I’ve written about this phenomenon before.  Once every year or two, Chloe and Sophie actually get along during their waking hours. It’s a rare occurrence.  A bit like witnessing a total solar eclipse.

At the risk of jinxing this most recent episode of sisterly love, I find it necessary to document it on this blog now, lest the girls forget that there were times during their tender years when they didn’t fight.

Note to future Chloe and Sophie: I am not joking.  Every so often you actually treated each other nicely when you were children. Sometimes, you even hugged. Sometimes, your détente lasted for days on end.  Shocking, I know.  And I promise this is not a lie to make you feel less guilty as adults about your childhood relationship.

I started noticing a few weeks ago that the house was more peaceful than usual.  At first, I attributed the calm to Truffle’s progress with training (especially compared to some of the puppies in his “Terrible Teens” obedience class).  But it slowly dawned on me that the tranquility wasn’t simply due to the canine in our house.

I started to observe small things.  Chloe talking to her sister in a patient and gentle tone that I never knew she could muster.  Sophie walking into Chloe’s room and not being immediately shooed away. Sophie and Chloe voluntarily playing games together (I about fainted when that happened the first time).  Sophie patiently listening to Chloe ramble on and on about nonsense (Sophie just clarified to me that she acts like she’s listening to be polite but she mostly just tries to block out her sister’s incessant chatter).  Sophie and Chloe singing songs together.  Chloe explaining how to play Clash of Clans to Sophie.

Taken individually, these are just brief bursts of affection.  Taken as a whole, we’re approaching Frog and Toad territory.

I’d like to think that this episode of camaraderie will last longer than it has in the past.  Could it be that they’re starting to appreciate each other more?  After all, the girls are getting older – Chloe turns 13 on Thursday (which is even harder for me to believe than the fact that my girls aren’t at each other’s throats).

I refuse to speculate. I’m just going to continue to bask in the serenity that is coursing through our house.

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I spoke too soon.  It’s easy to forget that we now have a third child in the house. Truffle has recently  found his voice and is starting to fill what had been the wondrous silent void by barking very loudly at his reflection.  Damn.