Grandma, Is that you?

Funny thing is about this blogging thing, I don’t think Chris hardly reads it yet he’s the one bugging me to do it all the time, as he says “others are wondering why you haven’t been blogging.” Well as far as I can tell the only people who are reading it are some foreign people leaving comments I can’t read. Either way, it’s a good way to keep our family journal so I’ll keep doing it anyways.

Last night brought about some more things I had forgotten that Makenna has picked up from mimicking our speech. One is that she growls in exasperation. “Aarrgghhh” Is something I hear coming from her when she’s asked to do something that she might not want to do or if something is frustrating her. It’s almost reminiscent of my grandmother Rafferty – which I know I tend to copy when making this noise.

But another thing that she has picked up from the ghost of my grandmother is saying my name and then not stating anything after. As if saying my name is just music to her ears. I hear, “mommy?” Then I say, “What Makenna?” Then dead silence. A minute or less later, “Mommy?” “What?” I reply…Nothing. Again some short time passes, “Mommy?” Me with a more firm and stern voice, “WHAT MAKENNA?!!” “Um….”

This is exactly the reincarnation of my grandmother. She tended to say someone’s name (obviously she’d say “Teri” instead of “mommy”,) but then leave you hanging. It wasn’t until the 3rd or 4th mention that you’d finally tell her to spit it out already or leave you alone.

Another thing Makenna does or “dues” is say the word “dues” when it should be “does.” It’s kind of cute but I try and correct her. She’ll be talking about someone or something and she’ll say, “Yes she dues.” I’ll smile and say, “Yes she does.” She also get’s her tomorrow’s and today’s mixed up. She’ll say, “What do I have today?” – which is usually stated near the end of the day which means she really wants to know what she has in store for her tomorrow. So I’ll correct her and she’ll say, “What do I have today?” I’ll again correct but this time I’ll say, “What do I have tomorrow…TOMORROW you have….”

I was never great in English – but that was more when it came to subjugating a verb and finding my pronouns. I was a Mad Libs queen but we’ll have to hope for better grammar from this one.

As I was taking her to gymnastics last night, she was talking on her princess cell phone to a myriad of people (grandma, grandpa, Uncle Jared, and Aunt Jessica). One resounding statement after the initial greeting kept being said, “I Don’t Know.” It was said with different inflections—from calm and serene to a firm “I DON”T KNOW.” I had to laugh as this is most definitely from me telling her that answer to her when she repeatedly asks me over and over again the same thing and I’ve exhausted my answer bank. I can only wonder what she felt they were asking her that she didn’t know the answer to—or was she sick and tired of them asking her the same question over and over again?

I wish I could say the day ended well.  It will never end well when you're told that your child didn't take a nap.  At least, not this child.  I picked her up with this news in hand and still decided to try and run a quick errand to a store before taking her to swim lessons.  I figured it would be a good way to waste some time prior to class.  Nope - I was seriously mistaken.  Right off the bat before we even got out of the car she was giving me trouble.  I gave her more than enough warnings to get up from the car floor - yes the floor.  This was after I got her off her booster seat - obviously. 

After I got her up and out, we got to the front of the store and when you first walk in to the first enclosure, there were games and that's where I lost her - completely.  I've never been to this store before and once you go in, you can't go back out that same way.  After threatening her with "I'm leaving, bye" and going around the corner, out of sight, I realized this threat held no water with her.  I then went back to the front doors and waited for someone to come through so I could get back out. 

I dragged her into the store, kicking and screaming.  I made her sit in a spot while I went down the aisle next to her.  The next thing I heard was another woman's voice saying, "Where is your mommy, is it alright for you go out there?"  I realized she got back out to the front.  I made her come hit the button to open the door so I could literally drag her in yet again.  More kicking and screaming ensued and I tried putting her in the cart but she refused.  At that point and after many empty threats, I decided to make good on one.  It was the one where I told her that I would take her home and she would not go to swim and she would go right to bed.

I picked her up, took her back to the car where she was screaming three-year old obscenities at me.  "Stupid," "I'll punch you," and "I'll punish you."  Along with hitting me, and trying to bite me and spitting at me.  This just confirmed my resolve.

At that point I had calmed down enough even though I felt like "white trash" dragging my child kicking and screaming through a store and then talking forcefully--close to yelling but not quite.  I drove home with a screaming child the whole way - still yelling and also adding that she wanted her daddy.  I felt like saying, "so do I!"

Got her home, got her dinner and off to bed.  Of course we had more crying in between as she wanted a movie and then wanted to go to swim.  When I told her, as she was eating, that swim was already happening, she had another melt down, albeit, brief.  Got her dressed for bed, did our bedtime routine and down and out she was.

Chris's response when I told him all that had transpired, "you tried to take a tired 3 year old to a store - that was a mistake."  Really?  I didn't get that.  I was ready to start yelling 3 year old obscenities at him.