boys and girls

A year ago in August we spent a few days with our friends in Seattle and watched Kaspar bond with a girl (their daughter), who seemed to be his soul mate. Before that week, I had somehow always thought that kids play with other kids without much thought of what they like or don't like... they just play. Did that ever prove to be wrong!!! I had never seen my kid so thrilled to be in the company of another human being. I had never listened to a conversation between two four year old's where they finish each others sentences and most of the time seem to understand each other without words. Truly, I did not know this type of interaction existed between kids.

For weeks and weeks after our return to Toronto he spoke of her with such affection that it broke my heart. He made cards and painted pictures for her. He kept asking for me to put up the pictures from the Seattle trip on the computer. And.... then.... after a while he forgot... and moved on.

But this past week-end was a wedding out in cottage country and Kaspar's girl was going to be there with her family. I was curious if the two of them had changed and grown apart. After all... it had only been a matter of days that they had interacted nearly a year ago. Time changes people. Does it not? Especially 4 and 5 year old kids. For them a year is a life time. It's a quarter of their little lives. Can you imagine a quarter of your life?

The first night when we arrived (rather late) ... we still needed to set up the tent and unload and the mosquitoes were abominable. They hardly interacted, of course. I watched. I took note. There was a newly present "shyness" that my son had developed quite suddenly, when Lilja appeared in the yard. They were unsure. It was late. I was tired. So were my kids.

And then the next day arrived... and Kaspar and Lilja were the same two people I had watched a year ago. Two little people entirely on the same page. Two little people, seemingly hard wired the same way. Two little people spending time together... and loving every moment of it.

After the week-end, when we arrived home late on Sunday night and I carried Kaspar up to his bed, seemingly fast asleep from the car ride, he suddenly said : "Mommy, I want Lilja to be with me every day. I miss her already." and then he just collapsed in my arms and fell back asleep.

I sat there, perplexed for a moment on the side of his bed. It's unbelievable... this bond these two kids seem to have.