She Looks Like an Angel, but...

...she's the devil in disguise.

Well, we all survived Thursday and Friday, although by the end of the day Thursday I was seriously contemplating calling the daycare and putting Lainey back in for the full five days a week. Before 9:00 AM rolled around, she'd thrown about a dozen tantrums and my patience was already gone.  By early afternoon, I was reconsidering our stance on spanking (but, to be clear didn't do it) and had ordered a toddler discipline book. When Mark got home, I told him we were raising a terrible, terrible child and that he was in charge of her, then promptly took Nick into his room, so he could have the first peaceful, uninterrupted feeding of the day. Not my best day as a mom. 

Today was much, much better. A large contributor to our Thursday woes was lack of sleep, due to her getting up every hour the night before starting at 11:00 PM.A well-rested Lainey (although make no mistake, she still got up twice during the night and then woke at 5:15 AM for the day), is a much happier Lainey. Tantrums were minimal, however, she continued to completely ignore any direction regarding "no" or "stop," and pulled a few very hostile attacks on her little brother.

On the other hand, I took both kids to the grocery store (and both were perfect angels) and on two outings to enjoy the weather yesterday, and we all went to Nick's doctor's appointment together today with no incidents. So, I have to say, despite my desire to knock back the six pack in the fridge with lunch and Lainey's frequent sobbing pleads for "Daddy," I would call this first week on my own with the kids a success.

And for the future Lainey, who may some day read this post, you are still my most favorite little girl and I love every inch of you! You are a holy terror right now, but you also give the best hugs and have the best giggle of anyone in the world. I know your fiery personality and headstrong perseverance will serve you well someday when you are running a Fortune 500 company. And I also know you will send your beleaguered parents on a well-deserved luxury vacation to pay us back for these early years.