I’m chewing my lip again. I’ve returned to that place I escaped so long ago. Toddler-hood. And it’s all the Hell I remember it to be and more. The place that makes the strong feel like failures. And there’s nothing more than live in survival mode to get you through.

This morning, all I wanted to just make the breakfast. Wanted to and had to are synonymous. Maybe I also wanted to take a bathroom break, meditate, write, drink more coffee in an empty house with all day alone to look forward to. But I’m smoking crack if I think I’m getting a soul satisfying amount of alone time in the next 16 years. Presently, at 48, I fear that when Fiona gets dropped off at college, I’ll be dropped off at the retirement village door. Lot’s of alone time there.

Fiona and the goose statue (3)

I had to peel her screaming conflicted self off me and lock her out of the kitchen to finish making breakfast. Seems everyone, family and strangers alike, want to guess why the baby is fussy. Is it/it must be a) She needs to poop, or b) she’s cutting teeth, or c) she didn’t get enough sleep, or d) she’s hungry. This past two weeks, it was each one at the same time AND she’s trying to figure out if she needs me or not and if that’s a bad thing or a good thing. And if she stops needing me, will I disappear or abandon her?

Later, I discovered that silence, although bliss, needs to be questioned and investigated and there’s no such thing as Toddler proof. She’d taken a blue ball point pen and scribbled a 3 inch by 3 inch glob of blue ink on the arm of my chair cover. I pulled her out of the chair and peeled off the cover and promptly sprayed it with Resolve, Shouted it, and added clothes detergent and then scrubbed at it with a scrub brush. It worked but gift horse silences need to be heeded from now on. She’s a member of the loud family. There will always be a price to pay for her silence. 

Fiona and the goose statue (3)

We’ve begun to put her in the time out chair aka the thinking chair, or what my first-born called the Fixing chair. That has done a wonderful job of allowing her some separation from her out of control impulses. She actually seems to be grateful for the time and boundary.

I would be lying if I said I was looking forward to the rest of the toddler years with anything but dread. It’s Clash of the willful Titans and she may be cute to you but she also has no issues with you. It’s my soul she needs to devour before she can move on to toy with yours. She is our little Fuego Rojo. Wished I took naps. Maybe the unconsciousness would distract me from the twitch that’s starting up again under my left eye. Hello irksome old friend.

If you have any thoughts, please drop a word below in the comments. Or

Find and friend me on Instagram to view my daily pictures and art projects.

Find and Facebook friend me.

If you are interested in reading more of my thoughts on Creative Soul Living, place your name into the subscription box in the sidebar on the right and subscribe to my weekly posts delivered straight to your inbox.

And as always, thank you for your visit.

2 Comments

  1. Hello Shalagh, this made me laugh!Firstly I wasn’t sure whose head popped off here.
    I know its not funny with a willful toddler. Those silences always made me nervous I knew no good things were happening and I didn’t always rush to investigate.
    I look back on those tough toddler days with rose tinted glasses and see only the magic that was taking place, you are not there yet but it really is only around the corner. Your darlings are beautiful and look so like their amazing mama. Enjoy reading all our posts but shamefully don’t leave a reply. Have a good day.xxd

    1. Thank you for finally giving me your thoughts Donna. I was thrilled to read this. Toddlerhood is the very best birth control. It’s confusing and crazy and I look back on my son’s with a mixture of memories and good stories. And kids are way smarter than we give them credit for. Which hopefully leads them to being gainfully employed later. I do think we forget and we shouldn’t only in that the hard times make the sweet times even better in comparison. And knowing we lived to tell makes us heroes.
      Thank you so much for your readership and your kindness.
      Love,
      Shalagh

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.