Overheard 25

Daily tantrum report

• Culprit: Jessica
• Cause: I asked her to wash her hands. She refused. I gave her a chance to change her mind under threat of revoking her right to wear a dress today. She dug her heels in. I dug my heels in. I tried to dress her. She kicked me in the gut when I knelt to pull her pants on.
  
• Calming strategy: I put her in her car seat wearing panties and a shirt, and strapped her in. I finished getting Melody ready, put the remainder of Jessie's clothes in the car, and drove to daycare to the sound of Jessica's screams. Once we arrived in the parking lot, I took Mel inside, handed her over into the care of the teacher, and returned to the car to finish dresssing Jess.
  
• Innocent sister's reaction: Some serious obedience and excitement over her first ever Fiber One toaster pastry.

We are moving to Plan C. (Plan A was the rewards chart. Plan B was my taking full control of the girls' outfit choices.) The girls are now sleeping in their school clothes so that we don't have to worry about getting dressed in the morning. Socks, shoes, potty and hair will be our only duties in the morning.

Life plans

Melody: My blue shoes hurt my feet.
Me: They do? I thought they were comfortable.
Melody: No, they hurt my feet. That's why I chose my white shoes.
Me: Okay. Thanks for letting me know.
Jessica: When my feet are big, I want to wear my beautiful black shoes. Will my black shoes be tight?
Me: Well, not while you're wearing them. Right now, your black shoes are too big. Your feet will grow, and then your black shoes will be just right. Then your feet will grow even more, and your black shoes will become too tight.
Melody: And then I'll be a grownup!
Me: Well, I suppose so. What will you do when you're a grownup?
Melody: I'll get my own kid and be a Mommy!
Me: Oh, I see.
Melody: And I will get married with my friend and he will be my husband.
Jessica: My Daddy Lucas was your friend, and then he chose to get married for you, and then he was your husband.

When people told me how quickly these tiny people would grow up, I had no idea what that meant. I live in a constant state of shock. They are three and a half today. Six months from four years old.

My Daddy, My Hero

Since we took advantage of Chick-Fil-A's free kids' meal for dinner tonight, it was dark when we got home. We took a few minutes to admire the stars, and introduced the girls to the constellation Cassiopeia.

Melody: I can't reach them!
Me: The stars?
Melody: Yeah. I can't reach them! She jumped up and down, her arms straight above her head. I can't reach them! I wish I am tall like you, Mama.
Have I mentioned that I am 5 feet even?
Me: laughing Oh, honey, those stars are very very very far away. I'm nowhere near tall enough to reach them.
Jessica: That's okay, Mommy. My Daddy can reach them for you.
Me: I don't think even Daddy's tall enough.
Jessica: Oh, no, Mommy. My Daddy is really tall. He can reach the stars.