About Last Night

The day started off well enough.  I tried to shove 8 hours of work into 4 hours so that I could leave early in time to pick up Lillian from preschool for once.  The sun was shining.  I actually got a "MOMMMMYYYY!" when she saw me in the hallway.  Sadly, I was half expecting an "Oh Mommy, where's Daddy?" so this was a happy moment for me.

We get home and apparently she has a schedule to be kept after school.  WaWaWubzy must be turned on.  I comply.

Being the last day of school before Easter, she came home with a small amount of candy.  Being the rock star Mother that I am, I allowed her two pieces.  Two whole pieces...I thought I was being quite generous.  Not generous enough in the eyes of the little 4 year old.  Every 10 minutes, "I want candy".  Being the responsible mother that I am, I said "No more" but if she were good, she could have a piece for dessert.  That was not a response up to her satisfaction.

Eventually, she got very tired of being told No and decided that it would be a fabulous idea to hit me on the leg.  This is something she typically reserves for the couch or chair since hitting a Mommy or Daddy is kinda not acceptable in the house.

Time Out.

Time out is at on the bottom stair.  I am in the same room and when I look up, I see her trying to be ever so quiet by ninja crawling up the stairs. 

I was in disbelief.  The thought "That little shit" crossed my mind.  I have never had the desire to think of my precious daughter in those terms...not even when she cut off one entire side of her hair.  But this, this deserved that title. 

I let her go up.  I was curious to see what exactly she was going to do.  After a few moments, I went upstairs.  She had just left the bathroom and was in my room holding her little hand clappy clappy thingie toy. You know, the plastic toy shaped as a hand and you shake it back and forth and it claps?  Yea, that thing.  She seemed so happy.  Until she saw me.

Without a word, I grabbed the toy, took her hand, and led her downstairs.  As soon as the toy left her hand, she was in hysterics.  I sat her in her pink chair in the middle of the living room.   Ohhhh boy, did she scream.  I'm sure anyone passing the house would have thought I was torturing her. 

After a few minutes of letting her wail, I asked her why she was in trouble.  Her: "Because I hit you".   Me: "Why are you in even bigger trouble?" Her: "Because I went upstairs".  Now, this in itself is an accomplishment.  Normally, once she's in trouble, she just won't talk to me.  I'm just never sure if she really was comprehending everything. 

When I asked her why she went upstairs when she was in Time Out, she told me she was tired.  I told her that was a lie and that she went upstairs to get a toy.  When I asked again, she said "I just wanted it". 

Her punishment was no candy at all for the rest of the day or dessert.  Again, she was not very accepting of this.  Every 5 minutes, "I want dessert".   Every "No" resulted in tears until she feel asleep on the couch an hour before her normal bed time.  I guess she was tired.

I don't know how I keep managing to do it considering her height and bulk (she's skinny but solid) but I carried her upstairs into bed.  As of me leaving for work this morning at 7:30, she was still wiped out.

Since I am the worrying type, I just called James to make sure she was okay.  He said she was completely normal - back to bouncing off the walls.  It's good to know I didn't do any short term damage.  I guess in 20 years, we'll see what long term damage I have done by denying her Easter candy.