What a Girl Wants
I know every woman does it. In fact, I do it all the time. I might even be a master of the art form. So it should come as no surprise that my daughter would start a wee bit early with the whole It's a Woman's Prerogative to Change Her Mind at Any Moment thing.
A few months ago, if you had asked me how Alexis felt about the cats going in to her room, I would have relayed to you her habit of giving birth to a very large cow every time she caught one in there. She has been known to literally kick them out and slam the door on a tail or two in her haste to get them to "GO OUT NOW!"
Her middle of the night complaints about cats entering her sacred quarters had gotten so bad that I had to start closing her bedroom door at night, thereby ensuring that her toes would be blue from her sleeping in a meat locker. I don't know why the heating vent in her room blows so bad, except that it's probably more like it doesn't blow. It's frackin' cold back in her room, so an open door is her only hope for warm tootsies. No matter, it turns out that my child came equipped with a kick butt internal heating system and a preference for icy cold air over any creatures entering her room at night.
But that was then. Now? She has changed her mind. Suddenly. Without warning.
One night last week, I forgot to close her door and later discovered that Coal had been sleeping right in that wee little toddler bed with Alexis. I stared in awe because this was truly a monumental occasion. She's been known to rip a cat's head off for even looking at her bed. I know she's a light enough sleeper that she knew he was there. And yet? He survived the night and he even got to keep his head.
A few days later, I discovered the Toddler sitting on her bed reading Coal a story. He's a goofy little thing who is desperately starved for attention, so he was playing along in hopes that her pudgy little fingers would somehow end up rubbing on his little head. He was granted his wish, and Alexis was delighted when he awarded her by making obnoxiously loud purring noises. It seemed my little girl had finally discovered there's a critter in this house that is always game for a cuddle and will do whatever he has to for a little love.
Tonight, I witnessed something I would have never thought could happen. She who once screamed, "MOMMMMMMMY, KITTY GO AWAY!" in the middle of the night, using a tone of desperation I personally would save for a knife-brandishing intruder, gave birth to a very large cow for a whole new reason. It wasn't because the cat was in her room, it was because he wasn't. Tears and screams and howls flew out of her mouth after I tucked her in for the night. It took a while for me to decipher her complaints amongst the blubbering sobs, but I finally figured out what she was saying,
"I want Coal Kitty."
The kid would not go to bed without her cat.
So, I searched the house, high and low, trying to find the allusive and really tiny Coalio (that's his rapper name). I finally found him whisker deep in a bowl of kitty food. I scooped him up, against his will, and hauled his little behind up the stairs. Miss Mega Meltdown was so upset she was oblivious to the little bundle of cuddles that I had tossed onto her bed. He was so freaked out by her sobbing that he took off running. Cue a bigger meltdown. Cue the cat running faster and farther. Cue Mommy ripping every hair out of her head as she chased a freaked out cat and tried to calm a freaked out Toddler.
Eventually I was able to soothe the cat enough to convince him to stay put, and then turned my energies towards calming the child enough for her to notice that she had gotten her way. Now, as I type this, they are all cuddled up in the tiny little bed, both as happy as can be.
Yup, my kid is officially a member of the We Change Our Minds All the Time Girls Club.
Saturday, March 15, 2008
Reader Comments (36)
Haha, round and round the cycle goes!
Nothing like two little bundles of cuddles keeping each other warm. Then comes summer, when the furball wants nothing to do with the warm little toddler ;-)
Not to worry, next week the cat will be missing hair again probably. They're like siblings!
My daughter is the same with our dog. But the pendulum seems to swing every hour.
LOL! Now you'll have to start closing her door again to keep the cat IN.
Alexis, welcome to the club!
Alexis - a true woman! Cute story and adorable picture!
I'm with Tootsie. It will be tough when Coal decides that sleeping with a toddler isn't worth the meager pats thrown his way.
Welcome to the club Alexis! I'm honored to be in your company (assuming you choose to allow me there) I know she has already mastered the "I have men/daddy wrapped around my finger" secret hand shake. She may just be the next President of the club!
How long until she changes her mind yet again and decides the cat has got to go NOW?!
:)
I NEVER do that. Nope, I stick with my first choice all the time. I am damn near the perfect woman. Yep, John is lucky to have me!!
(did you buy that?)
Hallie :)
I go back and forth between wanting Jon to sleep with me and tearing his head off and shutting the door too. That's not true. As long as he doesn't shed he's welcome to stay...
I love Toddler. Coal Kitty better feel privilaged that her mood is blowing his way!!
I'm so glad one of your menagerie is making out so well from this..esp. if he was starved for attention. I love how she's already turning into a wumman. Good for her.
Ethan's fist word was "kitty" and he loves her so much...she does NOT share the same sentiment...it could be the hair pulling. He doesn't understand "gentle" yet. What a sweet picture of Alexis and Coal...wish I could get ours to sit that close!!
It won't last long, if she is a real woman. Personally, I freak everytime a cat enters my room. I consider my bedroom to be the one and only pet hair free sanctuary in the house, especially my bed.
Another great post! When I grow up, I want to write as well as you.
The pic of Alexis and Coalio is the icing on the cake.
Next she's going to want to have the door closed AND cat in . . . and then she'll get mad when he wants out in the middle of the night!
My poor cat was evicted from the bed a long time ago. The propensity for foot-under-blanket attacks didn't help kitty's case . . .
This doesn't have anything to do with your post but I thought I remembered you mentioning a while ago that you like Jamba Juice. I too have an affection for the tasty frozen fruit smoothies and I just discovered that they have opened one in the Burgh. It is on the campus of Duquesne University but it is open to the public. Thought you might like to go check it out. Yummy! BTW, Alexis singing shake your booty was too cute!
What a cutie. I think there are just a few things that a girl doesn't change opinion on...chocolate and, long pause, well that's it as it turns out. I hope the kitty love sticks around!
Lacy's just joined the club as well, in her own way. She clings to my legs, whining and throwing in a few "pleases" until I pick her up. The moment I do, she fusses and reaches for the ground chanting, "down! down! down!" Her dad gets really frustrated with it -I just calmly remind him that she's a girl. :)
Hey, whatever keeps her in the bed all night, right? I'm willing to bet you'd chase down an elephant with a bladder problem if that was what it took, am I correct?
Way to go, girlio. And Coal is a cutie!
I watched my son, in utter frustration, trying to deal with his sister the other day. The only thing I could think was that every little boy should have a sister to teach him how to deal with women!
I'm so honored to have Alexis in the same club as myself...
Yup, Sissy's a card-carrying member too--only her thing is clothes and shoes. I bet I change her jackets and shoes 35 times a day...
Yep Alexis - welcome to the secrety society you adorable little girl!
My 4-year old is the one who loves our cat the most, too. though I can't let him sleep with her because if he's not locked up in the basement, he will come in my room at 5 and start meowing!
As someone who changes her mind dozens of times a day--I hear ya! She's learning well . . . Alexis is one bright girl and that pic is adorable!
too cute. Don't you love having to convince a cat of somthing? I am required to do this as well and it is really not an easy job.
ah, toddlers. can't live with 'em, can't eat 'em.
Welcome to the club!!!
This is how cats are..they don't want anything to do with you when you want them, but when you're busy they are all over you. Kind of like husbands.
Awwwww! Too cute!
Poor Coal. Good thing he loves the attention!
heehee, I LOVE that she was reading him a book. How freaking cute is that!??!
I'm wondering how our daughter will like the cats when she's older... So far she enjoys pulling their tails. This next year should be interesting!
So wait... Cats don't like it when toddlers scream and sob? Who knew this!
Little Man was attacked by a baby goat this weekend. And by attacked, I mean that the goat stood up in its pen and licked Little Man's cheek.
From Little Man's screams, you would have thought the goat gave him herpes or something.
No matter how much I tried to tell him the goat was friendly and liked him, he decided that goats must be reviled and destroyed. I think he might be moving to Jamaica, so he can eat them morning, noon and night.
That's awesome. A girl and her cat! Too cute! She's going to be an animal lover and collector like her father, isn't she?
Let's hope that my little one does not become so attached to our super aloof and touchy cat, even thought cat was her first word.
Cats are still banned from Gavin's room. One night Angus snuck in there and about 20 minutes after I put Gavin to bed, he starts screaming hysterically, scared out of his mind because the cat had jumped onto his bed, got startled by Gavin being startled, jumped onto Gavin's bookcase-headboard, knocked something down, adding to the screaming and fright.
Another time, Oscar got trappd in Gavin's room and was crying in the middle of the night to get out, LOUDLY. We woke up to another hysterical Gavin who was confused and crying, "help Cooper!" over and over...and his confusion is completely understood since Oscar's whining and meowing does sound like a crying baby.
Now if I could get Ginger to stay in his bed, he might be alright with that.
Catwoman in Training. Too funny cute.