The Christmas Ball Doesn't Fall Far From the Tree
When I picked her up from school, Alexis should have been wearing a sign around her neck. It should have said something like, "Caution: Operating without a nap," or "Warning: Subject to wild mood swings." That is to say, she was not what I would call stable. Or happy. I take that back; she was happy. It's just that she was happy and then she was devastated and then she was happy and then she was devastated. And then she was happy. And then she was devastated.
And then momma wanted to slam her head through a wall.
To fill the time between dinner and an early-but-still-reasonable bedtime and, hopefully, avoid a bit of drama, I decided to start dragging out a couple of the Christmas trees. Now, first of all, shooooosh with your "it's too early" crap. Of the 14 days between now and Thanksgiving, I only have 8 of them with spare time for Christmas decorating and such. I'm starting to panic just a weeeeeee bit. Second of all, the kid has been asking to do some Christmas decorating for over a month. If I have to deal with a three-year old turned tiny sleep-deprived terrorist, I'm very willing to give in to her more reasonable demands.
So, I drug up all of the pencil trees and told Alexis to come help me decorate her tree. We started out with a little discussion around which tree was hers and the fact that all of the rest of them are mine.
It went really well.
(embedded video)
A few things:
1. It's really hard to deny that she is my kid when she throws that sort of epic fit over wanting the biggest Christmas tree. It almost brings a tear of pride to my eye.
2. It's even harder to deny that she is my kid when the method for ending that fit was to plug in the lights. She was all, "Oooooooooh . . . look! It's so pretty!"
3. You'd have to be a complete moron to not realize that she's my kid considering that when we were putting the ornaments on the tree, she repeatedly gazed lovingly at the multi-colored balls as she said, "Oooooh . . . shiiiiiny."
Now that I think about it, perhaps we should both wear signs around our neck. They should say: "Caution: Easily distracted by shiny things."
Oooooooh . . . shiiiiiny.
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Reader Comments (20)
my dogs do NOT like when your daughter cries. ensure she never does again, k?
My youngest daughter has really taken to balling as soon as she doesn't get her way. Beyond crocodile tears. Maybe they should hang out.
New room.....new tree.....only fair.
I love the shiny stuff too. For my husband the best thing is a new video game.
That. Was. Awesome.
Can we have a Charity Event where we all video tape our tantrum-y children and vote whose kid would be voted of the island first?
oh that is so awesome.
I both love and hate the No Nap At Daycare Emotional Roller Coaster. Hate because, well see the above video. And love because... well, see the above video ;)
Wow, totally looks like my evening last night, however Claire's fit was over a magna doodle that her 5 month old brother was drooling on...
We had an epic fit at our house last night, too. Complete with "You don't even like me!" "You don't love me!" "Everyone hates me!" and "You wish I was dead!" It was awesome.
These little ones of ours; they really are wonderful. Despite the fits, and sometimes because of the fits, you can't help but love them. (Especially when you get the fit on video and play it back; now that you're not living through it real-time, it's somewhat endearing. At least, that's how it is for me.)
They really are wonderful. And you certainly can't deny the joy of the three reasons above. I can't wait to bring out the shiny stuff for Abby this year.
wow... and I'm all about the "wow... only 2 more weeks of pumpkins... do I really WANT to decorate much this year for christmas? ugh... I'm tired..."
you shame me.
p.s. epic fit here too, from our girl. her words were something like "it's not fair that I'm in trouble. he deserved to be pushed, and seth started the throwing pencils at the teacher. it's not all my fault, he should get punished, not me!"
The children must have all had the same cookie, because my daughter was being ridiculous last night too. Huge frowns, and crocodile tears, and stomping Over BATH time. "I don't understand why I have to have a stupid bath or shower every night. It's stupid. I don't even stink like the boys do."
Hahaha. As a non parent I find that fit quite funny. Im evil like that. Then again I was the child that laid down in front of the drug store and pitched an hour long fit once. and my mother, refusing to give in, just sat on the side walk with me. She's a badass.
I'd just like the second AndreAnna with the video taping and voting. I'd donate money. heh
Also, I have a tee shirt. ti says "I was going to concur the world but I got distracted by something sparkly" I suggest you and alexis buy that shirt ASAP
I am about as mature as Alexis because all I could think the whole post was ha ha she had to drug up the pencil trees. I need help. Shiny things work for us rednecks too. Just look at our bass boats.
Mean Mommy, give her the big tree;P
This makes me wish I had my camera with me in the doctor's office this afternoon when we announced to Ryan that he was getting a flu shot. Truly epic fit.
Gosh, I like you guys.
Also, this video is proof that the "Terrible Twos" are BS. Three? OMG, I'm so glad three is done in six days. I'm OVER three. I should blog about it.
All that aside, please come decorate for me. In the next two weeks, I have to make three cakes, throw a party for a just-barely-un-three-year-old and a brand-new-two-year-old (wtf, that sounds AWFUL), make deviled eggs that my Grandma has to approve of, drive to PA, have Thanksgiving, drive home and decorate for Christmas by myself.
I'm tired. And still sick. And obviously whiny.
I need shiny things.
It's a sad testament to the mood swings of local toddlers that that actually looked sort of calm and relaxing to me. I could understand her words, she didn't just yell "NO!" and as far as I can tell, nobody vomited. So what's the prob, bob? ;o)
Ahhh, yes. NOW she looks like one of my kids. Except I have TWO of them. Le sigh.
You know you are a hardened mom when you listen to that sad little display and start laughing out loud.
I recently saw Up and your description of the Oooooh... Shiiiiiny reminded me of the dogs and squirrels. :-D
Poor babe...poor you. I remember those days.