Summer is awesome. Late nights. Swimming parties. Camping and campfires. Tons of time to spend with family. No homework. No school activities. It is a great opportunity for families to bond and for sibling relationships to develop. This summer I really noticed Sophi bonding with her older brothers. Sophi definitely loves her sisters and often spends time playing with them or make-believing with them or following them around. But this summer she really seemed to become more attached to Taylor and Parker particularly. She loves to play with them, tease them, attack them, be held by them, be tickled by them and spend time with them. She also happens to be the only one of our girls who enjoys watching sports, which certainly endears her to them. (To be fair, there is one sport Jessica will watch - American Ninja Warrior! We love that show!!!)
This scene encapsulates much of what is great about summer: time to spend with family, no set bedtime, fewer pressures to finish anything by a particular deadline.
I walked into the kitchen and found these four watching YouTube clips of America's Got Talent. I love how Sophi is so comfortably cuddled into her big brothers. I love this phase of our life. I love kids who are all a little older and more self sufficient. I love having teenagers who have great friends and are in and out of the house on their own. It's crazy that they will start the exodus next year when Graci graduates. I'm going to soak it up as long as I can!
-Jer
