375 days later. A look back...Emma and Ben Meet...Again

A Miracle Sleeps Here

We met him on Tuesday, decided on Wednesday he was ours and brought him home on Monday.

It's only five days but it's like he's always been here. Emma loves her little brother. She'll stroke  his face or tell us how cute he is. Every now and then she gives him a hug. Other than that she's completely unfazed by her 'new' baby brother.

It's like she's already met him, Somewhere else before.

For his home-coming we planned a bit of a theatrical show with the help of Heather, Emma's principal at The Singing Forest Montessori. I collected Ben, Heather kept Emma busy until Mark got home and when I knew that both dad and daughter were there, with Emma occupied, Operation Angels was underway.

I placed  him in his little basket with a pair of angel wings behind him. I wrote out a message to Emma, from the angels, which read:

Dear Emma

This is your new baby brother

We know you'll be the best big sister ever

Love,

The angels

Presents from Ben to Emma were strategically placed and when I was ready I called Emma upstairs.

Up she came, dad close behind and she spotted Ben. There wasn't the excitement we expected. Not the screeching 'outside voice' and the jumping up and down which is Emma's way of expressing sheer delight.  

No 'Yipppeeees' and no twirling around like a fairy. Instead she went over to Ben, stroked his face and said 'Hello". I think I heard her whisper "Finally. We've been waiting for you!"

As much as we had tried to create a magical moment for Emma, I know the magic had been planned a long time ago. By Emma. For us. 

High above, sitting on their own little cloud, Ben and Emma had written their plan in the stars. On 10th May 2009 the plan was put into action. "It's time for me to go" said Emma to Ben, catching the closest falling star. "See you as soon as they're ready baby brother!""

When we met him on Monday there might as well have been a note beside him which read: