the siblings project {may}


Something I'm learning about having a third child, is that there are some things about family life that never lose their sparkle however many children you may have. And a big one is watching the gap between siblings seemingly get smaller as your children grow. Before Ashlyn was born I felt like the gap between her and the bigger two was going to feel massive. I know that lots of people leave three years as a kind of "standard age gap", but having had Dylan and Everly nineteen months apart, the gap between the two girls seemed huge for us. 

And when she was first born it was. Looking at that tiny, frail newborn made us see how far the older two had come, how much they had grown and changed. They made her look so impossibly tiny, and by contrast she made them seemingly grow a little older and a little taller overnight. It felt like it would be a long time before they would be 'close' to their baby sister. And don't get me wrong, Dylan and Everly are so bright and independent and Ashlyn is still only a baby, but as the days pass it feels like the three of them chip little chunks off of the gap.

Maybe it's where Ashlyn is growing up so fast; with more personality each day. Or maybe it's where we've all just slipped into the rhythms of life with three children now. But that little team of three I thought I'd be waiting a while to see... it feels like it's already there.




It's all been a learning curve for the older two, they already knew how to be siblings, but they had to learn a new place in the family and a new element to their role when their baby sister came along. And both of them have flourished. 

Dylan is just the proudest big brother. He loves telling people that Everly and Ashlyn are his little sisters. He will admire people's babies and coo and make a real fuss of them before quietly telling me that he still likes Ashlyn the best of all the babies. And Everly is quite simply his partner in crime in every sense of the word.

Everly is every inch the mini-mummy that I always suspected that she would be. She totally dotes on Ashlyn. She can be loud and in her face at times, not that her little sis seems to mind in the slightest. And she has clearly watched her big bro, she's learned what being a big sibling is all about from him, and she's taken it all in her stride. 


And Ashlyn... well, she's never known any different than to have those two filling her days with cuddles and laughter and noise. And she quite simply adores the pair of them. It's written all over her face whenever she looks at them. It's in the big smiles at school pick ups, it's in the giggles when they (quite literally) pile on for cuddles), it's in the hero worship that lights up her face when she sees them doing... well... anything really. 

While we were taking these photos, Ashlyn got particularly wriggly, and that combined with a big brother who was afraid of hurting her, or being hurt by flailing arms, resulted in her launching face first into the mud. As we swooped in to pick her up and comfort her, two older siblings the image of concern; we turned over a little person covered in mud, twigs in her hair and the biggest smile on her face. Because if she gets to hang out with the two of them, then she's the happiest little girl alive... muddy nose or not. 


Do pop by my cohosts Katie, Carie, Keri-Anne, Amber and Annie too to see what they've been up too. And link up your posts in the linky at the bottom, I can't wait to see all your photos.

And don't forget that The Siblings Project is also on Instagram at @siblings_project_. Add #siblingsproject to your photos to join in. We already have quite a gorgeous collection of sibling moments from the community.

And finally, if you haven't already voted and are looking for someone to vote for in the Best Baby Blog category in the MAD Blog Awards, then I would absolutely LOVE your vote. We're loving sharing our baby days here and are so thrilled to be a finalist. You can vote by clicking the link below.



The Me and Mine Project

35 comments

  1. Such beautiful pictures, that last one is especially sweet! I love seeing your little ones beautiful names in your posts now too xx

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    1. Thank you. I'm so pleased with these photos, and it was one of those times were (muddy faces aside) it was really quick and straightforward to get some happy snaps of them together, I love when that happens. x

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  2. Dylan sounds such a lovely boy, looking after his 2 sisters. Gorgeous photos Ashlyn looks so happy in amongst it all X

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    1. He really is. I so often look at him and just think the girls are so lucky to have him, he really is the best big brother, he takes his job so seriously. x

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  3. Ahhh Lucy this is so lovely! I know exactly what you mean, there really is something so special watching the 3rd one fit right in to the family dynamics. I remember so fondly the way Elsie used to look at her two brothers. She still does absolutely adore them, but 4 years on has a bit more fight in her belly! ;) Beautiful post xx

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    1. I don't think you can ever fully believe that they'll slot in so easily until they arrive and it just happens. And I have no doubt Ashlyn will have a fair bit of fight in her when needed, because she's been watching it her whole life. x

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  4. Aww bless her, I can just imagine her thinking it was great fun - despite being covered in mud haha. Gorgeous photos. xx #SiblingsProject

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    1. She's seriously the most laid back baby I've ever known, nothing whatsoever seems to throw her, and she finds the whole world so funny. I wish I could be more like her sometimes...! x

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  5. You can just feel the love shining out of these pictures. Gorgeous photos that tell a story of just how much these three love each other. You are a lucky Mummy!

