Sharing -- In Absentia, & a Work of Art

This evening, Megan and I ran to the store for a few things, while Daddy and Kayla stayed home.  Their birthday is fast approaching, so I made a detour down the toy aisle.  Megan's eyes lit up when she saw some stuffed animals, reaching for them, to no avail.  Mommy knows better than to get too close to things. 

But when we passed by a display of baby bottles, and she got excited about the bottles, Mommy stopped.  They were just cheap little baby bottles -- filled with colored liquid that "disappears" when you turn the bottle upside down and the dolly "drinks" it. They even came in pink and purple.

 "Juice! Juice!"  Megan insisted, pointing, bright eyed and with a big smile.  I explained they were baby bottles for doll babies.  She quickly mimicked "Doll baby bottle" to the best of her ability, followed by "pease, pease!" accompanied by the sign for "please", quite insistantly.  Mommy caved.   But not to play favorites, we got one for Kayla, too.

Throughout the store, she had one in hand at all times.  Then she'd want to trade it out for the other one in the basket of the cart, and mommy obliged.  She started sucking on them -- so I reminded her they were doll baby bottles, one was for her, and one for Kayla.  She repeated several times, "doll baby bottle" as best she could, several times, clutching both of them tightly.

Suddenly, the wheels turned in her little head, and she thrust her little arm out back and to the side, holding one doll baby bottle out behind her, and yelled loudly, "Daaaaahhhh"  (which translated, is "Kaaayyyyllaaaaa").   Then she looked around.   "Kayla's not here, sweetie, she's at home".  She called out, waving the bottle, "Daaaaahhhh!! --- Daaaahhh!"    as if Kayla would magically appear.

Once again, I told her, "Kayla's not here, sweetie, she's at home"  this time adding, "with Daddy."  Megan thought about it only a moment before she waved the bottle again, this time, yelling, "Daddy!" 

Obviously, no one appeared, but Mommy told her we'd give it to Kayla at home, and that we'd go home in a few minutes -- then promptly distracted her with some odd grocery item.  

Nothing better than sharing with your sister -- even when she isn't there!

Meanwhile, at home, Kayla and Daddy had their own fun.  When I came in the door with Megan and groceries, Daddy and Kayla met me there.  Kayla had a paper in her hand, but when Megan came in with a baby bottle, they both ran off to the living room together.  Daddy helped unload the groceries while I gave Megan the second baby bottle, which she promptly gave to Kayla. 

Daddy reminded Kayla about her paper, and she picked it back up and ran over to me with it.  While I was gone, Kayla had spotted the crayons on the counter, and Daddy let her color me a picture!

The first pictures they colored went into the keepsake box.  This one?  Straight to the kitchen 'fridge door!

The girls insisted on taking the bottles into their bath with them.  When Daddy took them away so he could dry them off, there were tears.  And after they were in their pajamas, and we went back to get the bottles -- they both yelled "doll baby bottles!" repeatedly while taking them out into the living room.  Best $3 and change I ever spent.

Little things like these remind me how blessed we are to have these two precious girls!