Sister Act

I always wanted an older sister. Someone to teach me about makeup and hairstyles. Someone to borrow clothes from. Someone to discuss boys and friends and peer pressure. Someone to be my cheerleader in life.

Granted, even if I had an older sister, it's no guarantee that she would have been any of those things to me - I really wasn't to my younger sister until much later on in life. Even then, she's the one I turn to for fashion advice! Love you, Cargs!

Boo loves her little sister, Diddles. Sometimes a little too much. She's a real hands-on girl, and cannot resist patting her back, tugging her leg and kissing her cheek "in passing". We've struggled with reminding Boo that although she is a "big" sister, that does not equate to her being able to lift her into the air or to stand up and walk around with her little sister. Boo disagrees. (sigh)

Yesterday we ventured off to the doctor for Diddle's four-month checkup. Yes, she's now six months - we're behind. I hauled the other two kids with me with instructions that Diddles was the one with the doctor's appointment, YES, she would be getting shots, and that they would need to behave themselves and "be brave" big siblings and help out as much as they could.

Diddles started fussing with the head measurements and Yaks said, "It's okay, Dids, it's just a tape measure, like the tape measure I have at home." Adorable. Boo on the other hand burst into tears. The nurse and I asked her what was wrong: "I'm just so worried about the shot!" (sob, sob, sob). You may well remember her last experience with shots. We tried reasoning. I tried shooting her scolding glances. It just got worse and worse and worse. "She's gonna cry! It's gonna hurt!" Tears were streaming down her face, and I was dealing with two crying girls! Yaks said it best, "Why is everyone crying?" In hindsight I was grateful that Yaks kept his cool and didn't follow through with his threats to use his sword like last time.

When it was finally time for them to administer the shots, I thought it best to just remove Boo from the room completely. She was just becoming more and more distressed. I had her stand in the hallway and cover her ears. We held Diddles down and after two pricks a little cry and a couple band-aids (which I saw Yaks eying covetously), all was well. The nurses outside the room were consoling Boo, and casting me scolding glances - why are you bringing all of your kids to this exam? Why did you send your crying child into the hallway alone? My "helpers" each got stickers. Yaks asked for a lollipop, which they didn't have.

I guess I should have been glad that Diddles has a big sister who cares about her overall well-being. Happy that she's got a sister who is empathetic. Maybe one day they will shed tears over one another's sorrows and heartaches. Perhaps the day will come when Diddles will be need to be the shoulder for Boo to lean upon. Only time will tell. In the meantime, I'm just glad they've got eachother.