Sisters, Part II

So my last post was about the fights the girls have, but they aren't always like that. It's been a lot of fun for me to watch Ella and Lily be sisters. They've shared a room since Lily was a baby, and a common bed-time threat is that we'll separate them if they don't settle down. For both, being separated is a real punishment, even when they don't like each other. Today they were fighting in the car, and I told Lily she had to go to her room when we got home while Ella did her school work. Lily started crying that being in her room wasn't any fun without Ella. Ella volunteered to keep her company, but I think that was just to get out of doing school work.

I went to Ikea this past week and bought the girls a little pop-up tent for their room. They've been using it as a clubhouse ever since. As soon as I set it up, they started begging to have a slumber party together in it. I made them wait until the weekend, which just built the anticipation. Saturday night I got them all settled in with books, blankets and a flash light. I was working at the computer and could hear giggles and laughing. It was fun to listen to them having fun. Unfortunately, it only lasted for about an hour before they started arguing over who had more covers and who was touching whom. But as much as they were arguing with each other, they joined forces against me when I made them get into their beds.

Tonight I told them they could read in bed with the lights on for 10 minutes. I went in to check on them after a while, and they were both in Lily's bed, leaning against lots of pillows, with Ella reading a Blue's Clues story to Lily. It was so sweet that I wanted to cry. Ella feels very big being in charge of reading to Lily (provided it's her idea, not mine), and Lily loves the positive attention from Ella. And I love seeing them together like that.

My friend Shelly once described her brothers as her first best friends. I think when Ella and Lily get older, much older, that's how they'll remember each other. At least I hope so.