Friends?

It would be interesting to know what babies and toddlers really think of the kids their parents make them play with. For instance, Colter has spent a lot of time with one of my best friend's sons, Carter. Our boys were born within eleven days of each other and have been hanging out since birth. They've always seen each other at least once a week, usually more, and because of their mommies' friendship, have been forced on each other.

Look, we even made them wear coordinating outfits. Okay, not really. That was just a cute accident.We think the boys like each other; they talk about each other and ask to go play with the other, but do they really? Is the laughter apparent on Colter's face laughter of the joy of playing with a fellow nine-month-old, or was he making fun of Carter's carrot-tinted nose?

A month ago, our two families got together for dinner and the parents attempted to play cards while the kids played. Not long into our game, Colter and Carter came into the room quietly like something was up. Colter fell over holding his head, and instantly Carter started to cry. At first, I thought Carter had been injured, but John quickly pointed out the blood on Colter's forehead. Colter had a cut on his forehead, not a bad cut, but bad enough that the possibility of an E.R. trip to get stitches crossed my mind, but after we cleaned it up, it really wasn't much of a cut. It did swell up later and spread apart, so we put one of those butterfly bandages on it to try to prevent a scar, so it looks worse than it was.

When we asked the boys what had happened, we didn't get a straight answer. Colter wasn't talking and Carter's story didn't necessarily make sense. Probably because he was crying. Carter's brother Evan said he thought Carter hit Colter with a toy, and Colter pushed Carter down, but he didn't act absolutely certain that was what happened (I wasn't totally convinced anyway). Well, as soon as we got in the car, Colter came clean and said, "Carter hit me, Mommy, so I pushed him." I got the story out of him, and apparently, either Colter tried to take Carter's toy, so Carter hit him in the head with it, and then Colter pushed him down. It was so funny that Colter wouldn't tattle on Carter.

The point to this story is that now, there's been a couple things happen that make me wonder what's going through these kids' heads. When we went to play at Carter's house a few days ago, Colter proclaimed, "If Carter hits me, Mommy, I'm going to push him." Yesterday, we met up with several different families at the park, and after playing with a little girl we know, Colter said, "Scarlet is nice; she doesn't hit me." I think Colter may be holding a grudge. Perhaps. Today, I had a substitute teaching job and Colter spent the afternoon with Carter. Colter shut Carter's fingers in a closet door and wouldn't say he was sorry! Is it wrong that all preschooler drama makes me laugh?

Most of the time, the boys have a ton of fun playing together and get along really well. At least I think so...I'm not sure about this look on Colter's face, however.

Maybe we should work on the "A friend loves at all times" Proverb...