A Woman's Domain?

It's tempting to dive into anthropological references when making note on Anna and Baylor's progression toward bonding as a family of six -- relating to their new brothers and especially to each other  .  .  .  the protection of the turf with subtle, sly surveillance and polite, private requests for help from Mom in safeguarding personal spaces both physical and psychological (desks, towel hooks, favorite seats in the van, having Mom's attention...), whereas the boys hug, argue, laugh, flat-out tattle in bold fashion, and are as comfortable together as, well, nearly twins.  To pin the gals' path of growth on the feminine is probably too simplistic; there's likely somethings to do with a larger age gap between them, and birth order independent of that, and personality.  And probably a lot to do, yes, with gender -- those learned patterns of behavior that have a tendency to differentiate the manifestation of power plays between boys and those between girls.

Anyway, the point of this post is to celebrate big fat happy times.  Upon heading upstairs to pick out and iron my clothes for tomorrow, I overhead the girls -- in the bathroom -- at the same time.  Talking and laughing and helping one another with hair, and deciding to wear matching pajamas.  Not that they haven't laughed and helped each other before, or been in the bathroom at the same time, or wore similar clothing, but that all three sisterly things were coinciding entirely at their own doing and with a fervor of energetic altruism toward each other.  Bay couldn't help but sneak out to report excitedly to me, "Mom, we've decided to have fun together and that we are DONE fighting."  (And not that they really fought, but as of late there have been more intense patrols of their territory and petty reports as result.)  And off she scampered for Big Sis' to do a fab zig-zag part in her newly-shampooed hair.

And this brings me back to a watershed moment this summer that I've yet to report here for friends and fam -- a letter Bay wrote to her three sibs, which she read aloud to them "wedding toast style" in the middle of the kitchen.  With Baylor's permission, I print it here (w/ her "2nd grade grammar" unedited): 

"Dear Hunter, Anna, & Jameson, I love having you guys as brothers & sister!  Anna - Dear Anna, I love having you as a sister!  And I hope we become closer sisters!  And Anna, some time, could you teach me how to draw just like you?  Just write back to me saying yes or no!  Hunter -- Dear Hunter Even though I've had you along time for being my brother, and I've said this alot, I'm glad we're brother and sister!  and Hunter, I've also said this alot, But, I Gonna miss you next year. (When he moves up to the Middle School building.)  And are you gonna miss me next year just write back saying yes or no and I hope it's not a no!  Jameson -- Dear Jameson, I love having you as my brother!  I hope were in the same class next year!  do yo hope were in the same class next year?  Just write back saying yes or no and I hope it's a yes!  and since I know you're working on your reading, I won't make you're letter very long.  Love, Bay"

The content isn't particularly exceptional; it was experiencing her confident vulnerability as she read this loudly and clearly in front of the full troop of recipients in audience that gave me pause.  She articulated each word precisely and with a full dedication of herself, hoping for warm responses.

Fastforward to this eve, where this post began  .  .  .  The girls closed out tonight with a sisters' dance night, working to learn the moves from Anna's new DVD for learning the steps for some "Disney Shake It Up" choreography.  5 - 6 - 7 - 8  .  .  .