Too Gross To Look At

This morning the kids and I had to get up early and be out of the house so that everyone could get to their respective camp locations and I could get to work. Since we were rushed for time (what? I know, shocking) I grabbed Jack pancakes to eat at my dad's and Abbey ate a delicious looking bagel with cream cheese in the car. At least it was delicious looking when I gave it to her. The entire drive she was licking and biting it, sucking off all the cream cheese, while Jack made gagging noises and exclaimed a million times that he was NEVER going to look at Abbey again. He most definitely WAS NOT going to ever watch her eat anything that is so gross and disgusting again. He sat with one eye covered telling us again and again, and again, that he just couldn't look at her. She was too gross. Abbey responded by waiting until he snuck a peek and then opening her mouth to give him a nice big view of chewed up cream cheese and bagel. Ahhh, sibling love.

Jello With A Side Of Boogers

Last night after dinner Abbey walked by Jack holding a container of jello. Her dessert. He promptly picked his nose (he claims he only "pretended") and wiped it onto her jello. Much crying and screaming ensued, ending with a brand new jello and the contaminated one in the trash. I wanted to get mad at him, I mean jello doesn't grow on trees, but it was just such a brotherly thing to do. I mean, how much more stereotypical brother antagonizing his sister behavior can there be than booger wiping? I must admit that there is the usual amount of "he hit me" "she grabbed me" "he bumped into me on purpose" and just as much "it wasn't me!" "no I didn't" and "she's lying" going on in our house, but there is also a wonderful bond that I see growing between them. They are each other's most constant companion, playmate and Saturday morning cartoon watching partner. I love that with a 2 1/2 year age difference that there is fighting, but that they are also able to play together, especially now that Abbey is older. They can play real games now, and I appreciate the burden it takes off of me to be the constant entertainer. True, it's a trade off, as I have turned into the constant referee instead, but it's worth it. They may fight, but in the end I know that they have each other's backs. Even last night after the booger wiping incident, while laying in bed reading a "Jack and Annie" book ("Jack and Abbey" in our house) there was a picture of Annie in a prairie dress. "What a pretty dress" Abbey exclaimed. Jack answered her "it is pretty, but your dresses are prettier and you look really pretty in them." Now isn't that nice?

Togetherness

"I didn't do it, it's her fault!"

"He hit me!"

"Stop it's my turn to say my words!"

"She pushed me first!"

"He's poking me!"

"She's laughing and it's not funny!"

The children have been bickering like an old married couple, while alternatively hugging and laying all over each other, loving like the best of friends. It is hot and cold, fire and ice with these two lately. All the togetherness has taken it's toll. Besides one week mid-summer when they each went to separate camps, Jack and Abbey have spent their summer together. To the lake, together. The zoo, together. Grampy's house, together. Park, together. Outings, together. On and on and on it goes. I am usually with them as well, but I do have work and an occasional break for mental health reasons, but for some reason we may forget that children. . . siblings. . . need a break from each other just as much as we do. In regular life we do not spend every waking moment of the day with our spouses, thank the Lord, and if we did we definitely wouldn't like it. So in this regard I can safely say that I am more than ready for summer to wrap up and the school year to begin. Jack will head into first grade next week, away from his family (and most importantly his sister) for 7 hours, 5 days a week. When he returns they will hug and be grateful to see each other, for the first 2 - 3 minutes, anyway.