on being a mommy..

we just got cookie down for a nap, FINALLY. man, she really is a handful. she's a very willfull kid - very sweet, bright, articulate, and has great disposition, but extremely willfull. i don't know if it's the age (she's approaching two and a half) or if she's a particulary tough kid but man what a ride these past few months have been. she won't listen to me or canuck, and we're both simply at a loss for disciplining her. she constantly tortures poor maui, who's not my favorite pooch in the world, but the poor animal does need a respite from her once in a while. she runs around, doesn't come when you call her, crawls under the table at mealtimes chasing the dog, says "no, no, no!" all the time, takes a nap all by herself when nonna's watching her but refuses to sleep when canuck and i are home - it's just a constant uphill battle. i've tried everything so far and i can't make her seem to get that i'm serious when i punish her for being bad. so far, we've tested "time out", standing in the corner, taking away toys and t.v., swats on the tushy, distraction - everything. i don't want cookie growing up into some spoiled punk, but at the same time i don't want to be a monster who yells all the time, which is what it feels like i'm turning into. i guess all parents feel like this during this phase of development - to use that old cliche, "they call it the 'terrible two's' for a reason," i suppose. but it doesn't make me feel any better. cancuk and i both have a theory that maybe all the people in the house may be a contributing factor to her acting up. it's really crowded here, and we are anxiously awaiting our move and some more space. today nonna, nonno, and zia were out at a function and it was just me, canuck, and the cookie in the house. it was blessedly quiet and we actually have had a nice afternoon togther, just the three of us. i miss those days and am eagerly looking foward to returning to normal. now that she's asleep we're going to watch the rest of good night and good luck. i think when we move, we might enroll her in daycare part-time so she gets a chance to socialize and have some structure and routine. she plays with the kids on the block, but i think she needs something more organized.

these creatures should come with an owner's manual.

and that' s my blurb on being a mommy - the good, the bad, and the ugly.