NOTE: Our regularly scheduled Alaska blogging will continue next week. Today I needed to get some big feelings out.

Today I woke up grumpy. Yea, you heard me. I. Was. Grumpy. What- I’m a toddler who is loved and provided for so that automatically makes every day rainbows and unicorns??? Clearly you’ve never been three years old.

How many times have I told you that sometimes BIG feelings just happen? How many times have I told you about life under four feet tall?? Don’t you listen??? Do you big people think I WANT to feel this way???? Do you want to see my angry face?????

Momma always asks me to press the reset button. Well, today it wasn’t working. I tried.

Dressed and trying to make it a good day, I got on my stool for breakfast. Momma was humming. Lyla was babbling and smearing yogurt all over herself, perfectly happy and unaware of these BIG feelings. Well, at least I had good food to look forward to. Maybe that would help. And then I looked down. What was this? I don’t want eggs and sausage!! I glared at a grinning Momma, who quickly stopped smiling and stared back. “I don’t want this!!” I yelled. She didn’t talk, but instead raised one VERY serious eyebrow…big people code for “That is not acceptable. Stop now.”   But I couldn’t. Obviously she didn’t get the breakfast food change request I sent with my mind. Grrrr…I showed her my angry face.

And so the day continued this way. It was a struggle. It was a fight. It was actually painful. There was whining. About that…It’s time you big people accept whining as a part of language. When we communicate this way, you make (try to make) us stop and call it whining. When you people do it, you call it complaining and talking out your feelings.   It’s NOT different!!

And if I hear one word about taking pictures or see the cameras, I might flip my lid.  

Finally, Momma said, “Nate, sweetie, you seem really angry and frustrated today. What can we do about that?” Well…ding ding ding!!! Congratulations Momma- you get the prize! Just for being SOOOO aware, I may add a star to your reward chart, and we might play a game that doesn’t end in crying!!!  Or maybe I’ll stay in bed tonight and let you sleep!  Just kidding, we don’t actually care if you sleep.   Jeez Louise*. Before I could share my witty response with her, she scooped me up in her big arms, gave me a hug, and told me I was very loved.   For the first time that day…I felt a little smile.

*Still waiting to meet this Louise person.