I spent forty minutes working out on cardio equipment this morning, but in the end, it was my twenty month-old who whipped my butt, figuratively. I'd had a lovely workout at the Y, Madeline had a lovely little time playing in the nursery, and she was in good spirits when I went to collect her to go home and have lunch. Usually, before we leave the Y, Madeline runs around the empty studio right beside the nursery while I get her coat and boots ready for her. Today, the door to the studio was closed as there was a school group using it.
Well, that's not how things are supposed to work, and Madeline, lover of routine, knew it. She stood outside the studio door and screamed and wailed. I gently told her that she can run around at home instead, or play in the snow outside the Y, but she screamed and wailed. I put on her coat and boots, and the screaming and wailing prevailed. And Madeline wasn't going anywhere. Her feet were planted firmly outside the studio door. Kicking and screaming, we made it outside the doors of the YMCA. Kicking and screaming, we fought our way across the parking lot. By the time we were negotiating the always tricky carseat matter, Madeline had perfected her screaming and wailing to extent that she was also to successfully throw in a third trick - stiffening up like a wooden plank. Gah. Man. I think we're both exhausted.
My daughter can be a board too. She's totally unbendable when she wants to be.
I had a friend witness a particularly nasty tantrum and she was amazed, because her son had been the opposite. He became limp jelly. She swears that it was just as difficult with a jelly baby as a board baby.
Posted by: something blue | March 16, 2006 at 02:02 PM
Wow, not really sure I am ready for the whole temper tantrum thing!
Posted by: bridgermama | March 22, 2006 at 12:45 AM