Siblings

Before M was born, I went to the store to buy her a blanket. It was pretty much the only thing I bought her. Everything else she would inherit from E. I looked and looked for the perfect blanket. It needed to be the right kind of soft. It needed to be different from E's pink blanket. It needed to be something she could drag around with her until I insisted it was disgusting and "lost" it.

I picked a magenta minkie blanket with silky edges.

I hung it on her crib and waited for her to love it.

Of course, M only ever touched that blanket when she was an infant and had no decision-making power of her own. Since then it has languished in the linen closet (along with the red blanket I made for E before she was born).

Instead, M waited until she was almost a year old to attach herself to a yellow receiving blanket my mother had acquired from who knows where. This blanket has old paint stains on it (hopefully not lead based) and ugly patterns of strange looking giraffes.

It is the only blanket M likes.

So, when I became pregnant with GQ, I contained myself and bought no blankets.

Instead, we wrapped him in boy-colored blankets from Emily and sometimes used pink ones when those were dirty. Now that he is no longer bundled at night, I try to give him one soft blanket in his bed, usually a white or green one (purchased as replacements for E's blanket. I couldn't find pink and thought she wouldn't mind... ha ha).

Just recently, GQ picked the blanket he liked most.

It is dusty pink and worn around the edges.

He will cross the room to get it, and then roll around in it until it is wrapped around his little body.

He loves it the way M loves her yellow blankie.

He loves it the way E loves her pink blankie.

In fact, his love is just a little too similar to E's.

Because, you see, GQ has chosen E's pink blanket as his favorite.

As you can guess, this is somewhat problematic.

E is NOT a fan of this development.

When GQ gets her blanket she screams at high levels in high pitches and has mini fits.

I think GQ will have to reconsider.

*****

Yesterday in the car:

E: Before M was born it was just me and you guys, and we went on lots of fun trips.
Dad: Yes, but don't you like it better with M?
E: Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
Dad: Never mind.
Mom: I know you like it better with M because you are always happy when she wakes up from her nap. You are excited to play with her.
E: Yes, I like her. And she doesn't hit me as much anymore.