Growing Up is hard to do....

So Mylee had her Kindergarten orientation and we are so excited that she is going to start school soon. She is going to Adams Elementary, where Mike went to school. She is so excited, in fact her teacher has been teaching there ever since Mike went there. Pretty crazy...

While I was sitting there half listening to all of the rules and expecations and whatevers...I kept thinking.."Holy Cow!" I have a Kindergartener!! I am old..I don't feel old...I even am a member of the PTA..oh yeah..I have absolutely no idea what I am doing or getting myself into at this point. I have such mixed emotions about her starting school. She is growing up way to fast. She will be six on Sept 5. I mean, this is nuts. I was freaking out inside a little. I know from here on out time is going to fly and I want to remember these moments and cherish these times. My little My My is getting big. It is harder to pick her up and carry her to bed. She is so big now. She is my little buddy and I am totally excited for this new step in her life. Mike was in the meeting and he was totally bored. I am not sure if he is thinking the same way as me. Our little girl is in Elementary school. It is just crazy. I remember when I was pregnant with her. My water broke and as I am walking into the hospital to deliver, this lady is dealing with her 2 year old little girl's tantrum and she looks at me and says, "Are you ready for this?" I remember thinking' "Well it's too late now...ready or not." Then as I was alone in the triage room while Mike was dealing with insurance stuff I started to cry, huge tears, I was scared. I am a kid having a kid. I was 22, but I was still a kid. Mylee, Mike and I have really been through a lot in the six years of her life. She has taught us so much. We are so blessed to have such a sweet spirit in our home. She is my little helper through and through. I love my little blessing. She is my sweetie...

Halle, Halle, Halle, Halle...

Halle is the sweetest, most energetic child I have ever met. She is always surprising me with the things she does and the things she says. She has always loved to sing and often times she sings herself to sleep. Her songs are hilarious...she always just kind of fills in the words with whatever she sees fit. So her current obsession is "Book Of Mormon Stories" She says "Book of Mormon stories that my teacher tells to me...Are about the lady who lives underneath the sea...." I am not even kidding. Mike and I overheard it and we didn't want to correct her, because it was so funny. I hope she never learns the real words, because it is seriously the cutest thing we have ever heard.
Something not so cute that she said to me today while visiting her favorite little cousin Averie, who she LOVES and hates all in the same minute...anyway she kept saying
"Mom I want you to leave and go home....Leave me here."
so I said "Halle don't you love me and want me to stay with you"
Halle: "No I don't love you."
me: " Oh that is not nice that makes me so sad, Halle."
Halle "well, Cry then."

I am not taking it personal. I know she loves me, Children are so in the moment she was willing to do whatever it takes to get what she wants. Even though I know she loves me. She was trying every trick in the book...it was funny.
It also has caused me to reflect a lot about Halle and her personality. Mylee is a lot like me in a lot of ways and so i know how to handle her and I can understand what makes her do the things she does. Halle is completely different. She likes to figure out for herself just why she shouldn't do something or why she should. I have a hard time disciplining her because she will sacrifice everything for the thing she wants in the moment. A perfect example of this is the other day she was very excited to go to her friends house the next day and had been talking all about it for days and reminding me and everything every two minutes. Well, when bedtime came around she had it in her mind that she was going to sleep with me. Well, i tried everything and she kept getting up and coming in my room. So finally as every good and tired mom does, I brought out a little thing I like to call "BRIBERY" Now this tool is highly effective for big sister...although other things such as time outs and yes even spanking does not make Halle flinch...in fact she will ask for a time out and say OK if you tell her she will get a spank. I decided to try it on Halle. I said "Halle, if you stay in your bed you get to go to Becky's house, BUT if you choose to sleep in mommy's bed then NO BECKY'S house." Halle looked up at me with perfectly clear, calm and distinct words and said: "OK Mom...I guess I won't be going to Becky's house tomorrow...because I am sleeping with you."
grrrrrrrrrr...........
In response to this statement made by my precious 3 year old, I threw my hands up in the air and said something like, "I GIVE UP!" So Halle got to sleep with us that night, but she did not go to Becky's house. I am still not sure if she has made the connection. I still think she may think she got the better deal, She did cry about not going to her house but she also got to sleep with me....I LOVE HALLE BEAR...