Liza, the instigator

Oh our dear Elizabeth, who has played the role of "everyone picks on me . . . I never do anything wrong" with such overwhelming sincerity, we just HAVE to believe the poor kid.  Well, not anymore.  Sorry Liza, your gig is up.  The tables have turned and we're realizing that it should be "poor Sophie" who, because of her reactive personality always takes the wrap for the sibling battles that lately have been occurring quite frequently in the girls' room.

So tonight was an eye-opener.  I quietly waited outside their bedroom door to witness Liza's antics firsthand . . . watching how she silently sneaks behind Sophie and sticks her tongue out, then rolls her eyes and gets Sophie right where she wants her - MAD - then Sophie tells her to go away and leave her alone, but Liza keeps pushing buttons until Sophie has had enough and *smack* Liza gets it in the arm (not hard btw) and begins her well-polished yelp of pain, so when I appear she's writhing in pain and explaining how horrible Sophie is and how she didn't do anything at all . . .  how she was getting ready for bed, minding her own business and then out of the blue, Sophie just hit her!  Um, ya right.

Here's the conversation I had with alone with Liza in the bathroom -

Me:  "Liza, you were not being nice to Sophie.  We don't act like this in our family, we treat our brother and sisters with respect.  I'm not happy with you.  You need to be nice."

Liza just looks at me and frankly states:  "Well, I'm nice in my dreams."

Me (trying to stay serious):  "Great, I'm glad you've got it down in your dreams, but that doesn't count, you need to be nice when you are awake.  Do you think you can do that??

Liza doesn't say anything, she's just staring at me and wondering if I'm serious, so I shake my head and say, "What in the world are we going to do with you?"

She gives me this answer in her best martyr voice while looking at me intently with those big brown eyes because she knows she's finally been ratted out:  "I guess you could just send me to an orphanage."

SIGH . . .