the bond between siblings

They really do love each other, don't they?

These pictures of Garrett and Embrie speak to me of our everyday lives. It wasn't that long ago, a little less than a year in fact, that I was going crazy thinking that they hated each other. It seemed as though every 5 minutes I was breaking up a fist fight.

They don't fight anymore! -ha ha yeah right! that is a little too optimistic.
But things have definately changed. And not just their behavior, but the way I see it as well.

Shortly after Garrett started school, he became very shy with his class mates and didn't seem to be making friends, only playing alone. This was out of character I thought. It worried me, but I also knew that I couldn't force him go out of his comfort zone only encourage. But an unexpected thing began to stem from this....

He started asking Embrie to come with him into the playground before the bell rang. (In fact, this strange behavior is what clued me into his shyness at school.)
Then he would bring home drawings he would make for Embrie (with her name on them) while in the art center. Then they began to play so well in the afternoon that I have been forgetting to set up playdates with other friends. Embrie getting older, was able to understand better the make believe games Garrett wanted to play. Garrett started drawing pictures of him and her together. When I asked him if Embrie was his best friend he would say yes. And when I asked Embrie what friends she wanted at her birthday party she said Garrett!

Garrett is slowly over coming his shyness at school. Of course he still wants to play with friends his age so does she, but it hasn't changed the brother and sister bond that they have. They still fight. And that is where the change in my view comes from. I realize that spending that much time together is going to cause some arguments. But they still love each other. It's my opportunity to teach them how to manage their differences.


And where does Maren figure in? Well, she gets mauled. She doesn't mind them too much and I think she likes to have them around, but there are times when she has had enough. And she definitely needs a bodyguard 24/7.

There haven't been any traumatic experiences so far. Embrie has become a little more agressive with her and jealous of her recently. It reminds me of Garrett getting that way when she was a baby too. Lucky for Maren, Embrie isn't quite as agressive as Garrett was and since G & E both have one another I think this spares her a certain amount of grief. But they can both be very sweet with her.

It's evident that they both love their baby sister very much and she loves them.

I know that as she grows and as they grow up the relationships will change. It gives me something to look forward to as I will get to witness the sisterly bond that I hope will come for Embrie and Maren. It makes me worry about how Garrett will feel being the only boy (then again I was the only girl and the oldest and I survived).

So I am content to enjoy this moment while it lasts and try to be present with them. Not to be too sad as they grow up and look forward to the future. But most of all I hope I won't take them for granted. They are so precious.