Sibling Rivalry: Shark-like Behavior, During Shark Week or Not, is Unacceptable!

The day has come . . . I've started to get my first dose of sibling rivalry with my kids. To be honest, I'm surprised it took so long. They are now three and just shy of two, and I can only imagine that it will get worse as they get older. They have always played well together. They respect each other's space, but are quick to give each other hugs too. They have impressed me with the way they share. Very recently, their sisterly bond has taken a turn. A love/hate, BFF/worst enemy turn that often has me grinding my teeth.

It started last week. It was a rainy morning and I was trying my best to keep my girls entertained indoors. I brought out two pop up tents, a tunnel and 200 mini balls. I thought for sure this would keep my kids entertained for a while since it's not something I bring out all that often. Even though they are good cleaner uppers, this is definitely a once in a while, rainy day activity. After about 50 balls into the clean up process, it becomes torturous for all of us. Within minutes of me dumping out that huge bag of balls, both kids decided they weren't fun anymore. Instead, they opted to put American Girl Doll tights on their heads and chase each other around with spatulas. They renamed themselves "The Amazing Baking Buddies" and were content and full of giggles. It was loud, but not nearly as loud as it got when I left the room.

As I was putting laundry away the giggles I heard coming from the room turned to yells, then screams, then cries. As I rushed back into the room I saw the two of them wrestling on the floor over a pair of fuchsia doll tights. I'm not sure who took whose tights, but what I did see was my youngest lean over and bite my oldest daughters arm . . . hard. I broke up the fight, and firmly told my youngest that biting is not okay. I comforted my oldest, washed the bite and applied ice. She calmed down quickly, and liked the fact that her younger sister was jealous of the special treatment she was getting. I'm not sure what was so special about ice cubes, but she liked them so much that I heard her encouraging her sister to

bite her again later that afternoon as I was in the other room. "Do it Charlotte, bite my arm. You'll get in trouble, and I'll get ice. Hahaha." I rushed back to the room, and thankfully I heard Charlotte telling Lanie "NO BITING". Maybe it was just a one time deal that happened to coincide with the upcoming Shark Week. Whatever the case, Jaws like behavior is one thing that I have a hard time tolerating. Shark Week or not, biting is unacceptable!

My youngest has been working hard to outshine her sister with the potty training. While they are both well on their way, Charlotte shows a much greater interest. Not only will she tell us that she has to go, but she'll climb, and jump childproof gates to get to the adult size potty in the bathroom. Apparently the little potty (that is always accessible in the room they are playing in) is for babies, and so are childproof gates. The climbing . . . Dear God . . . the climbing . . . IS the biggest teeth grinder of them all. I did let the gate climbing slide since she actually used the potty. Plus, that incident was not nearly as bad as finding her sitting in the middle of the kitchen counter, playing with a box of tissues all during the 27.2 seconds that it took me to run a bag of trash down to my garage.

On top of the fighting, biting, and climbing, the Awkward Mom Moment, award of the week, goes to Lanie. During our trip to the local wholesale store, we were in the check out lane, when she decided to strike up a conversation with the woman behind us. It went as follows:

Lanie: "Lovely day. Actually, it's a great day. We're buying Popsicles. What are you buying?"

Woman: speechless and turning bright red

Lanie: "Are you being shy? It's okay. I was shy once too."

Woman: now dripping sweat

I don't blame this woman one bit for not answering the question. I'd be speechless and sweaty too if a three year old interrogated me about the jumbo sized, variety pack of condoms that I was buying.

I looked away in shock. OMG shock. This stuff never happens when people have simple things like snack packs in their shopping carts.

Shark Week 2013 starts August 4th!

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