Simon demonstrated a surprising bit of self-knowledge today. The two of us were in the car on our way home from driving Agotich back to her apartment when he asked me about something that had happened there.
“Why did Anyieth cry and try to leave the apartment?’
“Because she saw Agotich walk outside the door.” [Agotich tried to leave with us today and had to be yanked back inside by her mother. Seeing this, Anyieth made a run for it, too.]
“Did she want to come home with us?”
“Not really, she just wanted to do whatever her big sister did. Little brothers and sisters are always trying to keep up.”
“You mean like how Asher tries to keep up with Baron?”
“Yup, just like that.”
“Or how Agotich tries to keep up with me?”
“Yes, honey, she does try to keep up with you. You’re kind of like a big brother to her.”
“Or like how I try to keep up with Ben?”
I just smiled. Simon wants to be able to do everything his big cousin Ben can do, but Ben is four years older and very much out of his league. As the youngest in my own family by five and seven years, I am not surprised that Simon has these feelings. What surprises me is that he can describe and identify them!
I don’t know why it surprises you. It doesn’t surprise me one bit. I have been telling you that this kid is way ahead of himself in so many ways almost since he was born.