Sunday, April 29, 2012

Those Parents

I regret to inform you that Chuck and I have become those parents.  You know the ones that I am talking about...Oh look at those parents...can you believe those parents just did...and the dot, dot, dot is never anything good.  It is always something that you yourself would never do...especially if you are not a parent.

Well, we officially became those parents on Friday night.  It was a typical day in our house, nothing out of the ordinary.  Then came bed time.  We have always been lucky in that department.  The girls never fight us on bedtime and they are typically both asleep by 8:15, they may not stay asleep but they always start out with the best of intentions.  I say we are lucky in that department but there is one caveat...I am just going to put it out there...Anna still uses a bottle to go to sleep.  I know, I know...you are all thinking what?  Isn't she almost 2 and a half.  Well, yes, yes she is.  Since we are amongst friends here I know you are not going to pass judgement.  Even if you do I don't care, and here is why.. #1. In my defense it only has water in it and #2.  She drinks out of a cup all day, the bottle is only at night.  #3. She asks for it at 7:30, announces she is going to bed, walks in her room, turns her radio on and climbs into bed.  You really think I am going to mess with that?  If she is going to put herself to sleep the little bugga can have her bottle until she is in college.  When other kids are asking their parents for money for new cell phone covers I will be giving Anna ten bucks for a new bottle cover...that is fine with me.

So what is the big deal about Friday night you ask?  Oh, I will tell you.  We lost the bottle!!  "The" bottle?  Yeah, we only have one.  We got the set 4 and a half years ago when we had Sara.  Since then some have cracked and we lost others along the way.  So we are down to one 4 ounce bottle and yes we do refill it for her.  My kids don't use binkies, have special lovies or any other must-have items but we can not break her of the damn bottle.  I have tried.  She has given up her nap but in return she sleeps later...7:45 p.m. to 6:30 a.m.  It is a fine line I need to walk. 

So back to the missing bottle.  We looked everywhere.  Anna is usually our go to girl when it comes to finding lost things.  She may be just under 2 1/2 but she has this incredible memory and for some reason has a photographic inventory of all the items in our house.  Sara refuses to play the game Memory with her because she knows she is going down.  Anna was so over tired and was falling to pieces and couldn't remember where it was.  Chuck and I were tearing the house apart.  There was sweat, there were tears and I know that I was starting to formulate Plan B...no, not try to give her a substitute sippy cup.  I have tried that in the past.  Not going to work.  I was trying to figure out in my head the closest store that might sell Avent bottles.  Does CVS?  Would Shaw's have them?  Would I have to go all the way to Wal-Mart?  Oh wait, maybe Chuck's mom has an extra one hanging around.  I am almost positive that Chuck was thinking the same thing.  Which now with the clearer vision that comes once the tantrum has passed sounds ridiculous, but in the moment I would have paid $100 to have an Avent bottle magically appear.  I did finally find it. I tried to think like Anna, which if you have ever met her in person is funny just to imagine.  I looked in the cabinet under the fish tank (remember, she did poop in there one time...we have since filled it with their trucks to avoid future accidents).  It wasn't there, but in the process their wagon rolled ever so slightly and I caught a tiny glimpse of a blue A!!!  I found it!!!  I found it!!!  Crisis averted!!!  I rinsed it out, filled it up and sent Anna on her way.

Friday night I swore then and there that was it.  No more baby bottle for Anna, she was going to have to toughen up and drink from a cup at night if she wanted water.  I am a better parent than that ridiculous display of spinelessness that just occurred.  I have a degree in child development.  I have been working with and advising parents on how to raise their children for the past 20 years.  I am NOT going to be one of those parents anymore. 

File this blog under do as I say and not as I do.  The bottle went missing again last night and guess what?  I caved.  30 seconds in and I caved.  The hunt was back on.  We did find it.  It was in the dishwasher of all places.  So now in the clarity of a new day I am going to be strong again, set forth a contingency plan for when the bottle inevitably goes missing again....  I am going to buy new bottles.

2 comments:

  1. All children are different best intentions aren't always what is real in life....do what she needs

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  2. You know me well, I was thinking about the bottle my mother has.

    ReplyDelete