I have been in summer "vacation" (no teaching, but still doing research) for about 4 weeks now. I took a one week work trip to DC and another trip to TN with my mom for a few days. This week, we have been having swimming lessons for Isabel in our neighborhood pool and next week my summer students begin. The summer crazies have arrived.
All is mostly well with the kiddies. Isabel still continues to struggle to figure out how to be a 5 yo. She has started asking questions like "Why do you get to boss me around? Why can't I be my own boss?" which I struggle to answer. At one time, she was such an easy kid to discipline, a harsh word would have her melting into a puddle on the floor. Now she is talking back, asking questions, pestering non-stop. I have tried to explain to her that parents know what is best for children and it is our job to keep her and Abigail safe and sometimes she might not be able to see why we are making her do something, but there is a good reason. As you can imagine, her logic hasn't progressed to this stage yet. We are to the point of taking away toys from her and putting them on the top shelf of our closet until she does xyz.
Abby is a stinkerpie herself. Last night Isabel's tea set was strewn all over the floor and when I told Izzy to pick it up, she said "Abigail made this mess, not me!" And I believe it, Abby isn't happy unless she is playing with the big girl toys. Abby is so different from Izzy. I don't know why I am continually surprised by this, but I am. When we were at my mom's, I put Abby on the floor while I signed my credit card slip at the front of a restaurant. She was maybe done for 10 s and my mom and Iz were standing right there. All of the sudden, mom says "Where's Abby?" I drop everything and start going through the restaurant. She is all the way to the back to the place making friends with the other diners. Iz stayed right with us all the time and had major "stranger danger". Abby has no problem leaving my skirt tails and joining other people's families. I have decided it is time to break out the leash (something we never used with Iz).
Baby is doing fine. I am feeling a little better, but I caught a cold at mom's house and haven't gotten over it yet. I have another doctor's appt in 10 days, I am anxious to see if my iron is any better.
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