Learning--the hard way

Pictured are the growth charts I just finished making for the girls. I am very proud of myself for how they came out, considering I didn't know how to paint flowers or blend paint colors until this project. I was insulted to find Addisyn scribbling on Piper's with a dark purple crayon today.

Mommy quickly hit wit's-end this afternoon. I felt better when I reminded myself that it may have been rough, but I was doing the right thing and Addisyn was learning life lessons. Learning lessons about limits, socially appropriate behavior, and empathy. My LOVE was tough today.


We were invited to a swim playdate at her friend's house and she (and I!) really wanted to go, but I told her we couldn't go if she kept misbehaving. We didn't go swim. I wish we could have b/c I think she would have been pretty good having fun in the pool, but I had to follow through on the demand or my threats would become meaningless. I was even trying to find something she could do to redeem herself and earn swimming back, but it just wasn't happening.

What did she do?

• kept getting out of bed and making noise during naptime
  
• hitting me and thinking it would be funny
  
• putting her fingers in my face (I think that's my pet peeve)
  
• shaking a sippy cup so water splashed out on my work papers (even after I specifically asked her not to)... and then I ripped half of September and October out of my calendar trying to wipe the water off!
  
• hanging on my right arm as I'm trying to type (ouch)
  
• pressing my laptop keys (even after I specifically asked her not to)
• putting her feet on the table at dinner (even after I specifically asked her not to)
• wiping dinner crumbs off the plates, then off the table and onto the floor
• sticking the bristles of the broom in my face and on Piper as she claimed she was sweeping the floor
  
• colored with purple crayon on the clock and Piper's growth chart (she did help clean that up)
• putting toys in the dirty dustpan
• refusing to apologize to me, preferring to laugh in my face (back to timeout you go little girl!)
  

Is that enough!? (All in one afternoon, may I add)

Well, I think I got through to her and she improved for the night and even asked me to get the camera while she was hugging her sister in the bathtub. Even better, she got to bed on time tonight. All is well again.


P.S. Cross your fingers for me that I don't have to wash sheets in the morning--she is braving the night without a diaper for the first time! (At her request--she's been waking up with dry diapers--yay!)

****P.P.S. It is now the next morning and Addisyn woke up to go potty at 7:45am with DRY pants. YAY ADDISYN!