As I have lamented, Alexandra got the memo that three equals being an emotional roller-coaster of a child. She went through a phase like this around Christmas, too, when she was simply intolerable. It lasted about 4 weeks, and just when I was about to ship her off to live with the gypsies (she actually does have gypsy blood in her, so I figured it would make a small bit of sense) she settled. Right now I am waiting for that settling.
But it is hard. The only solace I get is that my other friends of three year olds are miserable, too. All of them. Misery does love company. It makes me feel like maybe I'm not that bad of a parent after all. I mean, if everyone's kid is freaking out, then it can't be something that I have done, right?
Parenting is one constant question of performance. Some days I am an awesome mom--full of patience, compassion, and the right thing to say. Some days I am not. The other night when Alexandra threw two tantrums at 3am and 4am I was not. Well, I was good then bad then good during tantrum #1, but during tantrum #2 (when she woke Nico up) I was ready to throw her into the backyard until dawn. Thankfully Adam took over, as I had to go nurse Nico.
During tantrum #1 when I was getting her back in bed she said her ear hurt. This was after she said she had to go pee pee (didn't go), that she was hungry (we don't let her eat in the middle of the night), and that she was scared (maybe?). I told her if it still hurt in the morning we'd go to Dr. Gold, our peditrican whom Alexandra adores. I figured she just wanted a lollipop. But the next morning she mentioned going to see Dr. Gold again. And again. So, I figured to appease her I'd take her. I mean, that's what we have health insurance for, right? $15 for lollipops and 1/2 hour playing with the cool toys in the office were a small price for my sanity.
Well, turns out she has a double ear infection. Not one that warrants antibiotics, but two mildly infected ears that would especially cause pain upon laying down. Nothing that motrin can't help (generic, of course, due to the recall), but as Dr. Gold said when she looked over Alexandra's head, her ear ache was "R-E-A-L."
Go, Lori. Although we poo-poo-ed her tantrums the night before as 3-year-old insanity, we at least took her to the doctor. Motrin-ed her up last night and all was peaceful.
(Photo of me "watching" the kids around 6:30am after getting up at 5am. Not too criminal, except that it was on Alexandra's birthday...busted.)
The funny thing about this picture, aside from what you have said here, is that you appear to be sucking your thumb... heehee. . . .you are a good mommy :)
ReplyDeletethanks, jenny :)
ReplyDeleteand as for photo, it does look like i'm sucking my thumb. but if you look carefully, you can see the tip of my thumb over my fist (why i am sleeping with fists = ?), so i'm not. thank god. my teeth are already crooked enough from grinding them!