Sometimes, at the end of the day, when everyone is a little bit sick and a little bit tired, and when some of us can’t take medicine due to parasites living inside of them1, and the tiny person in the house requests fruit loops for dinner, well…
You just say sure.
Everyone in our house has been sick to some extent over the past week. Brooklynn is on antibiotics for her first ever ear infection. I stayed home on Wednesday with her because she was running a fever and doctor suggested a day at home to rest would be good for her.
Of course, the day she could sleep in was also the day she woke up at 5:50 in the morning. So we said goodbye to Mommy, had some medicine, some crispys (Rice Krispies), and watched a couple rounds of Horton Hears a Who.
Along with being sick, Brooklynn has been pretty horrible in the mornings for the past three weeks. Over half of the days it feels like she spends most of the time crying because she doesn’t want to go to school or telling us she doesn’t want to get dressed, and no she doesn’t want to wear that. No, she doesn’t want to eat that right now, and no, we can’t put on a coat or shoes or cooperate in any way.
To be honest, it’s a crappy way to start a morning. I can’t wait until we’re trying to get two children ready each morning.
I mentioned that I stayed home with Brooklynn a couple days ago, and we spent some of our time on the couch watching movies.
After taking a mid-morning potty break, before we restarted the movie, she told me to lie down and she sat on my chest. She reached out her hand and gently touched the tip of my nose with her fingertips before quickly jerking her arm back to her chest.
“I got your nose, Daddy!”
Again, reaching her hand out to my face, “It’s ok, Daddy, I give it back. Now, you get mine.”
So we played, taking turn at getting each other’s noses and eyes, and ears and lips. As I gave her second ear back for a second time (because you can’t take just one ear and not the other), her eyes finally started to betray how tired she was really getting.
“Ok, all done.” She laid down nestling her head underneath my chin and curling her body up on my torso. We grabbed a blanket to cover up with and she reached a hand up and felt my face again.
“Daddy, you happy?” she asked me, raising her head to look at me from 6 inches away.
“Yes, Brooklynn, I’m happy. Are you happy too?”
“Yep.” She laid her head back down. “Let’s watch Horton now.”
This morning was a bad morning. I had to physically force a small screaming child into a car seat. So every time that I ask why myself doing this again seemed like a good idea, I also think of times like that morning, cuddling on the couch.
We get to do this again. That’s the focus. We’re looking forward to having you, Artoo.
Posting has been light around here. I’m still in shock that I’m no longer in my 20s.
I’m sure I’ll get over it sooner or later. I did get a good meal out for the special occasion with my two favorite ladies. (Hint: one of the them is pictured with me above and the other one took the picture.)
Considering the people I get to hang out with, maybe the 30s won’t be so bad.
We’ve been struggling a little bit in the mornings as of late. We are currently blessed with a toddler who doesn’t want to get dressed, at least not for me. She doesn’t want to go to school and she doesn’t want to eat breakfast. She would like to lay in bed in her pajamas. Rhiannon tells me that she’s two. It’s a phase.
I will also admit that I have not been the most patient of people at 6am in dealing with Brooklynn’s phases. This morning, as I searched for Brooklynn’s travel mug that we apparently left at school yesterday, Rhiannon was the one to go in and get her up. I went upstairs to find Rhiannon and Brooklynn playing a game where Ruffy (the puppy) and Rabbit, her two current favorite animals, where helping to take off her pajamas and get her dressed. And it worked. No tears, no crying. Well, nothing wrong until we got to the part where her travel mug was at school and she would have to wait until then to have her chocolate shake for the morning1
It’s also times like this when I see Rhiannon making things a game succeeding where my attempt at direct logic has failed when I realize that I really don’t understand children. I will happily play blocks and dance around to music, and, when frustrated in the morning, I will also tell Brooklynn that her recent behavior has been unacceptable2 and she needs to shape up.
The hardest thing I think that Brooklynn is facing right now is the fact that she wants to do everything herself3. She puts her own food in the microwave and closes it. She takes her own clothes off and puts them on herself. She can lift and carry that 10 pound bag of flour her own self, thank you very much.
If she gets hurt doing something, well, maybe she will allow us to give her a hug and make it better. And if she spills a little when she carries her bowl of soup across the kitchen to the table, then it’s ok for us to help clean up. Every day, she does a little more on her own. She’s going to be a big sister, after all. No time to act like a baby and let Mom and Dad do everything for her. Especially no at 6am when she’s still a little tired and crabby.
So, moving forward, I’m going to make the attempt to practice patience and stay positive, even in the face of utter and completely irrational thought and actions.
Because, really, who doesn’t want a stuffed puppy to help with putting our clothes on in the morning? I think everyone one would probably be in a better mood with a little bit more of that going on.
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