suffering

Don't let that sweet little face fool you.
I'm pretty sure this little girl is suffering from a bad case of

Early On-set Terrible Twos.

She insists on climbing into her car seat unassisted.
If you try to help, you hear

"No, me!"

She struggles to get the straps over her shoulders.
If you try to help, you hear

"No, me!"

She fumbles with the metal buckle thingees.
If you try to help, you hear

"No, me!"

She wants to put on her shoes by herself.
She ends up with them on the wrong feet (or not even being able to get them on at all).
If you try to help, you hear

"No, me!"

She tries to put her pants on by herself.
She ends up with both legs stuffed into one leg (does that make sense?).
If you try to help, you hear

"No, me!"

She's gotten pretty good at saying mine also.

She actually cares which clothes I pick out for her to wear.
She's not allowed to do that yet, right?
If I pick out a dress, she says no and goes into the drawer for something else.
Most times, she chooses her piggy jammies.
Every time, she ends up wearing the clothes I picked out...and crying about it.
I know, it's a tough life.

She thinks it's funny to not give me a kiss when I ask for one.
Of course, I kiss her anyway.
Then she wipes the kiss away!
Who taught her such nonsense?


And then there's my little boy...

He's suffering from a bad case of

I'll Do What I Want, When I Want To Or Else

I don't like it. It's not good.
He's spent a lot of time in his room lately.
By himself.
Without Star Wars toys to keep him company.
The light sabers have been put away, maybe forever.

This picture was taken on Sunday at Cousin Andrew's farewell family gathering.
We just wanted a picture of all the cousins together one last time.
(Ok, so there might be more pictures of all the cousins together but not for at least 2 years.)

Danny did not want to participate.
Dan held him. He cried. He squirmed. He was seriously not happy.

To those of you who witnessed the fit he was pitching, I'm sorry.
It was embarrassing. It was ugly.
I feel like the most craptastic mother ever.

I love my kids.

They're kind and loving and sweet and good.
I love them.
I'm grateful to be their mom.
Right now, they're just making me prove it.

Heaven help me when the teenage stuff happens.
I'm gonna need it.
Mostly because I'll be pushing 50 and suffering from a bad case of

Holy Crap I'm Old.


p.s. I did have a better picture from Andrew's farewell. Stephanie's eyes were open. Melissa was smiling at the camera. Rusty, Ricky and Billy were too. I chose this one because I think Dan looks quite handsome in it. And in the end, that's really all that matters.