Needing Dr. Spock to Pay Us a Visit.
So, when is it too early to teach a kid about little white lies?
‘Cause my girl received this gift today…
from an elderly couple who we know through the church we used to attend…(we resigned our memberships in this church last month when we discovered that the progressive and inclusive vision that the church claimed for itself was merely prettified wrapping, rather than substantive core…but that’s for another post….)
a bit saccharine-looking perhaps, but really a perfectly cute, lime-green gingham dress, with bows and embroidered flowers…something I might buy her myself for special occasions…
and when I asked her whether she liked it, she scowled and signed “don’t like” extremely vociferously, over and over. She shook her head. She frowned.
I tried again, thinking maybe she was just babbling. Sometimes The Bee babbles in sign language, just trying things out, rather than really communicating.
She again signed “don’t like,” pulling on her shirt and discarding the pull (that’s the sign), with particular vengeance. Shaking her head no, and pushing the dress away.
She wanted to play with the fake tatoos her cousins had just sent her.
I was sort of glad that we really don’t know these folks very well and don’t particularly like anyone associated with that church right now, and so I didn’t have to feel all that bad about lying in the thank-you note.
(And the fact that I’m posting about it means I won’t be re-gifting any of my blogging buddies with said dress any time soon. Ahem.)
Truth be told, I thought the whole thing was hilarious. I suppose that’s not very mannerly of me, but, well…the girl’s got opinions! About CLOTHES. Cool.
I wonder if it has anything to do with The Bee’s newly discovered hair trigger of emotion…because, I’m telling you, the slightest whiff of wind can send her into wails right now. And it isn’t the arm splints, I don’t think…when I take them off to give her a breather, she shakes her head, signs “no, no, no,” and hands them to me to put back on. WTF?
And, yesterday, she started asking me for MORE medicine at medicine dropper time…for seven days she resisted medicine dropper time with a raging, white hot hatred for all things cherry and viscous. Yesterday, which naturally was the LAST day of medicine post-surgery, she started standing there, patiently, with her mouth open like a little bird while I squirted the stuff in, and then begging me for “more, more, more.” Go figure.
So, they don’t come with an owner’s manual, huh?
Wait, what? They didn’t give you an instruction booklet when you got her? Shit! Now I’m worried!
Emme Lu is way ahead of Spike on the fashion front. He had zero opinion about what he wore until maybe last year. And now it’s basically: jeans are cooler than sweatpants, tee shirts can’t be plain, they have to actually have an image on the front, and hoodies are a must. Actually, he spent most of the summer lying around the house naked. Wonder when that will end?
Poor little bunny! I would be off balance, too if I just had a major operation that made my whole mouth feel different. I get touchy when I stub my toe!
Comment by: Maia - 09.12.2007 - 12.44 pm
That’s our BEE! Woo hoo! You tell `em, little dissident! So fitting for the first ALTernative baby, I’d say. I’m so proud of her, my heart is swelling… Thanks for sharing this; I’m tinkled pink - ha!
Comment by: walternatives - 09.12.2007 - 1.01 pm
That’s the problem with yummy tasting meds. I’ve always felt that everyone would be served better if all meds tasted like, well, medication — bitter, sour or anything that doesn’t tempt little ones into wanting M*O*R*E!
Comment by: Julie - 09.12.2007 - 1.24 pm
Sofie would be happy all day in her pajamas…and her mama is enjoying the break before my VERY opinionated girl starts asserting herself over clothes selection.
That said? I love Emme’s spunk…love it. She is just the most amazing little thing.
My MIL has always called S “her little junkie” over her willingness to take medicine. Heh.
Comment by: Amanda - 09.12.2007 - 1.25 pm
I think “Thank you for the dress. I think it is really cute.” is enough and its not a lie. You don’t have to say that the Bee hates it. Now you can send it to someone else with a little darling who loves lime green gingham.
Comment by: christie - 09.12.2007 - 1.44 pm
Strong willed, knows her likes and dislikes. Way to go Emme! On the other side of that, likes her routine. Theres comfort in that. Not suprising. It must feel weird to have the arm splints off when shes used to them being on.
Comment by: Anotheramy - 09.12.2007 - 1.53 pm
You have one funny kid! Great opinions. I like Christie’s idea on the thank you note and dress.
Comment by: Cavatica - 09.12.2007 - 4.03 pm
SO, My MIL buys the girls the most hideous clothes EVAH. LIke they have never been put in a single outfit cause well, even C refused to put his children is such ridiculous and scratchy outfits. (why do people think hard fabric is good for a baby?) We lie. And my mother, who buys perfectly normal, cute and expensive things, and thinks the MIL buys horrific clothes basically said, YOU NEED TO STOP saying the things are awful cause the girls will eventually tell her. So, I don’t think there is any easy way! cause now I will have to put the girls in the horrific plaid matching bloomers in turquoise and red with matching t’s. OY. Good luck with that one!
Comment by: Jenny - 09.12.2007 - 6.29 pm
I still remember my paternal grandmother trying to hug and kiss me and my horrified refusal. My father, as the adult understanding how his mother felt about us, took me aside and whispered that it would be nice if I hugged grandma. But all I could think about was how I was terrified of this bombazine vulture. I remember hissing in a voice loud enough for her to hear “No! She makes me think of DEATH!!”
Well, the sad fact is that the poor woman was a sort of mopey, querilous old flooph, but she still was a kindly old woman who loved her grandkids and was pretty badly hurt by what I did to her. I feel pretty awful about it now, but at the time? I was thinking about me, me, ME! and that pretty much the whole kid deal. Emme doesn’t care about the poor old people - she just sees something she doesn’t like or want. Think of how our lives would be if we and everyone else treated each other like two-year-olds? LOTS of hurt feelings and sadness there, eh?
So, no, I don’t think it’s too early for her to learn that the yucky thing she hates is a gift from nice people and we say “thank you” politely even if we don’t like the gift. Whe nshe’s old enough maybe you can explain that it’s like the medicine: it helps us feel better even if it tastes funny going down…
Comment by: FDChief - 09.12.2007 - 9.05 pm
I gotta ask, tho? What the heck was the deal with the church? Promised to be cool and nunjudgmental and then the burning crosses showed up at the sodality?
I’m dyin’ for this story…
Comment by: FDChief - 09.12.2007 - 9.07 pm
I’m dying for the church story as well.
Yeah, two is about when they start having opinions about stuff. Very. Strong. Opinions. The dotter was letting me still dress her in whatever I wanted (lots of cute matching outfits, stuff like that), but when she hit somewhere between 3 and 4, she put her foot down. Sigh.
Cherish the fact that the Bee likes her medicine. Much, much, much better than the alternative!
Comment by: OmegaMom - 09.12.2007 - 10.14 pm
Girlfriend knows what Girlfriend wants! Too funny. I have to think that if there were in fact some kind of Toddler Owner’s Manual, it would be more of a brochure that said something to effect of “Make sure you’re seatbelt is securely fastened before takeoff. You’re in for a bumpy ride!”
Comment by: Mrs Pushy - 09.13.2007 - 8.26 am
OH god, what I wouldn’t give for an owner’s manual.
Comment by: Anne Marie - 09.13.2007 - 11.34 am