Irelyn & Ellie, the smack down!

I’ve always wanted a big family. I daydream about baking bread, growing green beans, raising chickens and having a gaggle of kids. Then I wake up, remember that I live in Orange County where green bean growing and chicken raising doesn’t really happen and remind myself of the real world I live in. I’ve always been realistic when it comes to family size. As much as I want a bunch of kids, the truth of the matter is that  having more than two really isn’t in the cards for Scott and I.

I think siblings are the best. My brother and I are almost seven years apart in age and while we’re very different people we are very close. He’s honestly one of my best friends. He understands me in a way nobody (not even my husband) can. He remembers the snotty whiny girl called Sissy and he loves me. After having Irelyn I just couldn’t imagine NOT giving her a sibling. When my mom is gone, I like to think I’ll still have my brother. If God forbid anything happens to Scott and me, I’ll take comfort knowing that my girls will always have each other.
I love watching my children interact with each other. The first person Irelyn wants to talk to every morning is Ellie. She’ll walk into the living room and squeal, “Hi Ellie!!!” and then Ellie’s face lights up. Irelyn gives Ellie a hug and Ellie gives her big wet open mouth kisses back. When Irelyn is away from Ellie for a couple of hours she’ll randomly look up at the adult she’s with and say, “I miss Baby Ellie” and then she’ll insist that its time to go home. She even said this to me when we were at Disneyland on date! I was like, “You want to leave Disneyland?!” She looked at me, shook her head and said, “Baby Ellie needs me and I miss by sister!” So um, yeah…we left and went home.

Earlier this evening I witnessed the funniest exchange. Ellie was in her jumper and Irelyn was listening to Johnny Cash on her cd player (what can I say, the kid has good taste). Irelyn walked over to Ellie and the next thing I know Ellie is SOBBING! I knew immediately that Irelyn had done something, but I wasn’t sure what. Irelyn looked at me with fear, runs over to her sister and starts kissing Ellie all over telling her, “I love you Baby Ellie! I love you! I’m sorry! I’m sorry, please don’t cry Baby Ellie!” Ellie stopped crying and starting cheering up. Irelyn was still tore up about it all though. I asked Irelyn what she did and she put her head and looked embarrassed. She then walked out of the living room and put herself into timeout!

She sat in her time out chair for about 5 minutes or so…got up and said she was all better now. I asked her if she did something to her sister, she said yes, but that she didn’t want to talk about it. I asked her if she was going to do it again, and she was like, “No, I don’t like to see Baby Ellie cry.” Later it came out that Irelyn swatted Ellie on the head. She says she didn’t think it would hurt Ellie and that she’s unsure why she did it in the first place. The look on Irelyn's face during all of this was priceless!

Oh, the joys of having kids! Made for good evening entertainment! =)