A Bond Between a Brother and Sister

I always knew I wanted my children close in age.  I wanted them to be able to experience the same things around the same times, go through a stage with one and then again with the other right after. I know that once they are in school we will likely be learning the same things at the same time and they will share a lot of the same friends. But, it's more than that, much more.

I wanted my children to be close. I wanted them to grow up as friends and remain close friends. See, I don't really have that. I have one brother who is four years older. Now, that isn't a huge age gap, but it is enough that we didn't run around in the same circles or have the same hobbies. We are as different as night and day. We weren't what you would call friends, sure we loved each other, but we weren't close. Now that we are older we are much closer and get along, but when I was younger I longed to have a close sibling relationship.

I have loved every second of watching the bond form and strengthen over time with my children. It gives me so much joy to witness the little moments and tender exchanges between the two when they think no one is watching. They are fiercely protective of one another and really have become friends now that Kendra is a bit older.

First time holding his sissy

Even though Kendra is younger (by 16 months) she has taken on the role of mother hen with Jaxson. If he is upset about something she is the one to try to console him. If he is angry with me for scolding him or taking away a privelage she lets me have it (no joke...and then she ends up in trouble). If they are fighting over a toy she usually concedes and lets him have his way(we are working on this).
A perfect example of her instincts to "mother" him was last week when he went in for his haircut. He has this very irrational fear of having his hair cut. My mother in law is the one who does it and he is generally very unruly, which is a nice way of putting it. He kicks, cries, screams and runs away and hides. It usually takes 30 minutes of coaxing him and of me almost pulling my hair out. This time he was upset and he climbed onto Kendra's lap. Obviously he is bigger and was half hanging off the chair. She wrapped her little arms around him and stroked his hair, all while rubbing his back and telling him it was okay. She told him to be brave and that she would get her hair cut for him (sorry it doesn't work that way). It brought tears to my eyes to witness such a sweet and loving encounter.

He ended up hiding under a table in the back room and the only person he would let near him was Kendra. So, I had to pretend she was cutting his hair in the back.

Sidenote here:Please don't be thinking that I am traumatizing my child here. He can't not get his hair cut and I can not give in to his tantrums and bad behavior by not getting it cut. He needs to learn that it is a part of life and that he needs to calm down and do it. Believe me, there have been times that I have wanted to throw my hands up and let him grow his hair long. But, he always calms down  and he likes it when it is done and is so proud of it. So, we will continue to work on it.

I guess what I am trying to say is that I can already tell that they are going to be best friends. They greet each other with hugs and kisses each morning and cuddle together every night. Now, I know it won't stay like this forever, but I am hopeful that the bond that they are forming now will last a lifetime.