2 & 2

So Olivia is now 2 years and 2 months old. She is almost the EXACT age that I was when my sister was born. My mom actually wanted my sister and I to be closer in age than we are, more like 18 months apart I think. She wanted us to be able to grow up together, play together, do everything together. And we did, for the most part. I have great memories of us playing dolls, Barbies, "Little House on the Prairie" (ha!), dress up... we had such great fun together. We used to wish we were twins so we could be in the same grade! haha :) I really enjoyed growing up with her and cherish the memories we made together. I still love her to death - good way to put it too, since when she was born, I loved her so much (or maybe despised her at the time LOL) that I would squeeze her so hard that she couldn't breathe! I don't think my mom EVER left us alone together for fear I would suffocate her... but it really was mostly out of love.

Now that Olivia is two, I couldn't imagine imagine having another baby right now! I don't see how my mom did it... and my sister was also in the hospital for a week after she was born with a virus - with a two yr old at home. I am sure it was really hard, but she wanted us to be able to have each other so she chose to have us close. (And the fact that my dad thought he was too old to wait much longer. He turned 40 the day my mom told him she was pregnant with Becca). I thank my mom (& dad) for my sister and I being so close.

On the other hand, I so badly want Olivia to have a close sibling (sister, specifically) to grow up with. I want her to have what I got to have with Becca. It really makes me so sad that she won't have that. We won't be having any more children for a VERY long time (if ever) - so I guess I will be her playmate, secret sharer, and trusted confidante... if she'll let me :) I don't think I'll amount to what Becca was - but I'll sure try!

Me & Becca when we were little

Oh yeah, and "Little House on the Prairie" was where we stacked all of our mattresses from our beds up (we each had a daybed, with a trundle) and pretended it was our wagon. They we dressed up and got our babies and traveled in our wagon across the United States to settle land west of the Mississippi... what can I say? She's creative.