While at dinner the other night I sat and fed Little L a bottle without really paying attention. When I looked down to see if she was OK, I noticed that C was also holding the bottle and caressing her sister’s forehead.

“I help you feed da baby!” C beamed up at me.

She was being so sweet and so gentle that I opted to really let her help. I turned the baby around so that C could hold the bottle without having to hold her arm over Little L’s face. She carefully maneuvered the nipple into the baby’s mouth, her hand resting gently on her forehead. She fed her some milk and wiped up her drips. She sang her a song and spoke cutesy baby talk to her. Little L lapped it up. Then C got more and more amorous and hugged harder and harder. The dabs with the napkins became rougher and still Little L looked at her sister with big adoring eyes. I put an end to all the loving before things got out of hand.

I looked at my daughters and thought of all the times they will tear each other’s hair out, all the times they will scream “I hate you!” to each other, and I stored the image carefully in my mind. Then I snapped some pictures, because come that day, I’ll want photographic proof to show them that they once loved each other.