Friends Forever

Eli has a true best friend. The only problem is she lives about an hour away. Gracie was born two days before Eli and the two started 'really' hanging out when they were about nine months or so, and for about six months, they saw each other pretty much every other week. Unfortunately we've moved and Gracie's family has moved since then, and in opposite directions of each other. We try to get together every few months or so, but they way these two kids play, you'd think they see each other all the time. Gracie visited us for about 3 1/2 hours today and not once in that whole time did I see any struggles over toys, any grabbing or snatching, any hitting, or any meanness between them. And these are two 2 1/2 year olds I'm talking about! Eli was very very generous with his toys (compared to how he is when having a marathon play date with other kids, that is), and Gracie was an awesomely polite guest. At one point (around 1:30 when everyone was beyond tired), Eli fell on the stairs and started to cry. I was consoling him and Gracie had the most sad and concerned look on her face. She said, "I gonna hug Eli", as she walked over and put her arms around him. How sweet is that?!?

My favorite part of the day was after lunch when the kids played in the back yard. We had a beautiful day here (60 degrees) and the two of them rolled down our sloped back yard and jumped in little piles of leaves. At one point Gracie was up on the porch and Eli was in the leaves. Eli called, "Gracie. Come roll down E-I" (roll down with Eli). To which Gracie responded, "I coming. Just a sec!" Seriously too cute for words.