We are there....

Wow, we have hit a new era. The tantrums are starting. I am hopeful that we can ride it out none the worse for wear but I am not sure. Some days I start out okay, and then I can't break the momentum of the crying and WHINING and she ends up throwing herself around the room and crying like her heart is breaking. I know that she is trying to process all of her emotions, but I really wish I could help her deal with it more effectively. I also don't want to tell her to stop crying (because I hated it when my mom would say that to me... like I was doing it on purpose) but sometimes the words tumble out of my mouth and I just want to shove them back in. I usually try to talk for a few minutes but that is working less and less lately and then I just tell her to cry all she wants (especially when we are home) and I will be here when she is done. Sometimes I am effective, lately not so much. It is exhausting!!

On the other hand, Maya is so sweet most of the time. She is really coming into her own self and is a fun and tender spirit. Whenever I cry (which is often these days) she will say: "You sad Mama?" and wipe my tears away. She checks on me and loves on the dogs. The other day I was upstairs vacuuming and usually if I am not within eyesight of her, every few minutes I will turn off the vacuum and ask her if she is okay. The rule is that she must answer me or she has to be around me. So, all of a sudden, I hear her coming up the stairs yelling "Mama! Mama! You okay? You okay Mama?" Apparently I had gone longer than usual and she decided to check up on me. So great.