Day 239.

Thursday, August 27, 2009.

We're having two big discipline problems with Dylan right now. Backtalk and biting. The two B's. The backtalk is out of control the past few days - I feel like I'm dealing with a dramatic preteen or something. I remember backtalking to my parents, and the struggles they had with how "mouthy" I was, and gosh, I'm in for it.

I am grateful for a dose of humble pie.

Didn't your parents ever tell you - you just wait til you have your own kids and they talk this way to you?! Uggghhhh...I am chewing, swallowing and choking on those words.

The biting is also another trait that comes charmingly from me. Dylan has been getting so frustrated with Noah lately (he has his own mind all of a sudden and isn't going to just be her robot playmate), so she ends up getting physical occasionally and biting him. Sweet. The tough thing is - sometimes it's not TOO rough, and he just ends up with a bite mark on his arm that we see later and never hear any cries. I'm not sure if that is better or worse...

But today, I heard her running out of their room in terror - "Mommy! I bit Noah's eye!" She was already starting to cry in fear of what she had done, and he was obviously already crying from sheer pain. (Seriously Dylan, his EYE?!?!?!?!)

My anger could not be stopped and I growled at her, inhumanely - "Get in your room!" (btw - since when did I become an ape?) I was livid.

I scooped Noah up and assessed the damage...sure he was going to be blind in one eye. Honestly, it could have been that bad. Sure enough, his left eyelid was swollen and bloody - blood blisters spanning about a 1/2 inch over the whole eyelid.

I'm still pretty shocked my own flesh and blood did this to another of my flesh and blood. Sibling rivalry is pretty hot stuff. I sat and stewed over this for quite some time. I don't do corporal punishment, so what is there that conveys the severity of this act? Biting your brother's eye?!

I won't go into detail over the whole reconciliation, but let me tell you, just her having to look at his eye all swollen and bloody, was enough to throw her over the edge...I don't think there will be any eye biting any time soon in our house, unless Noah takes revenge...