Limit Testing

Whew, the Hatchling has definitely been testing her limits the last couple of days. Everything is a fight. This morning, we needed to make a simple run to Target so I could pick up some prescriptions, and it took us approximately FOUR HOURS to get out of the house. Why? Because there were major tantrums about:

- going downstairs
- eating breakfast
- going back upstairs to get dressed
- getting dressed
- going back downstairs to get ready to go
- putting on shoes
- brushing and fixing hair
- putting on the jacket (oh, lord! putting on the jacket!)

Christ on a crutch. Of course, as soon as we were out of the house, she perked right up, which is exactly what I knew would happen. She was making friends in Target left and right, saying hi and bye to everyone she passed in the aisles and charming the pants off of the cashier, to whom she sang the alphabet song. I got a lot of smiles and "she's so cute" and I was all, sure, she's cute HERE, but do not be fooled by the niceties of Dr. Hatchling Jekyll! Mr. Hatchling Hyde is just around the corner!

Fortunately for her, she juxtaposes the tantrums with just enough total cuteness to avoid sending her Mama to the loony bin. Like how, right now, whenever she sees one of us after an extended absence, she runs over to give us a hug and says "I'm so glad to see you!" (Well, she actually says "I so gwappa seeyoo" but you get the gist.) Or how she kept saying "wonderful, wonderful baby" when we went to visit our friends who just had a little boy. Or how she yells, "there's Kramer! Crazy Kramer" when we're watching Seinfeld. (Which, OK, that's maybe not the most appropriate show for a two-year-old, but that's another post.)

So, anyway, what I'm saying is, I love her more than anything, but I'm also not totally bummed to be getting a little break from her this weekend. I leave tomorrow morning to go down south for a visit with my sister and her brand new baby boy. Might not be the most restful vacation I've ever had, but there will be no ornery toddlers bossing me around and throwing fits every ten minutes, and that will be a pleasant change of pace, I have to admit.