You are, and always will be each others best friends. I want my children to hear this. Because hearing it might make them realize the truth of it.
When I was pregnant with Josh I thought he was a girl. He wasn’t.
When I was pregnant with Anna I wanted her to be a boy. She wasn’t.
When I was pregnant with Max I wanted him to be a girl. But by now I knew my body well enough to know that he wasn’t.
I wanted same gender siblings close together, like me and my sisters. Like Justin and his brothers. This was not my plan. But it is my life, and I love it.Max follows Josh around like a shadow. Josh adores his shadow. The age difference allows them to dress in matching clothes without Josh being embarrassed. It allows Josh’s friends to see Max as cute, and only rarely annoying.
Josh solemnly listens as Max details his troubles at school one morning.
“They said they don’t want to be my friends anymore.” Max said snuggled on my lap, his lip sticking out, his eyes sad.
“What I would do….” Josh gave a detailed explanation that was way over Max’s head.
“Who’s your best friend?” I asked.
“Josh… and Mom… and Dad… and Anna.” replied Max. His smile appearing and then growing.
“Right.” He ran off with Josh. Max is big enough to go on adventures, and Josh is old enough to take care of him on those adventures. Max has started sleeping in Josh’s room most nights. It’s a balancing act. Josh likes to read, he stays up a little later. But it solves both of their sleep problems. No more footsteps on the stairs at 10:30 and “I can’t sleeps” from Josh. No more brown eyes close to my face at 6 am. Max doesn’t even need his treasured blankie, his fingers rubbing his “corner” as he drifts into dreamland.
Not my plan. Someone else knew better what child to send when.