Sometimes you're the windshield, sometimes you're the bug
Oh but we had a rough week last week. People talk a lot about the terrible twos but for almost every parent I have ever talked to, they say the terrible twos are nothing but a mere warm up for a three year old. I have to completely agree. The tantrums are definitely fewer in number and shorter in duration but they are also way more dramatic.

Last week, Abby had a few days where she did not get stickers because she had trouble listening to her teachers. Thursday we were to go to her friend Alyssa's house after school so the girls could go skating on their new skates. When I picked up Abby, her teachers informed me that Abby had quite the defiant day that day. Not a good sign and in hindsight, even a bit of foreshadowing.

The skating started out well but then the girls got in a bit of a disagreement over who was going to hold a broom. Yes, a broom. The cause of most world wars I do believe. Well, Abby kind of just lost it. She had the mother of all tantrums. The grand poobah. The kind where I was just waiting for her head to spin around. After a very serious warning and behavior that not only didn't stop, but actually intensified, I picked up Abby (as much as one can pick up a kicking and screaming being) and as calmly as I could, told Alyssa's mom we would not be able to stay. Putting same kicking, screaming child into the car seat provided an aerobic workout that most people pay good money for.

Yes, I am one of those moms. I feel very strongly that Abby's behavior that particular day could not be rewarded by getting to stay at Alyssa's house. So I promptly took her home where a time out awaited her. Amazingly, the rest of the night she was her normal happy self. I did also put up the skates and told her she could work to earn them back. Her teachers were in full agreement of this and feel that using it as a reminder during the week next week will help a lot. So, hopefully next Friday, she will have earned them back.

I'm so glad Abby has this amazing spirit. I feel it is going to take her very far in life. In the mean time, it is my job to set boundaries and it is her job to test those boundaries. Plus, she is a little person, and everyone just has rough weeks every now and then. All I know, is that I love being her mommy more than anything and I wouldn't trade it, tantrums and all, for anything in the world.

We have become friends with one of the families at Abby's school. Alyssa is in Abby's class and they just adore each other and play so well together. They invited us to go to Alyssa's grandmother's house for Easter but we already had plans and could not go. Alyssa's grandmother still bought Abby an Easter gift. Actually make that plural. Gifts. :-) Soooo incredibly sweet! One of the gifts was a set of Dora Explorer skates. Anyone who knows a 3 year old girl (or boy for that matter), knows that Dora rules the world. And Dora skates? Well, let's just say Abby squealed when she saw them.

Every afternoon, weather and schedule permitting, we take Lucy for a walk around our neighborhood. Abby gets to take grapes or apples and her water bottle. Lucy gets to attempt to scare every neighborhood bird or squirrel. I get a little exercise and we get to say hello to all our neighbors. Not a bad way to spend the afternoon actually. Well, for tonight's walk, Abby insisted on wearing the knee and elbow pads that came with the Dora skates. She got lots of adoring comments from each neighbor we saw. I have to say, I might just put them on her all the time as the pads just covered all the usual boo boo places. Here is my little fashionata.

Sunday afternoon we went with our friends the Brashers to the big lake at Lullwater Park at Emory University http://www.dekalb.k12.ga.us/DruidHills/neighborhood/president-park.html. This park is one of my favorites as it is really big, full of lots of undeveloped land, and the developed part is really beautiful. It also happens to have lots of great trails and even a small waterfall. Emory's president lives in the park so the grounds are especially maintained. We are so lucky to live 5 minutes from this park.

The lake is generally full of lots of ducks and/or geese. While there weren't a lot of either, we did get to feed a mommy duck and her babies and a mommy goose and her babies. Said babies were unbelivably cute. Bread was shared and both the feeders and the recipients were quite happy. Oh, and the fish who managed to snag some bread were pretty happy as well.

This afternoon after I picked up Abby from school, I gave her the choice of where we would eat dinner. By Friday I rarely feel like cooking any kind of dinner, so whenever possible, it is our night to eat out. Abby immediately chose Mama Fu's - http://mamafus.com/. It is one of her absolute favorites (and fortunately, mine too). Abby always chooses to eat Mei Mei's (chicken fried rice with carrots) and I usually get Pad Thai with tofu. Abby loves to eat some of mine (especially the "To Food" as she calls it). After we finished dinner and were ready to eat the fortune cookie, Abby proclaimed it as the "cookie with a tag". :-) I love the way a 3 year old mind works!! Perfect way to describe a fortune cookie!

As I type this, Abby is in bed but she is not yet asleep. She is singing "Copacabana". It is pretty funny that she knows almost all the words. She is singing it loud and strong. Barry Manilow would be incredibly proud if only he were here. Perhaps she has a singing career in her future? Can the world use a female Barry Manilow?

Today was a two sticker day. We are working on being a good listener at school and this seems to be the thing that works the best. If she is a good listener for her teachers, they let me know and Abby gets to pick one sticker when we get home. She puts it on after bath time so she can wear it to school to show her teachers. Today Ms. Asiatu and Ms. Cheryl told me she was such a good listener that they recommended two stickers. So my little listener went to bed with a Goofy sticker on each hand. Proud day!

I leave you with a picture of my little Urkel. Most nights when she puts on her pajamas, she pulls the pants as high as they will go and tucks in her shirt. I have no idea what prompted this fashion statement but at least for now, it is limited to bedtime wear. Okay, she has moved from Barry Manilow and is now singing "I Got You Babe". I can think of no better way to end for tonight. :-)

Easter
We had a great Easter this year. We went up to Rome on Saturday to celebrate with Abby's Gigi (grandma), great-grandma Margaret, and Papa. Suffice it to say there were colored eggs, an Easter basket, and a yummy lunch. Despite some lovely traffic (I would like to know just who thought putting the Steeplechase on the Saturday before Easter would make a good idea), it was a fun day.

Sunday was spent going to church, hunting eggs in the backyard (fortunately our dog, Lucy, had zero interest in plastic eggs and even wondered what all the fuss was about) and then eating another great meal with our friends the Joyners and some very fun egg hunting with their grandchildren.

I can't believe I am just now updating my journal. So much has happened and Abby has changed so much since I last posted. I am going to try a new tactic and update every couple of days but just keep the posts much shorter. Rose, you have inspired me to do better! Your blog is so great and I know Astrid will one day love to read it.

One quick Abby story for tonight. Abby is in the stage where she loves to play hide-and-seek. When I am the one hiding, our dog will come stand about 3 inches from me, stare at me and wag her tail. Yes, she totally rats me out. Every single time. Abby can always find me. At 65 pounds, Lucy is not exactly a small, easy to miss dog. So, after she "finds" me, Abby will immediately hide in the exact same place I was hiding. :-) And she barely waits for me to move before assuming her new hiding place. It is the sweetest, funniest thing. Oh, and when Abby wants to be found, she will call out "Peek me, mommy!"