Penn and Lucy

Penn gets asked the dumbest questions on a regular basis. "Do you like being a big brother?" "Do you love Lucy?" "Is it exciting to have a little sister?" How do people expect him (or any child) to answer these questions? And it brings us down a little when people don't remember that Penn has been a big brother before. He's held a baby sister before. People make the same mistake with me. They say, "Well now you know what it's like to have two kids!" "Oh, having a baby after having an eight year old is like starting over. Can you even remember how to change a diaper?"

Yes. Yes I can.

Penn is a sweet, doting and protective brother. Lucy has already bonded uniquely with each of us. She gives Penn special smiles and coos that the rest of us will never get. She "talks" at him constantly when they are in the back seat. In the morning she often watches him eat breakfast with total fascination and contentment.

Penn will be someone Lucy can count on and look up to and be friends with. I am so grateful for my sweet Penn for so many reasons. He is a resilient, emotionally intelligent and very special boy.