I AM Your Sweetheart!

"Ashy took my power ranger, and dat's not f-A-ir!" Caedmon pouted. (Insert drama and a bit of southern accent...)

My mother used to tell me life wasn't fair. Which, although true, used to enrage me. Well, ok, sometimes it still makes me pretty mad. I remember thinking it was her job to make it fair- fair for me. So I guess I shouldn't be at all surprised when my children get a little miffed when they perceive life's events as unequal.

Of course it's not always about toys or art supplies not being shared. Lately the "fairness" issue has been causing some issues when giving out compliments. "Ashlyn, thank you so much for getting your shoes on without asking. I really appreciate that!"
"I put MY shoes on! I feel like you don't love me anymore because you didn't say that you liked me putting on my shoes..." Braden protests.
"I det MY shoes mommy. Am I being a good boy, mommy?" Caed inquisitively asks in that sweet still-toddler voice.
"Yes, yes of course, Caed, and Braden you didn't even give me a chance to say I appreciated your obedience..."
It's CRAZY- you can't say anything, unless it applies to all three at the same time. So I should have seen this coming...

Today we were off to the store. Chad was chauffeuring, (thank God, I think I would choose to be driven around at all times if possible, especially when monitoring children.) I digress. Ashlyn was sitting so nicely in the seat behind me. She looked so beautiful with her smocked Fourth of July dress on and her silky blonde hair pulled up with tiny heart clips. I couldn't resist a comment. "Ashlyn, you are my sweetheart." I cooed in her direction.

Caedmon, sitting across from her took this very personally. He ripped apart his "Octopus Pime" transformer limb to limb, chucked it on the floor and in a deep, growly, angry voice declares, "I AM your SWEETHEART."

Chad and I looked at each other and started cracking up. "Yeah, Caed, you are my sweetheart too!" I said through muffled laughter.

Like I said before, My mom used to tell me life wasn't fair. She also used to say, "One day Sara, you are going to have a child, and they are going to be JUST LIKE YOU." Well, she was right. The only thing she failed to mention is that I didn't just have one, I had THREE strong willed, black and white, wonderfully competitive, beautiful children. And I couldn't love them more.