So Mac is in the full throes of what I have heard referred to as "two-berty." "No" has officially become her favorite word, and it is always uttered in a tone that can make the hair on the back of your neck stand straight up. I hear myself threaten to take things away at least 500 times a day -- juice, milk, little people, books, markers, pens -- whatever it takes. We also work a lot on the barter system :
"If you want to play outside later, you have to come in and eat your dinner right now."
"No." (of course)
"Okay then, no playing outside for the rest of the night." (how very drastic -- could I actually follow through with that?)
"Okay." (I think I just won!)
And then she asks me "Are you mean?" which means "Are you mad?" and "Are you happy mommy?" I try to explain that it's not about whether I'm happy or not, but whether she is behaving or not. That explanation never gets me very far, and I always wind up telling her that I am mean or happy (that usually gets me a hug).
Of course, there is an upside to twoberty, too. Mac has a million cute little habits and we are able to have a lot of fun together. We have spent our summer:
Listening to Disney Songs in the car. Mac knows all of the words to Supercalifragilisticexpialidotios and we sing them all (Of course, that's because we listen to the songs over and over and over)
Reading our books and snuggling in bed at night for a few minutes before Mac goes to sleep
Eating ice cream with M&Ms and sprinkles
Playing little people
Watching cartoons
Playing on the swing set
and Playing at Grandma and Grandpa's houses
Mac loves to sing and dance and run around like a crazy person. She is funny and smart and sweet and precocious and naughty all at once. Although we sometimes struggle, and I am always tired by the time she goes to bed at night, she is wonderful. She makes twoberty look good.
"If you want to play outside later, you have to come in and eat your dinner right now."
"No." (of course)
"Okay then, no playing outside for the rest of the night." (how very drastic -- could I actually follow through with that?)
"Okay." (I think I just won!)
And then she asks me "Are you mean?" which means "Are you mad?" and "Are you happy mommy?" I try to explain that it's not about whether I'm happy or not, but whether she is behaving or not. That explanation never gets me very far, and I always wind up telling her that I am mean or happy (that usually gets me a hug).
Of course, there is an upside to twoberty, too. Mac has a million cute little habits and we are able to have a lot of fun together. We have spent our summer:
Listening to Disney Songs in the car. Mac knows all of the words to Supercalifragilisticexpialidotios and we sing them all (Of course, that's because we listen to the songs over and over and over)
Reading our books and snuggling in bed at night for a few minutes before Mac goes to sleep
Eating ice cream with M&Ms and sprinkles
Playing little people
Watching cartoons
Playing on the swing set
and Playing at Grandma and Grandpa's houses
Mac loves to sing and dance and run around like a crazy person. She is funny and smart and sweet and precocious and naughty all at once. Although we sometimes struggle, and I am always tired by the time she goes to bed at night, she is wonderful. She makes twoberty look good.
