All children were not created the same
The Sunday routine…
Every Sunday, I enjoy a few moments of peace and quiet before the kids wake up. Then, its breakfast, getting dressed, compiling the grocery list, and in the car to run our errands for the week.
Today’s errands included a trip to Kohls for returns, a trip to Target for our weekly diaper stocking, and then the Publix for groceries. Mauldin is perfectly happy during these trips. He doesn’t fuss in his carseat as we drive from place to place and is perfectly content to wear his monkey backpack as we walk through the stores. Elle, however, loathes these trips. I think she secretly plans ways to sabotage us at every stop. Whether it is spit up, a diaper, hunger pains, or just plain boredom, her cries are very often heard, by the people passing us in the stores. I’ve learned to smile and nod and an elderly woman passes us, mutter “tsk tsk” under her breath.
Today, as we drove to Kohls, Elle began her weekly fuss. “Waaa (I don’t wanna be in here), Waaa (why are you stopping…don’t you stop the car), Waaa (If I have to hear Mickey Mouse clubhouse one more time!!!), Waaaa (I need my Barbara Streisand…where is Barbara Streisand!)”
“Laura, talk to your daughter.” Eric turns to me as he drives down the road.
“It’s not going to work. It just makes her worse.”
“Please, just try…” Eric asks me this, because we had similar problems with Mauldin when he was this age. However, with our dear MJ, all we needed was “It’s a Small World” on repeat and our voices, whispering calming phrases in his ear.
“Elle, we are right here sweetie. It’s okay. We will be there soon.”
“WAAAAA….WAAAAA…WAAAA… (OMG….You are in the front seat and not listening to me. I just heard you. Don’t deny it. You are there and ignoring me!!!!) WAAAA…WAAAA…WAAAA!!!”
“See, I told you. It just makes her worse. If I talk to her, she knows I’m here and not doing anything to make the situation better.”
All children are not created the same, and this has become very apparent to us as Elle grows and begins to gain her personality, but isn’t that what makes parenting interesting. Notice, I didn’t say relaxing, just interesting. I guess if Elle was exactly like Mauldin, we wouldn’t appreciate the individual she is. She is our darling angel, no matter how loud she gets!
It was exactly the same with my two. Ryan was always so good in the car whereas Emily ALWAYS pitched a royal fit the ENTIRE ride no matter where we went. Is it a girl thing???