I ran into a lady at the library today. Another mom. She was chatty (as a lot of stay at home moms are--I mean you can only be so entertained by the semblance of adult conversation from Facebook). It was sweet because she could only see Olive, who's now fourteen months, and she was warning me about not blinking because they grow so fast. I hinted to my own experience with my three and a half year old and we agreed that it just goes too fast. The baby years--well, that's just it. They aren't years at all. They are a few days inside of a few weeks all tucked into twelve months or less. She marveled at my having two and one on the way and how hard that must be. But I let her in on my big secret: two is WAY easier than one!
At least with my sweet girls, they adore each other. They wake up searching for each other, start their day off with kisses (Olive does an excellent MUAH) and spend their morning chasing each other, feeding each other, trying to flip each other... Okay so it's not all a walk in the park. They can't be left alone for long (Dia literally said, "Ok, Olive. Now for my magical trick: I'm going to flip you on my back!" Yes, I came running.). But if you've ever noticed, those library story times and gym play times are usually filled with only children or the younger siblings of the now school-aged children. I mean, you've got to stimulate and entertain these little ones somehow. And it's like I've got my own little play group at home. And I imagine number three will officially make me feel like a group leader, I think.
There is no way I could have imagined the pure joy that Olive has brought to our life. And just like with India, Rory and I look at each other and literally get teary-eyed just looking at Olive. She is fiesty, friendly and incredibly bright. She is first an observer. But it doesn't take her long to watch and then imitate. And she does it all very, very well. She is a blessing to her big sister and all her know her. And she herself is blessed to not just have entered the lives of her two adoring parents, but to also have been born under the care and fascination of her doting big sister. A family is a beautiful and unique creation. There is not one like another and there is nothing else on earth like it. A lot of imitations, but to have a real honest to goodness loving family is the greatest accomplishment of my life. And as I prepare to turn thirty next week, I can't ask for anything more. Sure that half-marathon still calls. And my career is still on hold. But this family is my opus, right here and right now. And here we continue to expand it... Because it really does go so fast and it really is worth savoring.
