Tuesday, February 02, 2010

I love you. Now let go.

Evangeline is in a very frustrating stage. She's driving me absolutely bonkers. She has this misconception that she is my only child, as well as the only thing I have to pay attention to all day.

So here's me, bumbling along, trying to get Abby potty trained, the house clean, my calling done, the dishes put away, and all my other little ducks in a row. I carry Evangeline around, tucked in one arm, until I run out of things I can do with only one hand. Then I attempt to set her down, on a comfy blanket, with lots of diverting toys.

Evie: "WAH! MOM! I AM SO ANGRY! PICK ME UP IMMEDIATELY!"

Me: "Look, Evie, what I'm doing isn't really thrilling for you, and I need both hands to-"

Evie: "WAAAAAH! THE FLOOR IS LAVA AND IT BURNS!"

Me: "Oh, for heaven's sake!"

Abby: "Oh, fow 'eaven sake!"

Abby's stage is a bit less frustrating. She likes to repeat what I say, and to ask why. And she at least sleeps through the night.

5 comments:

Miriam Herm said...

my deepest sympathy. emapthy. seth is still in that stage. i've never met a more clingy child (not true: i have). when i'm not holding a child two things happen: 1. i feel naked. 2. everyone notices that one arm is noticeably larger than the other due to the fact that seth is slowly building the muscle on it.

does it help to know you are not alone?

Brook said...

Hah ha ha ha ha! I love your translation. Alice and I have had similar conversations, except mine usually end like this:

Me: "Oh, all right - I never get to hold you during the day anyway."

Jake: "Oh, for heaven's sake! You spoil her rotten!"

You story also reminds me of one of my favorite little girl stories: One of my friends had a neck injury when her little girl was 3 and her little boy was one. They lived on the third floor of their complex and she was walking them up the stairs one day, carrying Caleb, with Maddie walking in front. Maddie was walking veeeeeeeeery sloooooowly, taking one careful step at a time and saying, "Step! . . . Step!" as she went. My friend finally got fed up, as her neck ached and Caleb got heavier and heavier. "Oh, for cryin' out loud, Maddie!" She exclaimed.

Maddie: "I'm not crying out loud, I'm talking!"

The Looney Writer said...

Hee hee hee. That does sound like Abby. It's funny that Evie is fussy like that, because when she was here she acted very pleasant. Tell Abby hi for me.

Unknown said...

Chuckle-snort. Yes, I know this scenario very well, except mine usually ends with a little voice saying, "Give me a bweak, Cawmen!"

Unknown said...

"waaa..the floor is lava and it burns!!!" ha ha have your babies been talking to mine?:)