ARIEL “How to Clap Your Hands”
I haven’t actually known Ariel that long. In fact, it hasn’t even been a whole year since she was born, but she’s already one of the shining lights in my life. The first born child of my favourite brother and awesome sister-in-law, Ariel (born a full two and a half months ahead of you, Sebastian) is the beloved first baby of the new generation of our family.
Thank goodness she was born first. For a few reasons really. First, it gave your dad and I a chance to focus on the little person that she was. To get to know her before we were blinded by exhaustion or gobsmacked by new-parent love. Secondly, we had a chance to practice on her. When your Uncle Brett and Aunt Yael were so tired they were about to fall onto their faces, we came over for a few hours and rocked her when she cried, changed a diaper or two, gazed into her eyes and told her we loved her and she was the most perfect baby we knew. And because of her ‘help’, we were less terrified about your arrival–and that’s Ariel, she makes everything look easy.
As you can see from this and every other video, photo, or encounter–she’s a real showman. If she’s not beaming from ear to ear, exclaiming “WOW” at everything (we recently went to buy her some clothes and every item brought out elicited this outburst), she’s performing some adorable act, effortlessly shining. I’m smitten. I’ve been smitten from day one. I think we all were.
From the day she was born she’s been ahead of the game; ahead of all her peers in the art of rolling over, crawling, sitting, standing, cutting teeth….and soon walking. It all happened so quickly. And every time you guys are together, you learn how to do something new from your big cousin and come away a better, wiser baby.
One day the age between you will seem so small that this time in your lives will be unimaginable. Perhaps by then you’ll be best friends, almost siblings. I hope that you will always look up to your cousin Ariel and she will look up to you too; that you’ll trust each other and grow up as lovely and spectacular as you both are right now.