My feet are broken

When you become a senior citizen your begin to lose mobility, heck, I think at 30 it starts to go! But, at the fine age of 3?

Temper tantrums is what I am used to...but when my little Jelly Bean doesn't want to do something, she doesn't always throw a temper tantrum. Oh No. "I can't walk." "My feet are broken." and one that her friend has used, "My feet are broken they need batteries." Which you really have to love the creativity they come up with.

Some days I wish I could say, "I am sorry, but my feet are broken, they need new batteries." Just to catch a break!

I have that toddler crazy look in my eye

When doing an internet search on "toddlers who test limits," I found links for:
gentle discipline, terrible twos, toddlers becoming bullies, and some other toddler-developmental issues.

First let me just say, gentle discipline...what is that? If you are disciplining your child, how can you be gentle? Second, let's not leave the testing limits to the terrible twos, I for one know that I continued testing my limits up until the day I moved out of my parents house. (Maybe even until I got married...) And third, if testing equals becoming a bully -- oh boy, am I in trouble!

Jelly Bean was in full testing gear this past weekend. Needless to say, we are right around the corner from the big 3, so this is not a terrible twos thing, it is a "I'm a big girl now" thing.

I took Jelly shopping at the outlets to find some Spring clothing. The weather up here is pretty mixed-up lately, 40's one day and 70's another...so we really need those in between clothes. While I am attempting to find Jelly's size on a rack I see her go under a clothing rack...fully amused by her own actions, I had to ask her (gentle discipline) to come out from under there. She comes out giggling...only to go to another rack and hide. This time raising my voice, (not so gentle discipline) "I am not going to ask you again. That is not a safe choice." (could this be happening to me? I, too used to run through the racks and my mother used to scream at me for it...I am! I am my mother...or maybe she is just my mini-me?) By the third try, it was time to leave the store.

In another store, Jelly decided to push her baby in the stroller...no, not a play stroller, the stroller that she should have been in this entire time...well, you can only imagine what damage a toddler (without a stroller license) can do while pushing a stroller around the store.

And then we stopped for lunch. That amazingly went ok, until I went to throw out our remnants of lunch...Jelly decided to leave Wendy's by herself, excitedly exclaiming "I did it mommy!" I turned and yelled, NO JELLY! (Of course in these uncomfortable moments in parenting, the entire restaurant (filled to capacity at the lunch hour) became silent and turned to look at what all the commotion was about...No, don't worry, Jelly was ok...she just looked at me like I was a mad-crazy-lady who was once a calm mommy.)

Yes, and this is why parents get gray hair and have that "crazy" look in their eyes. It is from toddlers testing their limits. So, what I think Google really needs to add to their search of "toddlers who test their limits" results..."Crazy-lady" or just plain "parents going insane."

We don't use those words

My little Jelly Bean was reading a Christmas book on the potty the other day...while I was checking email. And all the sudden...from the bathroom I hear,

"Mommy, you suck!"
I stopped typing...what did I hear? No that isn't possible...I thought.
"Mommmmmyyyy, you suck!"
"Oh no, we don't use those words." as I approached her.
Whispering now, "Mommy you suck."
"Honey, we don't use those words."
"Mommy (pause) you suck."
As I looked down, I realized that she was pointing in her book at a sock, hanging on the fireplace mantel.
"Mommy, you suck."

Embarrassed I replied, "Oh, you mean, 'Mommy, your sock.' Yes honey, my sock."

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She said what?

Having a 2 year-old is pretty comical...which I may not have to tell too many this, but it really is better than tv for entertainment. Looking beyond the typical 2 year-old melt-downs, there is just so much to love and laugh about.

My daughter has been repeating everything...and I mean everything I say. It is very scary hearing my mini-me in the back seat of the car..."Come on lady, let's move it." or "Are you waiting for an invitation?" It really could be much worse, but coming from the voice of a 2 year-old is pretty scary.

Her memory is incredible...one mention of the fat guy in the red suit, and everyday now is "When is Santa coming?" She even has her list ready...and I am not kidding, she wants cheese and crackers and music. This outta be easy! And I have no idea where this came from.

And after our day care's open house I found out what she has been saying there...apparently she told her teacher one day that, "Mommy at home with my baby sister." hmmm. There is only one...and none on the way. (hint mommy hint!) She has also said that "Mommy yells at the cat, bad cat, Tobee!" Well, at least she didn't say that I yelled at her...or maybe they save that for her file.

But my favorite was during one of their lessons about houses the teachers asked, "what is in your house?" Most of the tots answered my dog, my cat, the tv and then my child answered, "Mommy and Daddy in bed." I really think my child is sub-consciously asking for a baby brother or sister. LOL!