daisy_knotwise had had a rough day overall with the girls yesterday. When I got home, things were pretty calm. But after dinner, when I went out to pick up discount hot fudge sundaes at Culver's, things got a bit entertaining again. By the time that I got back, Katie and Julie had both arrived in the bathroom which Gretchen desperately wanted to use. And Katie arrived with a fine case of poopy hands which is usually diagnostic of more trouble somewhere in the house.After the sundaes and finishing up the TV program we were watching, we decided it was time for the girls to go to bed. So I made bottles and went upstairs with Katie. And as Gretchen was about to follow with Julie, she found the place where Katie had rubbed a substantial amount of poop on the wall next to the front door. I told her to take care of the girls; I'd go deal with the poop.
Ascertaining that a wipe wouldn't handle it at all, I went to the bathroom to fill a bucket with Pine Sol and water and to grab a sponge. While I was gone on this expedition, Katie grabbed one of the slightly ruptured back support pillows in the hall -- the kind you drop on a bed when you intend to be sitting up doing something -- and proceeded to start yanking stuffing out of it and dropping it over the balcony, a feat that she'd performed once before.
When I came out of the bathroom, saw the stuffing on the floor, and Katie looking down from the balcony at the chaos, I decided that was enough. I put down the bucket, went upstairs, picked up Katie, told her very firmly that she could not do that, tossed her over my shoulder, swatted her bottom, took her to her room, dropped her into bed, and closed the door.
Then I went down and cleaned up the poop. While that was going on, Katie eventually stopped crying and came out of her room to complain at Gretchen, who informed her that she could not do that and no, she did not know where Katie had left her bottle. When I came up, I found the bottle on our bed and gave it to Katie.
I plopped down on the chair in Katie's room while Gretchen worked at finishing the process of getting Katie dressed for bed. During this session, Katie presented me with the large stuffed tiger puppet, the small stuffed pseudo-Tigger, her favorite blankie, Eeyore, Piglet, Pooh, the Pooh throw pillows Gretchen made, and every other blanket from her bed.
I looked like a mound of blankets and plush toys.
I think she was trying to apologize.
Once she was dressed for bed, I returned all of the blankets and plush toys (save for the large tiger puppet that went back on a dresser). And we both kissed Katie good night and told her that we loved her.
On the way out of the room, Gretchen stopped and turned back to Katie.
"You know Mommy loves you."
"Yes."
"And Daddy loves you."
"Yes."
"And Baby loves you."
"Baby no love me."
Gretchen explained that, yes, Julie does love Katie, it's just that she's a baby. We'll see if that takes.
But that may be part of the problem.
*sigh*
From reports, I suspect Katie will be very happy to see me when I get home.
And that's good.
I hate having to be the heavy.
(And to be fair, so does Gretchen.)