Amidst all the fights, tantrums and other irritations

Amongst all the tantrums, fights and infuriating "no I do it"s of this age, suddenly they do something so adorable it melts me (into giggles, although I try very hard to hide them).

I was cooking dinner yesterday, but it wasn't ready and the girls were getting hungry. So I put a few pieces of pasta in a couple of bowls for them. About 5 minutes later Tal asked me where her pasta was. I looked around and couldn't see it, so assumed she'd eaten it and told her so, patting her tummy as I did, adding "I think your pasta's in your tummy, you've eaten it". Another couple of minutes later I hear a grunt of frustration from Maia and a whine of "Pasta won't go in". I look up from cooking to find she's holding her shirt up and is trying to push pieces of pasta through her tummy .

Today the girls were fighting over something. They were trying to pinch/bite/slap one another and I had my arm between them repeating "No biting, biting hurts. No pinching. No hurting one another" etc to absolutely no effect. So I thought I'd try something positive and tell them what to do instead of what not to do. I said "Use words. Maia, tell Tal in words how angry you are. And Tal, tell Maia how angry you are in words." Maia stopped hitting Tal and snarled "Dormez vous" (lines from a French nursery rhyme, Frere Jacques - which is popular in Britain - meaning 'Are you sleeping?'). Tal spat back "Dormez vous" at Maia. Maia turned pink in the face and shouted "Dormez vous". Tal reciprocated . They went on until they'd exhausted their anger and were calm enough to play. It was so lovely and funny. Clearly they didn't have the words to be able to express their feelings, or maybe they didn't really understand what 'Use words' means. But hey it worked!

Just went I'm pulling my hair out, all I want to do is hug them.
lisa

 

:wub: SO cute!!!! I am there with you with the tantrums. :hug99:

 

Oh my gosh, how adorable!! :wub:

I was just thinking the same thing. Life is SO frustrating right now, and then so sweet in the same instant.

 

Oh my gosh.... SOOO cute!!

 

I love the image of them shouting "Dormez vous" at each other as if it's a swear word.

As my SIL used to say about her toddler (now a very well-behaved 7-year-old), "It's a good thing she's cute."

 

OMGosh those are such cute stories!!!