Living with A2 is sometimes a delightful challenge. She has a special way of making the simplest task a tad bit difficult. No matter what we have planned she always has to let us know she doesn't like it. No matter what we have for dinner, even her favorite food, she has to let us know she doesn't like it.
I have gotten better at negotiating with her. I have found if we warn her well in advance she will have her little fit before the actual event. About a week before our family pictures I decided I should start preparing A2 for the clothes she would be wearing. I anticipated the big issue would be the fact that she was going to have to wear jeans. Pants aren't her thing. She doesn't like tight pants, loose pants, sweat pants, cargo pants, long pants, short pants, buttoned pants, or elastic waisted pants. Basically she HATES pants. Normally I do whatever I can to put her in a dress or skirt, but since the pictures were going to be outside in a park I thought I would try for a little warmth.
I told her she would be wearing jeans just like Aunt Caley for our pictures and of course her response was, "Ok, but what shirt will I wear?"
HUH!?! What do you mean "Ok"? I don't understand that! I prepared for a temper tantrum, not an "Ok." and then a sweetly asked "what shirt will I wear?"
I was so blown away by her reaction I simply responded, "You will wear a black or gray shirt. I haven't picked it out yet."
KABOOM! My thoughtless comment set off a reaction. Addelyn jumped all over my ill prepared response. "Black!?! I hate black." She completely melted into the floor and then began flopping like a fish out of water. "MOOOOOM, I don't want to wear black. God hates black. We shouldn't wear black. You will make God mad."
I missed that lesson from the Bible. Where in the world did she get this idea? My curiosity got the best of me. I just had to know what in the world she was talking about so I asked.
She stopped flopping and said, "God hates black. If he liked black he would have put it in the rainbow. I want to wear pink!"
Oh I had her now! I was going to be able to use her own logic against her. "A1 we can't wear pink. God doesn't like pink. He didn't put it in rainbows." In my head I was doing a little happy dance. It is sad that I was so happy about winning an argument with a 4 year old but that is where I am right now.
A1 looked at me and said, "God wanted pink to be in the rainbow. It is almost in there. You know, like red. Pink is almost red. God just forgot to put it in there all the way so he likes it." Then she left the room.
DARN it! I think she just won that round! I was frustrated and proud all at once. Maybe if the whole Rapunzel thing doesn't work out for her, she might be able to make it as a lawyer...
Oh and as for the outfit...
She wore a black and white striped shirt with a pink bow on it. We were both winners!
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