Cousin Love

Amelia is very much used to being the only child around this house. So when she woke up from her nap this weekend to her Mimi holding another baby in her room, she was displeased.

Confusion set in first. She made funny faces in her crib as Mimi and her cousin (just 6 weeks older) peered down at her and waved. She rubbed her eyes. She said, "Mimi?" She watched carefully while her cousin examined some toys in her playroom.

Then it hit: panic mode. She was sharing her space, her toys, but most importantly, her Mimi with this strange little girl. (She hadn't seen this cousin since Thanksgiving.) She pulled out every trick in her book. She said, "No, no, no." She grabbed her toys back and ran away. She whined. She clung to Mimi. She gathered all of her toys in a pile and laid on top of them.

When these tactics didn't magically make the other little girl disappear, she dug deeper. She decided to win her Mimi back with charm. When we tickled her cousin, Amelia mustered her best fake laugh while tickling herself. When her cousin pressed a button that played music, Amelia danced so hard she fell down.

Then they discovered the tent and tunnel. And Amelia reached a stage of acceptance. Because now when she pretended to "knock, knock" on the tent, there was someone there to answer her.

And someone to chase her in the tunnel.

Turns out having a cousin isn't so bad after all. In fact, she hasn't stopped asking for both Mimi and her cousin since. Good thing, since another cousin comes to visit this week.

Maybe it was hair envy?