Flight of Imagination

"I'm packing a bag for the trip. This one has vitamins. She has gummy worm ones and crunchy ones. Some of them make her sleepy, some of them make her happy, and some of them make her awake. She can eat crunchy foods, like me. But she can only eat soft foods because she's a baby. I'm packing today and we're leaving tomorrow. I'll pack some finger foods for the plane. She can eat crunchy finger foods. But she'll need baby foods. NOOOO! Mama, MeToo took my baby!!! GIVE IT BAAACCKKK!!! So this bin is for her and this bin is for her. There's a little air conditioner in there so they can breathe in there. They're stacked together on the plane. But they have their own beds when they get to Texas. They like Texas. This bag has toys and this bag has snacks and this bag has vitamins. Her favorite color is yellow so she gets yellow gummy vitamins and her favorite color is pink and she gets pink crunchy vitamins. They're going to Texas to see their Nana and PawPaw and play. I'm packing their bathing suits and flip flops because it will be summer there. Maybe we'll see a thunder storm. She's afraid of thunder, but she's not. She likes it. I like it too. She cries when there's thunder, but I'll hold her and tell her not to be afraid. I'm packing their jammies and their toothbrush and their shampoo. And a towel and a washcloth. I need to go get bath toys to pack too. NOOOO! I was playing with that! THAT'S MYYY BAAAGGGG!!! Her name is Tessa and her name is Ritessa. She's the big sister and she's the little sister."


This kind of narrative can go on for hours. It's such a joy to see the birth and development of an imagination. But if you can listen to this without your ears or brain going numb, you're a better person than I am. She really can go on and on and on... 

Your Children Are Certifiable

Your children are certifiable. My children are certifiable. Children are just crazy. Watch them for a while and see for yourself.


Here's a small example of what my insane 2 yr old has done lately:
Sit on the potty for 10 minutes singing, not go potty, then immediately take a shower and poop on the floor
Ask for something, then scream when I gave it to her.
Say no when I offer her something, then scream because I didn't give it to her.
Ask for a pink cup. Then when I give her one, scream that she wants a purple one.


Here's a small example of what my insane 3 yr old has done lately:
Talk nonstop about imaginary events for 30 minutes straight. 
Concoct an imaginary birthday party that will happen 6 months in the future, then get upset when I tell her the party isn't really happening this week, and please don't invite over any more of her preschool friends quite yet. 


Now, I'm no psychologist. I'm no licensed mental health provider. But if a grownup did these things on a regular basis, they would earn them self a DSM Axis II diagnosis and a trip to McLean Hospital. The terms "personality disorder", "logorrhea", and "delusional" come to mind. If you had to interact with them and care for them every day, you'd be working in the locked unit of a mental health facility.


But they're our children. Their behaviors are "developmentally appropriate". We're supposed to help them learn to be not crazy. And I've heard it takes years.


This is just one of the things that makes parenting hard. The world says your child is "normal", but you can't help but feel like they're insane.


And you read funny articles or blog posts that try to make light of the phenomenon of parenting and are just SO TRUE!. And then you get commenters who snippily say things like, "Well, I know that they're only young once, so I CHERISH EVERYTHING they do." This just isn't helpful to the psyche of parents. Lady, I'd love for you to come over and cherish the poop stains on my rug any time.


Of COURSE our children are blessings from God. Of course they're only doing what's in their true nature. But paranoid schizophrenics are only doing what's in their true natures, as well, and God loves them too. Staff clinicians on psych wards are allowed to say that their jobs are sometimes hard. Are we not?


I wonder if this is more difficult to manage in a demographic group where we're all encouraged to go to college. So we can get jobs where we don't get stuck working for demanding narcissists who don't pay us much. And we pay lots of money and work hard to get great jobs. And we do! We know stuff. People seek out our opinions and knowledge. We don't have people following us around all the time or standing over us. We're independent! We accomplish things!


And then we have kids and start working for tiny demanding narcissists who don't pay us much. Or anything, actually...


I adore my girls. They are special treats, and I love watching their personalities blossom. 


But they're certifiable.  

Garçon, chianti please!

Our evening contained the following elements:

• pushing a tiny shopping cart through the streets of Boston
• a compulsive talker
• a 2 yr old crawling on top of the table to gorge herself on animal crackers
• a lot of broken glass
• exploding chickpeas
• excessive use of a baby gate to manage most of the above-mentioned situations

On other hand, Garçon, check please! I think we're all done here tonight.