Dotty Does Not Want Anything....

At times my child does not want to cooperate...at all. Yesterday morning she did not want to get out of the car to go into school. She was watching her movie and she informed me it was not over. Since we have seen in about 100 times, I could have informed her I already knew that bit of information. However, I just told her she had until a certain point came on, and then the movie was going to be paused so she could go to school.

The certain point in the movie came on. I paused the movie. Dotty was not happy to say the least.

After a few minutes of being told I was basically the worst momma in the world, Dotty got out of the car and stomped (literally) into school. Needless to say, we were once again late.

On the way up the stairs Dotty and I had an interesting talk.
Me..."Remember you have Dance after school today" said in a cheery tone.
Dotty..."I don't want to go to Dance this day" said in a not so cheery tone.
Me...pause for inspiration..."Well then how about we go to Toys R Us after school and you can pick out a new toy."
Dotty..."I don't want any toys."
Me..."How about a million dollars."
Dotty..."I don't want any dollars."

I could see where this was going. So, I shoved Dotty in her classroom. I gave the teacher the all knowing "good luck with this one" look. Then I headed to work.

At 4:15pm "this day" Dotty gladly went to Dance class and I was glad she did not remember my not so sincere comments about Toys R Us or the "dollars".

(Side Note: Dotty has a thing with saying "this day" when she is referring to today. I think in her mind "this day" has more emphasis...but I am not totally sure about that or a lot of things my child says.)

Mom's Okay...but Memawa is Better

I know I have mentioned this before, but lots of times I feel like I don't get to have any "fun" time with Dotty. I feel like I am getting her ready for school, for a bath, for bed. I often feel I am not a "fun mom".

So yesterday I took off from work early to spend some time with Dotty. When I got to her school to pick her up she was happy to see me...for about 5 seconds. Then she asked if we could go see Memaw at "The 'Con Shed" (as Dotty pronounces Pecan Shed).

I told her we could go see Memaw or we could go to a park. By only the slightest of margins the park won. After an hour there though Dotty was getting cold and was ready to go home. I needed to run into the grocery store and Dotty had a great idea...

"Let's go to the Con Shed and get Memaw. Then she can sit in the car with me while you run into the store."

She was so happy about the idea, I of course asked Mom to come go with us. And of course she did.

We took Memaw back to the Con Shed and headed home. Dotty played with me for all of 10 minutes before she asked me to call Memaw. I did and Dotty got on the phone...

"Memaw will you come to my house and play with me?"

We all know the answer to that one.

When Dotty heard the answer was yes...Mommy was now obsolete. I was even banned from the Doll Room until Memaw got there.

I am so glad Dotty loves her Memaw, and as I watch my mom playing with Dotty I can totally see why Dotty is just crazy about her. I had grandmothers that I would rather be with too so I know how lucky Dotty is.

(Side Note: Dotty is crazy about ALL her grandparents. Presley's Papa (my dad), Nana and Papaw (Tony's parents) are all awesome grandparents. I am just not around them as much as I am Memaw so I don't have as many cute stories about them. But make no mistake...Dotty is loved by many...and she loves them all back very much!)

My Flower Power...

I am not a fan of punishing Dotty (contrary to what my mom thinks...I don't enjoy being the bad guy). However I do believe that when I tell Dotty there will be consequences for her actions I plan to follow through with them so that she knows I do not make threats. I make promises.

Last night Dotty was beyond tired. So she was not in the mood to cooperate...or go to sleep. At 10:30pm I told her it was time for bed. No ifs, ands, or buts about it. Lights out. Get still and go to sleep.

She played and played. She has a flower night light on her wall and usually when I tell her if she keeps playing I am going to turn it off she gets still. Last night after the 3rd and final "get still and go to sleep or the flower is going off" I got up from the bed and killed the flower.

Let the wailing, begging, pleading, screaming, kicking, crying, demanding, bargaining, and hating momma begin.

