I Want the Darn It Doll

Last night was a bad night.  My daughter is getting over strep throat and has a strained lower leg.   Part-way through the night she woke up and was unhappy.   We think it was he leg that woke her up as she rolled over, but whatever it was, she was angry and loud.  

My children rarely wake up to noise from the other child or anything else in their environment, but her complaining was so loud and long he woke up, and woke up angry.  

We had two, loud children who wanted to complain and blame the other one for not being quiet.   My husband and I tried for some time to get them calmed down, but they were both agitated and irritated and although I don't understand it, needed to complain even louder to alleviate their stress.

Right at the end when I thought they were finally settling down, my daughter asked for something I couldn't understand.  She asked three times.  Finally, my son started explaining what she was asking for.   She wanted the "Darn It Doll" from downstairs.     This little doll can be whapped against things to alleviate stress in a relatively non-voilent way.

I went downstairs, got the darn it doll and let them each have a chance to bop it against the wood on their beds.   And somehow, magically, that was the final thing they needed to quiet down and go to sleep.  

I don't argue with a thing if that thing works.

The Big Boy Update:  My son brought home a square piece of paper with a large circle drawn on it.   To most people, this wouldn't a big thing; to me, it meant he had gotten a lesson with the Metal Insets.   He was very proud of his circle.   He asked me to save it.   The Metal Inset process in a Montessori classroom is an important building block towards writing.

The Tiny Girl Chronicles:  My daughter wore a dress to school the other day.   She put a tutu under the dress just for good measure.

Fitness Update:  My best friend from pre-school phoned me today to tell me her mother had died the day before.   I put on my shoes, walked out the door and walked around the neighborhood while we talked and remembered her mother.   I walked four miles during that conversation.    We had a lot of memories to relive.