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Fangirl

Posted on 08/15/2011 by Backpacking Dad

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.

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Adrian, ever-following, ever-trailing, ever-mimicking, struggled to climb up a rope web his sister had already scaled without trouble.

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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.”

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“No,” I replied, “his sister is there.”

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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.

13 thoughts on “Fangirl”

  1. Nancy says:
    08/15/2011 at 2:06 PM

    :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

  2. Jen says:
    08/15/2011 at 2:06 PM

    aw. I kept waiting for the punchline but… there wasn't one. That was really sweet.

  3. @TheAvasmommy says:
    08/15/2011 at 2:22 PM

    Awww. *wipes away a tear*

  4. Lindsay @sayschu says:
    08/15/2011 at 2:43 PM

    Fantastic post. It makes me want a second little one even more!
    My recent post Let me buy my bananas, old people.

  5. Columbiarose says:
    08/15/2011 at 6:12 PM

    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.

  6. jennifer says:
    08/15/2011 at 6:27 PM

    Where is this i have a 5 year old daughter and a 20 month old son, and I would love to take them.

    1. Backpacking Dad says:
      08/15/2011 at 6:57 PM

      It's at Happy Hollow in San Jose.

  7. @thecrabbymommy says:
    08/15/2011 at 11:28 PM

    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

    1. Backpacking Dad says:
      08/16/2011 at 12:27 AM

      I won't tell him how often I'm peeling Erin off of Adrian's face because she just can't. leave. him. alone.

      1. @thecrabbymommy says:
        08/16/2011 at 4:27 PM

        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).

  8. karen says:
    08/16/2011 at 10:39 AM

    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?

  9. Tracey says:
    08/16/2011 at 6:05 PM

    Awwwww…. Sweet. We have to document the good stuff for the days that aren't quite as lovely.

  10. Catherine says:
    08/24/2011 at 5:55 AM

    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!

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