It has been brought to my attention that getting frustrated with my two youngest is a pointless emotion and that what they are doing is perfectly normal. Here is what you blessed people with siblings think is normal. A wonderfully big head of coily hair came bursting into my room, distressed apparently...Not that normal, I'm a brat and want my own way stress, but, something is SERIOUSLY not fair and you mommy need to fix the injustice. "Whats wrong sugar plum?" What I heard was something that was reminiscent of the little turtle in Finding Nemo giving directions on exiting the wave to Sidney....."You have to slow down and stop crying I don't understand you..." Word for word...."Audrey always get to be Olivia and its not fair, I want to be Olivia this time."....well, I stared...I blinked...she stared..no more crying...just stared and waited....So here's what went through my brain....it was only a few seconds but I swear it seemed like a movie. (who in the world is Olivia, what is she talking about, how do I respond to this so she can stop crying, does she realize I was in the middle of watching the Transformers...it was at the good part...grabbed remote and paused, who the hell is Olivia and why does she want to be her, is this the beginning of self esteem issues)
Crisis about to boil over because I am completely clueless, so I quickly ask, Audrey why is she always being Olivia...(answer seemed logical) Because she is older than her brother. Coily head shouts "I don't want to be a boy again" (panic mode....gender identification problems?) LIGHT BULB!!!! "Why don't you both be Olivia" (I swear that was a good solution....FYI...its not)..."But we can't both be her because then we don't have the ______(forgot the brothers name)"...... Well I could only say the best thing in this situation...."Go brush your teeth and get ready for bed"
So what in this conversation was normal. Single child like myself, played with her friends and we never argued over who was who...we played with our toys and pretended that way. Single child has imaginary siblings and they do whatever you want without fail. Well, adults with siblings have explained to me that this is normal and expected....they will be the characters from their favorite TV shows. They will pretend to dress up and be actresses they will take turns at being mean to each other just because and all of the crying, arguing, and fighting....and then 20 minutes later be back to laughing and playing with each other. Can we say Bi-polar disorder....
I love my girls, they confuse me most times, but, I love watching them in action....they are so comical and annoying sometimes but their laughter and (sorry) even their tears brings me to near hysterical laughter. I learn from friends what "normal" is...and I see normal in my girls...It still looks weird when I watch them through my "only child" eye...but so long as they aren't crazy I can comply with this definition of normal. Its fun!
