Three kids was never really on our list of “things to do”  We wanted 4.  We had heard that 4 is pretty much the same as two, and unlike three kids, one isn’t usually ALWAYS left out.

Luck was against us, as was my aging body that only allowed babies out through the upstairs window.  Three was our limit, and we embraced our luck and loved our family.

For awhile anyway. Until our two daughters became “Best Friends”

They are just over 2 years apart, so it is reasonable to assume that they could get along well, and with little brother 4 and 6 years younger than them, the gap is HUGE.

They girls bonded this summer.  They room next door to each other (while little brother is upstairs) and they seem to have found a rhythm in playing and working together.

They can both swim to the lake raft this year… while little bro is still in a PFD and needing “supervision”
They can both read, little bro is just learning
And love to craft together (“glue goes on your head right” says brother.)

And so the fights begin.

Little brother is ALWAYS in the wrong. He is ALWAYS breaking things. He NEVER listens.

The girls lock themselves together, refusing to admit the brother, creating angst, drama and (potentially) breaking his little heart.

So he tries harder. He shouts louder. He becomes MORE annoying.

On one hand I am thrilled that my two daughters get along so well, but it saddens me to see that they bonded over creating an enemy of their brother.

So, to battle the fights, and create peace and harmony through all the land, I hang with little brother.

We play lego, bake together and I let him lead the way.  We watch his new favourite Netflix series DinoTrux where a group of half Dino, half Trucks work together to build a bigger world, and battle the “bad guys”

We eat popcorn. We pick veggies from the garden.

And eventually, we have so much fun he forgets that he was left out in the first place.

Oh, and then the girls find us and want to join in.

And we let them.