Crazy Lady... September 22, 2008

It seems like the older Noah gets, the more often I giggle.  In fact, I think I giggle more now than I did even when I was twelve years old.  He's just so darn charming.  There are so many times when I should be mad, when I should be firm and stern, and yet it's all I can do not to laugh.  More often than not I can't help myself.

Tonight Chris and I took Noah to the grocery store.  He held our hands all the way across the parking lot and into the store, but the second he realized I wasn't going to succumb to his playful pleadings to let him walk by my side in the store instead of riding in the cart he took off.  Boy can he run.  He had run all the way to the end of the produce department and around the corner faster than I could realize that he wasn't going to stop.  Chris followed and I took off in a different direction to cut him off.  He was on the complete opposite side of the store before we caught up to him.  And that was with both parents there.  Somehow he's been two for almost 9 months now, but we're just learning what it really means to be two.  My friend told me that three is just like two only with more attitude.  Heaven help us.

As Chris and I were literally chasing Noah through the entire grocery store I laughed out loud the whole way.  I'm sure the people watching were either thinking, "Crazy lady!" or "No wonder her kid's out of control: she's chasing him through the store laughing at him.".  Well, it's true.  I was laughing; but it's either that or I will go crazy.  Plus, laughing is a whole lot more fun.

After a half an hour of Noah doing every naughty thing he could come up with (screaming, hitting, poking, spitting) and us having done everything we could do to discipline him for those (reprimanding, ignoring, taking away his privleges to a free cookie from the bakery and smarties from the check-out girl), I pulled out the final threat and told him if he screamed one more time he'd have to go sit in the car.  Sure enough the very next thing he did was to scream.  I scooped him up, actually mad this time not just faking it.  He must've sensed this so now he turned on the charm.  I tell ya, that abiltiy to charm is a special talent of his.  He's unusually good at it.  One second later, I was laughing again.  He wrapped his little legs around me and gave me a bear hug with his arms.  Smooshing his cheek against mine he says with relish, "I love you Mommy!".  Out comes the giggle from me.  I'm no longer mad but loving every minute of my life.  These are the moments I live for.  That is what makes life a joy.  He noticed the good reaction he got from that so he turned it up a notch.  "I love you Mommy!"  he says again, "you Schweetie Pie."  Me - giggle, giggle, giggle.  And so he called me "schweetie pie" and held me close all the way out to the car where after less than five minutes he was screaming again and on "time out".  And that is life with a two year old.  I love it.