Meltings

This weekend has proven to be a real tease with the spring like conditions. I love the winter and all the snow but this has been such a rough winter with colds, flu, stomach bug, etc. that I am happy to leave it behind for warmer greener weather. I took the dog for a walk both yesterday ad today and don't think that I have ever heard a sweeter sound than the water trickling into the catch basins and rolling down the street. Even the gutters are alive with the "tink, tink, tink" of the snow melting off the roof. I am in heaven. I know there will still be a few flakes in my future before the winter is officially over, but it's close now and I can taste it.

I have also noticed lately that my kids are melting down a lot lately. I don't know if it 's the end of a long winter and the inability to take it any more or just a sign of their respective ages. At almost 4, Aimee is quite the little mother herself and tries very hard to keep an eye on Nicole and make sure she has a clean diaper, is dressed accordingly and helps get her shoes on. Sometimes she goes a bit far and tries to pick her up resulting in a headlock type of dragging of poor Nicole. She is a sweetie and means well but her newest thing is just not listening. I can look her directly in the eye, tell her to stop doing whatever she is doing and she turns her head away from me and continues doing whatever she wants. It's maddening and I know it's her way of testing me and it's working. Trying to remain calm and enforce time outs is all I have to do really. She does understand when I take certain things away too. I am told that 4 year olds are much nicer. We shall see.

Nicole on the other hand is lucky she was the second child because if she had been first, she would have been only. She too is quite a doll and very cute when she wants to be. But she has one little temper and a stubborn streak as big as the day is long. When she doesn't want to do something, she isn't doing it. She too spends some extended periods in time out lately. Throwing things tends to be her thing. Tell her no, not to do something and instantly a rocket shoots out of her hand and across the room. Running for cover is really the best shot. Her most recent hurls have included sunglasses, cups and her sandwich. The worst to date was the fridge DJ. It's a rugged toy for sure because the sound with which it hit the floor made me sure that it was done. But it still gave it's opening line as soon as the button was pushed. Thank God. I haven't figured out exactly what it is lately that has been causing the all out tantrums. Of course I have had the DR investigate for an ear infection to no avail. Teeth are always seeming to make their appearance but yet again nothing that I can tell is coming through. I think it's part of being 2 and having an older sister to keep up with. These two things combined have made life a bit trickier around these parts. Today we are napless. I hate the no nap days. It means that in addition to pushing the clock ahead today, she will be ready to melt down at about 6 o'clock and when the melt downs are happening, it's very difficult to get anything productive out of her.

Bedtime tonight should be interesting. Enjoy the warm weather!