Sweet and Crazy Caroline the Toddler....

I finally am uploading the pics from DC as well as Easter!  I know I really am slacking.  But todays photos are a photo shoot I did yesterday that I really think depicts my crazy Caroline.   One thing that really is frustrating me is that ever since I got this MAC I can't figure out how to upload videos.  Blogger and Facebook won't let me do it.  I know its got to be in how they are formatted but I don't understand.  I think I need to educate myself on the whole thing. 

So we had a great Easter...nothing too exciting though in terms of Egg Hunts, visits with the bunny etc (we didn't do either).  The weather was so crummy on Saturday when we were at my grandparents that the intended Egg Hunt couldn't happen and on Easter Sunday we just hung inside!  We did eat a ton of food though and enjoy time with family. 

The Easter Bunny left her basket on the floor of her room (silly rabbit)  and she was trying to escape to get to the eggs in the morning.  It was super cute!  She kept saying EGG EGG, b/c on  Saturday she loved opening the eggs to see what the surprise was.  Her favorite was when they were filled with Goldfish.  She would find anyone who would open it and give her one....Fish Peeeeze? How can you say no really?

So anyway, I've been sick...I finally think I'm turning a corner...THANKS TO FLONASE :) 

But in order to get to this point, it involved a visit to the doctor....so yesterday, Sweet Caroline accompanied me to the doctor. She was really good in the waiting room and we talked about all the colors we saw, ate some fishies (again) and counted things.   THEN we were taken back.   RIGHT....its like that door closed and all hell broke loose!  She was opening every cabinet, throwing herself on the floor and screaming if I tried diverting her attention to a quiet activity like a book , playing with the blood pressure taker thingy....she was BAD!  I was sweating, feeling so bad and could hardly even explain WHY I was at the doctor to the doctor (who I might add was SUPER rude and unfriendly).   WHAT WAS I THINKING????  At least I didn't forget that it was a family care physician and not a gynecologist...That could've been embarrassing. 

I got home and was so grumpy and worn out.  BUT at least there is flonase.   By the time I put Caroline in her chair for a snack and she smashed every last Special K flake on her tray and threw her sippy cup at me, I'd had it.  Naptime it was. :( (or wasn't....she just laughed and played for two hours)! 

So anyway, to piggy back on THAT story, Caroline has been crazy the past few days.  I feel so deflated at the end of the day after wrestling with her all day.  She's really trying to demonstrate her free will and I'm having a hard time trying to discipline b/c really how do you discipline a 14 month old?  Is it too early for time outs? I don't think she understands...but she does know what it means when Mommy says STOP and makes her "I'm really mad at you face "(which is usually accompanied by Dave running away so he can go laugh somewhere or just spitting out his food all over the counter).  Its just very hard to be serious.   She does the most ridiculous things sometimes and gets so mad at say, a sippy cup for example, that you just have to laugh at her.  She knows what she's not supposed to touch and do and she does it anyway and looks at me and says "NO TOUCH".   Really Caroline? Well then how about you No Touch and get your little butt over here?! 

She knows for example that you aren't supposed to touch the heater or the tv...and she just taunts us!  

She is saying literally every word I throw at her or trying at least and its so funny.  We'll do small words and then I'll throw a big one in and she just looks at me, like mom are you NUTS?  She's mastered her friends that she has at the sitters....Madeline came out super clear the other day and she calls Michael, Uncle.  She calls Fiona - ONA and Peyton - PENNON.  She doesn't know they are her friends but she will some day :)

So I'm trying to be a better blogger but work is keeping me so busy these days.  The Philadelphia Wine Festival is 2 wks away and its all on my plate (yeah in 21 hours a week).  I think my life as a part timer makes my job as a mommy even harder these days b/c I just feel like I am always ON and I rarely take time for myself.   Dave is insisting (since we pay for it anyway) that Caroline go to the babysitters one or two Fridays a month so I can have some time to myself...but I can't seem to get over the guilt of having someone else watch my kid while I'm NOT working.   I don't know if I can do it....Maybe if she keeps saying "NO TOUCH" and kicking me while we get dressed in the morning I might consider it.  :) 

This weekend while trying to tame the crazy child in the bathtub (she loves to stand in the tub) she took a header and cracked open her gum on the top.  So that was fun...blood everywhere, full head of shampoo, panicked mommy and daddy and a pi$$ed off baby.  She survived though and NOW we see the second tooth coming through on the top.  Maybe we helped :)  So now she's kind of wary of the tub and to be honest I am too.   :(   I knew it was going to happen eventually but you're never quite equipped to handle your little one with a bloody mouth! 

Okay, so my last little tidbit about the crazy toddler in our house is that her favorite toys are my make up brushes and hair brushes these days.  She practices on Mommy applying blush.  :)   I can't wait to paint her little toes in a few years.  :)   

She loves accessories and will say WOWWWWW if you are wearing a pretty bracelet or necklace.  BUT she hates having her hair done, touched or brushed.   She just gets plain angry about that.   Its really long and hangs in her eyes these days and she hates that but at the same time doesn't like the barette in there...if she doesn't know or remember its there we're all good though :) 

I think with Caroline its alot about control. She just doesn't wanna give it up right now and what she doesn't realize is that her mommy is exactly the same way...might this just be foreshadowing of a lifelong struggle? I don't know but for now, the barettes will go in the hair, the baths will have to happen SITTING down, and I'm picking the menu.   Touch that kiddo :) 

xo, 

S