We're all wrapped around her finger...(sing it, like the Police song)

My Dad took us out to dinner the other night.  I knew it was a shaky outing as Audrey had not had a nap all day (begin "Jaws" music here) and it was exactly dinnertime for most people on a Sunday night...

I really almost slapped a hostess upside her head, at the first place we went, when she informed me the wait was "55-65 minutes" in a perky voice.  Um, did you not hear me say I was here with FOUR kids?  Small kids?  No, thank you.  I really wasn't up to using all my good entertaining eating out tricks before we were even seated and waiting for actual grub.  We opted for this Mexican restaurant closer to home and didn't have to wait to be seated but maybe 5 minutes (nah nah nah nah nah nah). 

Things were going well, considering the sudden repeat trips to the bathroom (no, my boys couldn't all go at once, it had to be one at a time...) and Audrey's insistence on her own water glass with (ack) no lid.  No spills, no tantrums, am I in the clear, I wonder? 

Our food arrives, and we're all going for it, when she (of course) finishes first.  What to do, what to do, I could see the wheels turning in her 2.5 yr old head.  I know!  Let's see if we can get Daddy riled up!  She starts wiggling around, ants in her pants, of course.  Wants this or that, my lap, back to her chair...nothing extraordinary.  But of course, Daddy tells her to sit still (right, I'm thinking, I'm envisioning a trip outside for the two of us while everyone else finishes-) and she complies.  For like a second.  He gives her the stern look, and she smiles sweetly, with the water glass up by her face like she's gonna take a drink---and she does that thing where you hold the glass to your face by using suction.  Still smiling at him, giving him the "aren't I cute, whatya gonna do?" look.  I'm stifling a laugh, at this point, and her Dad suddenly places his hands in front of his mouth but I catch him stifling laughter too.  I hold up my pinky finger so he can see it, and mouth at him "who's the whipped one now?"  And she does it again, and this time, he laughs and doesn't hide it. 

She's aware of what to do to get out of trouble, and we are helpless in her path (most of the time). 

I have even let her into my inner sanctum, the shower.  See, I always heard stories from my Mom about how much I loved the shower/bath; that I used to run from whatever corner of the house and jump in--with her, with my Nanas, etc.  I've been expecting it with all the kids, but the boys never really liked the shower so I thought I was exempt from this particular "you'll have a kid just like you" curse.  But one day a couple of weeks ago, I was in a hurry, and she needed a bath too, so I said, "why don't you shower with Mommy?"

She loved it.  She turned her head up into the spray, let me wash her hair, used my stinky shower stuff, and had a great time.  Whew, I thought, we won't be late. 

Of course, from there on out, she wanted to join me every day.  "I take your shower, Mommy?"  She'd elbow me in the leg to get under the water first, and I had to do her whole routine before starting mine.  I couldn't even be annoyed, afterall, it was initially my idea.  She can't help it if it's something she likes...and I have another 'what was I thinking?' moment to ponder.  Sigh.

Tonight, she needed a bath.  I haven't really bathed her at night in quite a while, evenings have been kinda hectic lately, so it's been with me or a day-tubby.  I'd forgotten how fab the purple Johnson's baby bath smells--it's pretty relaxing, really, I think I use it more for me than for her, lol.  And I gave her her little baby massage (Ryan used to especially love those) and put her to bed, smelling like heaven, like only a clean baby smells, in her little nightgown.  I look down at her, and she looks like a little doll.  I can't help but stand there, and look at her, and be amazed at what a big girl she suddenly is...when she toots. 

Yup, that's my girl alright.  "Having a tender moment, Mommy?  Here, let me add to it..." 

I don't know who came up with this 'sugar and spice' idea, but they really need to rethink it.  Anyone who's witnessed her take on her brothers would certainly agree.  I swear, she's even made the big boy, Nolan, cry (well, she did step on something important--).   But those boys will do anything for her, and I see her work her magic on them all the time.  And if that doesn't work, she takes them by the hand and makes them do her bidding.

The little tyrant.