Thursday, January 22, 2009

What's a Girl To Do?

Bronwen loves to play outside. She is constantly begging for me to put on her shoes and socks (which she loves to take off) and her jacket and let her go play in the backyard. She hates that I won't let her play in the front yard and on the cul-de-sac with her brothers unless I am sitting out there (which I rarely do.) She loves the change of scenery, running, playing, and feeling like she's one of the big kids.

Today is the first day all week that she is feeling like doing anything besides cling to my leg and whine. She's had a terrible cold, which today is mostly manifesting in a horrific runny nose, but without the fever and sleeplessness we'll take it! She is also back to her ways of getting into ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING if I turn my back. This morning, I caught her eating butter from the butter dish with a knife. "Yummy, Momma!" she enthusiastically announced. Then there was the moment when I found her helping herself to some triple berry sauce that I had foolishly left out on the stove, rushing off to do something else. "Taste it, Momma!" I decided to not tell her dad, knowing that he wouldn't have any with his pound cake if he knew his little darling had been tasting away unsupervised. She has also added her decorative touch to more than one of her brothers' math worksheets, journals, and independent projects today, which always elicits a roar from them. And Ian can't play with trains, legos, or action figures without her interference.

So imagine what torture it is for me her this afternoon. The rain let up for a few minutes and the boys all put on coats and ran out front to play between showers. She begged for her jacket and shoes, but this is what our backyard looks like this afternoon.


Jared and a good friend spent much of their free time last week tearing out everything in our backyard to make way for new pavement, sprinklers, and real, live grass! Unfortunately, this is not an instant fix, and 24 hours of rain did little to improve the terrain. I'm not sure that the photos do justice to the small, abundant lakes of mud. If my children owned slickers and rubber boots, it wouldn't be as big a deal, but she is not wearing her stride rite pink sparkly sneakers out in that, or her suede mary janes, or her patent leather t-straps. If it weren't 50 degrees outside, I'd be tempted to send her out barefoot with a big white trashbag tied over her clothes.

Here I am, pulling her back in as she tried to escape.


So, instead, I'm trying to type this post up with her "help" and taking frequent breaks to read all of her favorite books. This nearly 2-year old is exhausting. It's a good thing that I got pregnant before I remembered how busy and demanding 2-year-olds can be. Is it bedtime yet?

15 comments:

A mother heart said...

Every time I think about having another baby I just look at the three I already have and say--NOPE! I'm not ready yet!
Bronwen is a cutie though. It must be torture to say no to that sweet little face!

mahina said...

so sad that her territory is under construction! this is a fun age, though, you must admit! as much as they get into things it sure is fun to hear them talking and expressing their little minds!

the shoes and socks thing is so how it is in our house with kawena, but it doesn't stop with shoes and socks! she loves to strip down into her panties and run around the house! then she yells, "i'm naked!" she couldn't be happier!

Nana said...

OOOh - I miss that little imp! How fun will it be when there is real grass in the back yard?

Allison said...

I know what you mean.Isaac loves to play outside and I have to change all of his cloths practically every time we go out, because of the wet grass or mud. We are ALL (the kids and adults) going to love your back yard when it is done though!

Nicolette said...

I had both my boys asking for their rain boots and jackets yesterday so they could go look for worms. I debated between letting them go outside and then having to clean off all the mud or having them stay inside and sit at the window staring out into the rain. I gave into the mud. I can't wait for summer!!

Christine said...

What size is her foot? She can borrow some shoes from my boys :) Brown would wash up just fine! (I am totally serious- come on over- call first with a shoe size and I will have them waiting for you :)

An Ordinary Mom said...

I so understand that can't go outside rule ... **sigh***

Kim said...

Amber has been begging all day to play on the swing set. After seeing your pics of the mud I'm feeling badly for not taking the time to wipe down the swings and slide for her. I'm thinking after nap time I will. Would Bronwen be up around 3:30? She's welcome to join us, and the boys too! I'll be calling you if I don't hear from you.

Andrea said...

She knows what she wants! Our backyard is like our family room. It is nice that for most of the year we can use it. Your yard sounds like it is going to be lots of fun!

Ice Cream said...

The hardest time to be a mom is when you are pregnant!

Scrappy said...

I am so glad that Bronwen is feeling better. She is so cute.
Our back yard has no grass and we have red dirt, so I feel your (and Bronwen's) pain. It is so hard to keep them inside when they have all that energy.

Mimi Nowland said...

It is hard to be little with so many older siblings. They want to be big and don't understand that the older ones were once little too. It won't be long until she is old enough to play in the front and you will have another two year old lamenting the unfairness of being the little one!

Rebecca Blevins said...

I'm exhausted reading about it! Bronwen is so adorable, and you are a very patient mom.

I forget already what it's like having a two-year-old, and Princess has only been three for five months. I'll be remembering again in two and a half years!

Prudy said...

Michal, that pic of her is so absolutely adorable. It makes me want to come over and snatch her up and feed her candy and let her play outside in her stride rights. It's a good thing Mom is in charge since everyone else would cave to that cuteness.

Becky said...

Hi Michal! This is Becky from freshman year--I visit your blog from time to time on the sly and never leave comments. I'm sorry, I am so rude! But I had to leave one today because I just read about your lovely parasite and had to say congrats. You are an amazing woman and an inspiration. You have a sweet, adorable family and I'm glad to be able to catch up with you by reading your blog but sorry it's so one-sided. I don't have a blog but at least there's one less blog for you to read:) I wish we lived closer and our boys could play.