Gimme, gimme, gimme...

Big Girl has had a rough week or two of it. You see, it's been Peanut's birthday, recently. Grandparents have flown in (not that they would have flown in to meet their new granddaughter or anything just cause of that big reason, but I digress), there's been singing, cakes, candles...and gifts. Oh yes, those lucious, tasty, tempting, wrapped-in-goodness presents.

Big Girl likes to tally. I got 4 shorts, sister got 5. I got 3 crackers, sister got 2. She wants to know the score. Always. And we've had lots of tears, lectures, hissy fits (on both sides) etc over it. And I refuse to play a dead man's game...cause I won't win.

She finally did something vindictive towards Peanut. I knew it would come someday, but I didn't expect it this way...Peanut got an extra balloon (gasp! the horror!) from a certain tolerable burger chain with a large red avian as it's mascot. Peanut even shared her ice cream sundae with Big Girl. But that fact wasn't remembered. A few days later, as the boredom of a spring break under grueling conditions of Peanut-illness and cold damp weather set in, the girls decided (well, Big Girl decided and roped the little on into it) to pop a balloon. They couldn't get those buggers to pop. I stayed out of it beyond telling them that once they are gone, they are gone. Finally I hear Big Girl grunt in disgust, so I tell her to bring her balloon to me and I'll get rid of it if she doesn't want it. (I was in the kitchen paying bills). She brings it to me, I take a scissors and pop...gone.

Then the screaming starts. From Peanut. "I MISS MY GREEEN BALLOON". I didn't even look...Big Girl had handed me Peanut's 2nd balloon. Not the red one. Red is Peanut's favorite. She knew better. But blue/green/mom's busy...yup, she screwed me. And I didn't think. I admit it. And I apologized profusely to Peanut...and also pointed out to her she was walking around with a shoe on to help pop said balloons.

I asked Big Girl why she gave me Peanut's balloon. The tears started. I asked her why again. "I dunno." I asked again. "She have 2 balloons."

Needless to say, I was mad. We went over again that they both get all the love we can give, but I WILL NOT tally stuff. Items will be replaced with values, with size, with something. I cannot win. So I will not play.

She also likes to "help" sister with all her new presents. If Peanut offers them of her own free will, that's great. But I am not allowing "helpful coercion" because poor Peanut has not been given ample time to play many times with anything...even so far as being called "always annoying" when she wanted to play with her sister with one of her new toys.

It's something she has to work thru. We know that. But this is where we are at now. We're climbing the learning curve...quickly, and with grappling hooks.