The Sister Thing

Because I am the middle of five girls - and now have three girls of my own - I find myself thinking about sisterhood a lot. What it means to have a sister, to be one. A huge part of my identity is still wrapped up in the fact that I am a sister to four Donnelley girls, now Donnelley women.

I find myself stepping back at moments to watch my girls, to witness their interactions, the way they communicate and converse. The way they play, and tussle, and tangle. I cannot tell you what immense and ineffable joy it brings me to know that no matter what they will always be sisters, they will always have that little bit of childhood that can never be lost.

Last week, in Cape Cod, I felt this keenly, this sense of reverence and awe for the sisters Husband and I have created. After a late night drive that led to a sleepless first night away, we ended up bunking all three girls in one room. The big girls slept on their amazing Shrunks blow-up travel mattresses and the babe slumbered in a rental crib. And, oddly, wonderfully, this arrangement worked quite well. I think, I know, the girls liked being close to each other. It makes me wonder if we will put all three in one room, dorm-room-style, sometime soon. That's the way my sisters and I grew up and I loved it. Hmm...

Do you have any experience with sisterhood? Are you close with your siblings? Do you enjoy watching your children interact? Do you think we'd be insane to put all three of our creatures in one room at some point?