goodbye best friend

This is a first for A. that I would have rather put off for a long long while.  Her first best friend, R., is moving.  This sweet sweet relationship has been so interesting to watch.  We first met at church about a year and a half ago.  The girls were playing well in the church nursery and so we decided to schedule a play date.  Not only did the girls do really well together, but J., best friend's mom, and I became fast friends.  We work in similar professions, make many of the same choices with raising our kids, and have had really awesome conversations.  

At a puppet show in November

Apparently, R.'s first ice cream cone

 The girls are a lot alike and so they've had some difficulties, well being friends.  There was a time that we actually had to give them stickers for being nice to each other.  We would hear, "Mommy she's sitting too close to me."  "Mommy, she took my b.ah blah blah."  But, the sticker's worked and they learned to be really good friends.

They actually called each other on the phone and I count it as A.'s first friend phone call.
A.:  Hi
R:  Hi
silence

They have encouraged each other or, we have used them to push each other in a good way.  A. finally tucked her head underwater after she knew that R. did it at swimming lessons.  R. took off her training wheels and succeeded after we told her that A. tried it.

To commemorate the end of this relationship, we went on a mother daughter date to paint ceramics so they could have something tangible as a memory.  These girls were so sweet!

Painting hands, A. put hers on the bottom of her new cereal bowl.  R. painted a horse

Look how different they look in the same pose 6 months later

Tonight, we had both family's together for dinner.  A. made R. a friendship bracelet that was actually so big that it turned into a friendship necklace.  As they were leaving, A. said, I put a R. on mine so I would remember her.  I said, "Did you put an A. on hers for her to remember."  Then, she cried, "No, I put an R. on her's too.  I forgot to remember myself."

Sweet, sweet family, we will miss you guys so much.  R. will always have a special place in my heart as A.'s best friend.  We wish nothing but the best for you guys and, we'll send you an A. in the mail!