Disarming Observation

Elaina’s two, and she’s surprisingly non-terrible.

(The video at that link, by the way, is only about 5 months ago, but she’s changed so much!  She speaks in sentences now and forms original sentences rather than just parroting.  She looked so much more like a baby back then too.  Incredible how much she’s changed in less than 6 months.) 

Okay, so while she is, by and large, non-terrible, Elaina is still two, and when you’re two and tired, you’re not the easiest person to be around.  The other night, I was going through the bedtime routine and Elaina had been “being two” for about 45 minutes—not listening, getting into everything, etc.  This Daddy is pretty patient, but I was, by this time, pretty far into my patience buffer. 

And then The Event happened.  Funny thing is, I don’t even remember what The Event was.  Whatever it was, it was the last straw.  I was so angry I couldn’t speak, couldn’t act.  I was in “failsafe mode”, the “count to 10” place. 

Elaina was looking at me, knowing I was upset.  And then, she very gently reaches out, puts one little hand lightly on each side of my face, and says earnestly, “Your cheeks are so red, Daddy!”

At that, I burst out laughing, and we both laughed for a long while.  She has a gift.