Aaaaagghhhhhh!!!!!!!!

That was the best word that I could come up with this morning, to describe motherhood. Of course I love my daughter...I adore her really. It is amazing at what such a young little soul can teach an adult. She is inquisitive, brilliant, feisty, beautiful, funny, sensitive, loving, affectionate, independent, spirited, charming...a miracle really and an amazing gift from God. I love her for all of those things. That said.... please someone tell me that the terrible twos are as bad as it gets!! I ask that with a little chuckle because I know the answer, this is still the EASY part

Let's see, meltdown #1 - Ayla wanted to make her own oatmeal. I let her help but of course she couldn't pour milk from the gallon or touch anything hot. "I do it!, IIIIIIII do it!" Seriously. After her 10 minute meltdown and oatmeal, she wanted an apple. Well, she thought that SHE should be able to cut the apple herself. Ha! I cut the apple, all the while she's screaming "No, mines, I do it" I gave her a plastic knife from her play-doh set(yes, I washed it) so she could "cut" the pieces. She threw the knife and the apples, and then threw herself to the floor. Who is this kid anyway? Not mine, that's for sure. Of course I explained that it was very sad to see her waste good apples and into the trash they went. Ayla went to her room, where she is allowed to scream and cry to her little heart's content. She came out 10 or so minutes later when she was calm. Okay...time to get dressed, that's easy - or so I thought. There was another huge fit because even with a high of 5* today, she didn't want to wear pants. If I wasn't concerned about having to explain frostbite on her a$$ to the the ER docs at Children's Hospital, I may have let her go without them. Once again I repeated my new household slogan "Ayla, when we throw fits, we get nothing. When you can use your words and talk to mommy nicely, come and get me. I'll be in the other room" I won't torture you with all of the gory details but chore after chore, it was the same thing, over and over and over. She didn't want me to shower, didn't want her pink coat, doesn't want Dora...no wait, now she does(after I turn on Curious George). She doesn't want to play a game, doesn't want to color, doesn't want to play with toys, won't help mommy build a castle with blocks.

By 10 am I had called Holly and must have sounded desperate because she said "Do you need to get out and do something?" This is why I love her! She totally knows me. We went to the mall to let our kids play at the indoor playground area. They unleashed a little and so did I. I was feeling refreshed after lunch and the rest of the day was easier(of course, swimming the English Channel would have been too).

We really need spring to come very soon. I know that a lot of our meltdowns(hers AND mine) have to do with needing to get outside for some fresh air. We both have serious cabin fever going on. So help me God if that little rat of a groundhog doesn't see his shadow...or sees it...or whatever he's supposed to do for spring to come. I'll hunt him down myself!

Darren and Ayla went to the Creighton game this evening. I watched American Idol with no interruptions! They got home late so I gave Ayla a quick kitchen sink bath before bed. She is way too big for the kitchen sink but when I am in a hurry, I still toss her in there. She redeemed herself for this mornings happenings by looking so adorably cute.