Worth Fighting For

I know that brothers fight.  I knew that going into the whole "motherhood" thing.  But I guess I pictured the tug-of-war about toys and stereos and shoes.  I expected heated wrestling matches on the living room floor.  I imagined teenagers fighting over a girl.

There may be some of that, someday.  And as much I as I will likely regret this statement later, I am looking forward to it a little bit.  I don't want to see them fight, of course, but each of those disagreements will build their character and bring them one step closer to the men they will one day become.

But mainly, I'm looking forward to it because their fights now are just plain stupid.

"Look Graham, those are the woods.  That's where bears and leopards live!"

"No, Cael.  Those are the trees."

"No!  Those are the woods."

"No... trees!"

"Mommy, tell Graham that those are the woods!"

"Momma say no!  Those are TREES!"

"Woods!"

"Trees!"

Seriously?  Woods or trees?  Is there nothing better to argue about?  What about how Cael gets to stay up later each night?  What about how Graham has a special song we sing at bedtime, while Cael hasn't adopted that ritual?  What about how I've been complaining for a year about the fixtures in my disgusting master bathroom and none have been replaced?  STILL?

 Nope.  They are more concerned with who murred (mooed) at the cow second.  Not first, second.

"Graham, I murred at the cow after you did."

"No, you murred first!"

"No, Graham.  You murred first.  I murred second."

"I second.  You first!"

"No way.  You beat me.  I'm slower."

"You're mean, Cael."

And, like every other tiff, it escalates to the point at which I have to tell them that they aren't allowed to speak to one another for fear that my head will explode and its contents will soil the towels-- the only new thing in my otherwise offensive bathroom.

So I breathe in the silence, the calm, and will myself to hold on until they are old enough to handle their problems themselves, until I no longer have to deal with such trivial and pointless disagreements.

"Psst.  Graham.  I'm being quieter than you are!"

"No, I'm more quieter."

"Graham, let's be super quiet.  Let's see who can be quiet for longer."

"Okay!"

Ahh.  Now that's worth fighting for.