We got to the mall around 9:30 only to discover that the playspace wasn't open yet. Nothing was open yet. So, we just entertained ourselves for a while. We went to look at the fish tank outside the Vietnamese food place, we watched elevators, we rode elevators, we watched workers fix a broken escalator, we walked and walked...and walked.
She loves the fish tank, but the eel is her favorite. Unfortunately, eel was sleeping early this Thursday morning. So, we spent our time watching the (very cool) puffer fish. Did you know that they look like they're smiling at you? It's freaky and fun all at once. Smiling fish...
watching the elevators
Eventually, the playspace opened and we spent an hour or so just playing. Around 11, the photography people got there and started snapping shots of the kids with their paintings. It took a little convincing to get Abs to participate. She was clinging to me monkey-style, wouldn't look at anyone, and only said "no no no no no no no no!" to anything and everything anyone asked her. But, with some help from her friend doggie - we eventually got her to not only hold her painting - but smile too.
I can't believe how big she looks here. Such a little girl. It's beyond insane.
Abby's painting (last one) hanging on the wall. The mall will rotate the pictures every few months and will do this for the next 2-3 years. Then, I guess, we get it back.
(also, I don't know why Abby's painting is the only one with a thick frame. Chances are they ran out of the normal ones...but we're gonna go with the theory that it means she "won" ;o)
Abby's friends arrived shortly after our picture. She played with them for a while before a few things happened. First, she'd been playing for an hour and a half. Second, she was overstimulated by all the kids, the photographers, the parents, ect. Third, she was hungry. Not a good combo people. She started testing the waters by doing things like standing on top of the slide, not moving out of the way, being obstinant. When I corrected her, she would ask "time out??" Well, my first mistake was not giving her a time out for those offenses. In hindsight, I see why she was trying to get a time out.
Next, she runs out of the playspace. She's barefoot, I'm in socks (and um, kinda pregnant) so it wasn't easy catching her. While I carried her back into the playspace, Abby lost it. She started scratching at my face, pulling my hair, yelling at me, wiggling... This was NOT my child. She's never done that.
I sat her down in my lap and held her. When I put her down, she went up to little kid (12months?) and pulled her down - on purpose - VERY deliberately. Then she looked at me. We apologized to the kid and her mom and I swept Abby away and put her in the only corner I could find. It was actually a good spot - she couldn't see anyone and I just sat on the other side of the corner out of site. I decided to let her sit as long as she wanted. At 8 minutes, she peeked out and I asked her if she was done.
"Ummm, not yet" was her response.
She stayed in time out for around 12 mins. She came out, gave me a big hug, apologized, gave me kisses, and went off to play.
Totally different child after that.
So, I've come to realize (I know I know, it's SO obvious now) that she just knows when she needs a time out. She knows when she needs some quiet time, and so I'm going to give it to her. There's still a fine line to be navigated when she's using them to regroup and using them to stall (like before leaving the house or before bedtime) Anyway. I was glad to see that I got my sweet kid back after her break.
Moving on. We had lunch together. She was so extremely lovey during lunch. She kept giving me tons of hugs and kisses. She kept hugging my head to her chest, patting my hair and saying "Good job mommy! You did a really really good job, I'm SO pwoud of you!" So funny. It was a very welcomed change of demeanor.
Home. Nap. Took Kyle to school. Grocery shopping.
After groceries, Abby looked at me with these really big saucer blue eyes and said "Mommy? I get a tweat? I get a tweat with mommy? I weally weally good in store! Abby wuvs mommy. Mommy want a tweat too? Ok! Sure! Let's Gooooo!"
Am I supposed to be able to resist that? No. I thought not. I took her to the bakery next door and she got a cookie. A big cookie for being a sweet girl.
I love pictures of toddlers and cookies. They just seem to go together.
And, ladies and gents, there you have it. Yet another day in the life. I enjoyed the day - mostly. We had our moments of patience-testing for sure. That's my word for the month (year?): patience. I need more patience and I'm constantly trying to remind myself to have it. Perhaps I'll write about that later.
Till then, here are a few more quick pics from lunch the other day. I just love this girl. She amazes me.
1 comment:
I'm not sure if she's too young to understand or if it's even important. But you could think about using two different terms that basically refer to a break, with one reserved for when you are using that as a "punishment" and one for just a break. Maybe like, Time Out vs. Break Space (or some other similar name)?
It's a strategy I've worked with parents with older kids to help the parent and the child differentiate when they are trying to deliver a consequence vs. just calming down.
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