Barefoot and Determined

Honestly, this child is going to destroy me.

The strength. The stubbornness. The problem solving. The free will. The joy-seeking. The determination. The independence. It's all going to make her an AMAZING adult, but HOOBOY DOES IT PILE TOGETHER TO EQUAL A FORCE OF A CHILD.

That kid up there is a tiny pink speck in that photo because she was like, "I'm going over here. I don't much care where you're going." It's not an unusual thing. Every time we go for a hike, she runs off in her own direction and there are endless battles. That particular battle ended with me shoving her into a stream and telling her to "Splash away the whining" because ZOMG SHE CAN WHINE. If she isn't getting her way, she is going to torture you into giving you her way.

Except, hi, hello, apple. Tree. There is a reason the kid is the way she is and I fully accept that responsibility. Karma is a bitch, after all. That means Mila can try all she wants to torture me, but I can return the favor and then some. Alas, "Splash away the whining."

Splashing wildly led to water getting inside her rain boots. Mila can't deal with wet feet, which is fascinating since she will happily rip her shoes off to walk in every last puddle on this planet. But the whining was DONE OR ELSE, so Mila's solution was to take off her rain boots and socks and walk barefoot through the forest.

Yes, really. She even walked across gravel barefoot, never once saying a word about how much it hurt because she knew I'd lose my mind if she did.

That kid is definitely making her own path. She's doing it barefoot, but she's doing it.