What is more challenging than one strong-willed child?

Two strong-willed children.

I’m stubborn, painfully so. And D is stubborn, even more so than I am, some might say (me). So, in all honesty, I suppose our children never stood a chance in that department.

The other night, we had breakfast for dinner. Both children love breakfast foods, and while Lee was doing just fine.. Evie refused to take a single bite. I put her in the corner, I sent her to bed, nothing worked. She outright refused to eat a bite of food. D took over so that I could eat, sending her to her room. He kept telling her she could come out if she would take one bite of food. She stood her ground, shaking her head no. He ended up sitting at the end of the hall, blocking her open doorway with his legs and refusing to let her out of her room until she relented.

Over an hour later, not willing to send her to bed with an empty stomach, he yelled for me to cook a few chicken nuggets for her. When I brought them to him, she sat on the floor in her doorway and ate every bite he fed her.

That same night, Lee informed D and I that he wanted to sleep in our bed with us. We told him he had to sleep in his own bed; he did not like that answer. After his initial tuck-in and kisses, he got up four more times. Each time, he would come knock on our door and ask if he could sleep with us. Each time, we would carry him to his room and tuck him back into his bed. Eventually, he fell asleep. Until he awoke around three the next morning.. and remembered.

Fortunately for him, I was so sleepy when he came in that when I saw him, I pulled him into bed with me. The realization of what I had done not hitting me until two hours later when D’s alarm went off.

Due to these crazy kiddos and their even crazier antics, I’ve started to dislike the sound of my own voice. I feel like I’m yelling more than I’m talking.

“Don’t slam that door!” **door slams**

“Don’t let your sister jump on the bed!” **loud thud, followed by crying**

“Don’t jump off of the back of the couch!” **another thud, more crying**

“Give your brother his toy back, you have to share!” **a refusal to share, followed by a spanking**

“Give your sister her toy back, you have to share!” **another refusal to share, followed by another spanking**

And around, and around, and around we go.

While I would love to have another child, and would very much like to, actually giddy at the thought of meeting another precious human I would be lucky enough to bring into the world and watch grow…

I can honestly say that I think, at this point in my life, I would absolutely lose my mind.

Please send me all of the patience that you can spare.

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xxx A