Saturday, April 28, 2012

Siblings

I've been working on J's birth story (which I will post here at some point), and it's made me think quite a bit about siblings. It's so weird to me that my kids are each others' siblings! I have kids (plural!)! How crazy is that? Anyway, my sister has lived with us since J was born so I have gotten lots of time with one of my siblings. Also our baby brother has visited us several times in the last few months so all three of us have been together a few times since the new year. That sounds mundane and all, but I have not lived near my family in 6 years! So being with both of them at once is fairly unusual. I get along quite well with both my siblings. We tease and joke with each other, but I also know that if I ever need anything they would be right there for me. They are the first people I look to for advice (after A that is). For us growing up with divorced parents really pulled us together. We were close even when we were younger (we fought too, but isn't that just part of the closeness?), particularly during all the bouncing back and forth between my mom and dad's. We were always together. We homeschooled when we were young, so even during the day we were together.

We had our spats, and times when we really did not like each other much, but when it came to support and acceptance I knew my siblings were there for me. We often talked things over with each other before anyone else. When A and I found out we were having L I told my sister I was pregnant before the rest of my family. When I told my brother all he said was, "I love you." From a seventeen year old sheltered kid it was pretty amazing to hear that, knowing my parents'231 feelings about sex before marriage.

Having amazing sibling relationships makes me so excited to see L and J together. He's only four months old, but he already has lots of smiles for L. L has been fascinated by him since he was born. She always asks where the baby is, wants to know what he's doing, and if he is crying she immediately tells me, "Mommy, Ja (how she says his name), crying!" She will keep telling me he's crying until he stops. That little kid really keeps me on the ball! She often invites J to jump with her (she doesn't quite get the developmental stages yet). When he rolls over, she always wants to get down and roll with him. She's injured him several times, but always accidentally in her boisterous two-year-old wildness (for instance, kneeling on his hand while trying to tickle him). One of L's favorite activities of the day is changing J's diaper. Who would have thought changing a diaper could be fun?

I had no idea that they would have so much fun while J is still so young. It's a really sweet surprise. Seeing them together often makes me wonder what their relationship will be like as they get older. Will they fight all the time? Play all the time? Both? But even more, it makes me happy to know that as they grow up they will have each other. Someone to complain about their parents too, someone to share family jokes with, complain with, and get advice from. I'm sure they'll have many times in their lives where they really do not get along, but I hope that as adults they do end up appreciating each other and taking advantage of the unique bond they share.

November

2 comments:

  1. Like you, we always bickered at home, but now that my sisters, brother and I are older, it's so much better and we are so much closer!
    It's great that you've been able to be with your sister and brother so much!!!
    For me, texting (I know, I know, lame, right?) brings us closer as we can talk more often. I have a 29 year old sister, a 21 year old sister and a 17 year old brother. It keeps me "young." :-)

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  2. Haha, no if my brother and I didn't text we would never talk! He's the kind who will never answer a phone call, but instantly answers a text.

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