"Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer"
This is the girl who in one week,
threw blueberry yogurt on my white sofa and carpet.
drew on my bed with lipstick.
ate her brother's entire box of Valentines Day candy (and apparently hid a couple of pieces in his pillow case when I interrupted her pillage-- to be found later after they fell out of the case and the boy slept on them. Oh, THEN he joined me in my bed after a nightmare. 1 pajama shirt, 2 fitted sheets, 2 flat sheets, 2 pillowcases and my white comforter cover had to be washed again).
soaked the bathroom carpet while swimming in the bathtub (her brother overseeing the bath said, "I told her 'no'.").
ate every Baby Bell cheese out of the refrigerator.
threw her first screaming and kicking tantrum in the post office where I crumpled my letter trying to pick her up and the post lady informed me that since it was too big to slide easily into the size slot, I'd have to pay more.
drew with a black permanent sharpie on the sofa.
I'm not a neglectful mother.
I am not considered a lenient mother.
I am a one woman running a household with four small children alone. Outnumbered.
I am the one bleeding the radiators every day--still, after our plumbing problems in January. I am the one caulking the showers, cooking the dinners, doing the laundry (except ironing, I don't do ironing.. or sock sorting).
I am the one calling the council when my brown recycling bin gets skipped again, or the appliance repairs when the refrigerator is making pools of water in my kitchen.
I sometimes have to turn my attention away from small people.
Add that to an inquisitive child with a VERY strong personality and you come up with an enemy to one's ideas of how a day should go.
I'm keeping her close, even if that means there's feet on my work tops.
(no, you're not having a deja vu moment. The week I'm highlighting was a couple of months ago)
"Some other folks might be a little bit smarter than I am.
Bigger and stronger too.
Maybe, but none of them will ever love you the way I do
It's me and you..." -- Randy Newman
oh my i remember days like that... my terror was my son, who managed to get into more trouble in one day than my three girls together could get into in one week... hang in there... they do grow up :).
ReplyDeleteAnd then she smiles at you and says she loves you, Mommy, and she brings you a fistful of dandelions and for just a moment you smile and forget just a little bit---which is her plan all along, of course, because then she catches you off guard which gives her the chance to make mudpies in her fancy new dress that your mother in law bought for her--and so on. ;) Keep on keeping on, Jeri, you're doing just fine. She will grow out of all of that and then selective memory will help you forget the worst of it and remember just the best of it.
ReplyDeleteI have the same relationship with my youngest. Tell me it gets better.
ReplyDeleteThink of the memories you'll have to look back on once your survive the present. :-)
ReplyDeleteAlso, when she has children you can just smile and wait for payback!
I had to laugh because she's so much like my lovely, independent daughter. Yes, my dear, they do grow up into viable, responsible adults and yes, you do survive. I promise. Besides, they give you many years of giggles once they are grown and gone from home. You never wanted a namby pamby girl anyway, did you?
ReplyDeleteShe is a firecracker....that's for sure! I am sure she would be BFF with my little one too!!!!
ReplyDeleteHang in there! You ROCK!
The perspective usually comes at the end...so glad you have enough perspective to see clearly this early in her life. She is worth all the work now, but you know that.
ReplyDeleteYou made me get teary at the end.
Oh dear. I'm with you and I feel your pain!!! She is rather cute though...
ReplyDeleteLove the comment from older brother - 'I told her no'. That made me laugh. We get that a lot.
Things will get better. Hang on in there. In the meantime, DO NOT leave lipstick or permanent marker pens lying around!
This is why I want to have a daughter someday. :)
ReplyDeleteOh dear---I remember those days--and it makes my stomach clench! I have a friend who was from a family of nine kids. At one point her Mother had 5 boys, 4 in diapers. She said her mom would wrap a rope or something around their waist and tie all 5 of them to the clothesline while she got chores done. NOW THAT makes my stomach clench! (the 5 boys, 4 in diapers part--not the clotesline--I think that was rather ingenious)And of course today would be reported as child abuse. THose 5 boys are all growed up with happy kids of their own--I don't think too much abuse happened!
ReplyDeleteYou are doing a good job. Small people can be awefully tricky!
ReplyDeleteHang in there! I am suprised that it's your girl giving you all the trouble. For me it's my boy! Maybe we are just not used to the sudden gender given to us! LOL!
ReplyDeleteI'm still wishing I could have her for a bit! We'd have fun, and you could get some rest;) Sigh.
ReplyDeleteOh thank GOD you didn't have that week twice.
ReplyDeleteI forgot you're doing this alone. Testament to how well you're doing it, right? But jeez, she's cute.
ReplyDeleteI must have missed this one. I totally know where your coming from. Mine has gotten a little better though.
ReplyDeleteThis post made me laugh. Little people can sure manage a lot of destruction in a very short amount of time.
ReplyDeleteI've got two myself and I'm amazed by the path of their whirlwind.
Hope you have calmer days ahead.
-FringeGirl
awh Jerri, she will be an incredible woman some day. My little brother was like her and he turned out to be an awesome man.
ReplyDeleteyour right, being a single mom is the pits. I have never understood in such a very real way the price a family pays to send their men off to defend our country. Kudos to you.
come to MS and take a break from it all.
What happened to the horrible house guest did she leave?
Wow!! Hang in there Jeri. If you want, I can send you some duct tape. You can strap her to a wall. (just kidding, just kidding, I wouldn't ever even consider doing this to my own children) (yes I would) (consider it) (but only for a moment)
ReplyDeleteOH, how could that sweet face be so ornery!! LOL....
ReplyDeleteI miss those days!!
I have 3 of them, just like that. Makes you wonder how you survive.
ReplyDeleteOH, I don't miss those times at all! LOL! Gone are the crazed tribal midgets trying to kill me!
ReplyDelete(they need a driver) Don't worry, she too will have a little one and it will all be paid back. Why do you think we went through it? LOL!