Lately, she's really been pressing to have a baby brother or sister who would be "Soooo cute!" and who she could help take care of. I usually direct her to take it up with God since I seem to have little control over it, but two weeks ago she got the chance to experience what siblings are like for real.
You see, Ambriel actually has three half siblings who live in FL whom she rarely sees. The oldest is a sister, just seven months younger than her, then comes her two and a half year old brother, and then her five month old sister. She had the chance to stay with them while I was at a couple of back to back academic conferences, so I wondered how she would feel about siblings by the end of her stay.
The last time she stayed with them, there were only the older two. She raved about her baby brother, who she said was sooo cute, but had little good to say about her sister, who she reported as just taking everything she wanted to play with. It appeared that this time would be similar, considering that she had already nearly slammed her sister's head in the bedroom door as she tried to get away from her for some "quiet time" before I had even left the house.
The phone call I got from her a few days later confirmed my suspicions:
Ambriel: I changed my mind about siblings, Momma.
Me: Really? Why is that?
Ambriel: They're always getting up in my face and climbing on me and messing with my stuff. I really just want some peace and quiet. I know they're just trying to show me that they miss me and like me, but they DO NOT know how to do it!
My ex-husband even reported that by the end of the week, every time her siblings went outside to play, she would come inside, and every time they wanted to come inside, she would head outside.
She did, however, report liking the newest addition.
In light of that, I think she'll be best served by just playing with baby dolls for now. After all, they never grow up into obnoxious little takers of toys and attention.
