One night, Jaya fell asleep on the way home, before our customary bedtime routine, which includes hugs and goodnight kisses all around. Raja refused to sleep until he could "night-night kith thithy (kiss sissy)." So I took him into her room to kiss her good night. He kissed her and patted her head, then scampered off to go to sleep himself.
In the mornings, Jaya is almost always awake first. She is there to greet her brother when he wakes up, bring him toys and make him laugh if he wakes up cranky. On the few occasions she isn't around when Raja gets up, he insists on waking her up, too lonely without her.
We often take the kids out one-on-one, for some extra special quality time. Inevitably, after about 30-45 minutes for Raja, and 2 or so hours for Jaya, they ask for the other incessantly until they reunite.
It gives me so much joy as a mother to see how much my kids adore each other. To know that even if she doesn't really want to, Jaya will share whatever food or toys she has with her demanding brother. That she will protect him from anything, or anyone, and vice versa. It just makes me smile to see Jaya bringing Raja a pillow when he lays down tired on the floor, or to see Raja console his sister if she's wounded. Sure, they fight over toys and there are times they simultaneously want my attention and compete fiercely for it. Still, they are a pair. An inseparable, tumultuous, earnestly affectionate and absolutely adorable pair.
