Sibling Rivalry. Again, I know.

That just sounds so much better than "brother and sister fighting". My kiddos play hard and wild, and part of that is fighting. I'm trying to learn to accept it - not meaning I allow it, or say "it's normal so it's ok", but just accept the fact that my children are going to fight at least once every day. (If I'm lucky! Hahaha.)  I'm trying not to base my "mom success" on how many times they "rivaled". There are also times when they are fighting that I stay out of it. Like when I'm cooking. Unless I hear it escalate to what I was hearing upstairs today shortly before naptime. Olivia was screaming wildly, and Martin was yelling at her at the TOP of his voice. So, I called Martin down first.
Me: "Martin, that was not a kind voice that you were talking to Olivia with."
Martin: "Mama, Olivia is making me CRAZY!"
Me: "OK. I'm sorry about that. But you still use a kind voice." (Yes, I was smiling inside.)
So then I called Olivia down.
Me: "Olivia, you were not being kind to Martin."
Olivia: "Martin hurt me." (This is her standard line whenever she gets mad at him for something, so who knows. Her tendency though is to scream as if her life in on the line if he even looks at her cross eyed.)
Martin: "I did NOT hurt Olivia Mama!!!!"
Me: "Olivia, you worry about yourself. You were not kind to Martin, and you used a no no screaming voice."
Olivia: "Okay Mama"

So then they hugged, kissed, made up, quoted their "be kind" verse, and went to play some more.

I really do love being a mom. Even when it gets a little loud and hairy, it's priceless. I love it. I want them to stay  little, with their cute ways of saying things and lisps, with them wanting to dress themselves (Olivia), even if it does take 10 minutes longer than getting help. Getting Olivia out of the potty at least once a day from when she decides to go all by herself and forgets to put her potty seat on the big potty.Constantly coming up with new craft ideas to satisfy Martin's creative side. Washing Olivia's dolls once a week from her thoughtful feedings of them. Scrubbing the walls from where someone's paintbrush went astray in watercolor time. Asking for forgiveness after getting angry from one mess too many. Cuddling as much as they'll let me. Laughing until tears run down my face at an overly animated description of some experience. Hearing their little voices sing new songs they've learned, say verses they have been working on, and pray from the heart (even if some things get repeated a couple of times). Seeing them make the right decision to share, be kind, forgive, and ask for forgiveness. Even if it's a high maintenance, less sleep, more noise time of life. It is so totally worth it.