I am glad my next door neighbors are 80 year old nuns. Dotty was so loud I am sure you could hear her outside the walls.

I stood firm though. I informed Dotty that I had told her 3 times to get still, stop playing, and go to bed and each time she did not. I told her I warned her the flower was going to go off. I also told her that if she was good tomorrow she could have her flower on again. I even told her that when she did go to sleep I would turn the flower back on tonight.

Needless to say Dotty cried herself to sleep and I felt terrible. It was a good 15 minute standoff between me and my 3 year old. I may have won the fight but I knew I would still have more of a battle to come and I wanted to get ahead of the game early on.

This morning I got rewarded for my firm stance. Dotty was not wanting to get dressed for school so I told her if she did not get dressed I was going to turn off her t.v. She looked up at the flower, then at me, then she got dressed.

I guess you could say I have a little bit of "flower power" now.

Waking up to a Surprise!

This morning Dotty woke up to a wonderful surprise...

Memaw!

My friend Jeri and I have started working out in the mornings again. We go to the gym at 6am so my mom comes over to sit with Dotty while I am gone. Usually Dotty never wakes up before I get back and get showered and Mom heads home, but today Dotty woke up at 6am.

She was so happy to call out for Momma and get Memaw instead. When I got home from the gym and saw all the lights were on in the house I knew something was up...or rather someone was.

When I walked into Dotty's room to find her and Memaw watching cartoons Dotty said to me...

"Guess what Mommy? Memaw came to play with me!"

And play Memaw did.

She played with Dotty until we had to get ready and leave for school.

What a great way to start the day...with your Memaw.

Another Option Please...

Today Dotty did not want to go to school.

She wanted to stay home with me.
Not an option.

She wanted to go to Memaw's apartment.
Not an option.

She wanted to go see Kathy and Gary.
Not an option.

Her only choice was to go to school.
Her response to me was...not an option.
(She may not have said that exactly but as she rolled around on the floor whining and kicking her legs that was the interpretation I got from it.)

Over an hour later we were in the car headed to school. Both of us frowning.

I don't know if any of you had children going back to school today. If so, I hope you had better luck than I did.

Happy New Year!

The best New Year's Eve of my life was spent at home...in my pajamas...sitting in a chair...dozing off and on before midnight. That was Dec. 31, 2007. My very first New Year's Eve with Dotty.

Tony and I stayed home. I was sitting in the rocking chair holding a sleeping baby girl when 2008 came in. I was so happy.

Many years past I had been to parties or just out having a big time with friends but this year topped them all. I could not imagine doing anything else than just holding my precious daughter.

She was my future and I was crazy in love with her. Every year I think is the best year with Dotty...that things can't get much better...but every year they do. I know 2011 will be just as great...if not better in regards to Dotty.

I hope you all have a Happy and Safe New Year!

Wedding Woes...

Dotty lately has been saying she will be sad when her daddy and I get married. I was so confused at to what she meant and why she started saying such things. She has even asked her Nana if she will take care of her when her mommy and daddy get married.

Finally I had to ask Dotty why she thought such a thing. I wanted to know why she thought either of her parents were getting married and why she thought something bad would happen to her if we did.

I asked her, "What happens when two people get married?"
Dotty's reply, "You have to stand on a cake."

Hmmm...oh yes...in the movie "The Little Mermaid" when Eric is going to marry Vanessa there are little figures of the two on the cake.

So I asked her, "Why do you think you will have to live somewhere else if Mommy or Daddy got married?"
Her answer, "Because Ariel had to leave her daddy and she didn't have a mommy."

Well yes...in the movie you never hear about Ariel's mommy and Ariel does become a human to marry Prince Eric. She has to leave her daddy because she can't live with the "merfolk" anymore.

I tried to explain all this to Dotty. I am not sure my message got through though. For now I am banning "The Little Mermaid" from our video selection.