This weekend I had two completely different experiences with my kids.
CootieBoy is very affectionate with me, and this weekend I heard “I love you, Mommy,” about 100 random times. AWESOME. I don’t recall CootieGirl ever being THAT vocal about it. She is *definitely* affectionate, but shows it with hugs and kisses whereas CootieBoy verbalizes it a lot more.
I already know that when CootieGirl reaches her teen years I’ll have a mini-Jaynee on my hands. Yesterday afternoon I asked her to go upstairs to take her bath. She was coloring in the TV room and didn’t want to leave. I warned her, “CootieGirl, I’m not going to ask you again,” which got her to start for the stairs. As she slowly sauntered past me, she gave me a sideways look that said, ‘I’ll take my own damn time gettin’ up there, woman.” It’s the same look I gave my mom behind her back 1,000 times during my adolescence. Rather than get mad at the mild show of defiance, I said to Denis, “That one’s gonna be trouble when she hits her teens. I can see it already.”
At least I’m forewarned, right? With any luck she’ll continue to be the delightfully precious child she is 99% of the time. I pray that 1% of rebellion doesn’t multiple tenfold each year she gets older.
