The Cycle of Life

I don’t know if it’s because my 4-year-old completely disowned her long-time imaginary sister “Tosta.”

Or because I cut off my 2-1/2 year-old son’s curls yesterday.

Or it could be that my “baby” girl is now wearing 12-18 month clothes and transitioning from formula to whole milk!

Or maybe because as of today I’m 18 weeks pregnant with our last child. . .

But wow, this week it’s been so. real. how fleeting this stage of life really is!

Last night Mara and I were talking. I mentioned Tosta, her imaginary sister, and Mara’s response blew me away: “Actually?– I don’t have a sister named Tosta. I was just kidding. I never saw her. . . And so I knew she wasn’t there. The only sister I really have is Carissa.”

And with that, a chapter closed.

Tosta has been around for a long time, and I knew eventually she would be gone, but I just wasn’t expecting it so soon. And I really didn’t expect to miss her like I do.

I posted Mara’s comment on Facebook, and a friend replied, “Meanwhile, Tosta sits, forlorn, in a dark corner of the basement and plots her terrible revenge…”

When I read this to Mara, she was unphased. She actually–appallingly–laughed and said, “Who’s ‘Tosta’?! I don’t know anyone named ‘Tosta.'”

For some reason, my heart sank. Mara’s “sister” Tosta really is gone.

Daniel says, “Look at it this way: She no longer needs Tosta because she sees her siblings as her friends.  It is a good, healthy thing. . . This is the cycle of life.”

I suppose so.

It was fun while it lasted.