Are you two kidding me?

I'm an only child.  I need to preface what I'm about to tell you with the fact that I'm an only child.  I don't have a sibling.  I don't have any other person who grew up in the same house I did.  I have no understanding of the sibling connection.

While my children are different genders and four years apart, they're close.  There are days they get along remarkably well.  Zoe is a protective big sister.  If she's finds out someone is being unkind to her brother she'll fetch him and keep him close to her. 

When he was tiny, she was his very favorite person.  He'd scream with happiness when he saw her.  The first time he walked to a person was to his sister.  Up until 9 months ago, he called her "My Zoe".  

Will is now four.  Zoe is nine.  They know how to push each other's buttons.  Sometimes you can just see the delight in their eyes in making the other one crazy.  I have no idea what to do about this fighting for the sake of fighting.  I've been told the thing they are fighting over doesn't matter.   They'll fight over anything if they're in the mood.   

Not long ago we all went for a hike at a park that is dog friendly.  You can let your pets off their leashes so they can run and splash in the creek.  The dogs loved it.  They ran hard and got all wet and muddy.  Everyone you meet has a dog, so you're all members of the dog owner's club.  Lots of instant friends. 

Part of using this particular trail is that you are expected to clean up after your dog.  It helps keep the creek and surrounding woods clean as well as the shoes of your fellow hikers.  The park has thoughtfully provided bags at the beginning/end of the trail.  

Whenever we are out walking the dogs in our neighborhood the kids want nothing to do with this process.  On the trail, however, they wanted to help.  We were very pleased that they were showing a sense of responsibility.  And I guess the doggies found pooping in the woods exciting because they pooped a LOT.  

Once we got the bags filled and tied either Scott or I would carry them.  Then each of the kids started asking to carry them.  

When Zoe had one, Will got upset because he didn't have one.  He ran up to his sister and tried to take the bag away from her.  She cried out that Willie had taken the bag from her.  Then she tried to grab it back. 

My children were fighting over a bag of shit.  

We had to promise that when we cleaned up after the dog again we would make sure that each of them had a bag of shit to carry.  

Parenting is surreal sometimes.  I plan to use this story when my children bring friends home.  "Remember when you and your brother were fighting over that bag of dog poo?  hee hee hee!"  

That's going to be fun.

Amanda's beauty tip of the day:  Putting milk in your bathwater and exfoliating with sugar will leave you with silky soft skin.