Him and Her

He talks she listens, he asks her a question, she babbles and they laugh. They run off into his room to play either with her chasing him or him gently guiding her. She is learning to push the limits with him and mimic his reactions. He is so gentle and patient with her, always trying to show her, to teach her, to fulfill the role of her older brother even though he is only a baby himself. It must be hard being the oldest. I wouldn't know. Neither would Monsieur. Neither would Lale.

He gets frustrated with her always being in his face, always copying him, following him, always wanting to watch, to play with HIS toys, read HIS books. He snatches back his toys from her but then feels shame and guilt and hands her something else to play with alongside an apologetic pat on the head. Sometimes he has a little think and then lets her get away with things like snatching a toy away from him. He tells her to go away but constantly asks about her when she is not around. He tells me he doesn't like her sometimes but he still loves her. He always reserves her a piece of pretend food when we play pretend kitchens. He makes sure he doesn't drop any biscuit crumbs on the floor because she is anaphylactic and asks me if what she is eating has peanuts in it so she doesn't get sick. He puts his arm around her and gives her kisses on her head just because. He tells everyone Lale is his sister and that she is cute when we are out. He has a different love for her and a different set of special rules that apply to only her. She is very lucky to have him as her older brother.

She follows him everywhere. She checks all the rooms and pushes the blinds aside so she can squeeze behind them to catch a glimpse of him when she cannot see him. She will not sleep until he goes to bed. She brings him his shoes and his teddy 'Dizzie'. She doesn't have a very extensive vocabulary but she practises alot and then manages to blurt out his name. She does funny things to make him laugh. She falls asleep in the car whilst watching him. She cries after him when we drop him off at kinder. She disappears off to play in his room all the time. She drinks from his water bottle even though hers is right there. She sucks his dummy but refuses to have one herself. When he sits down to eat, she sits down with him and waits even if she is not hungry. She smiles and pats his head when he is sleeping. Her grin is from ear to ear when we all wake in the same bed and she sees him. If she doesn't see him first thing in the morning, she jumps out of bed to make her way off to his room to find him. She follows him to the toilet, gives him toilet paper and tries to help him wipe. She stands back watching and observing him, trying to figure out his ways and his rules. She is well aware of and respects his boundaries. He is very lucky to have her as his younger sister.

They are so lucky to have one another. And l so lucky to have them. I see them teaching each other so much about love and life each and everyday. They teach me alot too...