Fun times in toddlerland

This was our first week back to school after a two-week winter break as well as our three snow days prior to the break. Everyone has had to transition back into the regular routine. As such, this week has been a little "trying," to say the least.

Evie has been exercising her "independent" streak and as she has gone back to her "school" this week for the first time in three weeks, she also been showing some new "behaviors."

For example, Wednesday night, she found a paperclip in my school bag that was on the floor by the front door. I saw her running across the room, holding the paperclip above her head, victoriously. I told her to "stop, and hand me the paper clip please."

She replied, "NOOOOOO," and then tried to run away from me.

I grabbed her little arm, and pulled her to me, to "help her" let go of the paper clip.

I removed the paper clip from her fingers, telling her it was "not for Evie." This act caused her to flop her body on the floor like a possessed fish; she screamed, she shouted, she kicked the floor.

I walked out of the room.

So she got up off the floor and followed me, walked up to me and head-butted my leg. She then looked at me, eyes piercing.

I grabbed her by the shoulders, without speaking, and placed her, ever-so-gently, on the time-out mat. She sat quietly, pouting.

One might think I would have been angry at her for her hideous behavior, but truth be told, while I was annoyed that she was being so monstrous, I actually had to keep myself from laughing as she was being so absolutely ridiculous.

It was all I could do not to look at her and say, "Really? Seriously? All this over a paper clip? Looks like someone might need some anger management courses...I understand that office supplies are exciting, but this is just ridiculous!"



This evening, Bryan and I were sorting through Evie's clothes to determine what if any items in her wardrobe still fit her. As we sorted through the clothes from her dresser (and the two tubs of old baby clothes in her closet,) several piles of clothes had formed on the floor, one for keep, one that still fit and one for donation.

Evie was bouncing around the room happily,playing with her toys and pulling clothes from the piles. I think her favorite activity was messing up the piles while we tried to determine which items went were.

There we were, sitting in her room, sorting clothing, playing with Evie, reminiscing to when she was a tiny peanut. It was a nice quiet way to spend an evening.

Suddenly Bryan screamed "Stop!!! poo!!!"

He grabbed Evie by the hands and lifted her over the piles of clothing, like a monkey. We then stood her on top of her changing table where we proceeded to wipe her down, systematically.

It was a two-man job, and required keeping her on her feet for fear of making a bigger mess than there already was.