De-Grumpification Guaranteed Or Your Money Back
Any second now Alexis is going to wake up and she's going to be six inches taller. I know this because I think I may have finally found a swimsuit that will fit her (I don't want to talk about how long that took until after the Post Traumatic Stress Disorder starts to wear off a bit.). I also know this because she's been walking around with her foot wedged sideways in her mouth for several days now.
Any time the kid has gone through a particularly venomous phase of cranky, it has been because she was in the midst of a wicked growth spurt. Earlier this spring when I wanted to duct tape her to the ceiling and make her watch as I dressed all of her Barbies, she grew an inch in one week. She went from wearing a toddler size 8 shoe (she has always had freakishly small feet) to a toddler size 11 like *that.* The only hint we had as it was happening (besides the obvious and sudden inability to find any clothes or shoes that fit her), was that she kept saying stupid stuff and reacting ridiculously to various things.
And, hey, if you throw a full out temper tantrum because your mom tells you there isn't a "d" in "father?" YOU MIGHT BE OVER REACTING.
Mr. Husband had to work Sunday, so I was left to play verbal volleyball with the kid myself. It was . . . what's the opposite of pleasant? Misery? No, that's not strong enough of a word. Let's just say that I kept eying the duct tape. Longingly.
Around the fifth time she tried to convince me that she wasn't doing anything I told her to do unless I took her to Build-A-Bear, I'd had about enough of the terrorist thinking she had any power over me. I had a choice that needed to be made. Either the kid needed to go to time out for the rest of her life, or I needed to find a way to distract her from her self-destructing ways.
I opted to let her wash away the cranky.
I threw her into the Water Stairs on the North Shore, which is the same place she has been calling "The Beach" for years now.
It takes time to wash away all of the grumpy.
But once it's gone, WOW is the kid cuter.
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Reader Comments (19)
Maybe that's why LB is such a pill lately. He grew out of his size 8's in two weeks. WTF, KID. WTF.
Way cute suit, btw. I approve.
@firemom--I had to run the bottoms of that one through a sewing machine so it would mostly fit. WTH? NOT FAIR! She needs a few more and I better not have to do any more sewing.
Sabrina better sprout up this week. The mouth! She will hear me give Tessa a direction and then 30 seconds later she will tell Tessa to do the opposite. During nap time (she normally doesn't nap but has quiet time but today for a variety of reasons it was nap time), I told her to stay in her bed. 20 minutes later I found her in the hallway pretending to dig a hole with a plastic shovel. And today she tried the terrorist thing on me "I'm going to keep bugging you unless you turn on the TV so I can watch a show." That didn't end well for her either. So hopefully I'll wake up and her clothes will be too small for her and the attitude will be adjusted. :)
I find kids just need to release some energy. And by the way, you are an AMAZING photographer. And your daughter is super cute too. What a good pairing!
Is that river water?
@Anthony--She gets PLENTY of releases. Sometimes she's just a jerk. ;-)
@Michelle--Nope. It's an actual fountain that was built right next to PNC Park. It's like Kid Heaven there.
Wash away the cranky. I like it. I also like thinking that my kid has been uber cranky lately b/c of growing... that makes me feel alot better. Where is that fountain btw? We're supposed to go to Pittsburgh sometime this summer...
Sometimes I wish that I could wash away my cranky! Also, I adore the fact that she loves "the beach" so much but hates the real beach. Oh, and this post might have washed away a little bit of my cranky.
I wonder is this water treatment would work on older kids. My teen needs a little de-grumpification too. These are really fun photos. Alexis is adorable.
She is just gorgeous! Love that last shot. Would you believe we have never been there? Slacking on that one. I had to wash MY grumpiness away by going to the pool yesterday. Water works for everyone.
I've considered dunking my kids a few times myself! Seriously, if it wouldn't involve so much lightning, the rain we're having sporadically up here is making fabulous puddles for jumping in. That's MY current "wash away the grumpies" plan.
PS CUTE suit!
Gorgeous photos! And can you please share where you brought the super cute swim suit? I have been looking for one just like that!
the hunting worked...that suit is adorable on her!
i'm certain i did it myself, but i sure don't remember growing an inch in a week. really is cool to watch. except, ya know, for the attitude that goes along with it.
how about i almost found myself over there on sunday after the legofest. it was so hot and walking the waterfall path in the middle of the convention center had me longing for the water steps. we went to eat instead. sigh.
@Laura--It's from Target. It's a two-piece from the Girls department. I had to re-sew the seams on the bottom part to make it fit, but at least the top is an OK fit!
We're going there today! I love it. Alexis is SO beautiful and I'm glad she's feeling less grumpy!
Those growth spurts are scarring on a mom... until puberty sets in. then they seem like sweet little cupcakes, with sprinkles on top.
YES. I am waiting for Maggie to grow a foot ANY DAY NOW. Because girl has had ATTITUDE lately. Pass the duct tape, please.
Was there a full moon for short people this weekend? My girls were the worst behaved I have ever seen them act in their lives on Saturday. I wish I had responded with half as much patience as you because at the height of my Parenting Fail I might have screamed at them that God and Santa Claus WERE NOT HAPPY! Hunh - maybe *I* should have washed away the grumpy, too.
Her swimsuit is absolutely ADORABLE! And that fountain always puts me in a better mood too... even if all I ever do is put my feet in. :-)