When sisters are quiet

Now that Emma is older and the girls are starting to play together more interactively I am able to sneak away and put laundry away, or run out to do chicken chores, or cook dinner without needing to worry about their entertainment.  They have been enjoying playing together more especially now that Emma likes to use her imagination and also likes playing the "mommy, daddy, baby pretend-type games" and all the variations.  That said, I am always listening for things like speaking kindly to each other, having patience, bumps and thumps, and most terrifyingly...silence.

All parents will tell you that kids tend to be at their sneakiest when things fall quiet and on this day I was in one of the bedrooms putting laundry away when suddenly I heard no more sounds.  Turns out there were sounds just too faint for me to hear.  When I emerged to take a look at what was going on I found this adorable little scene.  Tony loved Richard Scarry books when he was little and this is his original one that was passed down to us.  It is old and falling apart so we keep it on a high shelf that Ada can reach but Emma cannot since Ada also loves it and will be careful with it, but Emma has a destructive streak in her.

Ada was carefully pointing to each drawing and asking Emma what each thing was, giving her encouragement when she got it right or gently saying things like, "good guess, but actually that's a bubble, etc."  Emma was enthralled   I was able to grab the camera and grab a couple of shots before they realized I was there and it messed everything up.

I know that no matter what the best and greatest thing I could ever give these girls is her sister.  I am so happy they have one another.