Arch Enemies...?

Noah and his cousin Haley are about 7 weeks apart. They were both born in Oregon and lived an hour apart for the first 2.5 years of their lives. Kristie used to babysit sometimes for me when I would work- so they knew each other well from the get-go.. and we used to have playdates because Kristie and I like to hang out..

With great grandma Elaine..

Haley's first Birthday..

Playing at Noah's old house..

At the Portland Zoo...

About a year after we moved here, Haley and her family moved here and now live closeby.. This allows for Noah and Haley to play on the same soccer team (one season), go to the same preschool, and see each other pretty often in general- and they get along, as well as 2 extremely strong willed children can...

At Rowan's 1st birthday

On Grandpa's Boat

On the Tube together

But they seem to have a love-hate relationship at the moment, as in - they really seem to enjoy hating each other- not really, but they honestly enjoy arguing. A few months ago Noah asked me, "Do you think that Haley thinks I 'm her arch enemy?" I said (laughing), "what?!" then he answered, "Cuz, I know I think she's mine." The two "arch enemies" fight, then have truces, then argue, etc.. They are evenly matched verbally and so for the most part, Kristie and I just let it play out, it is not like they are picking on kids younger then they are, and when it gets too heated, they get to apologize, but on Easter the two of them played really well together. They were out playing bad minton, etc. all day long. The next morning on the way to preschool Noah asked if Haley could come over after school and I said, "Maybe.." Then he said, "yesterday I told her that I would give her two dollars from my piggy bank if she was nice to me." The kid was going to make good on his offer. When we got to school I told Kristie that Noah wanted Haley to come over and she said, "That is funny, Haley asked if she could come over to your house today.." I said,"Wanna know why?" A fter I told her what Noah said, she was all "that is totally why!" Then we laughed, smart girl. So then this morning Noah said, " mom, Haley told me that being mean to me is "her thing". "I asked, "what did you say?" he said "nothing, I didn't want to hurt her feelings." (today, at least..)
I swear those two kids! They are both way too smart for their own good, and one day they will figure out how much they can accomplish if they join forces.. They don't realize how much fun they do actually have together, and how lucky they are to have cousins so close by. They are never boring, that's for sure!