Siblings – December 2016

This time of year is all about the magical moments. One of my favourite things about preparing for Christmas with two small children is seeing their excitement as it draws closer. The first thing the girls ask me each morning is if they can open their ‘chocolate calendar’. In the evenings, they take it in turns to add a picture to our Advent scene and open one of the books in the Advent book calendar.

 

We’re only halfway through December but we’ve already seen Santa a few times so far with at least one more planned visit to come before Christmas Day. I’m amazed that the girls haven’t started questioning why they’ve seen him so often when he’s supposed to be busy making toys at the North Pole. No doubt that will be a question I’ll have to answer at some point though!

 

 

This month has seen a little shift in the bond between my girls. They’ve always been close and enjoyed playing together but I’m becoming more aware of them as a team and the way they’ve started to unite when playing together or creating mischief. There’s more of a sense of us as parents against them as a little team together. I have to say I do love seeing how they work together – even if I can be on the receiving end of mischief as a result of it! There are moments when Jessica is very much the big sister telling Sophie what to do, but there are moments too when they work together as equals which is beautiful to watch.

 

Jessica (5 years 3 months)

• Was a very brave girl at her cardiac check-up at the end of last month and didn’t even fuss about having to have lots of stickers on her chest for the ECG (the thing she hates most about cardiac check-ups). Such a relief to be told that her heart is functioning well and there are no plans to bring her next surgery forward.
• Took part in the Reception year assembly. I got a little tearful seeing her on stage singing with her class.
• Has moved up a level with her reading.
• Is starting to write words. I especially liked the birthday card she wrote to her toy Pink Cat when she decided that it was Pink Cat’s birthday. It might have been spelled “Pne Cot” in the card but it was clear what she was trying to write!

 

 

Sophie (3 years 1 month)

• Asks for the “Best Friends Forever” (Lego Friends) music to be put on the Sonos each morning so she can dance on our bed or around the living room.
• Made me so proud when I got to watch her doing a couple of the dances she’s learned at her ballet class. She’s a natural little performer and it is a delight to watch her.
• Love to help Mummy with the little jobs around the house. I’m enjoying the enthusiasm with helping to empty and load the dishwasher and washing machine while it lasts!
• Has discovered hot chocolate and would drink it several times a day if I let her!

 

 

It’s hard to believe that another year of joining in with the Siblings project has come to an end. It’s lovely though to look back over a year of siblings photos and see the little changes in my girls. What strikes me most looking over the year though is how that age gap between the two of them seems so much smaller at the end of the year than it did at the start. In January’s photo, Jessica is very much the big sister with Sophie still not much more than a toddler. By the end of the year, they are two little girls together and looking more like equals.