Adorable Little Darlings!

While I did spend some time alone when I was away, a lot of time was also spent with my younger sisters! It gets very intense, but I'm still very happy about the connection I have with both of them - and they are great girls to be around!

The older one, 'M', turns 5 this summer, she has grown up sooo quickly! She's really smart, she can already write all the letter, and some words and names - I guess she really enjoys it now, which is why she's giving an effort to learn!
The younger, 'I', will be 2½ this summer, and I'm finally (better late than never??!) realizing she's not a baby any more! *lol* She's also really smart, she can do basic counting, which I think is amazing for someone turned 2 years old just 3½ months ago!!


We went to an Easter carnival, and the girls got to ride a carousel!! :)

For me personally, this trip has once and for all established a great bond with I, which I'm very happy about!!
I was around when 'M' was born, since it was mid-summer, and I was with her almost constantly the first month. I do believe that creates a strong bond, I think the first time of a newborn's life is very important that way! Ever since then, 'M' and I have had a very special connection, she's never ever been shy toward me, no matter how long ago it was I visited, and I have always been able to pick her up if she was sad, change her diaper when she was little, put her to sleep etc. (stuff that mostly parents do).

When 'I' came, it was a bit rough on the family. She was very sick as a young child, and quite a handful. The parents didn't quite know what to do and 'M' took the whole "getting a younger sister" not-so-great. She was very upset about this, so when I came to visit, I had to spend all my time with 'M'. Partly so she'd feel there was somebody there who only cared about her, and partly because 'M' was a bit jealous and didn't want me around 'I' ...
That meant I never really did bond with 'I', which I felt a bit upset about. It felt like 'M' was closer to me than 'I', and they are both my sisters, and they should be on equal terms.

I'm happy to say that this trip has set things straight 100%!! 'I' was not at all as shy and restricted as she has been before (she started preschool in January, I think that is an important factor), and she immediately let me get near her and be with her. 'M' was not at all so jealous and wanting to claim me for herself as before either, it was okay for me to do stuff with 'I' while 'M' was doing something else - and that would have been completely impossible a year ago!

I'm very happy to have this great connection to both the girls ... they actually both wanted me to be "their Jessica" ... both 'M' and 'I' went around saying "she's my Jessica", which almost ended in a fist fight between them! Luckily I could step in and say that since I actually am Jessica, I get to decide, and I want to be both 'M's and 'I's Jessica! :)



Riding their bicycles!

Another great thing that happened trip was that 'I' learned to say "Jessica" properly, she hasn't done that before! :) And it was 'M' who taught her!! *CUTE*
We spent a few days togheter, all of us, in the summerhouse, and there were some changes made in the sleeping arrangements. This meant that for the first time, the girls shared a bedroom (they've been sleeping together on vacations but never in the summerhouse). It was quite a bother to get them both to keep quiet at night, so they could fall asleep, but apparently, one morning, both girls stayed in bed, chatting and talking, and 'M' taught 'I' to say "Jessica". Are they adorable or what?! :)

I made a few scraps of fairly recent photos, I uploaded them in my Picasa Album. I don't want them to be public, as they have names and dates and places on them, but I'd like my friends to see them. If I have forgotten to send you an invite, please let me know and I'll get right on that! :) Comments are always appreciated! :)