Calm Down Teri!

It's been two and a half weeks since I heard this curse come out of my child's mouth at me. I was taken off guard but quite heartily amused at the same time.

The mornings during the week are me running around getting everything ready for the day that I didn't previously get ready the night before - which is mainly a child that loves to "dawdle" as I put it. She'll grab books as I'm trying to get her dressed, or some toy, or just walk off. I get frustrated and start demanding that she come back and focus on the task - whether it's getting dressed, eating, brushing her teeth, brushing her hair, or putting on her shoes or coat. It's usually a lot of me trying to not scream at the top of my lungs to just get the job finished and then she can go off and look at books, or play with toys or whatever.

Then the stress starts all over again as we head for the car. There's bugs to look at, rocks to throw, grass to run in...you name it...it's just not walking directly to the car to get in, which is what I'd like to have happen.

So back on Wednesday, May 5th, we are out the door, heading towards the car and she's off in the yard somewhere. I firmly state, "Makenna, let's go! - Get to the Car please!" She firmly replies, "Calm Down Teri!"

If I could only convey tone in a blog. Instead I have to try and describe it for you. It was in a disgusted, tired tone as if it was a teenage daughter sighing at her pathetic mother who is a nag and a pain in her butt.

All I could do was laugh. I did tell her, "You're right Makenna, I do need to calm down, but that doesn't change the fact that I need you to get in the car...now!"

The problem is, I find this story so funny, I've about told everyone and most of the time, Makenna is around. So she's now repeated it a few more times. It wasn't as funny as the first time as the tone hasn't been the same but now it's my fault for "praising" her by telling so many others. Plus, I have to be consistent in telling her to call me mom and not Teri.

Of course, there are other little comments that have come out at different times. Such as, tonight she told daddy that something was not appro-pre-lit (appropriate). She'll also tell us when we "fro-got" to do something ("Oh mom, you fro-got to get me my bunny"). On occasion she'll also add "sweetie" or "honey" to her sentences when she talks to us (Oh sweetie, I need ten more minutes to sleep" or "Honey, can you get this for me?). Another favorite of mine is, "Okay I'm coming..." - then she's a no-show. I'm usually replying, "If you were coming, then you'd be here by now."

She's also telling us that "she's the boss." Well, it certainly seems like it at times, but we are trying hard to maintain the semblance that we are.

Of course, there are the sweet nice comments at times too. I love to hear, "okay mom" and then the immediate response of her picking up something or doing what I've asked. Or her saying, "sure" in a happy-go-lucky tone. But my favorite is an "I love you mommy" that comes out of the blue. That's the type of comment that makes me calm down.