Phases

Sweet Pea is starting, bit by bit, to leave the theatrical threes behind her. I can see the fabulous fours coming. Some days are a sneak peak into the child she will be in a few months. Those are wonderful days. She is sweet and polite. She is funny, although not always intentionally. She told me the other day that January 16th (her birthday) is far, far away. So she needed to get on an airplane to get there. So funny. Anyway, I digress. I have been trying to figure out what makes one day fabulous and then another back to theatrical. Often it has more to do with me than with her mood. Sure, if she is tired or hungry she is more difficult. However, the days when I can engage her in helping or playing are typically golden days. When I have the time and energy to ask her to help me unload the dishwasher and ask her to fetch and carry for me she is excited and happy to help. The days when I find myself too tired to put one foot in front of the other, I often forget to engage that aspect of her personality. Then I have meltdowns and attention-seeking behavior on my hands. I get frustrated and then she gets hurt/mad and we are both in trouble.

Panda Girl, on the other hand, is leaving behind the compliant happy baby I have so loved. She is turning into a two year old. Some mornings are spent going from tantrum to tantrum. This child does has not gotten mad often, up to this point. However, when she is angry it is really bad. She screams until she is red in the face. She practically forgets to breathe (I sit there sometimes thinking, breathe baby - you can do it). She gets herself all worked up. It seems as Panda Girl is getting closer to two, this temper comes out more frequently. I have no idea what she will be like in six months or so, but I have fear. This could be a very long couple of years with her. Hopefully Sweet Pea has prepared me well for whatever Panda Girl has to bring. All I can say is, bring it on girlfriend. I (think) am ready for it!

Regardless of the phase, I love my little ladies. It is a joy to watch them learn and grow. Their personalities are so different from each other. While that does add extra challenges to raising them, it also makes for very rich experiences with them.