We live with a monster.
She screams pretty much all day long.
She’s a bully.
She hits kids who are older than she is who are trying to help her.
She throws things you try to give her to soothe her.
She swats food off her high chair tray with an angry blow.
She has four chins.
She’s short and chubby.
And her name is Lucy. 
She wants what she wants when she wants it. The trouble is that she can’t communicate what that is, so she gets MAD. I think she may be our most stubborn kid yet, and that’s saying a lot. Her tantrums result in throwing herself back on the floor with no regard to where her poor head will hit…sometimes really hard. She’ll kiss everyone in the family but me when it’s time for bed. Sometimes I think she does have more communication than we give her credit for, she’s just too darn strong-willed to let us in on it.
But then there’ll be a lucky serendipitous moment where you’ll do something that will delight her. And right then the sun’ll come out on her little face, the dimples will show up on her chubby cheeks, and her delighted grin will change around any frustration you have with her, and all is suddenly right and bright in the world again. For three minutes. Then inevitably something makes her mad again. And boy howdy she lets us know it.
We’ll still keep her…I mean, look at her…how could we not? Monster or not, we adore this child with all our hearts. The majority of fights in our family revolve around who gets to sit by her in the car.
We’ll keep her because miraculously those three to five minutes of brightness out of the day make up for all the monster stuff the rest of the day….at least in my book.
Dave may disagree…
If you see a want-ad in the paper begging for someone to take her away from us, take it with a grain of salt. He’s a softie and she loves him best of all of us so it’ll all work out…some day.
you are so funny. love the pic of Lucy crying.
Oh, gotta love those little monsters. We had one called Isaac and he turned into one everytime we would put him down….he loved to be held. Those youngest get spoiled with all those buzzing about them, ready to help.
Ah… she’s so cute when she’s mad 🙂
Oh my gosh she is too cute. I know exactly what you are talking about!!!
I think she is hilarious – I got a kick out of her @ the recital the other day! She sure is adorable!
Shawni,
Paige reminded me of your blog today so I came to check it out. Your pictures are beautiful! It makes me happy to see your family so happy. Miss you.
Love,
Shelley
alright- my heart is officially melted. i love it! i just had a similar explosion on my son Ridge…OUR MONSTER! i love your blog.
I am right there with you Shawni! I thought I had this being a mom thing figured out after my first for children but then came the fifth! Easton is my challenge & someday I feel I can’t do it anymore and then I get that sweet smile you talk about & it melts my heart. Hope is a great thing & with Easton that’s all I’ve got! I love the person you are! You’re amazing!
Wow My Spelling on four was great!
Oh, so funny. Maybe we can do a two for one deal, throw in free shipping and get a moment of peace from our rowdy toddler’s!!!
And if I hear one more person tell me the Terrible Two’s start at 18 months, I am gonna smack them–it’s as if I don’t already know!
Lucy is a crack up. She is making herself known as the 5th and final child. I think she is so adorably cute!
I promise not to hold this against her this weekend! Love that girl!
When I clicked on your blog my two little girls happened to be standing by my side and we all got the giggles. That is the best and funniest photo! She looks like a little spitfire.
I had three of those. All my females. Will love keeping up with her and seeing how she is when she’s two!
Cute capture of the crying and the sweetness! She has amazing eyes! She will hopefully crack up at that picture when she is older (the crying one). LOL
~Christine
that picture is so perfect! very monster-ish and then they can be such perfect angels! do they have any idea what they’re capable of doing to us? yes, of course they do.
As far as I’m concerned, monsters with 4 chins are the only kind of monsters to have. She’s adorable! I love crying baby face pictures. My husband thinks it’s cruel, but I can’t resist those raw emotions. That picture is precious. And my little pig tailed monster likes to hit too, but it’s more the furniture that gets the beating than anything else.
Shawni-
We too live with a little monster named Lucy. Got to love those stubborn little darlings. Brad and I look at each other regularly like, “now what are we supposed to do?” She’s taken parenting to a whole new level.