A family divided

This will be our first year in which we are close enough in distance to have Dom and Kayla more offten then just summer vacation. Something that I know everyone is already looking forward to. Each summer each one of us grows and changes in different ways. Dom becomes a little bit more of a man, more level headed, more mature. The time he gets to spend with his Dad is always treasured and not taken lightly by anyone. Its a special time for all of us when they have the chance to be together. Its heartbreaking to know that these two peas in a pod can not always be together. Kayla gets to be the big sister which is a complete role reversal for her. Although it is sometimes challenging for her to become the standard setter, she enjoys the leadership of "being incharge". I think Dom likes to see Kayla getting frustrated by Lany wanting to always copy her. Lanycia being influenced by both an older brother and sister gets introduced to new habits, actions, and vocabulary. When they are all together I find myself recalling things my Mother shout to my siblings and I in protest to our behavior. I find myself in a struggle of wanting them to all have a normal brother sister relationship and actions I find inappropriate for a three year old. Im still not sure exactly where I draw the line. ;> And then there is little Lavieon. He is in a completely different standing then any of them. He is the "Baby" no matter how you look at it. With Lany he has a playmate who is not to far in age from him, Makayla treats him like a baby, holds him, makes him laugh, and is always in his face. Then there is Dominique. It is special the relationship they have together. Dom treats him like a friend. A trophy. It was always exciting to see him interact with Lany, but to see him with Lav, his brother... its special! At the end of each summer we have to say good bye to Dom and Kayla. Say good bye to the daily friendship between Lany and Kayla. As hard as it is for us as parents to have to have a family divided it is harder to see the division between the kids. After we took Dom and Kayla back to Augusta (about 3 hours away), Lany said crying, "I lost my sister". Ro could not handle it! He broke down. Not knowing the next few days would be harder. Lav sat outside of Dominique's door the first two days and although it has been little over a week Lany cries every day for "her best friend" Makayla. We can only look forward to the days ahead in which we will have the opportunity to have Dom and Kayla at least once a month, and maybe look forward to the day that we can all live undivided.