Dear Hailey,

Dear Hailey,

I had so much fun visiting you last weekend! Especially when we went on the Merry-Go-Round at the mall. Twice. In six minutes. And I know it’s only been one week, but I already miss you more than the moon, Peanut, and I can’t wait to see you again!

I want you to know how proud I am that you are being such a good girl while your mommy’s belly continues to approach meteoric proportions. Are you excited to be a big sister? When Catie and Kelsey come, you’re not just going to be a big sister, your going to be the big sister!

Two little sisters is no small potatoes. Now, I know you are a very smart girl, –it’s not everyone who at the age of two years and seven months can write their own name using nothing but a Magnadoodle and ketchup– but I think it’s time I passed on the sisterhood history. A sistory, if you will.

As you may have not quite yet grasped, your very-pregnant mommy is my big sister –pun intended– and since you are going to be the big sister soon, I thought you might benefit from a few tried and true tips on how to be a good big sister.

1. Eat your Greens. Dog food might smell great...Dog food might taste great, but it is not for giving to your little sister(s) no matter how much it looks like Coco Puffs. Wouldn’t you rather feed them some broccoli stems? Or how about some nice asparagus!? Mmmmmm!

2. Socks not Rocks. In the very near future you will most likely be trained by your devilishly clever parents in the ill-favored Davis-Girl-skill of Laundry. But when it comes time to wash, rinse, repeat, fluff, snap, dry, and fold, please, don’t throw balls of socks for Catie or Kelsey to catch. Even if it is in jest. Do you have any idea how much those black and grey tube socks look like rocks? In a certain light, even argyle can play with your mind. It’s just scary, so, please, NO socks-throwing. Or throwing of anything for that matter. Unless it’s a Frisbee. And you’re outdoors. Or indoors.

3. Sharing means Caring. I know you’ve heard this before, but I cannot tell you how important this one is, Hailey. In a year’s time, your little sisters will be in love with EVERYTHING you use, wear, touch, eat, poop, and look at. Just please use a little more discretion than your mommy did in which you decide to let them have.

4. Patience is a Virtue. For the next few months eighteen years, your house is going to be what we in the “real world” call busy-busy --a word here meaning: twice as much crying, whining, complaining, tooting, stinking, and tantrum-throwing. And when this does happen, just ask your parents to chill out, especially if the twins are sleeping.

5. Hugs not bugs. When Catie and Kelsey get here, it’s going to be very warm outside and everyone knows that ants and bugs love being inside to find yummy crumbs. Please don’t feed either to your sisters. Or vice versa.

6. Keep Quiet. When we were little, your mommy and I used to disagree on a few silly things, like: whose crayons were whose; whose turn it was to use the remote control; the State of the Union, etc... But in the end, we did what any reasonable and mature 9 and 12 year-olds would do: we pinched. we held hands and talked it through. And if that didn’t work, we’d scream come to an involuntary 3^rd-party compromise. And while standing in our respective corners, passersby who were so inclined to turn up thier hearing aids, would have heard barely audible taunts flowing back and forth:

Erica: Nerd.

Morgan: Twit.

E: Booger brain.

M: Dillweed.

E: I already said that.

M: Did not.

E: Did too.

M: Did not!

E: Did too!

M: Did too.

E: Stop copying me.

M: Stop copying me.

So if you do feel like you have something to say, but you’re not sure you should say it and you don’t want to get into trouble for saying it, just say it in a little quiet voice like this so no one can really hear you.

7. Lead by Example. Catie and Kelsey are going to be watching you, learning from you. But I’ll eat my hat if they ever listen to a word you or your parents say. So be mindful of what you do, how you walk, where you go, and what you touch, because they’ll be watching. Always watching. And if they see you sharing your toys with Brooke, they’ll do that. If they see you slipping Ashley a fiver to your laundry chores, they’ll do that. Except that they’ll pool their money so then Ashley has twice as much profit from doing half as much laundry since being the youngest AND twins they’ll share all the hand-me-downs, anyway. Not that I didn’t love me some hand me downs! Who said your Pina doesn’t have style. Back in ‘86 brown leaf-print cords were IN!

8. Share your Feelings. Creepy as 12ft singing dinosaurs are, that Barney guy knows what he’s talking about. I for one, don’t know why Fraggle Rock isn’t still on. It’s not like the Fraggles didn’t have important lessons to teach us. I know what you’re thinking, Hailey, and yes, when Jim Henson created Fraggle Rock, his goal was to teach both kids and parents that if the Fraggles could laugh at their own mistakes, or overcome their squabbles with those they cared about, then hopefully people could learn the same thing. And that still rings true today. Everything you feel now is precious and important. When your sisters do come, you are going to have a lot of feelings. Sometimes you’ll be happy. Sometimes you’ll be sad. Sometimes you’ll be frustrated. And that’s OK! Tell a grown-up or someone else bigger than you about these feelings.

Unless it’s a 12ft talking dinosaur. I don’t want you talking to any fat dinosaurs. Capisce?

In closing, before I was born, your mommy was the youngest, just like you are the youngest now. Then, when I was born, I was the youngest and got away with everything. When Catie and Kelsey arrive, they will be the youngest and will always stay that way until your identical triplet brothers are conceived.

Love to the moon and back,

Pina

This entry was brought to you today
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