family: ... of all the many things you were countin' on

...there ain't none better than the girl who's... surprising you!

A valentine's day present, overheard this morning (through the gauzy confusion of a dream about attending a wedding in which M was participating and during which I'd already apparently made several faux pas:

L: coughing (unclear whether she's asleep or awake)

K: L! Stop that!

- momentary silence -

L: coughing

K: L! Stop it!

L: mumble mumble mumble

K: (mumble mumble mumble)

L (squeal!): Yeah!!

- more talking I can't understand -

me: (glance at clock - 6.20a - a full night's sleep!)

M: mmph.

me (getting up out of bed and going into the girls room): Good morning. Happy valentine's day.

K: Daddy?

me (sitting down on L's bed): Yeah?

K: Well, I told L if she didn't get any more valentines then the ones we made with mama, I would give her some of mine.

L: Yeah! If I don't get any more valentimes than those ones, she's going to give me some of hers!!

me (you just made my valentine!): K, that is so sweet.

L: Yeah. It'th thweet.

K: Are you glad you have a sister?

me: Me? Am I glad I have a sister?

L: What?!

K: L, are you glad you have a sister? That I'm your sister?

L: Yeah!

K: Daddy?

me: Yeah, K?

K: Are you glad you have a sister?

me: I am. I'm glad I have 2 sisters. Having sisters and brothers are good. You can play together and help each other and be together.

K: Yeah.

L: Yeah!

K: Can we go downstairs now?

How cool is that? I think at K's school that they have to give everyone in the class a valentine, so there's some level of certainty about it. But L isn't in school, and she's not going to have nearly the opportunity to get valentines as her older sister, so being promised some is a big deal. A really big deal. And hearing this made my morning.

Sisters, Alki Beach, January 2011

(Old photo, but still worth reposting)

Happy valentimes everyone!