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| "can't breathe", "shhhhh, it's okay", "mmmmph" |
It really is odd that Lily is so accepting of closeness with her big sister and so . . . less than enthused about it with others. I cropped the picture, saved it to my iPhone, set it as screen saver and vowed to share it via blog.
This morning I was reminded of it. I got to daycare early. . . too early. The people that usually watch both kiddos before the bus arrives to take them to school hadn't arrived so I had to put them both in with the general populace until help arrived. (Essentially the school age kids go downstairs and all the rest, babies, toddlers, and. . . well, babies and toddlers I guess are it, stay upstairs)
Lily is no stranger to the upstairs area, having come from there just before the school year started, and there weren't really any transitional issues. She walked over to where they keep the books and grabbed one. I steered her over to a seat (because she's not allowed to stand or walk around looking at books) and kissed her goodbye.
As I was leaving, she ripped the book and I sort of headed back to the room to tell her "no", rescue the book and talk to her sister.
"Em, please watch your sister until you guys go downstairs, okay?"
"Sure, Daddy."
I hugged her and kissed her and told her I loved her and to have a nice day and left the room. Before I did though, I looked back. Emma didn't see me, she was holding a new book for Lily to read. Lily didn't want the book, and grabbed one of her own. As I watched, Emma grabbed a chair for Lily and steered her into it, telling her, "You have to sit down if you want to read books," just as she's heard us tell Lily for almost two years now. Lily sat down, and Emma put away the other books.
I left the daycare. I was really proud of Emma. I love seeing the way she interacts so naturally with her little sister, so protective and attentive; she really takes pride in being able to connect with Lily. She's a great helper when babysitters come over and watch the kids. Or, for that matter, when the daycare does.
