When we were in China, back in 2005, wandering the streets with our beautiful baby girls all of the tourists had one question for us..."Where is she from?" "Hunan" we would say! And then, we would (almost always)get one reply: "Ooooh! Spicy girls!" We would all giggle and say "Yes, spicy girls." See, we already knew they were not all sugar, but also some spice. Mine showed a lot of her spice early on. She continues to challenge me with her "spicy" demeanor. The past few days have been a challenge for me, to say the very least. I don't often write about the tough stuff. I keep it light and happy here in bloggy-land, and most days it is a true reflection of our lives here. Not always. I know that these challenges are not the end of the world, and that most of the difficult behavior will work itself out in time. I just don't have the most patience when I don't get enough sleep at night. Which brings me to our first challenge: Lily has decided she no longer likes her big girl bed. She has decided she doesn't even like her room anymore. Last week it was: "Mommy, mommy! Tank you for painting dis woom for me. tank you so much, I yuv it." Today it was "I not taking a nap today. I no wike my woom. Do you have anodder woom for me?" So her big girl bed currently holds TWO big girls in it at night. What fun.Challenge number two: Once again she has decided that she is not a fan of daddy's. Twice (very recently) she has thrown a complete and total fit when I have had the NERVE to leave her home with him. She is not the least bit subtle about it either...she could obviously care less if she stomps on poor daddy's feelings. She has been reported to have said things like "I don't wike you! I don't want you here! I want my mommy! You don't match me!" Yes, apparently she thinks that because he is a boy and not a girl like us, he doesn't MATCH her. We are working on getting her over that whole theory - if she is only going to like people who match her then the whole bunch of us are in deep doo doo over here.
Last challenge (that I will be blogging about today): Lily has a bad habit of flat out NOT LISTENING. She can ignore with the best of 'em. I get so exhausted from repeating myself over and over again. Some days I just wish just ONE thing could happen without a fight. But, she is 3. Actually, she is exactly 3 and 1/2 today! Wow.
Anyway, I bought this darling Hunan Girl shirt for Lil and she LOVES it. She was so excited to get a fun package in the mail and wanted to wear it right away. I told her I had to wash it first, so as soon as I took it out of the dryer she says "Tank you for washing my Hunan girl shirt. I'm a Hunan girl. Are YOU a Hunan girl, mommy?"
I said "No, Lily, I'm not."
Lily: "What kind of girl are you?"
Hmmmm...lately I am a tired one.
Well, that completes today's installment of sugar and spice (mostly spice)...
*We have a really fun, Christmas-fun-filled weekend ahead and I am so looking forward to it.
*I sent out my Christmas cards today.
*I think I pulled a butt muscle in hip hop class last night.
Later!
21 comments:
Oh...love that Spicy girl... Apparently Hubei is also known for spicy girls b/c we got that a lot in China too..and oh, she IS too. Annslee says Boy and Girl a lot but so far is ok that daddy is one. The only "doesn't match" she does is letting us know that Mia is from China like her but we are not!
Hope you get some sleep...we have had a joiner in our bed the last few nights ; )
I think I have a "spicy"girl too. She's only 4 months, but already showing signs of it. My Hannah will not sleep in her crib. She screams her head off. Then if I put her in the port-a-crib she's happy a a clam. Thanks for being honest in your post because it shows you are a REAL family.
Sorry to hear that your little Spicy Girl doesn't want to sleep in her pretty room...
She will soon...
Have a Great Evening...
Hugs to you...
I just love coming and sharing in all of your spicy girls antics. Thank you for sharing the tough stuff too... makes me feel like these types of things just don't happen in my family.
HOpe you have a wonderful, festive weekend.
Okay, laughing about your butt muscle first! There can never be all sugar - if anyone says it is, they are not telling the truth. All of these issues will pass. I had to laugh at the "we don't match" comment. She is too smart and funny - even when she is being spicy!
Oh, I know how you feel. This sounds all too familiar. I think Hannah and Lily are alot alike.
I know it probably doesn't help you but it makes me feel better knowing I'm not the only one dealing with some of these issues.
