The Big Sister

My firstborn, my lovely Faire, is quite the character.

She is such a mix of different family members. Everyone says she looks like me, although I see her Dad in her. She is so tall, slim, with pale-blonde hair and pale-blue eyes. And his great butt, if I'm being totally honest here. She has amazing dancing skills. It astounds me because she hasn't had any dance lessons and we don't have cable (and therefore, MuchMusic) so where did she learn this?? I think it is in her genes, passed down from my sister somehow. My sister is a very good dancer.

Faire's grandma Marilyn has Swedish blood, and Faire has inherited every last drop of it, I think. Hence, she is on an ABBA kick right now that is equally fascinating us and driving us insane. You really can only hear ABBA songs (any of them) a few times repeated before you need a break. Not so with Faire. She knows the track numbers of her favourite songs and just repeats them, over and over and over and over...I am not exagerating here. I have heard "Lay All Your Love On Me" many more times than one single person should have to over their entire lifetime, and this has only been since Christmas (my fault, since I bought her the CD). She drags the speakers into whatever room we are in, so it's just that extra bit louder for us (in case we can't quite hear it at 10 decibles!) and dances on the coffee table so she can watch herself in the mirror over the fireplace. She now has her wee sister involved. Little Isla, who has only a few words, says "ABBA", "I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do", "Super Trouper", "Mamma Mia" and shakes her baby butt as she sings in gibberish to the tune I swear is "Lay All Your Love On Me". What's next?

However, despite all the craziness of the ABBA-overload, Faire is such a gem. I tell everyone that the best way to raise three children is to have a firstborn daughter who is at least 5 years old when the third child comes along. They are great help, I must say. But I believe Faire was born to be a big sister. She has never had a moment of anger/jealousy/acting out about these new siblings we've bestowed upon her. And her brother Shea came when she was only 19 and a half months old. Isla's age. I've been thinking of Faire so often lately because when I look at Isla, I can't imagine her accepting a new baby in the family, and becoming a big sister. I don't think I did it half as well when I became a big sister at the same age. Not according to my mom, at any rate! But Faire, at 19 and a half months, did it with ease. He was born at home, and she drew a picture for him in the next room, and said "Baby!" when she heard his first cry. She has smiled at him every day since. What a blessing for him, and Isla.

And me.