4/27/2006 02:02:00 PM|W|P|Sus|W|P|I took big sis to see Annie last weekend. It was a two hour production and the dog was awesome. Seriously. Sandy stole the show. Big sis agrees. Her only comment on the rest of the show was, "I thought there would be a bit more action, mom." Yeah, me too. But it was still great to hear the music and watch her sitting there quietly for 2 hours. She was perfect. She wouldn't even eat a snack. She was mortified when I pulled out the chocolate chip cookie I had stashed in my purse. She is a stringent rule follower. She often asks if we're going to get kicked out of the store/restaurant/park/doctor's office for some minor infraction in which I've involved her. Of course this doesn't apply to my rules. My rules are merely suggestions. But I'm not bitter.|W|P|114617279646744141|W|P|It's a hard knock life.|W|P|susielkins@yahoo.com4/26/2006 07:41:00 AM|W|P|Sus|W|P|In my last post, I outlined a clear example of the lengths my daughter will go to stick it to me. She has taught her little brother well. For example: T. has always said that he loves me because I am tone deaf and sing like a tortured bird (wait, it gets better here) but I don't let that stop me from singing. That is a complement, isn't it? Little brother feels differently. He agrees that I'm tone deaf and all that, but instead of letting me sing anyway, he puts a finger to his lips and sharply whispers, "Shhh! Baby's sleeping!" Where on earth did he learn that? He has no younger siblings - this is not something I've ingrained into his brain. It would seem logical that perhaps in fact he was not sleeping as an infant and witnessed my pleas for big sis to take it down a notch already. But no. I was never as polite as to simply say, "Shh, baby's sleeping." It would make more sense if he was saying things like "Mom! Holy crap, you're driving me nuts!" He's afraid to be too mean, but still wants me to know that I'm no Kelly Clarkson - not even a Kelly Pickler - yes I get it. (Not an American Idol fan? For shame.) He's defintitely inherited my passive-aggresive ways. For that, I'm grateful.|W|P|114606361242677378|W|P|Smarty Pants vs. Master Manipulator|W|P|susielkins@yahoo.com4/24/2006 11:42:00 AM|W|P|Sus|W|P|When big sis was about 2.5, she gave us just a taste of what we have in store for the next 15.5 years or so (we are off the hook at 18, right?). I was scared at the time, and rightly so, it turns out. Visibly pregnant with little bro, she wanted nothing more to do with me. I tried everything I could think of to stay in her good graces. Nothing hurts more than being shunned by a toddler. One night I made a huge spaghetti dinner and we actually sat down at the dinner table to eat facing each other instead of the tv. I was quite proud of all the food groups present and fully expected to be loved and appreciated for my hard work. Big sis had impeccable manners already, so we were not surprised when she turned to T. and said, "Good dinner daddy!" T. said thank you honey, but mommy made dinner, you should thank her." Little sis held his gaze and said again, "Great dinner daddy!" T. pulled out his stern voice and very slowly said, "Big sister, mommy made dinner. Not me. Please tell mommy that you like your dinner." She finally looked my way and I relaxed just a little. Then the stinkpot looked over at the dog and said with the sweetest voice imaginable, "Nice dinner you made, Parker!" What? The child is surely confused. Could she possibly be capable of this kind of manipulation before learning to tie her own shoes? Oh yes. I've paid dearly for daring to bring another child into this world. Little brother gets mad love from her and daddy can do no wrong. Only now that she's 4 will she give me the time of day, and that's only because I let her win at Candyland.|W|P|114590606312192376|W|P|Master Manipulator|W|P|susielkins@yahoo.com4/21/2006 06:27:00 PM|W|P|Sus|W|P|Big sis has decided that princesses most certainly do not toot. I tried to tell her that everybody toots. Nope. She's not buying it. "Do you know who probably has the most disgusting, stinky, smelly toots?" she asked. I was dying to know. "The Beast!" Dang. I thought for sure she'd say daddy.|W|P|114567090477743705|W|P|Do princesses toot?|W|P|susielkins@yahoo.com4/14/2006 11:55:00 AM|W|P|Sus|W|P||W|P|114504155120177771|W|P|Mimaloo and Wixie Doo|W|P|susielkins@yahoo.com