Besties

For the last year or so, we've been noticing that Hazel has been, well, kinda... OVAH her sister.  In some ways, I can't say I blame her.  I mean... Millie is on Hazel like a tick.  Anything, and I do mean ANYTHING, that Hazel says or does... Millie then says or does.  It doesn't matter if Hazel accidentally fell down while walking, Millie will stop what she's doing, walk over to the same spot, fall down and then proceed to recreate the exact same kind of drama that Hazel just dished out.

Which is why for a few months, they were introduced to strangers as Pete and Repeat.

And Hazel... well, you could tell that she'd had it. She would tell us that she just wanted to be by herself without Millie.  She would actually go into her room and shut the door and play. By herself.  Which is completely unheard of for that little girl.  She who wants Mommy and Daddy to play with her ALL THE TIME.  She who is incapable of She who had to take a trip with Daddy to Phoenix just to get some alone time.

Millie... well, she can't handle it when sissy isn't right there.  It often leads me to wonder how she would behave if she didn't have a big sister.  Would she know what to do with herself?  Would she ever know how to cry and whine to the point that Mommy's brain matter leaks out of her ears?  I mean, is that an instinct or a learned behavior? And if it's learned... who the hell taught Hazel?

But, I digress.

We have taken the girls out camping the last two weekends and statistically there was a very good chance that it would be a complete disaster what with the fighting, whining and crying, as well as the constant close proximity to each other.  To say that mentally I prepared myself for the awfulness by chewing on drywall screws and removing my eyeballs with a dull spoon would be... pretty much correct.

But a funny thing happened while playing in the woods, going on bear hunts and eating s'mores: My two little girls became besties.  Like... absolute BESTIES.

And it didn't stop when we left the campground.  They have been playing together ever since.  They dance together.  They play house together.  They giggle and laugh together. They chase around the house together.  And they are worried about each other when they are not together.

They are, in short, every mother's dream. 

And we shall go camping every weekend until they turn 21 to make sure this continues.