Friday, February 22, 2013

If you ever want to know what you are doing wrong, ask a 3 year old

Yesterday really opened my eyes to the fact that I'm not perfect. I never thought I was and I never claimed to be...but IF I did feel that way, that feeling would have come to a screeching halt.

I picked everyone up from daycare and school yesterday afternoon which means that it was an immediate assembly line as soon as we walked through our door to get bathed and disinfected. As the girls were playing in the tub together for a minute, I needed to use the bathroom. I don't know how other kids are, but my kids like to look at poop before we flush it. Theirs, ours, anyone's. All of the time. Maybe they are slightly odd, maybe they are normal...whatever they are, it happens all of the time in our house. Especially since we're potty training kid #2.

After I was finished, I didn't flush. I saved it for the girls to look at, per their request. I then bathed all 3 kids, and got caught up with making dinner.

My husband got home just as I was about finished with dinner. He took over and told the girls to go get washed up so I could start feeding Dex. All of a sudden I hear "Mom....there's something drowning in here!" My husband goes to see what's up and shouted "Babe!?! Is this your poop? Come on....that's disgusting! Flush the toilet!" Whoops. I completely forgot to show the girls and let them flush it. Maddie walked in the living room and said "Mom. This is not acceptable." while Morgan was chanting "Bedusting. Bedusting." (her version of "disgusting") I felt like shrinking. I was put in place by my 3 year old (and 2 year old) over a turd.

The funny thing is, that's not the first time she's told me I did something wrong. It happens daily. Actually it happens multiple times during the day. I get "Mom...you're not holding my brother the right way. Mom, that's not the right lid for this cup. Mom, that toy doesn't go there, it goes here. Mom, YOU are the one who tooted. (I can't even blame my flatulence on anyone else anymore!) Mom, you never gave us an afternoon snack!" If I don't do something or do something the wrong way, she'll be sure to tell me about it. But don't think that she reserves this just for me. She will call out anyone and everyone on their faults. People have come over to babysit (the very few times that my husband and I have gotten out of the house) and she will tell them "You gave me the wrong plate. That's not how you brush my teeth. No, you read THIS story and THEN this one. You gave me the wrong cup. There's no ice in here. You need to put ice in here." So on and so forth. Then the next day she will be sure to tell Jay and I all about it.

Her memory amazes me. The worst is hearing her say "There's the yellow slide that you let me fall off of Mom. Remember? I got a boo boo on my knee, right here (she points to her knee), and it was bleeding EVERYWHERE. And Daddy had to come and meet us. Do you remember Mom? Do you?" Yeah yeah yeah I remember. How could I possibly forget when you remind me of it every single time we drive past that park. And it happened over a year ago! She's like and elephant.

If you ever want to know what your faults are, or if your doing something wrong, ask a 3 year old. If their answer isn't clear enough, come to my house. Maddie will be sure to spell it out clear as day.

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