Sibling Love

It has begun. That angst-y relationship between brother and sister that only someone with a sibling can fully understand.

Caedmon adores Honor. Always has. It makes my heart so happy that he loves her so much. And she really does love him back. Most of the time, anyway.

Caedmon is a snuggler. Always has been. Honor? Not so much. So when Caedmon decides he wants to cuddle, love, and otherwise impede her progress toward wherever she’s headed, sometimes she doesn’t appreciate it very much. And her current line of defense? Biting.

The other day I was doing some paperwork at the kitchen table. The kids were crawling around under my feet, playing. Suddenly, Caedmon started crying. “She bit me!”

Sure enough, Caedmon had a bite mark on his shoulder. I asked what was going on when she bit him. “I was trying to hug her and she bit me.”

I think Caedmon is learning that a hug, while great, is not always appreciated by everyone. He still tries, though. And he’s been bitten a few more times. But he’s starting to learn that’s the price he has to pay if he wants to hug her when she’s not ready. I figure he’ll either live with the biting or learn to pick his hugging times.

I’m not saying I want her to bite him, or that I think biting is an acceptable response to a hug. And she’s got to learn that biting is not ok, but it’s really hard to teach that when it’s the only way she can really defend herself. And it’s a little funny, too.

But she comes by it honestly. I was a biter. I don’t really remember being a biter, but I’m told that I was one. And knowing myself, I don’t really doubt it. Although, I feel certain the biting was justified. Honor will probably feel the same way.