Siblings {February 2016}

Before Little Man was born I hoped that LP would have a sibling who she could grow with, who would become a ready made friend, a companion and someone to play with. I hoped that given their small age gap that they would just be perfect together – enjoying the same things but appreciating their differences and being able to play independently in the knowledge that the other one would always be there if they needed them or wanted to play.

LP and Little Man’s relationship has exceeded all of my expectations. They are like peas in a pod, so similar and yet, obviously, so different. Little Man often says things that Dave and I don’t quite understand but LP understands him every single time, easily translating his toddler sentences for us.

Little Man wants what LP has, wants to play the same games, have the same things for lunch and do the same activities. When his sister is at home he often lives in her shadow – copying her, learning from her and looking up to her. When she’s at school he obviously misses her but loves this time to be him, to play with everything, watch his favourite TV shows and have one on one time with Dave and I.

Life now, with two children, twenty months apart, and the youngest turning three in a few short months, is easy. Yes, it still has it’s hard parts and we still have the not so great days but on the whole life is so much easier than it was when LP has just turned two and her brother was a few months old. LP and Little Man play together, eat the same things without any help and can even put their clothes and shoes on. Adventures are all about adventuring, days out are all about fun and even the typical weekdays, around pick up and drop off, are full of things we can do together. Life has become so much easier.

And that ease is mostly down to LP and Little Man. They help each other, support each other and give each other constant entertainment, amusement and conversation. They go effortlessly together – where LP is, Little Man won’t be far behind. Where they are concerned, everything really is better when they’re together.