When Coco was born I was bleary eyed for most of her babyhood. I’m not going to lie, there was a guilt that washed over me the minute she was born that I didn’t feel with my older boys. I knew I would be chasing those boys around when I got home, stopping occasionally to nurse Caroline. I knew there would be plenty of love to go around, but would there be enough time? After all, Russell was not yet three, George was a baby himself, and we were living with my Mom and looking for our home. Bringing home a newborn is hectic under any circumstances, but bringing home our baby girl was a whirlwind.
It was as if I blinked and she turned ONE.
In the beginning, I was kind of sad that she had missed the cut off for beginning school. At least then she would be in on the fun with the boys. I saw them bonding in preschool and making the same friends and looking on as they were achieving milestones together because they were back to back in school, and I wanted Coco to share in that fun with them. My three stair step kids are all very close in age, but I couldn’t help but feel that the one year gap in school would kind of make Coco feel left out. Not to mention there is a gender difference, boys share a room, and this was just another thing that would just kind of leave her out of the mix. As a youngest child myself, I know that feeling all too well.
It is no fun to be left behind.
However, when the boys were at school, I noticed all the little things my girl and I were getting to do together. Just us. We had time to eat breakfast together, run errands, go to the park and make play dates. Just us. It was as if I was getting the chance to spend extra minutes with her that were missed when she was a wee one.
It then occurred to me that I had another lady in the house with me, and I had extra time just with her. So, while the boys are in school, and for the next two years while they are in “big kid” school and she is only attending half day preschool, her and I have plenty of time for fun girly activities. Activities like afternoon tea, painting our nails, playing dollies, and making beaded bracelets.
A few months ago, I found a huge bag of larger beads on sale and I thought they would be fun for stringing. After a few attempts at stringing them with yarn, I realized that for Coco’s age, it was too hard, so we started stringing the beads onto pipe cleaners and making bracelets, necklaces, tiaras, whatever struck our fancy. This is one of those activities that is cheap, age appropriate, and is conducive to girl chat.
Sometimes, I know Coco squeezes the boys extra tight in the morning before they leave for school because she misses her playmates, and I cannot help but feel a little sad of her. However, I get out the beads, and I know that I am thankful for this time that we have together.
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