I watched such cooperation, encouragement, and help from my oldest to my youngest today that it stung, shining eyes and sniffles my only possible reaction. I declared my love and pride with hard, clutching hugs, burying my face in Erin’s hair and memorizing her perfection.
Adrian, ever-following, ever-trailing, ever-mimicking, struggled to climb up a rope web his sister had already scaled without trouble.
She watched his struggle, saw his trepidation, and began willing him up the rest of the way.
“Go, buddy! You can do it! I know you can climb it! You can try so hard!”
He heard her cheering and it carried him up one section, up another, and onto the third. There, because the web leveled out and was less a ladder than a trap, he stalled. I saw one of the park attendants walk over. I saw Erin move faster, dashing down the netting to her brother’s aid.
I approached, below, to get a closer look at this perfect moment of cooperation. The attendant turned to me and asked, “Do you want me to go up and help him out? He’s getting a little stuck.”
“No,” I replied, “his sister is there.”
Erin took him by the hand and led him the rest of the way to the top.
I know they won’t always get along; they don’t always get along now. But if she can keep loving him this much, even if only every once in a while, I will know that Emily and I have done things right.
:sniff: … keep these photos handy, you'll need them in when she's early-teen and he's still the snot nose little brother. You're doing good daddy-o!
My recent post I Should Have Worn Ruby Slippers
aw. I kept waiting for the punchline but… there wasn't one. That was really sweet.
Awww. *wipes away a tear*
Fantastic post. It makes me want a second little one even more!
My recent post Let me buy my bananas, old people.
One of the surprising gifts of parenthood is that you will see microcosms of great truths of humanity contained in the persons of your children.
Where is this i have a 5 year old daughter and a 20 month old son, and I would love to take them.
It's at Happy Hollow in San Jose.
Such a sweet story. I've been trying to express to my husband the importance of having a second child. He's leaning towards #2 but not totally sold. Your story just may win him over
I won't tell him how often I'm peeling Erin off of Adrian's face because she just can't. leave. him. alone.
Dude you keep that info to yourself – just like I don't tell him the stories of how much my brother and I fought (didn't stop until we hit our twenties).
It does your heart good to see that some of the love and compassion you try to teach your children rubs off. Makes everything worthwhile, doesn't it?
Awwwww…. Sweet. We have to document the good stuff for the days that aren't quite as lovely.
Stumbled onto your site via the bloggess, came over for a laugh, and you made me tear up instead. Damn you! But I just had my second kid 3 weeks ago, and I’m going to go ahead and take this post as proof that it was the right decision. So, thanks!