1. I had a small freak-out when I saw this on the OJ bottle this morning.
I’ve barely done anything to prepare Isabelle for Passover. On our drive to school this morning, I told her we’d listen to our Passover CD on the way to school. She was cool with it. In fact, she requested “Dayenu,” which means she remembers something about Passover from last year. However, after hearing the track of the Four Questions, which she and I will sing this year (as we did last year) at the Seder, she listened to it twice. We’ll focus on “Dayenu” for the drive home from school.
2. Isabelle loves to zip her own coat. It took a lot of practice at OT, but now she’s independent with it. She likes to pull it up and down to ‘make music with it’ once her coat is zipped.
3. Now that the big girl grasp has been mastered, we’re arguing over the way she cuts with scissors. No matter how much I tell her “thumb-up” she refuses to position her left hand properly when holding the paper. Why are there so many battles to fight?
4. My husband rarely gets home from work before 6:30 p.m. I called him yesterday afternoon around 4 p.m. to let him know Isabelle wasn’t napping and I felt sick as a dog (STILL!). He arrived home at 5:15 p.m. It was sweet to find the two of them playing Candy Land when I came downstairs an hour later.
5. Every morning, I ask Isabelle if she’d like a side-bow or half-up/half-down for her daily hair ‘do. Lately, she’s been picking a side bow every day.
6. My child has figured out the things that bother me and tests me with those things constantly. Take saying “hello” to people. I’ll say “hi” to people as we walk into her preschool in the morning. She’ll tell me, “Don’t say hi. I not say ‘hi’.” I respond with “Well, that’s a bad choice.” She doesn’t seem to care because she sees it bothers me. I need to say nothing at all, but for some reason, I can’t shake this one. Bad manners annoy me. So, this morning, when she said, “I not say ‘hi’ to Ursula,” (that’s her assistant teacher) I responded with, “Well, I’m going to go now.” It’s funny how quickly she greeted Ursula after that. Apparently I know how to get her goat too.
7. Isabelle likes listening to U2 with Marc. And not the old “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For” U2 of my childhood. But present-day U2 like “Song for Someone” and “Raised by Wolves.” I don’t like those songs like I liked the ones from the 1980’s. But it could be worse!
8. Isabelle is eagerly awaiting spring time. She keeps asking about going to the farmer’s market. I think she’s had it with winter weather too. That or she wants some farm fresh fruit and veggies. Either way, I’m with her. Bring on spring and the outdoor farmer’s markets!
9. Activities of Daily Living can be a struggle for anyone with motor planning challenges. For instance, Isabelle has a tough time getting dressed. This morning, I attempted to help her get her leggings on. She protested, “I do it when I older!” I told her that tomorrow she’d be older, so she’d have to try it tomorrow. She didn’t like that. I told her I’d assist her with pulling on her leggings. After a back-and-forth for two minutes, she let me help her. But then she started to yell and say, “Dey not going on!” and “I’m fustated (frustrated)!” I looked her square in the eye and said, “Are you a fighter or a quitter?” SILENCE. As soon as the words left my mouth I regretted them. But then she said, “I– I’m a fighter.” Thank G-d! “Good, I know you’re a fighter. You’re going to fight for this just like you’ve fought for every word you have. We’ll continue working on this tomorrow.”
10. Isabelle stuffed papers into her small Potato Head on Monday and begged me to get them out. I couldn’t. There’s no trap door on the small Potato Head. I left it for my husband to fix, but knew he couldn’t fix it either. I told him, “Get rid of the Potato Head.” He was unsure where he was supposed to put it. I told him to take it to work and get rid of the evidence. (I was purposely trying to sound like an episode of “Law and Order.”) This morning, Isabelle was playing with the bigger Potato Head before school and said, “Who’s hat is this?” I told her it belonged to the Potato Head. “No, she said, it’s for little Potato Head. In Daddy’s office.” I panicked. OMG! It wasn’t there. What was I going to do? I sent my husband my husband a panicked iMessage:
Looks like I’m in the clear. Good thing he didn’t dump the Potato Head!
Raising Literate Humans 
Oh my gosh, there is SO much going on with you right now!!! That seemed more like a hundred than 10. Ha! I’m exhausted. 😉 You’ve brought the memories have having small children back to me. This cracked me up: “Are you a fighter or a quitter?” YOU are clearly a FIGHTER! 😉
Great slice! Wowie. Kids really do consume our thoughts don’t they. Nice job on the manners!
I can totally relate to this post! It nicely captures your “in the now” with your little girl. It will be interesting reading it even a few months from now and realize how much will have changed. I believe the “head-strongness” she possesses (like in #6) will serve her well in areas like #9.
Exhausted. Now. Funny how a Mr. Potato head can cause panic.
I can so relate to this post! We have those Mr. Potato Head moments at our house, too! Your writing makes me feel as though I am right there with you and I appreciate the “realness” of your post.
So enjoyed reading the little snippets and slices … no wonder why we have full pies — I mean, lives! 🙂 I understand #6 — reverse psychology is working in my house still. I love that Isabelle said that she was a fighter (I did hold my breath wondering …) those are important words to have and hold on to. And I’m glad the potato head was still around … four-year old forget nothing! Now go take care of you!!! Hope you feel better!!
Wow. The collection of ten things showed so much of what is going on at home, how Isabelle is learning and growing, and how you sort your thoughts and emotions. Number four was very sweet (not the feeling bad part, but the husband arriving early and two of them playing together.)
I think you could turn all these episodes into a picture book – or several picture books- Adventures with Isabelle! When I ready our title I was expecting a simple list, but you made it a list of anecdotes.
The challenges of parenting! The list changes as they grow older, but it never goes away 🙂 I enjoyed reading your nested slices. Thank you for sharing.
Being a parent is by far the most difficult job there is…and I think you are winner! I agree manners are so important and kudos to you for enforcing them! I love Mr. Potato Head text got my laugh for the morning, thanks. But my favorite part by far… That she is a fighter!! Great slice.
I especially liked #6 and #10. Number 6 reminded me of our ride to the church for Katie’s baptism, when Maddie kept insisting “I not be quiet in church.” I swear she was doing it just to push my buttons. (She was very quiet, in the end.) And I love #10, too. We’ve been caught a good number of times trying to throw things away or sneak stuff out of the house. So funny that you were in a momentary state of panic! Ha.
#4 – I loved reading about #4.
Right now I am wondering how did we panic before we had cellphones to text or call someone right away? Then I thought of all the things that you are involved in and realized, Stacey really has no time to panic anyway (text or no text available)! Kudos for being a loving mom and wife in the middle of business.
I’m so glad you found this format helpful for writing. I enjoyed learning so much more about Isabelle and reading how patient and guiding you are, even when you’d like to quickly fix and do things. She will work all these things out with time and love – keep up the great work you are doing, even when it is tough.