Last night, my oldest daughter and I went shopping for my youngest’s birthday  at Target. It was very familiar, as I thought back to 9 years earlier.

She and I walked the exact same store then, looking for a few last-minute items before the baby arrived. Things like onesie’s, socks, and burp cloths.

My three-year old walked up, and asked me to buy this baby rattle for her.

“Please,” she said. “It is so cute.”

I smiled at her, and said “Yes.”

I had been worrying about all of the changes that were coming her way in the next couple of days. A new baby. A sibling.

I wondered how she would respond. Would she be jealous? Would she regress? Would she act out?

About 5 minutes later, she came up to me with another baby rattle.

I said, “Oh, No sweetie. Just one for you. I’m not going to buy another.”

She looked at me sincerely and said, “No, No Mommy. This is for my baby sister.”

And it was.

And they have been a pair ever since.

And for the record? When did this happen?

*sigh*