My Prayer

Please Lord, prevent me from killing the two year old.
Let me remember the good times after two hours of getting her to nap.
When she tries to stand on the power point and says "stairs" attemping to jump up and down,
let me remember how innocent and sweet she really is.

When I'm laying her down and she tries to kick me in the head, let me remember,
it's not really intended that way,
it's just a simple struggle for autonomy.

When I've asked her thirty times to lie down, taken every teddy bear I can, and she is still jumping up and down clapping and singing "happy clap"
Let my sanity return and remind me that it's probably not OK for me to sit on her to get to lie still.

When I walk inside her room to see every book, toy and belonging taken from its place and strewn across the floor
Let me remember she's probably just expressing her creativity or seeking the attention that I didn't give her for the four minutes I was in the next room.

And when she finally falls asleep approximately five minutes before she's meant to wake up, and is smiling with the face of intoxicated cherub,
let me remember that revenge is not a very motherly desire and besides God will take care of that in time when she has children of her own...

(c) C. Donoghue 2008

Too much time on my hands - really

Well as I left you at the last juncture (approx 1.5 yrs ago) that may give you an idea of exactly how much time I've had to write, paint, dilly dally and paint my nails. That's right people none, zero and Nada.

My little angel face is now twenty seven months old (or in layman speak two years & three months). She is well into the terrible adorable twos. We have falling down tantrums for just about every event of the day, let me explain further.

1. Falling down tantrum one - I have to go to potty and I don't wanna
   
2. Tantrum two - I don't want to pull my pants up
3. Tantrum three - Oh you're making my bottle, I want to put the formula in!
4. Tantrum four - I don't want Oprah on...I want Elmo (yes Dads, I know you're with her here, but I'm planning a homicide and it involves Dora the Explorer)
5. Tantrum five - I want your coffee...

6,7,8,....OK now even I'm bored - but you get the gist I'm sure.

We've make the move to the big bed with relatively little drama. We are still in the process of potty training, but I think it's me not her that is taking so long. Our hair is long enough to wear in cute little puffy piggy tails and we're so cute that everyone just dies.

Lot's of drama all the time.

Angel face hits and pinches other children, which has become the bane of any time spent socialising. And here's me, who's trying to do all the 'new' parenting stuff i.e. not belting is waiting for the consistency approach to work. We have a new litany that we recite when approaching all children's social activities
"Remember we have to be GENTLE. What does mummy say? No hitting, no pinching, it makes people sad when you hit or pinch, so be GENTLE and NICE"
This mantra seems to work when the mood is right, and then there's that face that holds glimpses of my angel at 13yrs of age, sayin' yeah wot-ever!!

For the most part though, she can be a delight. Intelligent, brilliant, funny and spirited as none can compare. It is an adventure and we are healthy and therefore blessed.

Would love to keep chatting, but my two year old miss thing is stirring from her nap, so I must get ready to start my afternoon shift.
See you next lunchtime xo