sisterly empathy and differences

A few times now, we've noticed Charlotte show incredible empathy for Elisabeth. It makes us laugh, and laugh, and laugh. Most of the times have been where Elisabeth gets a timeout by not doing what she's been asked to do before I get to three. It goes like this:

Me: Elisabeth, get off of the potty and let me brush your teeth.
E: No.
Me: That's one.
E: I'm not going to cooperate.
Me: Fine, that's two.
E: I'm really, really, really enjoying not cooperating.
Me: Great, that's three, you've just earned yourself a timeout.
E bursts into tears, screaming, flailing, saying she'll be good, pleading for her life.

Charlotte bursts into tears.

Elisabeth gathers herself together. Charlotte stops crying. Elisabeth pleads for timeout mercy. None is given. She bursts into tears. Charlotte bursts into tears. It is comical. And very, very sweet.

Today, Doug was holding little miss Charlotte and they were playing little game where they'd try to sneak up on me and just as they got close, I'd turn around and roar and scare them and they'd scamper away. Elisabeth has always loved games like this. Charlotte, not so much. She seemed a little scared and never really laughed. So, Doug put her on my lap and Elisabeth, wanting to revert to her 1 yr old self, demanded that Doug play the game with her too. So up onto his hip she went and we played the game. Each time I roared, Elisabeth giggled and giggled. Maybe she giggled a little too loudly? Charlotte burst into tears. I guess she thought I was yelling at Elisabeth? I'm not sure.

This leads me to my second topic, which is a couple additional differences between my kids that I've noticed lately.

• Elisabeth always loved being thrown into the air, turned upside down, flipped, flopped, wrestled with, etc. Charlotte gets this look on her face that simultaneously says "what are you doing to me and why are you being so mean?" and "PUT ME DOWN RIGHT THIS SECOND."
• Dovetailing with the previous one, Elisabeth can, and always has been able to, eat an entire adult sized meal and immediately get flipped and thrown and not have any issues. Charlotte, on the other hand, pukes within 30 seconds of her first flip. Usually on me.

Oh and for all of those worried that Elisabeth would push Charlotte around, and tell her every move to make (that would be - at a minimum - Doug and me), fear not. Today, Charlotte was playing with her "Discovery House," doing her favorite activity of flushing the toilet over, and over, and over again when Elisabeth came over and pushed her hands away. Charlotte grabbed Elisabeth's arm and pulled it up to her mouth and tried to bite it. Quite frankly, we were rooting for Charlotte, but we do realize we'll have to tell her not to bite her sister.