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    1. Oh thank you so much, such a lovely thing to say. I'm glad the photos really capture their bond so well. x

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  6. Ah, poor Ashlyn in the mud! Adorable that she was still smiling, and that you see the gap between them shrinking already. Beautiful photos x

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    1. It's mad how the gap is shrinking so fast. And it does make me excited for the coming months as she gets more mobile and more equal to the bigger two. x

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  7. Aww bless her - muddy nose and all! It's not the easiest thing in the world to take pictures of three including a wriggly baby and your photos are gorgeous - I love that you've kept up the bluebell tradition from previous years too :)

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    1. Well you know how I love a photo tradition...! I was a bit worried about how we'd get our annual bluebell photos, but muddy incident aside it was really easy, I just popped them in position and a few clicks later we were done. I love it when that happens without any stress or cajoling. x

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  8. Those are gorgeous photos Lucy and really capture that wonderful bond between your three children. I love the big smile on Ashlyn's face and the way she is looking like she is having the most fun ever sitting between her big brother and big sister, and the way their love and concern for her are so apparent. Beautiful. Thank you for hosting #siblingsproject :-)

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    1. Thanks Louise. I love how happy Ashlyn looks, and how proud the other two look. Thats sums them all up so well. x

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  9. Gorgeous photos as always :) x #siblingsproject

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  10. Aww Lucy you must be so proud of the three of them and their bond. And these are utterly gorgeous photographs of them, definitely ones to frame. xx

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  11. Gorgeous pictures. They always look so close and sound it too. I still find myself using their blog names hehe, I can't get used to their actual names. They are gorgeous though! x

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  12. What a beautiful location and sweet cuddles in the bluebells. I never can find bluebells around here with enough light to capture the kids in. These are truly beautiful despite a little muddy oops moment. lol I love that last one Lucy, Ashlyn's smile is proof just how amazing and comfortable she feels in her siblings life. They are all looking so grown up. Thanks for hosting.

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  13. I love the bluebell photo's and your three look so close, the bigger two so protective of Ashlyn, there really is nothing better than the smiles siblings get from one another. E just has to go near R for her to beam ear to ear! x

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  14. What a beautiful spot for your photos! And, what wonderful shots of your three :) You can see how much they enjoy each other in every photo xx Thanks for hosting x

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  15. I never thought about the gap thing but you're right, it definitely does get small with time! What a lovely thought, I love that Lili and Poppy are best friends despite their two and a half year gap and I know that the same will be true of Iris in a few years too. These bluebell pictures are gorgeous, we're still at the stage where all siblings pictures have to be done indoors. It was so lovely to catch up with you this month and meet your beautiful family! I hope we get the opportunity to meet up again soon xxxx

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  16. What beautiful photos in among the bluebells. O declared them his favourite flower the other day! x

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  17. These are gorgeous photos, Bless little Ashlyn in the mud, I think third babies just have to learn to be laid back. We have been the see the Bluebells at Blickling Estate today, they make a wonderful setting for photos don't they.

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  18. Stunning shots of your little beauties surrounded by bluebells. Lovely to read about their happy relationships too xx

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  19. Oh my poor Ashlyn, sounds like she was fine though. Bless her. Gorgeous photos! x

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  20. Gorgeous pictures! What a wonderful setting, and how sweet of your little one to keep smiling even when she was covered in mud!

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  21. I love seeing your bluebell photos each year, it makes me wish I had carried on the tradition to go, but they are just too much of a walk to our nearest ones, they are in the middle of this huge wood! At least I have my yellow and lavender flower traditions! ;) These are such gorgeous photos and Ashlyn looks as pleased as punch to be cuddled by her bro and sis. I can't believe she fell in the mud, that will be a story you will tell them when they are older! xx

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  22. What a beautiful setting to take those photographs. I love watching mine getting closer, being all girls I'm hoping they remain friends as well as sisters as they grow.

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  23. I love your outdoor photos so much! Really beautiful!

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  24. Oh those bluebell woods! What gorgeous siblings photos xxx

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  25. The 3rd child is always the tough one regards falling face first in the mud!

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  26. Bluebell photos are some of my absolute favourite images. I love these images of your children. They are so incredibly beautiful. You will really cherish these images as the children get older xxx

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