A real pearl

Tonight, for the first time at home, Abby and Emma are sleeping in the same room.
We were cautious and slightly anxious about the very real possibility of an extended transition period tonight and I suspected that Abby, who was very excited, would keep Emma awake. While reading Red Riding Hood and Little Lisa I was unforgiving about the least infraction. One of the last things I told Abby was that tonight was ‘a good test’ to see if they could be in the same room. I told her that ‘if she was a good girl, and things went well’ they could sleep in the same room sooner than later, with the delivery of the new bunkbed. When Emma looked her way just then, Abby buried her head, hiding in her pillow, and said confidently to my back,

I can do it.

She was right and I needn’t worry.
Only minutes later you could hear Abby cooing

Just lay your little head down. It’s okay.

and then she carefully implored of us (in a way very different from the typical bedtime routine)

Can someone PLEASE come in here and help Emma be Superbaby?

‘Superbaby’ is what we call Emma’s uncoordinated attempts to wrap the blanket as tightly around her shoulders as she can. Somehow the shrink-wrapping soothes her, and she sleeps. If you know Abby, it was the same way she needed a hand to hold.
After the Superbaby assist, we didn’t hear another peep.

Much later, I customarily looked in on each sleeping girl.
This night was different, this night was both of them in the same room.
Tonight, their trusting, haphazard, sleepy sprawls and really just their togetherness, was a Superbaby around my stomach and another layer was laid on the pearl of our family.

The girls, as sisters together, have done that and I like it.