Four Plus Four

Lily turned four today. The kids and I spent a little time tonight looking at photos taken four years ago today. When Lily was born, Hannah had recently turned four. Looking at photos of Hannah from then and looking at her now, well, it’s amazing how much she’s grown. She looks just the same, only bigger.

It’s also amazing that back then, Hannah was the same age Lily is today. Hannah is such a different little girl now. She’s just as energetic and creative as she was then, but she knows so much more and picks up on so much more. She has an emotional depth that she didn’t have back then. Being a big sister was new to her then, and she mostly didn’t know what to make of the role. It’s a huge part of her identity now.

Today, Lily’s birthday, was hard for her. She spent the day bouncing between altruism, trying to make the day the best it could be for Lily, and jealousy, trying to turn things back around to focus on her. As much as she loves her little sister–the one constant in her life these days–she’s still just eight.

I know some day in the future (probably when I’m the father of a 14-year-old and an 18-year-old), this day will seem like a distant memory. Lily’s birth already does. But for now, I’m cherishing these little girls.

Image: “Level 4,” Laurabot_, Flickr (CC)