Emma's Tough

I guess you have to be tough when you're the smaller twin. Even in the womb, Emma had to stand her ground, grit her...gums and claim her rightful place. We even saw it during one of our ultrasounds. Emma's little arms were pushing Ethan off of her side of the womb. They were in separate sacks, but they could still push, kick and get on each other's nerves 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for 7 1/2 months.  No wonder they came early.

Emma has a long fuse when it comes to her brother. She lets him steal her toys, snatch her sippy cup and push her out of his way. I have to stand up for her and say, "Ethan, share with Emma."
"Shur," he says as he pulls the snack tray closer.
It makes me sad to think that Emma just accepts the submissive role.


But she toughs it out.

Every now and then she gets fed up and gives Ethan a piece of her mind. She yells out loudly and waves her arms, repeating something over and over that I cannot understand. But it is obvious that she knows exactly what she is saying--and she means it.

If she gets hurt, she silently overcomes the pain. One time, I saw her bump her head hard on the coffee table. Her face showed that she was hurt. She tensed so hard that her face shook, and then she just lifted her head and moved right on with life. It was over before I could comfort her. It takes a very hard blow to cause her to cry. Emma's tough.

When Ethan gets hurt, he comes and tells me. He wants me to acknowledge his pain. He points to it and says, "hu't," or "ekay?"  And I reassure him that he's okay and that I'm sorry it hurts-- kiss, kiss.

A few weeks ago, right after I left the house, Rodney told me that Emma tripped and fell, hitting her cheek on a low window sill. That did it. She cried and cried. She received her very first black eye that she wore for a week.

It was actually more of a black cheek, but it still looked very tough. ;)