Since Kristen turned five, she's had a personality malfunction. Part of the problem is that she has a difficult time having her sisters around full-time, and since they are on summer break, that's a problem she's going to have to learn to live with. Where she was once sweet and thoughtful and kind, she is now purposefully annoying to her sisters. She will spit, she will yell naughty words, and she will hit. All behaviors that have garnered her some unhappy attention.
Chris went camping with the older two girls this weekend, so Kristen and I were hanging out at home. To break up the monotony, we went to Target--I needed to find a birthday present for Misha's friend and get Amy and Kristen new goggles. Most of the time shopping with Kristen is not a problem, but today she flipped because I picked out water goggles for her that were the wrong shade of pink! Just think this next comment very saucily, "I like lighter pink things!" Well, I finally took the goggles away from her, set them on a pile of clothing and started to walk away with her and the cart. Crying, more crying, loud crying, crying so the whole store could hear you, crying, crying, crying. I don't often tell my kids to "shut up", but they usually know that when I do, I've reached the end of my patience rope. No one sent Kristen that memo today. She looked at me with a horrified expression and kept on cry/talking loudly throughout the store. "I can't believe you say that to me. You hurt my feelings. I want the goggles back," Wah, wah, wah throughout the store. Finally, in the shoes, I take her out of the cart and make her walk. Well, that was the right thing to do. More crying and wailing. Yes, it was wailing at this point. We walked past one lady who said to her, "Aw sweetie" as though I am torturing my daughter. Kristen's torturing me!
So, now her wailing changes to, "You can't just walk away and leave me. You just can't." I'm not, though I'm wishing I could. And she's cried so much that she's now got to pee. Great. I walk with her by my side to the bathroom while she continues, "You can't just walk away from me", send her in to the bathroom next to the pharmacy, and stand outside the door to wait. My instructions are, "You better come out of that bathroom happy." I wait by the door listening to her crying. I have exerted great patience while all the people in the store probably think I'm horrible. I still haven't found a present for Misha's friend, so when Kristen emerges--unhappy still--I head over to jewelry and hope to be inspired...and to have some peace. Kristen whimpers, "I know I am a cute girl. I'm sorry I just can't be one today." So what do I do? Take a moment and write it down in my notepad, and I'm finished shopping at Target. No birthday present.
On the way home, Kristen thoughtfully asks, "Do you think I am on Santa's naughty list." I tell her it is quite possible. "Well, I don't want to be, because then I wouldn't get any presents."
