heart to heart blog

Thanks so much to our friend Tiffany over at Lattes and Life for this adorable post! Make sure you pay her a visit and check out more great stories like this one.

Growing up an only child I often wondered what it would be like to have a sibling. Someone to play with, argue with, plot crazy schemes with. Someone who would have my back as we grew older, and be my confidant. Being an only child was very lonely, especially since I was raised by a single mom. Because of my experience I knew I wanted more than one child when the time came. I wanted my kids to experience the camaraderie and closeness that I always longed for.

When my son was almost two years old I got pregnant again. I envisioned his little toddler head leaning over my arms to stare at his baby sister, giving her sweet little kisses and hugs. But that was not exactly how it turned out. My son didn’t want anything to do with his sister. I’m not talking disinterested nonchalance. I’m talking complete avoidance! He screamed if we brought her anywhere near him. He wouldn’t touch her, wouldn’t acknowledge her at all. It broke my heart.

Time went on and he came to accept her. He still wasn’t impressed, and kept his distance. But he seemed to be resigned to the fact that she wasn’t going anywhere. Every once in awhile he’d get in her face and check her out, but he still ran away screaming if we brought her near him. I started to worry, wondering if they would ever be close. I saw friends having babies, and their toddlers wouldn’t leave the baby alone! Their toddlers wanted to hold and kiss the baby and were completely smitten!

Then one day, eight long months later, my son’s entire demeanor changed. Suddenly he started talking to his sister, and interacting with her. He started getting on the floor and playing with her. He ran around so she could crawl after him, and he’d give her a toy to play with if she had thrown hers out of reach. I watch them giggling together and my heart melts. I can see them becoming friends, not just siblings. And I couldn’t be happier.

Maya Angelou is quoted as having said, “I don’t believe an accident of birth makes people sisters or brothers. It makes them siblings, gives them mutuality of parentage. Sisterhood and brotherhood is a condition people have to work at.”

I love every moment of my babies working at it…every little moment.