Sistahs

So I have decided that two individual blogs about our two daughters Marta and Anna have not been working. It's just too counterintuitive to divide up fatherhood by child.

I recently was asked for the purposes of an article some questions about our second child Anna who was born in July. What have I learned since her birth?

One answer was that I no longer fear that my heart is only big enough for one child. I know that this is not true. Anna has been in my heart since the moment she looked at me and her lower lip trembled with excitement.

The other answer was that I am happier. I am very happy to wake up every morning to the sounds of baby snorts and farts. I am very happy to have a little bald clown in front of me that wants to see me, that wants me to hold her, that wants me to be near to her.

Another question I get is how has Marta been handling Anna's coming. I would say that both of them like each other. Anna likes to watch Marta do things, even if it is just sitting on the couch, watching TV, and eating something way past her bedtime. Marta likes to see Anna and give her bone crunching hugs. She has never expressed any anger towards Anna. I hope it stays that way.

I recently read a book by Stephen King called Lisey's Story. It's a King novel and deals with some dark territory but it also deals with the relationships between five or so sisters from one family and how they all interact. King writes excellently from a woman's perspective. It's really amazing. I was comforted to know that he just isn't that talented and that his wife comes from one of these families where there are only girls.

Growing up I knew these families too. Sometimes there was only one boy who either grew up to be a womanizer or to be gay. The line was drawn in the sand. But often there were just girls. I speculated that the reason there was a fourth or fifth daughter was because somebody was attempting to create something with a bit more testosterone.

It seems amazing that biology is supposed to give you a 50-50 chance. But my Dad was one of four boys. However, his father came from a family of four boys and four girls, the first three of whom were males. So I guess the ratio is to be found in quantity. So if you are lucky enough to sire 100 children, its likely that around 50 of them will be boys. Take note of that, my Saudi Arabian readers.

But beyond pure biology and affinity for Barbie, sisters allegedly have psychic powers. They can read each other's minds. They are on the same cycle, if you will. I can read my brother's mind sometimes, but usually the only images that appear in my head are those of food or the Yankees game.

But do sisters really get that well along and read each other's minds? I'd say yes and no. Sisters also have a tendency to annoy one another (as is evidenced in King's book). They can also fall out over seemingly insignificant things -- the accidental use of certain words, failing to call at a certain time, making a certain face in response to a statement. One day they are best friends, the next day they are mortal enemies.

Oh well, better not read that much into it. Right now our little sisters are still little girls.