Kissing Cousins

Meredith, Mom and I are just getting all of our pictures together from their visit a few weeks ago (actually, they are now sending me pictures since I was lame and didn't take many).
I had forgotten some of the moments we had...like when Henry and Lydia sat at the bottom of the stairs sharing Lydia's snack and the dog drooled puddles of envy behind the gate.



Then there was the sweetest kiss in the world from Lydia to Henry, and the embarrassing moment of pride and what-do-we-do-now-that-everyone-is-clapping-for-us that came after.





Then there was the carousel ride at the mall which, in Lydia and Henry's opinion, probably trumped all other moments that day. Meredith and I tried not to throw up.



We take all these pictures of the three kids and talk about "how they will be such good friends" as they grow older..but what if they aren't? I can remember my mom telling us as children that we HAD to love each other, we HAD to be nice to each other, we didn't have a choice because we were FAMILY. So we did, and we are all friends now and like each other. But are we because we were told to as children, or did a million other things happen to make us this way? And if I don't know the answer to that question, then how am I supposed to make my children love each other and their cousins AND be nice to each other???
And if they decide not to be friends, is that really my fault?
I need to read more Kahlil Gibran about kids coming through you into this world and all that. And maybe ride more carousels. And kiss cousins. And share crackers. I guess...