Mama Speaks

Of all the horrific and terrifying tales I was told while pregnant, I was never told that as a mother, a feeling you are destined to experience on a frequent basis is GUILT.  Now, I'm not saying that I don't recognize it being misplaced.  Unfortunately, it doesn't make it any easier on me or any other mom. Tonight, I felt guilty for growing frustrated with Ayla as she climbed to a stand on the couch over and over again, despite my telling her repeatedly, "Sit down."  I tell her, "Look at mommy, what did I say?"  She shakes her head, saying, "No no no.  Sitting."  After one of her many full-on, fall down screaming tantrums for the evening, my patience was done.   Guilty. If ever I should fail to read her a story when I put her to bed (though this is usually Brandon's specialty-reading the stories with excellent sound effects), I feel guilty.   When she gets chicken nuggets and frozen peas for lunch, I definitely feel guilty because I ...

Usually, I'm so excited to pick Ayla up from Danielle's, but lately I've considered hiring Danni for a short-term mother position.  You see, my very bossy and opinionated daughter has decided to really test the limits lately.  How, you ask? 1. She will raise her arms into the air and make her mean face (a classic, I tell ya), demonstrating that she is about to slap the crap out of me. 2. She kicks violently during diaper changes. 3.  When I tell her, "Nice...gentle," she hugs me or touches my face softly, followed by a slap or kick to the nearest tender spot on my body. 4. When I tell her no and redirect her by having her do what I'd like her to be doing (for instance, sitting on the new couch-a rare splurge-rather than running up and down it after just seconds ago falling headlong into the floor), she looks at me, says "No no no no," and does it anyway. 5.  She has random outbursts of crying and/or screaming for no apparent reason.  I know the...