My Buddy / Kid Sister

I know you remember the jingle from two or so decades ago . . .

"My Buddy (My Buddy)
My Buddy (My Buddy)
Wherever I go . . . Heeeeee goes!
My Buddy (My Buddy)
My Buddy (My Buddy)
My Buddy and Meeeeee!"

In the commercial, a little boy skips down the street, dragging his stuffed doll behind him. Some months or years later, a new doll (and jingle) appeared with Kid Sister. Same concept, just change the boy to a girl, the stuffed doll now has blond braided pigtails, and the jingle replaces the words "My Buddy" with "Kid Sister."

In the last weeks, this late 1980s phenomena has crept back into my life as I watch Canon and Tera each day. In her seven and a half months of life, Canon has loved her and not really cared about her, both in the same moment. Recently, however, the not-caring part of their relationship has begun to subside, and what is left is a real life My Buddy / Kid Sister interaction.

Some days on the way home from school, I will hear Canon talking to Tera. She's usually pretty fussy at this time, so Canon will say "It's ok, Tera. Don't cry." He'll try to find her pacifier in her car seat and put it in her mouth, holding it there until she starts to suck on it . . . like a professional parent. Tera's teachers have told me that he looks in her classroom every now and then to check on her. One day, I had to set her car seat down in our driveway so that I could chase Bull down the street a house or two. When I turned around to walk back, Canon was holding onto the handle of the car seat and standing right in front of her, like he was protecting her.

One of my favorite thing about this new friendship is that Canon loves to take baths with Tera. It started one night when I needed to bathe them both at the same time. I put Tera's bath on the floor beside the real bath. I bathed her and was getting ready to bathe Canon when he asked if he could get in Tera's bath. Not thinking anything of it, I let him crawl out of his tub and into hers. I didn't consider the fact that his size might have some impressive effects on the water level in the small tub. As soon as he sat down, water spilled out on all sides. Oh, well. Life happens!

I now put Tera's tub in his big bath tub. Canon continues to ask to take a bath with her.

Tonight, however, was one of those unbelievable moments in parenting when you think that you're children are perfect for each other. They'll never fight, fuss, be jealous, or competitive with one another. They'll always protect, stand up for, and rely on one another. And most importantly, they'll always laugh together. Canon had just gotten on out of the bath tonight when Barry came home. I laid Tera on Canon's bed while I did our normal post-bath routine (lotion, diaper, etc.). I left both children in the room with Barry and went to the bathroom to clean up. It had only been a few seconds when I heard the most amazing laughter coming from Canon's room. Of course, Barry quickly said "D, come here quick!" It took me a second to find my camera, but this is what was happening:

Barry and I are always trying to find ways to make Tera laugh. While I get the best smiles from Tera, Barry always gets the best laughs . . . until tonight. Canon got her to laugh more hysterically than I have ever heard before. We took at least four videos of it, and she never got tired of laughing at her Buddy. And he never tired of entertaining his Kid Sister.

Please remind me to read this again in twelve or thirteen years when they are screaming at each other for spending too much time in the bathroom . . .