conuly

And she had to pick them up, because if there is one thing I can't stand, it's broken crayons.

Evangeline woke up from her nap and dumped out Ana's hard work. She was trying to help. Ana pushed her on the floor - a not entirely surprising reaction!

So Evangeline stormed back to bed sobbing and sobbing and crying that NOBODY understands her and NOBODY likes her. Ana kept on doing what she was doing, sulking when I went in to comfort her sister instead of her.

And nobody gets a sulk on like Ana does. Here it is, dinnertime, and she's sitting on the couch insisting that SHE won't eat dinner and SHE won't eat dessert until those crayons are done!

Me: Yeah, well, it'll take you all of a minute to finish it up if you stop trying to sort them and whine about it.

Now SHE wouldn't eat, she'd just STARVE, even AFTER she finished the crayons! Also, she hates me forever. And I hate her, she KNOWS it.

Me: Whatever....

(Well, what was I supposed to say?)

Once she was all done she stood up, declared that she hated everybody, forbade me from hugging/kissing/loving her, and told me to hit her. That's been her line this past week, don't ask me why. It gets sorely tempting sometimes, let me tell you!

But I tricked her! I pointed out that hitting her would be giving her what she wants, and since I oh-so-hate-her I should hug her instead. And I did. Tickled her too. And that, amazingly, worked.

Right up until Evangeline bolted from the table. "And now, for the great and only... EVA ATTACK!"

That kid is HEAVY when she jumps and hugs you! And it just set Ana off. She's growing, she weighs more now. I am now all hugged out. ALL. HUGGED. OUT. NO HUGS!

We also had a screaming contest, which I won by virtue of having bigger lungs and a lot more practice. I held that scream well after they'd given up, and I didn't even bother to take a breath first! "It's like the OPERA!" I don't really picture myself as the fat lady, but it's nice to win something fair and square :)