No means no...

Dotty is getting into a bad habit with not listening to me, flat out ignoring me, arguing with me, and just rebelling all together at times. I know at this stage they are testing their boundaries so I try to have patience and not lose my temper (and also remember that my baby is growing up and her days as a 2 year old are numbered so some fights just are not worth it).

The other day she was having a slice of pizza as a snack while she watched a movie laying on her Dora pillow in the living room floor. I told her "Do not put your pillow on top of your pizza". She did it any way. I then said..."Dotty, when I say no I mean no."

Dotty calmly looked at me and said in a very matter of fact tone "And when I say yes I mean yes."

I had to put my hands over my face and bite my thumb not to burst out laughing.

I know she should not talk back to me but it is so funny when she says things in such a grown up way with her little sweet voice. And I still just love seeing how her mind works.

To her, she should have just as much say as I do in the situation. In time I will show her who is boss...at least I pray I do.

3 Year Old Used Car Salesman...

Have you ever noticed how small children (or maybe any child...if it is your child regardless of age) and a used car salesman have a lot in common? Now Dotty is not quite 3 but she is awfully close and while I have never had to deal with a used car salesman I have seen plenty of stereotypes in movies and on tv so I feel I can make a pretty good comparison here.

Example #1: Both Dotty and a used car salesman (let's call him "Al" just to shorten my typing load here) don't know what the word "no" truly means. Both Dotty and Al feel that the word "no" is just my way of asking for more options.

Dotty: Can I stay up and watch Kai-lan?
Me: No. It is past your bed time.
Dotty: Okay can I stay up and watch Blues Clues?

Apparently Dotty thought that I had an objection to Kai-lan and might prefer to watch a blue dog when really I had an objection to the hour in which Kai-lan came on at night.

Al: Would you like to test drive the sedan?
Me: No thank you.
Al: Okay well lets put you in this Ford Pinto and see how you like it.

Example #2: Both Dotty and Al have no concept of discretionary income or how I prefer to spend mine.

Dotty: I love my Belle dress, my Cinderella dress, and my Snow White dress but I don't have an Ariel dress. Will you go to the store and buy me one?
Me: I don't know if I can find an Ariel dress and maybe we should wait and you might get it for your birthday.
Dotty: No. I need it now. Can you go to the store today?

Of course if Dotty did get an Ariel dress she would also need matching shoes and accessories. She would also prefer Prince Eric if Walmart happens to have one of those too.

Al: The car you drove up in looks fine but I think you would look great in this Ford Pinto.
Me: I really don't know if I can buy a car right now. I might have to wait a while.
Al: Let's come inside and see if we can get you some financing.

Example #3: Both Dotty and Al make unique clothing choices.

Dotty dressed herself for school today in her princess pajama top, a denim skirt, tights she got to wear for Valentines Day that are covered in hearts, and of course her Belle high heels with a "plain" crown (this crown she refers to as plain because it just has sequins on it and no rhinestones or feathers...glad to know she doesn't want to seem over dressed for daycare).

Al dresses in a pale green leisure suit (showing way too much chest hair of course) with white cowboy boots and a cowboy hat with feathers that would make Burt Reynolds "Smokey and the Bandit" character jealous.

This was all done as way of me saying that some nights when I have finally get Dotty to bed and I have a moment to myself I start to think...I might look good driving a Ford Pinto. Then I realize I am just delirious with exhaustion and head in one last time to check on Dotty...I am not sure but in the darkness I swear she is wearing a green leisure suit and a smile.

Dotty and Al are good!

Pajamas Mamma...

Dotty's Memaw believes that if Dotty asks for something...Dotty gets it. (I have been trying to get Dotty to say, "I wish Mommy drove an Acadia" but that has not once popped out of my child's mouth after hours of rehearsal.)

So the other night Dotty wanted "pajamas" to sleep in. I am a firm believer in any t-shirt that is no longer suitable for public outings, once washed, makes a great night shirt, but I guess my kid thinks "official" pajamas are a must now. After searching for said pajamas Memaw was surprised we didn't have any (when will my mother ever figure me out).

