Here we go...

Well, it's official.  We have entered a new phase in this household.  We have a Toddler who has learned to Act Out.

I have a good friend who just had a baby, days ago.  I read as she regaled her birth story, entering the ranks of motherhood.  Her badge is in place, earned by her physical pain to bring a human being out of the womb and on to this planet.  It took me back to over a year ago, when my own badge was earned as a mother.  But what you learn over time is that although you earn your "mother" wings early on, you don't really become a parent until you have as I said, a toddler officially acting out.

The scene of the crime was my parent's house, last Sunday, during a lovely dinner prepared by my mother, sister and I. The table linens were out, the gifts were lined up for Father's Day, and we were enjoying the delicious spread.  Well, actually, I was half-shoveling bites of food into my mouth as I tried to also shovel food onto and/or around and in the vicinity of Lauren's high chair. But I was not feeding her fast enough. I was like a circus bear, not pleasing the ring master. And who was the master? Lauren, Queen of the Punkies. Grunting, pointing and general disarray quickly led to her throwing food, pulling it out of her mouth and her being dismissed from the table. The dismissal was not before I uttered some very parental words: "If you can't appreciate this food that we took time to prepare, then you are done! You are going to get down...and...play!" She retreated with pleasure, quickly grabbing her toys and making sure that I knew she was MORE than happy to play, away from her mother.  Oh God, it's happening. Next thing you know I'll be saying, "There are starving children in China and you WILL finish your dinner!" 

What happened next was maybe the single most terrifying and hysterical event of Lauren's childhood, to me. She crawled up into Grandpa's lap, one chair over from me.  She looked sideways at me, and babbled in her baby voice, "Diedle diedle diedle!!!" And she SHOOK HER FINGER AT ME. OMG. Oh no, she DIDN'T.

Here we go, I suppose. It's on. Good bye, wonderful one.  Hello, terrible two's.

Let the parenting begin.

♥ V :)