Are we in trouble.
Yesterday, at church (one of Maggie's favorite places on earth--not that we're so devout but because church features friends, music and doughnuts), she was really energetic--just couldn't stop moving. And usually, she's pretty good about maintaining "church voice" and whispering. Not yesterday.
Finally, during the communion hymn, our choir was doing their usual great job and Maggie was paging through a hymnal, singing. Not, mind you, what the choir was singing, her own little song. Tunelessly, and loudly too. I whispered to her to be quiet a few times, and she didn't. Just ignored me. But interestingly, the next line in the song she was singing was "Be quiet NOT. Be quiet yourself."
"Be quiet yourself" quickly turned into the chorus, but that was most likely because I was laughing so hard (while trying to, in fact, be quiet myself) that I had tears leaking out of my eyes. Little shit. How exactly am I supposed to discipine a child like that?
We are in so much trouble. She knows she's funny, she's completely fearless, and incredibly strong-willed. And that latter trait is quicky beginning to assert itself at this age. She tries to yell at me, order me around, and just generally be unpleasant when I am trying to get her to do something she doesn't want to. We tell her she doesn't get to yell at us, that she doesn't get what she wants if she's mean and that we only hear her if she asks nicely.
She's just so cute when she's NOT being horrible. And I remember this happening when she turned two--that a lot of the worst aspects of terrible twos began a few months before. She'll be three a month from Friday, and right on schedule here we are! This is making Moxie's review of "Your Three Year Old: Friend or Enemy?" quite timely. I know friends who swear by it too.
But. OY. If shes this much of a snot now, what WILL she be like at 17? Off to research boarding schools....
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Me
- AmyinMotown
- Detroit, Michigan
- Still writing, cooking, not so much gardening, cat-owning, even more dog-begrudging wife of a (really) wonderful husband (most of the time) and mother to a beautiful, funny, delightful and frustrating little girl -- and now a lovely and sweet little son. Chronicles of adjusting to life with two.
7 comments:
I'm sure Maggie will be an absolute angel at 17. Just like we were. ;-)
That is so funny! Be quiet yourself! LOL. Good stuff. Hopefully, whatever she is like at 17, you'll both remember to roll with the punches and still have a lot of laughs!
"Be quiet yourself." Maybe it wasn't a chorus so much as a meditation chant? She's a delicious handful, isn't she?
Our church celebrated la dia de los muertos on Sunday. After the mariachi band played, and during "quiet reflection and prayer" Willa decided to show delayed gratitude for the music by yelling "YAY" and clapping. An 18 month old's "YAY" resounds well in a 150 year old sanctuary.
she'll be wonderful, mostly b/c she has parents that are actually tuned in to her and are helping guide her behavior. i see so many kids who are just out there, doing whatever, with mom or dad or grandma spacing out or pretending not to see. those kids with no boundaries are the ones i feel bad for, they are the ones who are destined for an interesting adolescence.
when we go (ahem), we take her to the 11:30, held in our downstairs church/parish hall and let her do her thing in the back in the hall part. when she gets too loud i do what i can to get her to pipe down, but you know what? what can i do? she's two, and church is boring. she likes to do what i call "liturgical dance" during the songs, and our priests don't seem to be bothered by it, so, i'm over it.
Hilarious!
My cousin, at about that age, in the middle of a silent prayer at church, was being hushed. And then, she cried out, "Stop it mommy, you're hurting me!" And her poor mother, who was most certainly not hurting her, was both mortified and trying not to laugh. Oh, the joys of church outbursts.
Maggie sounds like a character! Actually, she reminds me a bit of E who had recently started talking back. It has me bemused and occasionally exasperated.
Me: E, clean up your mess.
E: You clean up your mess.
Me: E, please be quiet, your sister is napping.
E": You be quiet, Mama.
On the bright side, she has her angelic moments, "Mommy, you're my sweetie pie."
I just bought two moxie book suggestions too: three year olds: frenemies? and sibling rivalry. I should finish them soon, and you're welcome to borrow both. They're quick reads.
It's just hitting me how difficult having a three year old and a newborn will be.
Oh well! too late to back out now.
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