The truth!!!!

Okay so like most mothers I love my children, think they are the best around, totally stand by the fact that they are the cutest kids on earth and wish for everyone to see them just as I do; little angels. I will stand by this statement ALMOST all the time. But lately I realized that my children have a side I wish I could erase!

If you want read on for a few highlights that I like to call... what is really going on behind the walls and doors!

ISA ---Somewhere behind this beautiful face and shy little demeanor is a bold, demanding, touchy, dramatic kid!

As Layla's shadow she is learning all sorts of new words and phrases that I HOPE she doesn't really understand. She told me time and time again over the last week the following after about every 5th thing I asked her to do. And remember she is only 21 months. "NO NEBER NEBER NEBER!!!" I don't know why but just saying no isn't enough anymore she has to let me know that not only is she not going to listen but she NEVER will listen.

She is also the most physical child when she is mad. This sweet little bugger had done the arch the back in furry since she was like 4 months old. Except now she does it while standing. So in case I didn't know she was mad at me with the things she says, she feels it is necessary to either stiffen her whole body in anger and then preceded to fall with great momentum, or she goes completely limp and falls to the ground. Either way she gets hurt a lot. And the best part is that 95% of the things i correct her for are things that are going to hurt her. Why do I even bother?!?

Last, but definitely not the least annoying, is the amount she must have Layla be a part of her life. Now I love that they are best friends and that she wants to be just like her, but really, there are somethings you don't have to copy. Today was a new day, a good day, we were starting fresh and ready to start the week with a bright outlook UNTIL NAP TIME!!!!! Isa has learned by listening to Layla that the way to get out of a nap is by yelling for an unending amount of time. Followed by quick reminders, told as loud as you can of course, while banging on the door that "I AM NO NAP I NO GO NIGH NIGH!!!! NO NIGH NIGH!!! NO NAP!!!!" Thank you so much for that tidbit of information because the fact that she screamed bloody murder for 2 hours and 20 minutes made me think maybe just maybe you might!!! And of course this was all because she realized that Layla wasn't taking a nap in the bed next to her.

LAYLA--- she really is the best big sister outside of our home and perfectly listens to everyone but the mother who stays at home all day with her.

I don't know where she got picked it up from but she has decided that the name I gave her is not the one she wanted. So as she told the doctors when asked but her full name is, she has changed it to "GOOD GUY LAYLA!" Now this good guy thing gets tacked on to everything that pertains to her. The following conversation is a wonderful illustration of her obsession.

ME: "Layla you did a really good job dressing up barbie she looks beautiful. You are getting to be such a big girl."

Layla: "NO I AM NOT A BIG GIRL! I AM JUST GOOD GUY LAYLA!"

WHY WHY WHY can I not give my kid a compliment without messing it up by not remembering that she is nothing more than GOOD GUY LAYLA!

Someone forgot to tell Layla that these puppy dog eyes do not get you out of the punishment that you were warned time and time again was coming. To go along with the good guy thing let me tell you my recent struggle! Layla somehow woke up about a week ago 26 years old. She respects me, loves me, helps me out around the house and takes care of Isa a good 80 % of the time. But if I dare correct her then I best remember that she is older than me and who the heck am I to tell her what to do. I somehow did not get the memo that she is now the mother! Stupid me! Anyways now after a 24 hour power struggle with this sweetheart I called my mom and begged for help. She told me exactly what my Aunt Michele told her many years ago.

"You need to react quicker so that you aren't mad when you finally crack down on the bad behavior. You need to tell them to stop and if they do it again punish them. YOU TALK TOO MUCH!" After going home and talking with Brian I realized that this is exactly what I am doing wrong. I do try to let her do the right thing. She of course listens for about 3 minutes TOPS and then returns to doing whatever it was that was getting her in trouble. So after thinking about it I realized that she hates to go to her room and stop whatever she is doing. So that is the punishment for everything. I ask once, THAT'S IT! It works wonders because I am finished putting her in the room before I even think about getting upset for her not listening.

Anyways to finish my rambling story. I am not only getting up two steps before I hear, "NO I'LL BE A GOOD GUY I'LL BE A GOOD GUY!!!" I used to think, oh great I am glad you get the picture, but no no I did not give her the credit she deserves. She was just feeding me what I wanted to hear. She really just thought, this is going to get me out of a punishment.

NOW TO THE COMBO PACK!!!!

Nothing is better then when your children finally decide to gang up on you! Tonight is a perfect example. All week long they haven't napped, making them little hellions! Today, as I stated before, was no different. Layla couldn't nap after listening to 2 and a half hours of screaming. I was lucky that she even laid down for a while quietly. Anyways we had a wonderful night playing and singing. Finally we ended the night with hide and seek. About a minute before the game ended Layla got out our carpet powder and went to town shaking it; after being warned 2 times today to not touch it. This of course was way too good of an opportunity because MOM IS HIDING!!!! Anyways i thought, hey we will just head up to stairs and get ready for bed no punishment. NO NO NO she knew she was wrong and went straight into the yelling that she is sorry and don't tell me no mom stuff. So on we went to our room. I came in no less than a minute later with Isa and low and behold she peed her pants to stick it to me!

I kept me cool and put them in pj's, read books, said prayers and tucked them in. I headed down stairs to answer the phone and chatted with my best friend for a few minutes. Then after hearing them move around for a while i went in to check on them. And to my surprise a tornado had hit their room. EVERY ARTICLE OF CLOTHING was all over the floor; followed with all the stuffed animals which were reached by stacking pillows and blankets off both beds. And Layla was standing on the bed with a huge smile while Isa sat in a box. I would have laughed but Layla spoke for them saying "We aren't going to bed Mom. We don't have to. We are playing!" And at that moment all the wonderful patience I had flew out the window. I got them to pick up for about 20 seconds before they were throwing clothes at my face laughing and running around.

Seeing that time out in the room was obviously out of the question, I put Layla in the hall and Isa on a spare bed. And I picked up the room for ten minutes. Then, when i tried to change poopy pants they ran around yelling "I don't have to I'll be a good guy!" That was it and I spanked them both and sent them to bed. I am not proud that I totally lost it right there at the end but I have to say I tried SO HARD AND ALMOST MADE IT! Tomorrow is a new day, right. Wish me luck with the two most wonderful and horrible children all balled up in one perfect package. I realize why we learn all the lessons of life we need to while staying at home and taking care of our children.

For all of you that think oh my kids never will be like that GOOD LUCK and I hope you are right! For those of you laughing because you have done it too, HOW DID YOU DO IT????