3-year-olds

I'm done with 'em. ... Okay, that's not actually true - I have nearly four months left of a 3-year-old in the house, and have to somehow manage to get both of us through those 4 months with life, limb, and a modicum of sanity. However, it's not a prospect I'm looking forward to.

The last five minutes are a case in point. I was trying to read a couple of pages of my book. Veronica (said 3-year-old) rushes in, babbles something, and stares at me. I drag my attention half away from the book. "What?" More babble. Eventually I realize she wants me to unlock and open the back door for her so she can go out in the rain and yell at the chipmunk in the strawberry patch. I decline to do this. She starts whining and fake-crying at me. I tell her to go get dressed. Nightgown-clad 3-year-old rushes off.

Moments later, I hear her yelling proudly, "Mommy, I going potty!" We're fully trained now, so I yell back, "Good for you!" But then she runs back in the room, naked. "Mommy, water's too hot!" as she cries and fusses. Water? What water? I listen, but it doesn't sound like she left the water running in the bathroom. I tell her, again, to go get dressed.

"I nevah get dressed! No!" she shouts. But then she disappears. Next thing I hear, "Mommy, I need some help!" So I go in. She's got her clothes strewn across the room. As I reach for her underwear, she (predictably) snatches them away. "I do it myself, Mommy!" So I let her, and she manages to get them on correctly. She points to her pants. "You help with those, I do this." Then she fumbles with the shirt. I point out that she's putting it on backwards. She fumbles a bit more, then hands it to me. I turn it around, roll it up, start to put it on her head. "No, I do it myself!" I put it over her head, she puts her arms in. Then she snatches the pants, sits down, puts both feet in one leg, tries to stand up. When this doesn't work, I take the pants from her. "No, Mommy! I do it myself!" Then she tries to stand and put the pants on. This doesn't work, either. I take the pants back again, help them on with her.

She leaps into my lap, swaying back and forth, hugging me, singing an "I love my Mommy" song.

So the rewards are good ... but the mood swings and energy level are hard to keep up with. 4 has to be better. Right? Right? Anyone? .... Bueller?