Early Lesson in the Feminine Mystique

Had a Memorial Day BBQ at Other Big Sister's house, and it was very funny to watch A. and his cousin (I'll call her K.) interact. N. is 7 months older than A., and she adores him with every fiber of her being. Except when he plays with her toys. It struck me that they were the perfect Mars/Venus pair - she wanted his attention, hugs and kisses, to sit next to him, etc. He let himself be hugged and kissed a couple of times, but clearly thought she was being a little too high-maintenance. At the table, she wanted to be near him and he really couldn't have cared less. (Sitting 3 people away was just too far! Reminded me of high school where you HAD to sit next to the guy you liked and a real friend would never sit in between you because she KNOWS you like him). And his response was so typical - he can't be bothered when he's eating or watching TV. She was also really, really tired - the toddler version of PMS - and was quick to fly off the handle because THAT'S HER BARBIE PHONE, DAMNIT! A., being the child of therapists that he is, saw her anger mounting and literally ran from it and hid. Taking the Barbie phone with him, of course.