Squabbles!

Do your children ever fight? Fight over toys?

Having 3 girls...well...there could be times that they just didn't get along. Mind you, they did always resolve their differences (they had the choice to get along or go to bed!), but that was many years ago. These girls are now 29, 23, and 21. So, you would THINK the era of little "squabbles" would be done with...but NO!

When Emily (the 23 year old) was 3 we got her a Kid Sister Doll (AKA a My Buddy doll...but a girl version.) She LOVED this doll. She named her Mary Lou after a young woman who occasionally babysat for the girls. She played with this doll, hauled her around everywhere, and spoke of Mary Lou as if she were alive and well. Emily requested I make "new clothes" for Mary Lou and through the years her shoes and original pink stripped overalls were lost.Eventually, my young girls grew up and their dolls were put away. Mary Lou moved to the bottom of Emily's closet and was not thought about for years. Occasionally Emily would come across Mary Lou and would let me know that that Mary Lou needed something new to wear. Emily took off Mary Lou's dress and put it in my sewing room to remind me to make her a new outfit. (HA! That went on the back burner...who was playing with this doll?)

Well...then along came Lauren (my granddaughter, now 6) who loves dolls. She discovered Mary Lou one afternoon while Emily was away. We were searching Emily's closet for something and there was Mary Lou - thrown in the bottom of the closet, mussed up hair, and no clothes. Lauren was indignant! Who would treat another little girl this way? Why was she without clothes? Obviously Emily did not love her and Lauren immediately claimed Mary Lou as her very own. She begged me for some clothes for her...so I looked in my bag of old baby clothes I've saved for the girls, and found her a pretty dress and pinafore (plus several other outfits to change Mary Lou into.)
This has been "ok" for a couple of years, but suddenly Emily has seen Mary Lou in a new light.

Just recently Emily visited "Lauren's Room" and spied Mary Lou sitting at the tea table dressed in her new finery! I could hear her quizzing Lauren as to where Mary Lou got the new clothes. Lauren reminded Emily that Mary Lou was now her doll...because Emily did not take good care of her. That didn't seem to sit too well with Emily - and she reminded Lauren that Mary Lou was HER doll. I could hear them arguing back and forth about this doll...were there 2 six year olds upstairs? Emily came down to give me the "sister report" (what I used to call the girls' tattling! Deja vu) Mary Lou was hers!

Nothing more was said at that point, and I thought nothing of the conversation until the next evening.

We were headed to a party and Emily was riding in the car with us when she brought up Mary Lou. Hmmm...Where was this going? She wanted to make sure I knew that Mary Lou was HER doll and when she got married and had children Mary Lou would be coming to live at her house...she was NOT Lauren's doll. LOL!

Girl's...I guess no matter their age, they are going to fight over their dolls! And, I'm thinking by the time Emily has a little girl...Mary Lou will be available to move in with her! Mary Lou is thrilled to be loved by all!