To Pierce Or Not To Pierce?!?!

A major topic of conversation with Emme lately has been “Can I get my ears pierced?” I initially said, “Getting your ears pierced really hurts! It feels like getting a shot…” thinking that voluntarily submitting herself to unnecessary pain would end the conversation, but it has not. She just says that she will be brave!

Neither Keith or I have strong feeling on this issue and had never really even thought about it. I think we have decided to use ear piercing to our advantage…we will require her to get every necessary vaccination first, reminding her every time that this is what getting your ears pierced will feel like and that she promised to be brave! After she is completely immunized with no whining or meltdowns, then she will deserve to get her ears pierced!!!

ME...

ME has been on the naughty list more often than not this month with our battle of the wills, but it is difficult to stay mad at a face like this. After carring on and on about something, right before I think I am going to lose it, she will say, "Mommy..." "What ME?!?!" "Mommy, I love you!"

Hair styled by Big Brother, Gideon.

ME

Since we have stopped giving ME her bottle, she has had a really hard time falling asleep. She has not asked for her bottle, but wants all of the lights one (and will cry until they are all on). Then wants water, which she inevitably spills on her PJ's, which requires a complete change of clothes. She was so exhausted last night (she skipped her nap, making her even more miserable), but for 45 minutes cried and made demands and changed PJ's 3 times, before finally falling asleep...only to wake-up numerous times in the night crying. Please pray that this drama at bedtime would stop and we would have wisdom to know how to help her through this phase.

Battle of the Wills, Part 2

ME has been having a terrible time going to sleep. She demands to sleep with mommy, except when daddy is unavailable and then she wants to sleep with him. We put her (usually requiring force and much drama) in her bed and then she wants all of the lights to be on. We say our prayers (ME must go first) and settle in, which requires ME to change position at least 100 times. Just when I think she is about asleep, she declares that she must go potty, taking another 20 minutes (I so badly just want to say, "You are wearing a pull-up, just pee!!!"...but what mom would actually encourage her child to pee in her pants!). Once back in bed, begins the process all over again and includes a period of time in every bed in the house and usually ends with me yelling, "ME just go sleep with daddy!"...requiring me to return her to her bed and pray that she stays there the rest of the night!

One day, she cried the entire way to school and home from school, "I want daddy! Where is my daddy!" Once home, daddy says, "Its time for bed. I will go lay with you." ME says, "I don't want to sleep with you, I want my mommy!!!"

And yes, we have put her in her bed and told her to go to sleep alone...she screamed and cried for over an hour and in the end she only stopped screaming when I finally laid down with her. I think this is one battle she is winning!!!

ME Speaks Russian!

ME's teachers were so excited when I came to get her today. They said, "ME spoke Russian today for the first time. She spoke so clear and everyone was so proud of her!" She has said Russian words before, but today they said she spoke sentences. They told me she had said, "I want to eat. I don't want salad." Later that evening, I was praising her and telling her how proud we were that she was speaking Russian. I asked her how do you say, "I want to eat"? She replied, "I want to eat!"...in English! It was really funny.

ME has become so stubborn!!! While the kids were in school, I ran to the grocery store to stock up on the basics. So entering our apartment complex, I was carrying 4 bags of groceries, my work-out bag, pumpkin from the preschool and the kids school things. ME stopped just steps from the front door and said, "Carry me, mommy!" I said, "Honey, I can't because me hands are full!" This began the battle of the wills!!! She started crying and screaming "Carry me!" and I , with all of the patients I could muster, told her to come inside. She became distracted with the fact that it was snowing (not to mention freezing!!!) and started playing with the snow...moving no closer to the door! I think this went on for whet felt like forever...at least 10 minutes...while my arms are being pulled out of their sockets and I am feeling like those rubber stretch toys. Gideon and I are continuing to "encourage" (AKA threaten) her to come in and I am sure half of our neighbors are now finding entertainment in our little situation. At the last possible moment that my arms and patients could bare, Gideon managed to push her into the entrance door and then she cried whole way to our apartment, which upon entering I spanked her!!! Battle won, but some how it doesn't feel much like a victory!!!