We’ve had a challenging 24 hours. Cassie has decided that she doesn’t want to share anything. She has also decided to be mad at Momma. Everything Momma does is wrong. Everything. OK – Momma is allowed to breathe. But touching things? No. Picking up Cassie? No. Putting her down? No. Suggest this? No. Offer that? No. And the reaction is not just a simple no. It’s a full blown meltdown, complete with thrashing, swinging arms, and screaming. Dadda feels bad for Momma. He knows the spot she’s in because he’s there approximately every 28 days or so. That might be a teensy weensy exaggeration but every man knows that feeling. You’re just wrong, and any attempt to fix it just makes it worse. Better to just stand there and take it like a man, or Momma in this case.
Cassie is having a difficult time with the fact that Momma is now a shared resource. Chloe is OK with that so far. But Cassie is not pleased. She still has her nice moments. She’ll offer the occasional snack and help with the occasional diaper change but for the most part, if Momma picks up Chloe, Cassie is mad. She has been a bit rough with Chloe. She’s not hitting her; she’s just being a great big kid who jumps up and down, swings her arms and legs, and doesn’t quite understand how it feels to be on the other end of all those moving parts. She also doesn’t understand the stress she causes with all the screaming and yelling. Momma is at her wits end, and Dadda is within a few inches of his. He’s doing better only because Cassie’s wrath has largely been directed at Momma. Momma has a great deal more patience than Dadda for such things but she’s facing a full frontal assault, while Dadda just gets hit with shrapnel.
A few times last night we were worried that the hotel might kick us out. Yes, it’s that bad.
We don’t know where this is leading but we are hoping that the worst of it will pass when Cassie realizes that the situation is non-negotiable.
To Dadda’s parents and his sister, he offers his apologies for his part in the sibling rivalry of years past. But he’s pretty sure it was all his sister’s fault because she’s older. That kind of logic is perhaps a bit weak, but it has two very important merits:
1. It absolves Dadda of any responsibility.
2. His sister isn’t here while Dadda types up this nonsense.
Meanwhile, we still love Cassie every bit as much as we always have. Here are some pictures of her in her more angelic state. For some reason, the camera doesn’t pick up the halo over her head. Must be a flaw in the camera design. You’ll just have to trust us that it’s there.
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