Day 8: Shared Hearts

When Rex joined our family, Asia had to begin sharing our parental hearts with him. For more than six years, she's been our only child. She's been the one to choose the restaurant, pick the movie, and get our undivided attention. If she wanted to have a fashion show, she just did it, and we dropped everything. But now there's a brother in the house, and the show has to wait. He gets most of our attention these days. He also gets more latitude than she does, because he's younger and he's adjusting to a new life.

It's not that she is forgotten--we don't trip over her and say, "Oh, it's you." It's just that she doesn't get the exclusive privileges that once came with being an only child. On the airplane, Mommy held Rex close when there was turbulence; before she would have held Asia. The other night as we put Rex to bed, Asia fell asleep on top of her comforter with lights on and shades up, as she waited for us to finish with him; before she would have been pampered to sleep. And today Asia wanted both of us to walk around the neighborhood with her, but one had to stay back because Rex was napping; before she would have gotten both of us. These are just some of the changes for Asia, and I have to say, she is dealing marvelously with them.

I think she understands that sharing her parents is part of being a big sister. And not just any big sister--a big sister to a boy who needs a lot of love. She has no problem with giving love. The first few days after we got him, Asia wouldn't stop kissing him. We finally had to ask her to stop because it was getting excessive. And so I think in the end she doesn't mind sharing us if it means letting Rex in.