Siblings.

As I see my three daughters growing up I notice quite a bit of sibling rivalry. From the minute they get off the bus until they go to bed at night they are constantly picking with each other, teasing and trying to one up each other. It annoys me to no end and I always have to take a step back and remember when I was little the rivalry that went on in our house. Some of it I have blocked out but my brother and sister eagerly fill in all the blanks. I do remember my brother who is 2 years older then me used to steal my barbies and cut their hair off and throw them out the window. When we were really young my brother and I decided it would be fun to ride down the stairs in a laundry basket..kind of like our own roller coaster. Well apparently (from what I have been told) my brother decided to go first and I pushed the basket and he slid down and flipped into a door and broke his arm. I also remember that I used to take my fingernails and pinch my brother all the time leaving fingernail marks on his arms. My sister was four years younger growing up and sadly I took advantage of that little detail. One time I got her to eat a whole heaping spoonful of sugar and then I told her she should go lay down on the couch because it was going to make her go blind. Another time when there was a snow day and we were home from school I was watching her while my Mom went to work (well my brother was there too but I am reasonably sure he had his head in a book while listening to loud music). I told my sister that kidnappers were coming to get her and take her away and she had to stay locked in my parents bedroom all day long. I guess I was maybe 12 or 13 so she was only 8. She was totally scared and cried...I forget how I talked her out of telling our parents (I probably bribed her with a 1$). She insists that one time I spread Blixtex on her eyelids and told her it would make her beautiful...you know how Blistex burns on chapped lips??? 100x worse on tender little kid eyelids!! Then there were the smelling salts...my mom is a nurse and used to empty her pockets on her dresser. Once my brother broke one apart and said YUM smell this and I did..I will never forget the terrible cold tingling in my nose! My sister says I did it to her once too but I conveniently don't remember that ever happening.
I have not told any of these stories to my girls..I certainly don't want to give them ideas or ammunition. The important thing is that as much as we fought and rivaled as kids we are now good friends so I think a lot of it is just part of learning to grow up in a family. Sorry for all that mean stuff I did to you though David and Abby :)
Apparently my sibling fury also affected my best friend across the streets little sister (she just reminded me of a ton more stories)....Sorry Kate :)