Sister Act

In the late afternoon on November 18th, Nonnie went and picked Emery up from school to come up to the hospital to meet her little sister.  The introduction was a moment that I'd been anticipating from the second I found out I was pregnant, and even more so when I found out that Bucket was a girl.  I've always been so grateful for the siblings my parents gifted me and I pray that my girls feel the same way.

Given her age and how well I know my little boog, I have to admit that I was slightly worried.  (Slightly might be an understatement.)  Sure, I had no doubt that she loooooved herself some baby as noted in her 18 month post, I just wasn't sure how she would feel about the screaming variety as opposed to the type you put in a bucket.  I figured any screaming she would have to endure would just be karma though. My main concern was how she would handle sharing "her people."  Emery had grown attached to "her" support system over her 20 month reign as queen of the Martin household.

Luckily from the second she walked into that hospital room door Emery has been VERY excited about "da bebe" (she has yet to adopt calling her sister or Brynn even as I sit here writing this a month later).  She loves looking at bebe and pointing her out to people.  She loves to show you, and bring you, the things that belong to bebe.  However, as I suspected, she does NOT like when one of "her people" picks bebe up.  The first few times that happened Emery launched into an Oscar-winning fit that was more than a little heart wrenching.  Over time, thankfully, this has subsided.  Are things perfect?  Definitely not but there are more aww-inducing moments than "omg-do-I-need-to-give-one-away" incidents.

I remember the first time I watched Ryan hold Emery, and then again with Brynn, thinking that my heart could not possibly feel any more full.  It turns out I was wrong.  Watching my girls together, even if one or both or screaming, truly takes the cake.  There is something so indescribably special about knowing that she has a built-in best friend.  I feel confident that one day these two will grow to love each other as much, and share the same type of bond, that I do with my own sister.  Hopefully they will look back on these pictures with as much pride and joy in their hearts as I do knowing that this is where it all began.

This was the first look Emery got at Brynn.  Please note the size of that beam.

This is a familiar sight around here - Emery pointing and saying "bebe!"

Just 2 mamas with their girl(s).

Emery is probably telling Aunt Googoo she better not dare touch that baby.

She reallllly wanted to hold baby.  Unfortunately her idea of holding is aggressively showing us Brynn's "mouth," "nowse," and "eeeyes."  It's a wonder Brynn still has both eyes at this point.

Not a great picture of any of us but man do I love it anyway.  (P.S. When Emery came home from school with that scratch on Monday I told Ryan that it was a sure sign I'd have the baby the next day so that it would be forever immortalized in pictures.  Turns out I was totally right.)

Brynn brought her big sister a present- a crawling Minnie and a book about sisters.

You know.  Just hanging out in bed with Minnie.

Popping a squat...

.... and subsequently making everyone else follow suit.  It may have been Brynn's day but Emery was the dictator.

That's a wrap.  Did I mention this was (tied for) the best day of my life?