The Mind of A Two Year Old

Here are some cute little convo's that Rayna and I have had lately. She tickles me pink with some of the things that come out of her mouth. It never ceases to amaze me at how her little mind works!

Convo #1

A fun, family night that was designed for the girls turned a little sour when Rayna decided to have issues at the dinner table. Please understand that Rayna is our good eater. She never really complains and usually eats just about anything. So, this night I made hot dogs, french fries, and fruit, kids favorites, right? Also keep in mind, I don't ever make hot dogs (their bad for you if you didn't know!), but this was a special family night. Rayna had eaten all of her french fries and fruit but had not touched her hot dog. She said she didn't like it. I told her to just eat one bite of it and then she could be done. I have a hard time making her eat something that's not very good for her anyways. So, she puts one bite in her mouth and proceeds to chew it but after a while, she tries to spit it out. At our house we have rules that you can't spit anything out. Once its in your mouth, you finish it. So, of course I have to follow through with this rule and tell her she can't spit it out. I again remind her, that as soon as she is done with this bite she will be finished. After I had been cleaning up the kitchen for about 5 minutes, I turn and look and realize Rayna still has the same bite in her mouth and has not yet swallowed. I was trying to get her to just swallow the bite and be done with it, but she just was not into it. So, finally after several more minutes of coaxing I told her that I was setting the timer and that if she didn't swallow this bite within the next five minutes then she wouldn't get her brownie for desert. I was thinking that was a sure win, right? Wrong! The timer goes off and her bite is still in her mouth. I tell her that she can't have her brownie now and of course she starts to cry (with a full mouth), and now reminding her not to spit out her food. Now what do I do? With Taylin the next consequence is usually an early bedtime, so I guess that's the next option. I proceed to tell Rayna that I'm setting the timer again and if she doesn't finish her bite in the next five minutes then she has to go straight to bed and will miss out on the family movie we had planned and popcorn. I'm thinking this has got to work, she's not going to want to miss out and its just swallowing one bite! Right? Wrong again! I finally let her spit out her bite, and because I have to follow through now, I get her ready for bed. I have to admit this was a really hard follow through for me. Taylin is the one who is our worst eater and she's never had to miss out on a family night, and this was all over hot dogs! It was one of those battles I wished I never would have entered, but I did, and I'm Mom so I have to finish it, right? So, as my devastated, crying child is being tucked in I tried talking to her about the situation, explaining to her how she could have chosen differently and none of this would have happened. I ask her, "Rayna, what are you going to do next time, are you just going to swallow it?" Her immediate, sobbing response, "No, you just shouldn't make it next time. That was yucky!" After all that, I still didn't win!

Convo #2

As Rayna and I were pulling away from the duck pond a man came up to a car that had been parked near us. Obviously, it was his car as he proceeded to open it and pop open his trunk. Rayna asks, "Whats he doing?"

I reply, "I don't know, he's looking in his car."

Rayna, "But that's a girl's car."

Stopping to take a closer look at the car, I realize its a gray, four door sedan. "Why is it a girl's car, Rayna?"

"Because, boys are suppose to have trucks," she states as a matter of fact.

Convo #3

I had a list of errands to run and I just wanted to get out of the house as fast as I could. So, when it came to getting the girls hair done, I simply was wanting to brush it and put in barrettes. I did Taylin's hair and then it was Rayna's turn. "I want braids Mommy." "No, we're in a hurry this morning and we're just doing barrettes," I tell her. "Then I want ponytails," she says. "No, just barrettes." Feeling like this was going to be an obstacle I said, "You pick out the one you want." Rayna proceeded to pick out a purple barrette. Then when it came to putting it in her hair she started to get whiny and stated she didn't want it. Again, telling her we were in a hurry and that was all we were doing she replied as she started to cry, "Its not beautiful, though." Where does she get her ideas!

Chase has become one of Rayna's best buds. She loves to ride him, tackle him, and squish his face. He probably loves her just as much. What dog wouldn't? She feeds, he gets to sit under her as she eats, and she probably gives him the most attention in our house!