Sisters

A couple weeks before Layla was born I had a tired, hormonal break down about adding another child into our family.

The rational, objective side of me knew that a baby was going to be an incredible addition to our family. Also, there aren’t many gifts you can offer a child better than a sibling.

The very, very pregnant side of me though had a sudden realization we were about to RUIN Macklyn’s life.  Her whole life it had been just me and her- BFF’s.  She’d never had to share my time and energy with anyone ever, and now she was about to split it always.  Why would we do that to my little girl?! What is wrong with us????!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Of course, that was all ridiculous.  Macklyn couldn’t wait for her sister to get here and she wants nothing more than to just make Layla happy.  She talks non-stop about her sister (not “Layla” or “the baby”, almost always “my sister”) and asks everyone we meet if they “want to meet my sister?”.  

I was worried about Macklyn having to share her mom but she is constantly trying to make me give Layla more attention: “Mom! My sister is hungry! Please feed her!” or “Mom! My sister is crying.  Pleeeeeese just help her!”  That baby never cries for longer than five seconds before Macklyn starts questioning my parenting.

Mack is also spends a lot of time encouraging Layla.  “It’s ok, sister.  When you have teeth you can eat bread too!” I don’t think I have ever witnessed such a pure love.

If it were up to Mack these two would never be apart.

“Mom, Layla is sleeping in your bed? I’m going to sleep in there too.”

“We’ll nap better if we snuggle”

“Can my sister just sleep here in my bed? The blankets won’t suffocate her and I will not roll over her!” (we have to cover a lot of safety topics in our house)

We recently got a little wagon for me to lug child supplies around in, but Macklyn thinks we got it for her to take Layla on walks.  She feels like such a grown up pulling Layla to the playground without any help.

“I’m just going to see if she is warm enough”

I’m so grateful I get to have these two girls as my daughters and that I get to watch their friendship develop.  Daryl and I are blessed beyond what we could ever imagine.