The Best Gift

24.3.14 Ali Moore 0 Comments

When I was pregnant with Nelle I read something early on (maybe in my first trimester?)

that I filed away in the back of my mind because I knew I would need it later on.

"The best gift you can give your child is a sibling."

And then when Henry was just a mere 16-month old baby himself and the days were flying by, and I didn't feel ready or prepared for the new baby to arrive, and yikes, now he's 17-months old, and all of a sudden we're at his 18-month old wellness check, and she's due any day, I pulled it back out and repeated it like it was my job to calm my nerves, to erase the thoughts that I was cheating Henry out of this time that was supposed to be all his.

And even now, when I feel like one of them isn't getting enough - attention, individual time, playtime, story time, etc - and the guilt creeps in,

I repeat it again.

Henry loooooves when Nelle does her "tuh-tih!" (tummy time).

The best gift you can give your child is a sibling.

They may disagree when they are fighting over toys next year, or who gets the last cookie in the year after that. Or who gets to pick the next movie to watch five years from now. Or who gets to sit in the front seat 10 years from now. Or who gets to take the car 15 years from now.

But they'll always have a playmate. And a friend. And someone to share secrets with from Andrew and I. And someone to walk into the first day of school with. And someone to talk to that just gets it. And when we are old and gray and gone, they will have each other.