The Alphabet

This is one of those posts that I am writing for me. So I remember. Because this? This is worth remembering.

Last Sunday, we were all just hanging out. Big Girl was playing on Husband's iPad. All of a sudden, she called out: Mom, Can I teach [Little Girl] the alphabet?

Of course, I said.

And Husband and I watched as Big Girl tapped on the screen and then brought it down to the ground in front of her tiniest sister. Middle Girl sat there too. Soon, a song began playing, a wonderful and folksy version of the ABC's. The big sisters sang along and Little Girl? She was elated. I'm not sure I've ever seen her this animated. She squeaked and kicked her little legs.

Look at that, I said to Husband, as we stood yards away and watched this scene. Look at that.

Now I am not a very sentimental person, but tears filled my eyes in that moment as I watched my three creatures together, happy, focused on something as simple, and important, as the alphabet. In that moment, I saw sisterhood, I saw life, I saw learning. And most of all? I saw love.

This is one of those posts I am writing for me.

But I am also writing it for them. Because maybe, one day, I will show them this. These pictures, these words. And I will say, Can you believe there was a time when you guys were that little? When your baby sister had just a shock of fuzzy hair and didn't know her letters? You guys loved each other, and enjoyed each other, from the very beginning.

This? This is what parenthood is all about. It is hard work to raise little beings, but the rewards? They are profound.