So of course the next time I saw my mom she had 4...count them 4...new pairs of pajamas for Dotty to keep at our house. The outfits included polka-dots (I swear my child is going to hate those when she turns 10 but I just love them...always have), a Minnie Mouse set, a Dora set, and a Princess set with Belle, Sleeping Beauty, and Cinderella on the front.

Dotty was thrilled. At first she tried to wear all of them at once. When that didn't work she settled for the Princess ones and came in to model them for me (Ta-Da...as Dotty loves to say now). But before bedtime Dotty decided to be a "real" princess and went to put on her Belle dress up clothes...crown, high heels, and all. She then got in bed covered up and waited for Memaw to read her a book looking at both Memaw and me like we were the ones crazy for not letting her do this years ago...like since birth.

I love my little princess but a swift kick to my side during the night hurts bad enough with bare feet. I had no intentions of seeing what it would feel like coming from small plastic high heeled Belle shoes.

After some debate, a few tears, and one tantrum Dotty put on the Princess pajamas and went to bed. Two hours after falling asleep she had wet through her pajamas and had to be changed. So much for "official" pajamas.

This morning Dotty woke up and planned out the next several outfits she was going to wear. Dora to school today, Minnie Mouse to the party tonight, and polka-dots to bed. It took another debate, more tears, and a rather large tantrum but Dotty did go to school in regular clothes today...tomorrow I make no promises though. I might just surrender!

Off schedule...

Since Dotty did not go to school most of last week she was not super thrilled to go back to school Monday morning. It was a tough day...it was hard on Dotty too. She woke up saying "I am not going to school." That should have been my first clue...but like most mothers I tend to be clueless from time to time.

After begging, demanding, and then finally tricking her into getting dressed (I told her I wanted to pretend that she was my baby and dress her like a baby...she is a sucker for anything "baby") we headed to school. As soon as we pulled up to the door Dotty's hands flew up to close her eyes and her mouth flew open to scream "I DON'T WANT TO GO TO SCHOOL!" Again...I thought this was just a minor detail and continued on like it was all going to be fine.

After prying her out of the car I took her over to the park where her class was already playing (seeing as how we were 20 minutes late). Even Presley tried to help by offering to play with Dotty (sometimes Presley can be helpful...when she wants to be or feels like she might get something out of it...keep reading). Dotty was having none of it though. She was not wanting to stay.

I pushed her in the swing. I helped her climb on the tires and after I had been there for 20 minutes (now really late for work and pouring in sweat) I told Dotty I just had to go. BIG tears came then and the death grip around the neck followed by knockout punch of Dotty saying "Please don't go Mommmy. Please. Please. Don't leave me." Kids really can be cruel at times.

Luckily Dotty's teacher saw that I was still in the park and that Dotty was crying (and I was close) and she came to rescue me. She took Dotty from me and told her all about the wonderful things they would be doing at school that day. I left heartbroken and worried all day that Dotty was crying. When I saw her later she told me she "had a wonderful day at school". I wanted to reply "Good. I was a WRECK!" but instead I just hugged her and said I was so happy she did.

Presley Side Note...Presley was really trying to help me in the park with Dotty and I was amazed at her patience, her sympathy, and her caring nature. Of course when I went to leave the park I found out why.

Presley: "Jill, will you pick me up today from school when you come to get Dotty?"
Me: "Well I don't know. I will ask your mom and if she says yes then I will."
Presley: "Okay. Tell Mommy you want to pick me up so I can play at your house with Dotty." All said with an angel's smile.
Me: "I will call you mom. I promise."

When my mom called Keri to tell her Presley had wanted me to pick her up so she could play with Dotty Keri informed Mom that of course Presley wanted me to do that...Presley had a dentist appointment that afternoon. Needless to say Presley did not go home with me that afternoon.

Helpless...

