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Thursday, September 13, 2012

Sister Love

From the moment Harlow was born, Cora claimed her as her own. We encouraged this by referring to the baby as Cora's baby. I had braced myself for Cora to fully reject her new sister. Stories of toddlers hitting their newborn siblings played through my mind and I fully expected that behavior to manifest itself.

But of course that's not what happened, because Cora is her unique self, she is sweet and gentle and full of love. The look of wonder on her face as she met Harlow for the first time is something I will never forget. It was immediate hugs and joy, an awesome explosion of love.

Now, on the eve of Harlow's first birthday, there has been a shift in their relationship. Cora has fallen head over heels in love with her little sister. Of course there have been some rough spots in the last year, mostly around Harlow learning to crawl and claim toys for her own, but for the most part it has been patience and love. Recently, however, Cora's love for her little sister has become a fierce and powerful thing.

When she first wakes in the morning, Cora no longer runs to me, but runs to her sister and wraps her in hugs while whispering "Hi baby Harlow."  Last night the girls spent time with their babysitter, who was helping Cora create a picture of her family in a boat. Cora refused to put me or her dad in the picture, adamant that it is a picture of two sisters on a high seas adventure. I love this. I love her growing awareness of her special relationship with her sister, that it is of our family, but also transcends it. It is what I dreamt about and hoped for all throughout my pregnancy with Harlow. It was a difficult pregnancy in many ways, and chasing after my growing toddler seemed like a mountain of work. Exhaustion and extreme discomfort were my close friends, and when those days got too difficult, I would focus on the gift I was giving my two girls.  The gift of a lifetime of having a sister so close in age that they will never remember not having one another. And now, one year later, their love is blossoming right in front of my eyes, and I am full of joy.


Just Two Sisters Out On An Adventure



Oh The Love When Daddy Gets Home!

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