I wish I could accurately describe this special relationship – because I know years from now they’re both going to want to remember what it was like being the bookends of our family.
Hallie wanted so badly to have a sister. Each time we told her we were pregnant she hoped and prayed for a girl and each time she was in tears when she found out another little boy was joining our family. She even joined us at the ultrasound when we found out Briggs was a boy and right there in the tech room she broke down crying.
But Briggs came into our family and she warmed right up to him. Sure, she’ll never braid his hair, but she’s got a special connection with him. They’re buddies. All of our kids are, but these two are even more so. He lights up every time she walks in the door from school. He helps her make her lunch. He sits on her bed as she sits at her mirror and gets ready. When he has a bad dream, he doesn’t come downstairs – he goes next door and climbs in Hallie’s queen bed. And she is so good to him. She looks to include him whenever she can. And I have a camera roll of selfies just like this – the two of them.
I’m not sure exactly when it started but Briggs has a love for PJ Masks. Three little characters, 2 boys and a girl, that morph into super heroes: Cat Boy (blue), Gecco (Green) and Owlette (red). When Briggs first started preschool he had some rough mornings as he made his adjustment. Hallie was right there talking him through it and convincing him that Catboy can do anything. One day, they were getting Hallie’s lunch ready and Briggs was wearing blue and Hallie was wearing red and Briggs pointed out he was Catboy and Hallie was Owlette. That little interaction has turned into so much more as they refer to each other by those names.
Every single day when Briggs walks out the door for school, she yells “Bye Catboy!” Never failing his response back is, “Bye Owlette!”
I know before long that bit is going to fade. They’ll both grow older, lose interest in the show and it won’t be as cute. But something tells me Catboy or not – they’re bonded forever.
