Three Wheeling

I love this photo. The Muffin Man took it as the girls were settling in for a jog. Yes, it's my sweetie pies Evita and Pink tilting their little heads for the camera as if to state clearly we are cute and we know it. Now give us Dora The Explorer popsicles. But that is not the reason I love the picture.

I love it because they are close. Look at them all smooshed up next to each other in the double jogger/biker. Could you score a better hand-me-down gift that the double jogger/biker?

I love it because they really do enjoy being all smooshed up next to each other using the backyard bench cushion to pad their bony little butts. They share snacks, they pass water bottles back and forth and Ava will put her arm around Olivia and make sure she has her pink blanket when she gets tired. They really enjoy each other's company. Or perhaps Ava is always just so desperate for human companionship she is truly grateful for the warm body. Or maybe Livi just sees , ahhh big sister gawdess who has an uncanny ability to negotiate cookies from parents. But I'll take it, no matter the root cause or intention.

For right now it is sisterly bliss. Ava asks if Liv misses her when she comes home from preschool. She will push Liv around the backyard in this stroller stopping to attend to Liv's needs when she utters a groan. Liv in return will hold her hands up to Ava when she sees her stating, "PPPPPP". Which in Livi-ism means "Hi, Up pick me up."

It makes me wonder, when will the back biting, hair pulling, she got this and I want this start? I know at some point they will fight, tease, jab and cajole each other, all siblings do. But right now either they aren't sophisticated enough for the complexities of sisterly disfunctionality or maybe they are still young and sweet, bringing out the best in each other.

Either way, when they do decide to fight someday I'm holding on to this photo and this memory. I will use it to show them how sweet they are together.

These are the good old days. That's what I'll tell them.