Sisters

I wasn't sure how Elle was going to react to the newest family addition, or more accurately the newest Usurper of Her Attention. I expected her either to be obsessed with the Real Live Baby Doll and it's incumbent feedings, diaper changes, and other tasks that a big sister could perform... or to be completely distraught that the world may not continue to revolve absolutely unilaterally around her. Turns out, she wasn't either. She has mostly met the A.E. (After Elise) era with a surprising indifference. She generally just goes about her melodramatic business with little regard to the tiny creature that has infiltrated the household. When asked if she wants to help change a diaper, she typically responds politely, "No thank you". When Elise was having a particularly fussy day month, she said, "Mommy, can you shush that baby down? I can't hear myself play".

Now there certainly have been moments of typical older sibling jealousy (amplified in typical exuberant Elle fashion) when Mommy's attention seems monopolized by feeding, changing, and the abovementioned shushing. But she has a surprisingly mature understanding of the etiology of these emotions, once explaining to me amidst a seemingly irrational fit-pitching session that "you don't give me any 'tention because Elise gets all your 'tention. Babies take all the 'tention away from big sisters". Well, at least I'm not left perusing child psychology textbooks to discern the underlying meaning of her emotional instability. Blunt and articulate... could be a dangerous combination for my eldest.

One night at dinner, Elise gave a furrowed brow look and I asked, "Elise what is that look for?"

Elle responded (perhaps wishfully thinking): "Maybe she wonders if she came home with the wrong family?"

But lately it seems that the sisterly bonding has started to take effect. Elle will rush to Elise's side when she starts to fuss and violently shake rock her car seat while consoling her, "It's ok, I'm right here". When she ran outside for a moment as we were loading up in the car, she leaned down to Elise, poked her eyeball gently stroked her face and said, "No worries Elise. I'll be right back!". She sings to her, reads to her, and helps her open gifts, although the latter requires close screening of the item/s to see what needs to be claimed as the Big Sister's. She is delighted when Elise smiles at her, and "checks" on her in the baby room at school. When she saw Elise wearing one of the school's bibs, she promptly informed the teacher that her baby Does. Not. Wear. That. and requested that it be removed without delay. Upon finding only one of the teachers in the infant room when we arrived to pick up little E, big E said, "Where is the other baby teacher? My baby needs two teachers!" A tad bossy, that one. But it warms my heart to see her watching out for her little sister, and I'm so excited to see the relationship that develops between them as they grow up together. Maybe Elise will stop wondering if she came home with the wrong family...