Being the parent of a small child, even one that can talk, is a hard job when your baby is sick. While Dotty can talk and say almost anything (and sometimes she says too much) she is still too young to tell me exactly how she feels at times. This is true when her feelings are hurt, when she is sad, when she is tired, and especially when she is sick.

Last Sunday Dotty ran a high fever in the afternoon and then before she fell asleep she threw up all over me and her and the chair we were sitting in. Luckily (for me and Dotty but not necessarily for her) Mom was over at the house and was able to clean up Dotty while I cleaned up me and the chair.

Monday Dot did not run a fever and she played pretty good but she was still tired. Tuesday I sent her to school but she came home with a slight rash (the doctor said it was from having the fever) and she still just did not seem to be herself.

She went to see Kathy and Gary on Wednesday. She had missed them so much and was really looking forward to the day. Kathy said she was good (although I think Kathy would tell me she was good even if she was totally terrible) and they had a great time. By 4:30 that day though Dotty was cranky and very weepy. She said her eyes hurt (which Mom and I assumed it was a headache) and then she fell asleep. She slept from 5pm that night until 6am the next day. Of course she got up from time to time to fuss, change a diaper, and take a sippy but I was worried at how long she had slept.

Thursday she was still saying her eyes hurt and she was still very crabby and crying a lot. She went with Ruth Ann to go home to see Tony and I was glad to hear she got better in a hurry and is still doing very well today. Sometimes the best medicine is just being with your Daddy.

However, I still felt so helpless during the week. When Dotty would cry and seem so weak and sad and sick I just felt so lost and useless. All I could do was hold her and pat her and whisper to her that it would be alright...even if I wasn't sure what to do to make it be alright.

As a parent that is the worst feeling in the world. To see your child hurting, sad or sick and to know you can't do anything to help except for just be there for them, hug them, and love them. I know many times in Dotty's life she will get sick again (and I thank God every day for how healthy she is) and I pray that my hugs and kisses and loving words will help in any way they can.

4th of July 2010...

I hope everyone had a happy and a safe 4th of July this year. I know we all did. The celebration started on Friday July 2nd at Dotty's school. The kids put on a parade for all the parents that lined the sidewalks to watch at their little ones waved their flags. Dotty's class was decked out in streamers and face paint and all waved their flags proudly.

After the parade, the students and the parents had a hot dog picnic in the park. Tony and I then took Dotty to another park to see the prairie dogs and play on the slides and swings. We all had a great time and made it until the rain started coming down. Then Dotty and I went to visit my dad who was having a short stay in Kell West Hospital because of an infection that showed up in his leg (don't worry...he is home and doing great).

Sunday, July 4th the Nichols family had hot dogs and hamburgers at Granny and Gang's house so I went to watch Dotty and Payton shoot off fireworks. Dotty just did the sparklers with some help from Patti but that was more than enough fun for her.

The best part of the whole evening was when Dotty was playing with her sparklers and Payton started one of those "fountain" fireworks behind Dotty (a safe distance away of course). The fountain basically just spews out sparks and changes colors. Then at the end it shoots out these balls that make a loud screeching noise as they go up in the air. Well when that thing started screaming Dotty's eyes got so wide, her mouth flew open, and her arms started shaking.

Now Tony and I were up on the porch a few feet from Dotty and she was facing us. Howard and Patti were standing right beside Dotty. Once Dotty got up the urge to run to someone she headed straight for Patti...and Dotty still had sparklers burning in her hand. Patti started backing up and all of us were yelling at Dotty to drop the sparklers. She finally did and Patti grabbed her...we were all laughing and Dotty did too once she calmed down. I don't know who was more scared...Dotty of the noisy firecracker or Patti of the sparklers Dotty had in her little hands as she ran toward her!

Needless to say Dotty was not too big on the firecrackers that made a lot of noise for the rest of the evening. In fact, she did not make it through Payton's entire firework show. She had a lot of fun though and that moment when she got so scared and ran for it is one I will remember forever. I just wish I had my camera going then....I could have been on the next America's Funniest Home Videos show!