Make note to self--remind Laurel that her hair is long and it's easy to be pulled. I can see it in Rachel's eyes. She is a grabber.

Oh jeez, it seems to have started in full force this weekend. The girls are at each other like cats.  Back and forth--playing separately or nicely one minute and then the next, all hell is breaking loose.  Soon I will have to hide the Vaseline supply to make sure they are not rubbing it on their face anticipating a real cat fight. (Make note to self--remind Laurel that her hair is long and it's easy to be pulled.  I can see it in Rachel's eyes.  She is a grabber.)

Usually they have played together quite well or on their own.  But now, I am not sure if it's that Laurel wants more space.  Her things can't be touched.  And of course Rachel doesn't understand this.

Rachel is marking her territory; making sure that her age and size don't hinder her.  She is also more verbal--any injustice, she speaks her mind and then gets in my face.  I can hear squabbles in the next room and then those little feet, stomping to me looking for justice.  Meanwhile, I am trying to get to the bathroom because it's the only room with a lock.

Today this is what I heard:
1.  A squabble on who gets to play with a the magic wand.  It's a piece of pink plastic--I think it used to hold up a doll.  My girls have hundreds of dollars of toys and electronics and they play with this?  Perhaps for Christmas, I should give out empty shoe boxes.

2.  With the magic wand, Laurel has turned Rachel into a worm.  And Laurel refuses to reverse the spell.

3.  Rachel comes to me complaining that she is a worm and pouting that I needed to do something.  While I show her that she has arms and legs, she is insistent that she is a worm.

I, then, go into the family room, take away the wand and tell Laurel to turn Rachel into a girl rather than a worm.  And this instance only covered 10 minutes and was one squabble of several.

(Young, childless co-workers are going to ask me about my weekend and I will not be able to convey the wand/worm situation with justice.)

Since it's the holidays, I am digging through the Christmas stuff and finding my new best friend, Mike, the Wang Elf on a Shelf.  Last year my nemesis, this year, my new best friend.  He will help me.  I have Mike, but I might hide the china too.  She is young, but I can see Rachel chucking a good plate at Laurel.