Hang in there-it will get better. :)
Ok...that end comment just make me laugh! dang..I hate when I pull a butt muscle! That hurts!!!! Lily is adorable in her Hunan girl shirt! Love it ;)
It sounds like my house....I am so exhausted lately! You know...I put a gate in front of Sophia's door.....perhaps you need to tell Lily that she is sleeping in her bed and that is that! I know.....easier said then done.....
Sorry to tell you that but our spicy girl turns 4 next week and is still like that! We were lucky because we didn't really have to live the terrible 2 but 3 and half and now 4 are pretty, hum, let's say, interesting. At least 4 times in a day she wants only me, and 3 mn later only her Dad. And for the not listening Maëlle is very good too. Right now you can be sure I'll get snow all over the hall when we come back even if I tell her 10 times to stay on the carpet until she's undressed.
As for bed I have to say we were tough right at the beginning when we came back from China. It was very difficult for me but I knew I had to do it. I could stay 1,2,3 hours with her in her bedroom until she would fall asleep (either in my arms or her crib), but she never slept in our bed (only if she was sick). I know it sounds harsh but I needed to make sure I'll stay sane and balance. After a while she would fall asleep very fast. So when it was time for her to move to a big bed we didn't have any problem. And now she comes sometimes for cuddling or when she's sick she stays in our bed but that's it. Every night I stay laying in bed a few minutes with her, we sing 1 or 2 lullabies, we say a prayer and I leave.
We have our life, we need to rest and spend some time with hubby or just for us.
oh our Spicy girl has been doing the I not wike you when we don't do her every command as well. That one was very familiar.
I am sorry about her walking on daddy's feelings, I know that is challenging. Caitlyn does it when daddy's around and being a mama I take it, but I know daddy's are way more sensitive than tough mama's. Hoe she gets out of it quickly. Sometimes just when you think it will never end tomorrow brings a new challenge and the old one is gone.
Caitlyn wanted some Elmo house shoes today when we get home I found them tossed in a corner and I said here put on your shoes! and she said I no wike dem.
Wish I had known she no wike dem before I dished out the $$$ :)
hugs hope sleep comes tonite. Patience friend patience...
i am thinking tears and tired are a new theme ...hee hee .. i am now the current president ... hee hee ... yes, our spicy girls can give it out ... i am wondering if 2 spicy girls cancel each other out like a diet coke and a snicker bar ... hee hee ... i am delirious going to bed !
yep, we have lots of that going on in our house too. The big girl bed is a challenge, but we did get a turtle light that shows the constellations on the ceiling. She can pick what color she wants the stars to be (yellow, green, or blue; of course she always picks blue) She starts to count the stars and is out within minutes. So, we have the going to sleep part down; the waking up in the middle of the night thing not so good:) Anyway, if you want to try the light, I got it at USA Baby for about $35. Worth every penny:)Good luck,
Mary
Please do not think for a moment I was offended.I was laughing as I wrote the post.
You go ahead and do meme things any time you want to.
I love your spicy girl.
Lily sounds so much like my spicy Jillian. Jill's middle name is Lily, too funny.
Hope your butt's muscle is healed soon, ouch!!
Oh...hip hop class!
Thank you for sharing it all. It is nice to know that we are not alone in our parenting challenges:)
Kim
I love the shirt. That is so cute and Miss Lily looks adorable in it.
Thank you for your post..... it is nice to know that other parents are going through the same challenges.
Have a great weekend!
If we didn't get the spice, we wouldn't appreciate the sugar as much! Thanks for sharing some of your struggles. Love ya!
Do any of us ever really listen? I hear you though cos my Lily gets sudden bouts of deafness too and it makes me nuts. Hang in there Mama cos this too shall pass.
LOVE the new shirt - ok, now we want one too!!!
got to love the spice. hannah doesn't like her room anymore either. She also would rather have daddy most of the time.
Oh I know it must be tough, and Oh BOY, does sleep deprivation make everything harder. Lily has a big personality, and I guess that goes for the more difficult things as well. I remember being a little girl, and being so mad when we were left on a Saturday morning with him because he did NOT do things the right way, i.e. the way MOMMY does it! Hang in there...we are all here with you!
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