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Monday, May 17, 2010

Their First Secret Hideout

Just before bedtime, I made one more trek through the house to corrall any last remnants of our messy day. A baby doll, a pair of shoes, the missing block -- the pieces of fun we'd had all day were mostly gone, picked up by a happy-to-help little girl and her oblivious accomplice; only these few items had been overlooked.

The mess-makers were giggling in the bedroom. They were each supposed to be choosing a story and snuggling in for a relaxing routine, but instead, I heard a door click shut. Peering around the hallway corner, all I could see was a dark bedroom. The shaft of light that should have been lighting the room from the open closet, was gone.

They'd hidden from me. Earlier that day, I'd finally gotten the closet organized enough that most of the floor was bare, and they'd discovered it. The giggling and chattering rose and fell, muffled by the closed door. I tiptoed closer after depositing the last toys in their designated places, and knelt in front of the door to listen.

"Here's a honey diaper for you, sweetie," cooed Mia.

"Ooh, DANK you Mee-YAH!" Lauren sang back.

Their conversation was full of pretend and wonder, drowning down into whispers before the squealing erupted again. They were laughing so hard that both of them, at the same time, had gotten the hiccups.

I couldn't stand it: it was so heart-catchingly sweet, I had to take a peek. Cracking the door open -- just a sliver -- I was immediately found out.

"Mama!" Mia scolded, "We're hiding! You can't open the door!" She drew the door closed to begin their secret games again.

Without me.

Two sisters, making secrets, building their own brand of humor, sharing memories, without me. Bittersweet waves washed over me as I sat back from the closed door. I love their budding closeness -- their sweet dependence on one another -- their tinkling laughter intertwined. I love their relationship and that they'll always have each other.

I'm proud of that.

I'm jealous of that.

But I'm happy for them. Their secret hideouts will probably become more complex as the years pass, but I'll always remember their first:

A closet full of baby clothes, princess dresses, honey diapers, and breathless giggling. An innocent closet, transformed forever.

16 comments:

  1. *sigh* Very sweet! I feel the same sense of pride and slight jealousy when I observe the bond that continues to grow stronger between my boys. It's a dream come true, isn't it?

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  2. THat is too precious! And a moment as a Mom I will never have. Thanks for letting me live vicariously through the moment with you!
    Best,
    Tina

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  3. Loved that. How sweet. Makes me think of me and my sister when we were little.

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  4. SO sweet! No worries...they'll include you when you pay for pedicures and girly fun! :)

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  5. Shh...don't tell...but I'm secretly hoping we're having a girl so Lily can have a sister to share sweet moments like this with :)

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  6. I love it...so sweet! Just a word of warning though...(only because I was just discussing it with my parents and sister yesterday...and the possibilities for my little girls relationship) enjoy the tender sweetness now because when Mia starts Jr. High it might be forever wars until they are both old enough to enjoy each other and be best friends again, maybe by college....or at least that's how it happened to me and my sis. ;)

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  7. So, so sweet! I'd be totally jealous, too. Your little ones are just so precious.

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  8. How wonderful! Having a sister (or sisters) is the best.

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  9. Oh, sisters. I love mine. And I'm longing for a little pink in a house full of boy.

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  10. Such sweet sisters! I love their secret hiding place and I love the fact that you were there to capture the memories...even if they didn't invite you in! (By the way, I would totally camp out in a closet and share secrets with you...or, I would've when I was ten. Now I might just invite you over for tea...but the giggling would be the same!)

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  11. Eavesdropping on my girls is one of my favorite, favorite things. Sometimes they like to crawl into the same bunk and sleep there together all night long--it's just heart meltingly sweet. And I really, really hope that love and closeness continues throughout their lives.

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Hmm...And how did that make you FEEL?