These Three

These three kids are three of a kind. Unless you have ever been in the same house or yard with them for an hour or two or an afternoon, you just probably can't get a grasp on the bond that is between them.
 It started with the two oldest ones, The Brevelyn, if you will. They are so close, yes, cousins, not siblings, but... so much more. They need each other in ways that my sister and I, their mothers, can't even quite grasp. There isn't a day that goes by that the two of them aren't talking about the other one. They may not be on the phone with each other every day, but you better believe that they are on each other's minds every day. Every day.
And when Liam came along, yes there were some bumps. Especially the first time Brevin figured out that Ev would not permit even him to treat Liam badly, but overall things smoothed over quickly and the littlest monkey was assimilated rather seamlessly and they are all really terrific playmates.
Mostly, it works out because the two oldest ones do what they want and Liam trails behind them, happily, merrily assuming that he too is playing but really he is just tagging along. For now, it works.
I love to see them playing on hot summer days. Splashing in pools, spraying each other with squirt guns, chasing and tagging, spying and playing involved games of tag and war... all of the games kids invent. Asking for popsicles. Slathered in sunblock all day, bug spray at night. Bumps and bruises. Put to bed with sweaty heads, sticky faces, bruised legs, dirty feet and utterly exhausted.
I am never so happy after tending to their needs after a long summer day of playing and needing things. Even if I do get a bit worn down and grumpy, I am not stupid enough to be blind to the special moments that have been going on right in front of me all day.
Brev was supposed to stay with us for some time this summer, he decided not to. Evelyn and I were CRUSHED. CRUSHED we were, but we understood that it was a long stay and a long way from home for a boy his age so we chose not to let him know just how very sad we were by his decision. But we really would have loved to have had him for awhile. All to ourselves.
Why just think of all the popsicles.