This past weekend when my family and Emily’s family got to spend the weekend at Fort Rapids, there was some awesome cousin bonding that happened. All four cousins played so nicely together, and were just cute and sweet and funny. At one point, Kate and Sophie were sitting on the bunk beds in our villa together and I whispered to Emily, “I hope they’re picking out bridesmaids dresses for each other’s weddings!” Then yesterday, Kate spent the day with us at our house. She read books to Sophie, played Littlest Pet Shop with her (Joshua even joined in, don’t tell his friends), they all three played hide-and-seekm we broke out Busytown, one of my kids’ favorite board games…it was just really FUN.
Emily and her sister Anna were kind enough to let me be a sidekick to their sisterdom and form the SuperCousins. I never had a sister, but I had the next best thing. I got to be close to my cousins and I didn’t have to share my clothes! (Although as adults, especially during and after pregnancy, we all three of us shared clothes! As a matter of fact I still have a bunch of Anna’s maternity clothes hanging in my closet and she still has a bunch of my regular clothes that she wore post-partum.)
Kate doesn’t have a sister, Sophie doesn’t have a sister, and Anna’s baby Lily doesn’t have a sister…*yet* – I suppose that’s still a possibility, right Anna? But they have each other! Girl cousins! We’ll have Lily designing the bridesmaids dresses in no time, I am sure she is going to be crafty like her mama.
My niece Murrin, who is 13, came over Wednesday to help me with the kids at the CRAZY pool. She was so sweet and kept such a good watch on Sophie, and Sophie loved it. She told all her friends at the pool, “Look, I brought Murrin!” Another girl cousin success. Murrin also has girl cousins on her mom’s side of the family with whom she is very close.
Sophie also has lots of girl cousins on my husband’s side of the family. One, Isabel, is only 3 weeks younger than Sophie. When they get together it is C.U.T.E.!! Sophie also has two girl cousins, Gabbi and Katie, who are about Joshua’s age. I hope they will all be good girl cousin friends as well.
I can’t wait to see how my kids and Emily’s kids and all their other cousins grow closer as they get older. And based on my own experience, I am going to do whatever I can to encourage these great cousin friendships! I’m so thankful for my extended family.
Oh cousin, you’re getting sappy in your old age. But I love you, and I love those kids!
My closest cousin (sorry Jenny), from the other side, is the best friend I’ve ever had. No sisters until I was 9, having the cousin bonding was awesome! My cousin is a juvenile diabetic and when Steel Magnolias came out, we made up a contract and signed it saying I would have her babies for her! Now that’s love!
LOVE girl cousins! Ellie won’t have any sisters, but she’ll have my sister’s girls, who are the next best thing!
I grew up with an older brother — 6 years to be exact — and we were never close until I was older. But I was lucky enough to have 3 female cousins on my father’s side, the four of us only 3 years apart at most. They were like built-in best friends. To this day I could call any of them up and they’d be there in a heartbeat. My own daughter actually has a few cousins in her range and it makes me ecstatic that she’s going to get to experience what I had <3
My closest cousin was 2 years older than me. She had the best hand-me-downs AND a pony. Doesn’t get much better than that!
I never shared any of my sisters’ clothes.
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I think that’s wonderful. I wish I could say the same about my cousins. I only have 6 total (boys, girls, mom’s side, dad’s side). Two live in Kansas and never come to Florida. And who would leave Florida for Kansas? Not me. The others live in the area, but we have very little in common. Actually, they’re barely friendly. Thankfully age has slightly helped with that.
As far as my kids go, I have two boys and my only brother/sibling has 2 girls. They’re pretty close in age, but are pretty fond of their siblings. I think it is so sweet that you have such close bonds in your extended family. I hope my boys and future children will have what you have.
How about that I am the only girl out of 9 grandchildren on mom’s side and my dad was an only child…so the only girl cousins I have are 2nd and 3rd cousins but we are pretty close! And now you know the real reason for me being such a tom boy and playing GI Joe’s and Wrestle Mania!!!
PS, I have 35 1st cousins on Mom’s side and 18 1st cousins on Dad’s side.
I know a total of 5 well.
I’m close to one.
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How sweet!