Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Good Cop, Bad Cop

I have read enough magazine articles, blogs, books, etc to know that in parenthood there will always be the good cop, bad cop.  I always fantasied that I would be the good guy.  Apparently I am filling the roll of bad cop.  Our nightly routine consists of Rhea sitting on the couch with Justin having a bottle and unwinding before we put her down.  Now that she is getting alittle older and exerting more independence she tends to get off the couch and push boundaries.  I came into the living room last night just as she was climbing off the couch.  She saw me, panicked and hauled her little ass back on the couch and pretended to be a sleep.  Now I know she wasn't scared of me but she never has that reaction when Justin enters the room.  To rub salt in my wounds Justin has now resorted to saying "Uh-oh, here comes Mommy" anytime she is being fresh and not listening.   Which makes her run like hell to Daddy and pretend she wasn't just doing something wrong.  She has him wrapped.


Monday, January 14, 2013

Tantrums

I had expected Rhea to throw tantrums but not this soon. It has slowly been building up for about a month now. The crying fits are now accompanied by hand flailing and foot stomping. This all has happened within the privacy of my home.  This past weekend was a first for both of us.  I asked her to hold my hand while in the Aquarium's gift shop.  She pulled away from me and ran.  I then grabbed her hand and that is when it happened.  She screamed and threw herself on the floor.  I tried to pick her up off the floor but that made things worse.  A group on mothers pushing strollers gave me a sympathetic "Terrible Twos"  Not even close.  Fitful Fourteen month old.  And of course my father rewarded this behavior by purchasing her a penguin book in the gift shop.  I am doomed.