  Were they too far apart in age to be friends?  Would LD be left out of their big kid games and miss out on having his siblings as his best friends?

The day we brought LD home from the hospital our worries began to fade.  EM read a sleeping newborn LD her Kindergarten reader.  JR brought his Puffle and Pirate Club Penguin (his most prized possessions) to sleep by the side of his two-day old brother.  As weeks passed they attended to his every coo and whimper.  I worried that once LD started crawling and getting into their things that this precious honeymoon phase might come to an end.

Boy, was I wrong!  Now the newly mobile LD is even more fun to this loving big brother and sister!  He is the Spy Baby to their Spy Girl and Spy Boy.  He is the Land Baby to their Lava Boy and Water Girl.  He is the baby owl in their nest, the Godzilla they build towers for just to hear his giggle when it crashes, and the third player in their video games (with an unplugged remote so he doesn't feel left out).

My worries once again are calmed by the love and friendship I see growing between my three.  I imagine the years we have ahead of us and smile.