Tenacious Two

I will start this blog with  chastising my audience.  Yes, that means you.  1 follower! Really people? Does anyone know what this actually means, or how to set it up? I might need to add instructions here... There really should be a class for first time bloggers.  But then there really should be classes for first time parents as well.  (And they should be mandatory, and your parts should be turned off until you can pass all the tests with at least a 93%.) But that's just my opinion.

The "baby" has been cracking me up. And by that I mean making me laugh, and also making me insane. She is the most stubborn little thing since, well...me.

I can recall a time when I was a child, probably somewhere between 5 and 7.   My parents were out in the back yard having drinks by the fire. I liked fire, I liked the company, and I wanted to play.  My parents kept telling me to go back inside.  I was hurt, I was angry, I was NOT GIVING UP. I stood inside the screen door, GLARING at them.  With all the contempt and concentration of one of those bad guys from Star Wars who use the force for evil.  I must have stood there giving them the stink eye for a half an hour.  In the end, it was a failure.  But did I give up?  I DID NOT! I have been practicing the evil eye for most of my life.  Apparently often enough that my daughter has picked it up YEARS ahead of schedule

I'm a little concerned. Before the weather turned, I took them for a photo shoot, and because I wouldn't let her carry the camera bag like a purse the whole time (cause those would great photos!) She scowled for all but three pictures. Two of them taken before the "incident". next time I'll leave the camera bag and tri-pod at home  Maybe I'll try a fanny pack.  I've heard they're making a HUGE comeback.

So.  That's the crazy part.  (Or a tiny tiny particle of it...) Lemme give you a cute bit.
 I told her the other day it was time to go to bed she says "You lay by me?
I said "yes baby, I'll lay by you." So we began the ritual of brushing her 12 teeth, finding her blanket and nuk, making sure all 37 of her "friends" were in her bed, and we jumped in. Then she says "Story!"
I was already laying down, so I just made up this cute little story about a princess (named Riley) and a frog.  It was cute, spur of the moment.  Someone should really make it in to a book or a movie. So I get to the end which was something like ..."So Riley and her mommy were sitting down by pond, and a big frog hopped up and said "RIBBIT" (and here Riley yells "I LOB HIM) and the princess Riley kissed the frog and POOF! he turned in to Prince!"
She threw both of her hands up in the air and said "That's WEIRD!" I actually had to agree with her on that one..

She also gave me a good chuckle and an attitude check the other day when Ethan asked from the way back (my kids actually have to be separated to avoid physical altercations.  Yeah, I know- I got this under control...) "Who wants to play tag when we get home?" and Riley Shouts with equal enthusiasm "NO ONE!"
Not 20 minutes later Sean says "Who wants to be my special helper when we get home?" From the back...
"NO ONE!"

I'm very conscious of how I phrase my questions these days.  I refuse to be shot down by a two year old.

More recently, she has started to use the word "nervous" a lot, which when she says it is "nerbous".  She has also told me I'm "hilarious", "ridiculous" and then she told me I had an attitude. Also, the dark is "stupid" and Ethan is often a "Wiener."

Seriously, I don't know where she gets it from.

Saturday she woke up, I asked her if she was ready to get up and go see Emme and Marlo, and she says to me (with great seriousness) "Maybe, I'm kinda tired."

You know who's tired?  

ME!