I need a Sherpa

This morning,  I couldn't find my car keys so I  used our spare key to drive us to the park. First, we went into Starbucks. I placed my order and then I searched frantically through my bag for my wallet for 5 minutes, only to discover I had already put it on the counter.  The guy behind me was laughing at me.  I told him about my lost keys, and said, "It is amazing I can even leave the house!"  He was sympathetic, and thanked me for the laughs.  So happy to be of service.

This is why I need a Sherpa: two huge bags, one stroller loaded with a lunch box and other stuff (oh, and a 20 lb baby) and a 35 lb toddler who likes to act as a weight by pulling on the back of the stroller.

The play date was going great, until Gianna fell backwards on the play structure. She is fine. I'm just a bad mommy. Usually, I follow close behind her. But today, she was getting mad and swiping her hand at me, like, "GO AWAY! I DO MYSELF!" (a la Bode) So, like an idiot, I decided to giver her space. I was snapping a picture of her climbing up the stairs, and she smiled at me, sat down and immediately fell backwards. I won't even think about how much worse the fall could have been. Lesson learned.  Oh, and this happened minutes after another mother asked me about Bode's banged up face, and  I had explained that the baby sitter was negligent!

I have heard some moms talking about how age three is much worse than two.  And I'm beginning to worry that they may be right.  Bode is suddenly more obstinate.  And he is getting more feisty.  Today I had to pull him off a swing, his fingers interlaced in the swing's chain links tightly, screaming and trying his hardest to not be removed, while three other mothers with babies looked on in horror (I really don't care).  He is starting to lock his little fists onto things that I tell him to let go of. He may run in the opposite direction that I am headed.  He screams, or shrieks, all the time now. If I tell him not to do something, it is guaranteed that he is going to continue doing it. What is going on?  I hope that this is just a (quick) phase, and not the start of Bode being a three year old terror.

Photo taken this morning...should this have been a clue as to what was in store at the park?

What is going on?!?!

I am looking at myself, too:  Does he think that I am giving too much time and attention to Gianna?   Am I too hard on him, expecting too much of him, because he is an almost three-year-old who can walk and talk (and Gianna is still a "baby")? Am I too impatient, because my time and energy is divided between children to entertain, errands to run, and meals to prepare? I spend all day with Bode, but how much of that time is actually spent with him?

While I ponder these questions, I really must find my keys!  I hope I find them before I lose the spare pair.

Happy Friday, everyone.

xo