My Lo......The Drama Queen

When my teenager was little I thought "There is no way anyone can be as dramatic as this child". Universe, that was not a challenge. My Lo is 5 now and she isn't annoying dramatic, she's just very dramatic. Everything is all about love, cuddles, how much she misses me, how she can't live without me.....it's cute, to an extent. I don't mind the over play of love and emotions when we're at home, but when we are in the middle of morning routine and she starts, it can drag on. For example.....every morning I ask the kids if they want home lunch or school lunch, and every morning I get the same response....Lex: "School lunch!!!", and Lo: "Home lunch, because I like to eat the food you make for me with love because I miss you so much when I'm at school and I love you, Mom!!" A simple "Home lunch!" would have been just fine.. If I don't stop her in her tracks then she goes on and on and on and on and then drop off is Hell. Don't get me wrong, I love her to death! But I cannot feed into her dramatics every morning, we have a routine and if I don't keep it, she will no do well. Last week she was refusing to go into the school, the teachers had to pry her off of me and take her to class. That's a terrible thing for a mother, and child, to have to go through. So Lex had the brilliant idea that he would walk her to her class every morning. :) My little hero. And so far, it's working out great. This week has gone by so smoothly. Next, we are going to transition into car drop off. There will be a few rainy days that will be perfect for that. I want her to go to school happy, not sad and distressed because she misses me. I also don't want her to think I'm dropping her off and running away. :( And seriously, how could I run away from a face like this..........

Me~

The Bossiest 4 Year Old You'll Ever Meet

When I was pregnant with Lola we had no idea if we were having a girl or a boy up until the day before she was born. She barely moved in the womb, I had no symptoms at all and my stomach was the only thing that got big. Really big! After a very traumatic 12 hours, I gave birth to the sweetest, BIGGEST baby I had ever seen. We only stayed in the hospital for a little over 24 hours because she was soooooo good at nursing and she was obviously very healthy, so they let us leave early. She continued to be the best baby ever. Sleeping through the night from the get-go, nursing was so easy with her, she never cried, never even made a sound, even when she was hungry or needed a change. She was my last baby, and I had hit the jackpot!! Years passed and we struggled with a few issues. She didn't walk till she was 2 1/2 due to a fever that set her back months, constipation was her nightmare and she had a brother who loved to treat her like a doll. She was such a good baby/little girl, that I didn't even mind carrying all of her 25 pounds around till she was able to walk unassisted. I can still see the look of pure happiness on her chubby little face, reaching up to me with her chubby little arms and clinging on as tight as she could. It was blissful. Just look at her little face!!!

She was always this happy. Always! So don't ask me what happened, because the little 4 year old living in my house is not the same little girl. She's mean, she's bossy and just down right rude sometimes. She has her good days and she has her bad days. When she's having a good day she's sweet and funny and so flippin' cut I could squeeze her to death! But when she's having a bad day, forget it!! It's horrible. She will tell complete strangers to "Stop looking at me! I don't like people!!' O.O I have learned over this past year that if shes having a bad day the best way to handle her is with lots and lots of love. Lots of love. It can be very difficult at times, either because I'm already having a bad day, or I'm tired or I just don't feel like dealing with her mood swings, but I reach deep down into my patience reserve and I do it. Let me share some of the various moods of my Lo........

This is Thinking Lo....

This is my Cheese Lo, when she lets me take her picture and actually smiles.......

 

Upset Lo.......

 

Trouble Lo.....she's thinking of new trouble

 

Pissed off Lo. I said no to her here. Lo does not like the word No.

 

Pretty Lo

 

And my Sweet Lo....

 



Her moods vary. This week she's been Pissed off Lo. Nothing I say is right and she hates everything. ((sigh)) Luckily she's so damn cute. I swear it's a defensive mechanism

Me~

Potty Training....Also Known As Hell In My House

Well, it's time. It's time for Miss. Lo to get with the program and kick the diaper habit. I am a firm believer to let your kids tell you when they're ready, but Lo is head strong and also not a fan of undies. She's a diaper fan. If asked if she wants to sit on the potty, she answers...."Um, no. Not today." then she saunters off to destroy something. We have had some luck this past week when she actually agreed to go diaperless and has actually peed on the potty. I'm consistent, every day when we get home from dropping Lex off at school I ask her to take her diaper off and then tell her to use the potty if she needs to. Here's the problem.....some days she flat out refuses to do it. She will take her diaper off, but then throw a fit to have it back on and she refuses to use the potty. I have no idea what to do about this. She is 3 and all my kids have been potty trained by 3 1/2, but I have a feeling she will be the problem child. And I tell you what, I am all set with diapers. DONE! I don't ever want to buy them again. So I'm a nervous wreck thinking about having her in diapers past 3 1/2. It just can't be that she refuses to use the potty. She knows exactly what it is and how to do it and when she has to go, but she hates it and has said "NO!" The other day she didn't even say no she just went and got a diaper and said "Here. Put this on me." WTH, kid?! I just....I don't know what to do. I don't pressure her, I don't insist she do it, I don't yell, I tried treats and stickers and rewards and well, she is just not having it. So I'm giving up. I will still pull the potty out and take her diaper off, but I won't fight her. I hope she decides to just do it on her like the other two. Because honestly, giving her a treat and saying "Good job, Lo! You're such a good girl!" just makes me feel like I'm treating her like one of my dogs and that's just no good. So feel free to leave your advice or dark humor or just tell me I'm not alone!!!!