Little Miss Independent

Maggie is a very willful child and likes to do things her own way. I think I am a follower and a pleaser by nature and it is so hard for me to understand. Maggie is much more of a leader and knows what she wants.  I'm sure these traits will serve her well as she gets older, but for now it can be rather difficult to parent a child who has her own very clear idea of what she wants to be doing and what she doesn't at any given moment. And who am I to stand in her way?
She is definitely giving me a bit of a hard time as of late, but sometimes I have to laugh at how her mind works and the things she does.

She is an early riser and since she has the tendency to get up earlier than anyone else. I have learned to be careful and I always have one eye and ear open during those early morning hours before we all get up to make sure our Maggie doesn't get into too much trouble.

--If I leave any type of goodie out on the counter I know Maggie will sneak in the kitchen in the morning and help herself to as much of it as she can before she is caught. She has a sweet tooth and she knows that it is only in those morning hours that she will be able to indulge and she has gotten away with it many times, but now I am smarter.

--Many times I wake up to a noise in the living room and find Maggie awake sitting on the couch with the TV on and changed to her favorite channel. She has also found a stool to turn on the lights. We don't normally watch TV in the morning, so I guess it's just her way of finding a way to do what she wants all on her own.

--The other day I woke up a little after 7 surprised that no one was awake yet. I proceeded to get up, and check my email on the computer when I heard the sliding door open on the back of the house. I jumped up only to find Maggie coming in from outside. She stated that she had decided to go out and play with the bubbles in the backyard. I didn't know she knew how to unlock or open the sliding door!

--We have been working really hard at encouraging Maggie to "listen and obey". A lot of the struggle seems to repeat itself around the time when we have to take Ella to preschool or pick her up. Maggie always needs to get her shoes on and go potty before we leave. The other day she was being particularly difficult and unwilling to do what I asked. I always threaten that I will leave her, but she never believes me because I never do. Since Brad was sleeping in the bedroom (he's on nights right now) and about to get up, I told him I was going to leave her so beware. I was so glad to have the chance to leave her and make good on my promise. I walked out the door to her screaming "don't leave me, don't leave me" and was hopeful that I would finally make some progress with her since she would know that I would in fact leave her (she didn't realize Brad was home). Brad says after I left she screamed and cried for a couple of minutes and then got quiet. After about 5 minutes or so of quiet Brad got nervous and came out to investigate only to find her on the kitchen counter helping herself to the M&Ms in the trail mix on the counter. What a stinker! After 2 minutes she was able to realize the bright side to having the house all to herself.  I guess she knows how to make the best of a bad situation!

Oh, Maggie, sometimes you really wear me out and leave me with so many questions about how I can be a good mother to you and keep my patience.  But then, you look at me with that big mischevious smile on your face and that sweet giggle and I am so glad you are just as spunky and fun as you are!