We've been thoroughly enjoying the magnificent rainstorms around here. Summer rain is a beautiful thing. Sometimes the storm takes her sweet time building up and rolling in. And sometimes it happens in a matter of minutes. I often stand in front of my bay window and look out on the back yard at the circle of sky which isn't blocked by trees. And I marvel at the speed with which that sky can go from clear and sunny to ominous and pouring. The thunder is remarkable, as is the lightning. B will often request to go to bed so she can sleep through the booms and rumbles. Other times, we stand transfixed at the window and marvel at the fury of the downpour as it pelts the earth. It is awe-inspiring. And serves as a humbling reminder of the tremendous power housed in nature.
These two little girls of mine are always game to go out and enjoy some of that nature.
I love that they have each other. Especially when J is in a foul temper and the big girls are lost in teen world. Sometimes these two are so absorbed by their games and imaginary scenarios that they can't hear me. Seriously, from a foot away, they cannot hear me. It's like their active little minds have rendered me mute and invisible. Sometimes it's infuriating. But most of the time it makes me laugh. Or at least smile before I put my hands on their cheeks and guide their eyes to mine. "Listen to my words." Or, if I'm in a foul mood, I bark their names until the right syllables come out of my mouth and they deign to look my way. Perfectly patient is sadly something I am not.
Sisters are amazing, I have decided.
They don't always get along. Their tempers flare just as quickly as the summer rainstorms. But then they fade away and their quirky, imaginative games go on.
B is often heard to refer to R as "my best friend in the whole wide werlerd." And these two little best friends have the best games in all the land.
When they pretend to be pirates, they both take one arm out of their shirt and shove it through the neck hole. I have no idea where this notion came from. When they're horsies, they get a washcloth and stick it in the back of their britches and run around the house neighing. This explains why I am forever running out of washcloths in the kitchen. When they turn into birds, they run and jump off of furniture while flapping bandanas in each hand. And they gather as many blankets and stuffed animals as possible to create nests in whichever corner of the house strikes their fowl fancy. Super heroes need capes, naturally. And dancers need fluffy skirts and "bootiful" music. Babies require much soothing and produce much squeaking/whining. I'm not overly fond of their baby sounds. Mommies need a baby to take care of (this one is always nice because I am required to lay on a bed and close my eyes). And when they pretend to be robots, it cracks me up and I try to get them to talk as much as possible because I find their robot accents hilarious.
When they go on an "adventure," there's no telling what they might need. But the constants are a hat, water bottle, and snacks. During these adventures they discover some interesting things. Like the fact that ghosts are real. And that they can catch them. And they're good. (Bonus!) They've also discovered that water balloons are actually alive. As are toys and stuffed animals. Many of these discoveries come when J jumps into their games. Which sometimes gives their imaginations new life, and sometimes derails them. I can always tell when J has gone too far when his little sisters start screaming and/or wailing.
I dragged them on a mini adventure when I heard about a pick your own tulip field semi-close to home. It was just too tempting to pass up. And besides, I need some kind of pictures of these two little sisters to put up in their room. The fairy decals on their walls now are starting to get to me. The hard part will come when I have to choose which photos to use.
B is often heard to refer to R as "my best friend in the whole wide werlerd." And these two little best friends have the best games in all the land.
When they pretend to be pirates, they both take one arm out of their shirt and shove it through the neck hole. I have no idea where this notion came from. When they're horsies, they get a washcloth and stick it in the back of their britches and run around the house neighing. This explains why I am forever running out of washcloths in the kitchen. When they turn into birds, they run and jump off of furniture while flapping bandanas in each hand. And they gather as many blankets and stuffed animals as possible to create nests in whichever corner of the house strikes their fowl fancy. Super heroes need capes, naturally. And dancers need fluffy skirts and "bootiful" music. Babies require much soothing and produce much squeaking/whining. I'm not overly fond of their baby sounds. Mommies need a baby to take care of (this one is always nice because I am required to lay on a bed and close my eyes). And when they pretend to be robots, it cracks me up and I try to get them to talk as much as possible because I find their robot accents hilarious.
When they go on an "adventure," there's no telling what they might need. But the constants are a hat, water bottle, and snacks. During these adventures they discover some interesting things. Like the fact that ghosts are real. And that they can catch them. And they're good. (Bonus!) They've also discovered that water balloons are actually alive. As are toys and stuffed animals. Many of these discoveries come when J jumps into their games. Which sometimes gives their imaginations new life, and sometimes derails them. I can always tell when J has gone too far when his little sisters start screaming and/or wailing.
I dragged them on a mini adventure when I heard about a pick your own tulip field semi-close to home. It was just too tempting to pass up. And besides, I need some kind of pictures of these two little sisters to put up in their room. The fairy decals on their walls now are starting to get to me. The hard part will come when I have to choose which photos to use.
Even though we've lived here for a year, we still marvel at how everything grows and thrives. And when I think of this, that song from Les Mis is sure to start floating around in my head. Storms bring growth. For people just as much as plants and flowers. And though I may not always feel grateful for the storms I find myself in the middle of, I do always appreciate what I learned while living through them.
But this is a post about my impish little girls, not about my emotional meanderings.
It makes me so happy that they have each other. That they are willing to indulge each other's eccentricities. When B wants to act like a baby tick (really, where would she get such a notion? Oh, wait, we live in tick heaven.), then R is right there to coddle her. When R wants to be a mermaid, B is more than happy to join her. And lately, pretending to be a mermaid hasn't been enough for B. She told me that she doesn't want to pretend. She wants to turn into a mermaid. I wish her luck with that one.
One day, a while back, she looked up at me and said, "Mama, you're weird." I laughed and replied, "No, baby, I'm not weird." She tilted her head and looked at me for a minute. Then she nodded and said, "Yeah. You are." I'm not exactly sure what she considers weird, but apparently it doesn't involve pretending to be ticks and spiders and robots and deer and adventurers and fairies. Because she does way more of that than me.
When R and B want to be fairies, they fight like monsters over the one pair of fairy wings we have in the house. But when they set up the doll dishes with water, they share like little angels. The good times, the bad times, the times in between; they are, and always will be, sisters.
Did I mention how I think sisters are amazing things?
Let's hope that they share that belief as their lives unfold. And that I can narrow down which pictures to put on their walls.
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