Christmas Is Coming

As the holiday approaches at the speed of light, I find myself wondering where the time went.  Wasn't it just Christmas 2015, like, the other day?  For that matter, wasn't I just nursing my 1 month old to sleep on Christmas Eve 2014, like, last week???  How is it already Christmas 2016?? How do I already have a TWO YEAR OLD?!  

The big news around here is that Santa is coming.  Mara is finally old enough to have a basic concept of Santa Claus.  That is to say, she can recognize Santa either in live or cartoon/illustration form.  We went and met Santa at the mall on Wednesday.  She didn't cry but she didn't want to sit by him on her own, so I had to come be in the picture too.  But when the photos were done she didn't want to leave him!  She wanted to fist bump him, tell him about her doggies at home and examine his beard.  LOL!

After seeing Santa Claus, we went over to Claire's and Mara got her biggie girl earrings!  She had seen me putting my earrings in about a week before and had been obsessed with the idea of wearing her own earrings ever since.  I explained that she couldn't because her ears weren't pierced.  She ran to Corky saying, "Daddy! I need some pierced ears!"  Needless to say, Daddy gives her pretty much whatever she wants.  She did great.  Didn't even make a peep!  No problem once she was distracted by the candy cane Santa gave her.  She looks so cute and calls them her "Princess earrings".  So far no signs of infection and even though letting me clean them isn't her favorite thing, she tolerates it reasonably well.

The other big news around here is that Mara is finally weaned and, dare I say it, potty trained.  I definitely have a big girl on my hands now, and not a little baby.  Although occasionally I swoop her up cradle-style and she'll say, "I a baby girl."  Which is pretty cute, and I kiss her all over her cheeks and rock her and sing to her.  

Parenting right now is hard.  Mara is very stubborn and can be prone to tantrums.  She doesn't like to listen some of the time.  I often feel as though I'm just hitting my head on a wall when it comes to discipline.  One morning this week, I put her in time out 11 times before 7:30am!  It was one of those things that went like this (although I can't remember what the exact issue was.  I'll just use an example of an issue we often argue about):

Me:  Mara, come put on your underpants, it's time to get ready for school.

Mara: NO!

Me:  Please come here, you've got to wear underpants under your clothes.

Mara: NO UNDERPANTS!  I want wear tights!

Me:  You can wear tights but you need underpants on first.

Mara: (ignores me and continues playing with whatever she was holding)

Me:  Mara, I'm going to count to 3, please come put on your underpants by then or you're going to go into time out for not listening.

Mara: (ignores me)

Me: 1.......2.......3...... OK, into time out you go!

I place Mara in the corner where she proceeds to fling herself back onto the carpet and wail. 30 seconds pass.

Me:  OK, are you ready to listen now?

Mara:  Yes.

Me:  OK, come on out.  Let's put your underpants on.

Mara: NO UNDERPANTS!!!!

And so it repeats.... 

Eventually she'll get really mad and start hitting me, and then it's right back into time out.  And again. And again.

It usually ends with me needing a giant cup of coffee.

This size should do it!

So it's definitely a challenge.  However, there are some really sweet moments too.  Like when I come home from somewhere and Mara comes running up to me yelling, "MOMMY MOMMY MOMMY!!!!" And flings herself into my arms.  Or when she wakes up from a nightmare and cries for me and then snuggles up against me when I lay down with her.  Or, my new favorite, when she tries to tickle me by kissing my neck with her little arms wrapped around me.  

I do love her so.  As frustrating as being her mother can be, there's no other title I'd rather have.