Small Talk Six: Laugher Instead of Tears

I think this week's Small Talk Six was more than appropriate for me.  We are in the full blown age of two and while I love all the new words, phrases, and new level of curiosity - I don't love the discipline that we have to put into practice everyday to ensure that Gracie grows into the godly young woman with character and integrity.

This week's topic is 6 ways your children tested you this week. 
I'll try to keep it at 6. :-)

1.  Gabriel started teething this week so we had some sleepless nights.  No tooth but red cheeks, rashes, diarrhea, chewing on everything, drooling, and up every two hours at night.  Definitely teething!


2.  An hour spent teaching that if mommy and daddy says pick up your toys - you pick up your toys.  It was Dylan's lunch break and he came home for the first time since moving here and then spent the whole hour dealing with her stubbornness.

3.  Hearing "mommy, I helping youGe" and turn around to see Gracie adding more garlic powder to the already finished lasagna!  We had guests coming in an hour and there was nothing I could do to undo the damage.  We just didn't serve from that side of the pan.  Thankfully, we didn't need the whole lasagna - the rest is saved is leftovers and I think I'll make sure Dylan gets the "garlicky" side.

4.  Getting Gabriel ready to go to church - new outfit, new diaper - and him exploding the diaper out 5 minutes after being changed and as he is being laid in the car seat.  Seriously, why didn't that happen 5 minutes earlier?

5.  Walking into Gracie's room after her nap and hear - "Mommy, I peed pup-pup".  She has this terribly bad habit of taking off her diaper and then doing her business.  I have never washing so many sheets in my life.

6.  The impatience of a two-year old who thinks that when she says she wants a drink that it needs to be right that second.  We are working on this princess attitude and she is slowly being taught that she is not the center of our home.

We have moments all day long where I wonder if God has a sense of humor when He decided that every child should go through the age of two.  It is a fun time of excitement, cute things, and learning but it is also a frustrating time of the battle of the wills, directing that curiosity at good things, and dealing with pure selfishness.  I have learned to laugh at most of it (not always in the moment because that is not always appropriate) and remember that her tenacity and curiosity can be used for great things someday.

And everyone needs a little extra garlic in their life, right?

Are you joining in Small Talk Six - feel free to link up!