Mother Hen Comes Back to Roost

Kaeley has always been a very good big sister to Nathan. Sure, she gets frustrated, as I do, with the constant tornado he spreads around the house. However, for the most part she is very nurturing, protective, and caring. It seems to be going through cycles, because over the past week or so I've had to remind her more than I'd like to say that I can handle the "mom" job just fine by myself. I'm almost blue in the face with all the, "Thank you, Kaeley, but I already gave him his answer." "Remember, Kaeley? Who's the boss? That's right. I am." "Excuse me, Kaeley, but I'm the boss." Our conversations consist of, "Yes, I'm giving Nathan applesauce. No, Kaeley, I don't have grapes. That's why I'm giving him applesauce. Well, he's having applesauce." She is never ending correcting me or adding in her own explanations on why he can't stand on his seat after I've already told him to sit down.

Now get this... let's say Kaeley is coloring at the table and Nathan starts climbing on her chair to see what she's doing she'll scold him and tell him to get down. If I tell Nathan to get down off Sister's chair she says sweetly, "It's okay, Mommy, he's just giving me a hug."

She usually has a sweet tone, so it's not as though she's being snotty. I have mixed emotions about this, because while I could faint from exhaustion with all the "mothering" I have to combat it's still a sweet gesture meant with good intentions. I would also, I think, prefer for her to have a mothering relationship to him than a sibling rivalry. I'm praying for wisdom that's all I can say.

It does benefit me, too, sometimes. For instance last night she told him to pick out two books before bedtime and even "read" him his Bible study before he was shipped off to bed.

Oh, goodness, what's a mother (the real one, I might add) to do?

Now I have to go, because the tornado is back, and the floor is covered in videos, board books, and now he's going through my purse. You see, this would be the perfect time to say, "Okay, Kaeley, since you're such a good mommy why don't you clean up the mess while I go read my book in the bedroom." Evil cackle.

Poor little girl. She really has a sweet personality. What can I say? She's the firstborn girl, that's for sure!