Sigh.. it's sooo hard to be CONSISTENT in this journey. Yesterday, we (dh and I) had 2 really good reactions to dd's intensity followed several hours later by meltdowns on all sides - dd's, dh's, and to a lesser extent, mine.
The long version:
Dd didn't get enough sleep because we had to be at church by 7:45 as I was playing bells. After we came home from church, she was so thrilled that the neighbor kids were out playing that she didn't want to stop for lunch.
At 4, I went grocery shopping. The kids stayed home to make a zoo in our backyard. Dd made the 'money' and set up the exhibits. Ds wrote the signs and set up the food stand. My job was to visit the zoo once they were done and I was home. They finished before I got home, so dd went out to recruit the neighbors to visit.
So, I came home to dd, ds and 2 of the neighbors in our backyard. I went to 'enter' the zoo. Alas, the money that dd had made and given to one of the neighbor girls had blown off the table and into the water. Dd lost it. After a minute or two of screaming in the backyard, I carried her in (kicking and hitting me) and held her on my lap until she calmed down. We then went out for a tour of the zoo.
While outside, one of the neighbors found a ladybug. Dd insisted that SHE be allowed to hold it immediately and melted down again. The neighbors left (can't say I blame them). Dh brought dd in and lay down on the couch with her. She finally napped.
I felt REALLY good about how we handled that. We removed her from being a nuisance to the kids outdoors, let her express herself, comforted her and were really present for her.
Fast forward to bedtime. For a gazillion reasons, bedtime got late. Dd wasn't that tired either because of her earlier 30 minute nap from 6 to 6:30. At 9:30 they were finally in bed. At 10:00 I informed the kids (dd really) that I didn't want to see them out of their bedroom again unless it was a dire emergency. "Dire emergency" was defined for them as: someone bleeding, high fever, throwing up or a fire.
I went down to the basement to use the exercise bike. At 10:15 dd gets up AGAIN because she itches. Dh offers to put lotion on her, but no, only mommy will do. Dh tries to reason with her. He tries to get her to go back to bed. No go. Finally he gives up and yells at her "Fine, go down and see mommy! I don't care!" She comes down and sobs to me. I'm watching a show, biking and really don't want to stop, as I had had NO time earlier in the day to exercise. And it's now 10:20. I inform dd that she can put lotion on herself, she can have daddy do it or she can wait 30 minutes until I'm done. She goes to bed sobbing madly.
Sigh -- it's just so hard.
The long version:
Dd didn't get enough sleep because we had to be at church by 7:45 as I was playing bells. After we came home from church, she was so thrilled that the neighbor kids were out playing that she didn't want to stop for lunch.
At 4, I went grocery shopping. The kids stayed home to make a zoo in our backyard. Dd made the 'money' and set up the exhibits. Ds wrote the signs and set up the food stand. My job was to visit the zoo once they were done and I was home. They finished before I got home, so dd went out to recruit the neighbors to visit.
So, I came home to dd, ds and 2 of the neighbors in our backyard. I went to 'enter' the zoo. Alas, the money that dd had made and given to one of the neighbor girls had blown off the table and into the water. Dd lost it. After a minute or two of screaming in the backyard, I carried her in (kicking and hitting me) and held her on my lap until she calmed down. We then went out for a tour of the zoo.
While outside, one of the neighbors found a ladybug. Dd insisted that SHE be allowed to hold it immediately and melted down again. The neighbors left (can't say I blame them). Dh brought dd in and lay down on the couch with her. She finally napped.
I felt REALLY good about how we handled that. We removed her from being a nuisance to the kids outdoors, let her express herself, comforted her and were really present for her.
Fast forward to bedtime. For a gazillion reasons, bedtime got late. Dd wasn't that tired either because of her earlier 30 minute nap from 6 to 6:30. At 9:30 they were finally in bed. At 10:00 I informed the kids (dd really) that I didn't want to see them out of their bedroom again unless it was a dire emergency. "Dire emergency" was defined for them as: someone bleeding, high fever, throwing up or a fire.
I went down to the basement to use the exercise bike. At 10:15 dd gets up AGAIN because she itches. Dh offers to put lotion on her, but no, only mommy will do. Dh tries to reason with her. He tries to get her to go back to bed. No go. Finally he gives up and yells at her "Fine, go down and see mommy! I don't care!" She comes down and sobs to me. I'm watching a show, biking and really don't want to stop, as I had had NO time earlier in the day to exercise. And it's now 10:20. I inform dd that she can put lotion on herself, she can have daddy do it or she can wait 30 minutes until I'm done. She goes to bed sobbing madly.
Sigh -- it's just so hard.
So true.
.
Yer doin' great. Hang in there. We ALL have those days. 
