A new day...

Matching Jammies
Originally uploaded by epmdesigner.

I didn't post yesterday becuase it was a rough one. Leah and I seemed to be butting heads on EVERYTHING. From diaper changes and getting dressed, to what to eat for breakfast and her undying need to play with bath crayons...almost every moment was a battle royale.

I feel I am a good Mom. I try hard to learn from every experience. I read on the topic and ask seasoned Moms questions whenever I can. One thing I have learned is that all of the research and preparation, all the helpful advice and tips and tricks...vanish in the middle of Leah's 4th or 5th tantrum of the day. All my grand disciplinary plans just seem to crumble. And while I don't give in to her ridiculous desires and ploys and I've gotten pretty darn good at ignoring the kid when she throws a major fit, I still find myself confused at the end of the day. "What went wrong?" I ask myself.

Today I have some perspective on it all. Leah is a 24 month old (as opposed to a 35 month old) 2 year old. She has a new sibling and it's finally hitting her that Aislin is here to stay. Her brain is on overload with all the new language she's aquiring and yet she still can't communicate her needs accurately to me or Pete. There's a lot of frustration. LeLe was also deeply saddened to see our Christmas tree at the side of the road. The kid has been seriously ill with a pretty bad cold and to top it all off she's had a week's worth of presents and a month's worth of cookies and sweets thrown at her. After my amazing friend Jen brings Leah her special birthday cupcake this Sunday, I think Leah is going to get on the moderation wagon for a spell. Seriously...Leah loves herself some b'day cake!

My strategy today was similar to that of the moderation wagon idea. I decided I would pick my battles. You want to play with the ear thermometer? Fine. Hey...she wasn't breaking it. She dropped it after five minutes and I figured maybe she was even getting more comfortable with the appliance for future temperature takings.

You don't want your diaper changed or to get dressed? Sorry Charlie. Those are non-negotiables. I tried the "I'll leave the stinky diaper on then!" tactic yesterday after one diaper changing fiasco. The result? Tears and a rash. I tried the "OK don't wear anything then!" during another. The result: She peed in the hallway. Not a big deal...but it still didn't solve the diaper changing problem.

Leah requests: "I go potty!!!!" but then refuses to sit down when we go in the bathroom. I even give her a choice...Upstairs or downstairs bathroom. I let her pick our potty reading material. I give her stickers when she actually goes. I'm not into pressure. If she's not ready to be toilet trained that's cool. I've got a full plate of my own these days and I don't mind changing diapers. I want her to be comfotable with the bathroom and all that goes along with it. But in her constant state of flux, Leah doesn't want to wear diapers or go on the potty consistently. It's the way it is with most things these days...she doesn't know what she wants. Maybe this is the insanity that occurs before teh child finally decides to get on board with the whole potty idea, but one thing I have noticed is that "I go potty!!!" is Leah's way of saying let's go play in that room where I take a bath.

Today has been better, by loosening the reigns and going with the flow there has been less tantruming, fighting, kicking and screaming. It's not gone by any means and I now see that being a mom is a job that requires more creativity and skillfulness than any other I have ever had. I have to think on my feet and be VERY flexible. Who knew that I'd learn some of life's greatest lessons from a two year old? OK...the grandmothers out there did. But I appreciate the fact that they let me learn on my own. Besides I wouldn't have believed them anyway.

Until the two little girls pictured above came into my life I could never have dreamed that being a wife and a mom would challenge me the way it has. And aren't those two the cutest little challeges you've ever seen? Tomorrow is another day. Thankfully it's a Saturday and I get to handle the challenges with my partner in crime. Tag Pete!!! You're IT!