Pay Back?

When I was pregnant with Boo, I used to tease Tic Tac, who was four at the time, because when I would push him on the swing his feet would often kick me in the belly when he’d swing back – especially as that belly grew and I could hardly stand back far enough for him to miss me and still reach him to push the swing. Anyway, one time I told him, jokingly, that if he kept on kicking his little sister like that she would remember it one day. He thought that was funny.

Well, what is ironic these days is that often when Tic Tac comes near Boo, she yells and waves her hands at him like she’s telling him to go away. We can’t figure out why she’s doing that. In the morning when she wakes up, if he comes in and says cheerfully, “Good morning, R….,” she does the same thing. Poor Tic Tac, he loves his little sister, but she seems to get irritated with him easily. Of course, it may have to do with the fact that Tic Tac is a very tactile kid and loves to hug – even if the hug recipient doesn’t want to be hugged right then, so maybe Boo just gets tired of the close attention from her brother at times. But it’s funny that she doesn’t yell at Monk the same way, or at least not as often. Funny, but a little sad for Tic Tac I think, because he’s such a sweet kid and just wants to love on her.

I told him this morning I think she’s paying him back for the swing incident. He laughed. He had forgotten about that. Poor Tic Tac. But Boo makes up for it when she walks up to him and says, “Mmm-ah, mmm-ah,” and gives him little toddler kisses.

I am constantly amazed as I watch these boys who can take every little slight from each other and turn it into a new version of World War III, but put up with all kinds of irritation from little Boo and just laugh it off. They are surprisingly gentle with her. I think the age difference helps, but it also gives me lots of hope that deep down under the brotherly warfare and endless refereeing from me and their dad they are, indeed, learning empathy and kindness somewhere among the training we’re seeking to give them. The biggest hope for them I have is that they will internalize the things we are hoping to teach them at home, kindness, yes, but even more importantly the things we are teaching them about Christ Jesus and how He forgives our sin. I find it so encouraging and such a mercy when the Lord lets me see a glimpse that they are getting the message, through things they say or do.