Introducing Ashley Kate's New...

POOP JOURNAL!

I just LOVE it! When I saw it I couldn't resist. I mean if you've gotta keep a journal that's all about poop it might as well look like it would belong to Ash don't you agree?

Its not often that I am able to resist when it does come to Ash. Dave and I have struggled through many a difficult day watching our little one fight to stay with us and on the good days we just kind of give in to whatever make her eyes sparkle. I know, I know, I know we MAY live to regret our parenting(or lack of parenting) this child, but for now we have a really hard time figuring out how to enforce the same rules we did for her big brother and big sister. But... today I did it. For the first time I did not give in and the result was more than entertaining. I tried not to laugh, but witnessing this child throw a tantrum for the first time was ...well...it was... NORMAL and I loved it.

So the story goes...we were waiting in the store for her new flash cards to be laminated and as she sat in her stroller her eyes found it. The store was very, very clever with its display. Not displayed at my eye level, but rather under the counter and at Ash's eye level it hung. The item she thought she had to have. As the child stretched as far as her little arms could reach I thought to myself, "Oh, my goodness. She recognized what that was." I was so tickled I handed it to her to "look" at while we waited. She was so happy. Her little eyes were sparkling and I know her little mouth must have been smiling underneath that mask. All was good in our world until it was time to leave. I finished paying for our new flashcards and attempted to take the item from her hands. I say attempted because she had a grip on that thing and it took me 3 or 4 attempts to pull it from her grasp. All the while the tears were forming in her eyes and her little head was furiously shaking back and forth in the "no, no, no" direction. For a moment I contemplated purchasing it, but then realized that it was completely unnecessary and that she already had 6 volumes at home that we hadn't mastered so we really didn't need another one yet(It was like volume 10 or 11 of Signing Time). Besides not needing another volume just yet it was $22.00! No way I'm letting go of $22.00 just weeks before Christmas when my list is yet to be finished. So I stuck to my guns and PRIED the DVD out of her little hands. She was broken. She cried and screamed and the tears were flowing. Real live tears falling off of her cheeks. I can't believe it. I was so embarrassed and yet proud at the same time. Here was our 3 year old throwing a fit in public. I couldn't believe it. I realized its not sane to even admit this but I almost enjoyed the whole experience because it was so normal. I know, please pray for me.

As I buckled her into her car seat and loaded up her stroller my heart was so grateful. What an experience. I was blessed to see recognition from her, blessed to have her back in our home town and at a local business, blessed to see her behaving like a 3 year old behaves, blessed to be her mom. She is home. She is three. She is stubborn. I love it!

Anyway, I'm not going to go as far as saying that this particular item won't show up in her stocking on Christmas morning. You know I can't resist this baby's eyes when they sparkle and shine. I mean, come on. You'd probably buy it for her too.

Oh well, its bedtime. Hope you all had a wonderful day and if you're ever in the market for just the "right" poop journal just give me a call. I let you in on where I found ours. Goodnight and God bless. Trish