Aine...Aine...Aine

How can someone this adorable be so devilish? Is it really the red hair? The third child syndrome? Just the terrible twos? Are we not giving her enough attention, expecting too much from her at this age? Or is she really just this much of a stinker? Our older two went through stages, and we dealt with them and no major problems arose. I recall struggling with Abigail (she insists again I call her Abigail) but the power struggles were very short lived and once we figured out a system and what worked - it worked and the struggles subsided. But Aine...we have been trying everything imaginable for months now. We were hoping to have Aine potty trained this summer, before the baby was born, so we only had one child in diapers. Now, my goal has become more realistic - get her to stop saying "shut up jerkface" or slapping/hitting me and her siblings. I think it would also be nice to have her stop telling me and her dad "no" as well as having her listen once in awhile. Karl and Abigail are so shocked and thrown off by her behavior that they just drop their jaws several times a day. We have had to coach them in how to handle her naughtiness. But when a nine and six year old are shocked by bad behavior - you know you have a problem.

It all started with the movie Hocus Pocus - which is cute for kids but has a lot of not so nice sayings - like "shut up jerkface" and "stupid" This was Aine's favorite movie and whenever she got a chance to watch a movie this is what she selected. We thought it was b/c of the Halloween scenes and candy distribution that she liked it so much - and maybe it is - regardless, she learned a bunch of not-so-cute-for-a-three-year-old-to-say sayings that we are now dealing with on a daily basis. In dealing with this we learned several things about our lovely third child: She likes soap - is immune to spanks - prefers outbursts in public (what child doesn't try that)- and doesn't HATE Tabasco sauce which she now affectionately refers to as "her sauce".

She likes bar soap and when you put it in her mouth she screams...not when it enters, but when you try to take it away. "I like da soap Mommy" was not what I expected to hear. "Can I hold da soap Mommy" when I approached the bathroom after naughty words is not an encouraging thing. Soap is out. Spanking - creates giggles and repeats of the word that caused the spanking. Not big on the slapping of the mouth but yes, tried it, and more giggles came out. Some may say I need to do it harder. This does create cries (which is I guess what one is after when they spank - sad) but ten seconds later the behavior is repeated. So, we tried Tabasco sauce. She doesn't LOVE it and tries to avoid getting it in her mouth, which creates some struggle, but can tolerate it. Plus, Tabasco sauce is easier to spit out than soap and other more solid substances. One important note though - I strongly believe we should all learn from the mistakes of others - so learn this one...do not put Tabasco sauce on your finger to put in your child's mouth any time before you plan on putting in your contacts. The result is not favorable, the eyes become red and sting, and much discomfort follows. Of course - your spouse may laugh and find this quite entertaining (thanks Mike) the laughter is not worth the pain.

Then there is the public places part. All parents know kids test things in public. Our older two are usually very good in these settings, of course they have their moments but they have learned that though they may not deal with immediate consequences in the store aisle...you get outside, to the car, or home, and there will be a high price to pay for public misbehavior - Well, Aine hasn't figured this out just yet... Last night we went out for dinner. While Mike was dishing up the older two (We went to Old Country Buffet which I have never done nine months pregnant before and told the kids they would have to get busy in the kitchen when they saw my big belly roll in) Anyhow, while Mike was serving the kids, I noticed a not so fun smell escaping my little one's bottom. I took her to the bathroom to change her and, well, the two words all parents hate to say- BLOW OUT. Gross, disgusting, smelly poo all up her back and down her legs. Her pants were beyond "rinse and reapply" but fortunately her shirt missed any messiness. I had a few options but decided to change her, put on a new diaper and wrap her pants in towels and place them in the diaper bag. So, I take my little red-head back out to the restaurant in a dirty t-shirt and diaper. It is hard to be discreet witha huge nine month belly, carrying a flaming red-head who is singing and half naked through such a large restaurant. Nice. Very nice. Mike gives me a questionable look but quickly understands as I ask him to place the bag in the farthest corner on the floor so we can eat without the smell. Now our goal is to keep Aine in the booth so she is not running around a restaurant in her diaper, shirt, and sandals. She, of course, did not make this an easy task for us. She stood on the booth and bounced and sang, crawled under the booth and howled and laughed, and basically did everything but sit and behave. Everyone pitched in to contain her but she was too much. You can't really walk out of an all-you-can-eat buffet with a doggy bag so we couldn't just leave without having to re feed our children and ourselves after our thirty minute drive home - and we were all hungry (hence our choice of restaurant). So...we hurriedly ate, got the little angel out of there, and made it to the truck to head home.

Mike was so angry he chewed her out. We are not a yelling family (I can't really get loud enough to have an effective yell) but when Mike is mad, and he yells, well, everyone takes notice. He YELLED at Aine and she BAWLED. I mean she was really sad and sobbed. After she calmed down she yelled at her daddy to "shut up" and his yells returned. She was so shocked and sad that she cried nearly the remainder of the trip home-those huffy, sobbing, I can't catch my breath cries that make you feel terrible when you hear them. We didn't hear a naughty word out of her mouth the rest of The evening. In fact, when we put her to bed she told us that "I don't like da naughty words. I not say dem anymore" We will see.
Mike and I looked at each other and were amazed - soap she likes, slapping does nothing, Tabasco she can handle - but yells...hmmm, we may be hearing Mike's booming voice a bit more around the house.

Ahhh, the joys of parenting...I know one day we will look back at this and laugh, but in the moment - you just hold your breath, pray for patience and guidance, and try everything and anything to find a solution...if it is yelling - praise the Lord for Mike's strong vocal cords - if it gets our Aine to stop telling me to shut up jerk face - I will take it.