What Will I Do When They're Teenagers?

Usually, both Cody and Cordelia are wonderful with Emma, and love her to the moon and back. They were just up in NJ visiting with Granny and Pop Pop (an AMAZING week for US, really — plan on it EVERY SUMMER, Mom and Dad!) and she missed them so much. By the third day, she would just wander into their room and say, "Dee Dee miss you? Tody! Miss you!" She was napping when they got home, and when I got her up she heard Cody's voice and went nuts. "TODY! TODY! MISS YOU! TODY HOME! TODY'S ARMS!" And in she went.

She was equally happy to see Cordelia, who was delighted to have her little sister back, too.

Last night, though, my little bird had a bee in her bonnet. She and Emma were playing with blocks together, building towers. I popped out on the deck to hang wet swimsuits on the line, and a second later heard E screaming and Cordelia looking full of rage. I shouted, "What just happened?!" Emma, bless her precocious little heart, said, "DeeDee HIT you!" I turned on her in my own rage: "Did you just hit your baby sister?!" She replied defiantly, "I punched her on purpose—but it was an accident!"

I don't even know what to say.