More excerpts from my mommy heart...

My sweet babies (who really aren't "babies" anymore),

This is, so often, how I find the two of you in the quietest moments of our day. Whether it's the early morning hours when Lollie is still in bed (often taking in the rest of her night's sleep after being up for hours) and Bubba crawls up next to her, or in the late afternoon following Bubba's nap, you always like to be close to each other and cuddle.

This picture was taken after Preston awoke from his nap two Fridays ago... following the "all about him" day with Mommy and Daddy. You guys missed each other so much and Daddy and I delighted in how excited you were to see one another. Preston's first word upon awaking was (his version of) Gracie's name and Gracie had been signing "Preston" (the only name she regularly signs) since discovering him napping up on the couch. When she saw he was awake, she signed "up" as in, "I want up with him NOW!"

As your Mommy, I am amazed by your connection - - not surprised - - just truly amazed. Your "secret language" has continued to develop and I still have not been given the rights to the "decoder ring." And, even though I wish I knew exactly what you were "saying" to each other, it's perhaps even more magical to not know for sure. You laugh when the other laughs, you will sometimes cry if the other is crying really hard, you love to copy each other - - whether in gestures or now, much to my delight, signs. And, like siblings do, you have your moments when you are not so thrilled with each other.

Preston, you still use your sissy as a step, a trampoline and target practice - - but it's not so much in malice toward her, rather testing Daddy and me. This makes it challenging to leave you two out of arm's reach for more than a second for fear of what "brotherly love" you might exert upon your sister. You are the master at apologizing and if she's not sitting up, you kneel down way low, lean in to her left side (her sighted eye) and sign a giant "sorry" and "hurt" while saying it, too. Usually, though, when we do turn our backs for a second, we see what's captured in the photo above - - and not the naughtiness.

Preston, I love that every chance you get, you are giving Gracie a play-by-play of what you see, especially when we're driving. "Dee Dee, yuk... airpane!" (Gracie, look... airplane!) "Dee Dee, yuk... big tuck (truck)!" I am amazed by your vocabulary, your ability to put together four and five word sentences with adjectives, no less. You tell all of us (anyone who will listen!) the size and color of the things you see. Just the other day, and we STILL don't know where you learned this - - unless you remember from last summer - - "Yuk Momma, yady bug... watch yady bug! Red yady bug!" And then, when we saw another one that was dying (I think that she got stepped on by accident...), I told you that she was hurt and you said, "Orwry (sorry) yady bug, seepy (sleepy) yady bug." As much as you love telling any of us who can hear you, you love trying to tell your sister even more. You practically yell, hoping (I think) that she'll hear you and you naturally remember to sign for her, too.
"Yuk, Dee Dee, pot!" You pointed up and signed "stop" at the stop sign while being pulled in the wagon, again, blowing my mind at what you know and articulate, and warming my heart to no end that you want your sister to see and know, too.

And sweet Gracie - - you aren't all that innocent when it comes to naughtiness... it's just more gentle-natured! You constantly want to interrupt your brother's sleep! Any chance you get to steam roll over him when he's resting, you take it! It's funny, really, because it's as though you know that you can get even for the "brutality" that you take from him! He's asleep, and therefore, you have the upper hand! For you, though, steamrolling is just a way to get extra close and "examine" him. You stare at him, touch his hair, play with his hands and his feet. Watching you watch your brother sleep (and watching him actually sleep through it all) is one of my most favorite things to do. You are completely mesmerized by your sleeping brother and, I imagine (just as I am sometimes), you are a bit relieved some days when he does finally give in to a nap!

As your mommy, it is my greatest wish that you continue to love each other this much and more... that your secret language continues to develop... that you find joy in one another... that you are kind to each other...
I am your mommy... but in your sibling world, I am just the quiet observer - - awestruck, proud, sometimes exasperated :) and most of all, completely in love with the love you two share.