We've decided to keep her

You may have been one of the lucky ones that did not get a phone call from me last Thursday. But if you were not so lucky and you received my tearful, "Kaylie's gone mad - I think we're going to have to send her to boarding pre-school" call - then I thank you. Although nobody had any real answers on how to make it through the day with this edgy child, we did survive and I'm pleased to announce that we have decided to let Kaylie stay in the family. By the way, when I called my dear, OLDER sister for motherly advice - all she did was laugh. In fact, I believe her comment was, "Thank God it's not just my kids!"

Kaylie must have woken up on the wrong side of the bed. Or maybe the wrong side of the room... she was cranky from the minute the sun came up.

A little history: nearly every morning, Kaylie comes down stairs and asks for hot chocolate. Nearly every morning we say yes and she curls up on the couch with her blanket and "cocoa chocolate". Then my charming child finishes her drink and hucks the cup under the couch. (Honestly - we didn't know this for the longest time. Where are all the @&# cups going?!?! I think it may have been Mike that looked under the couch one day and found them. The old hot chocolate cups, the stinky chunky milk cups, a kids plate... it was all there. Seriously, this is why I could never have worked as a house keeper. It just doesn't cross my mind that there might be dirty dishes UNDER THE COUCH!!!

But back to the point... Thursday morning, Kaylie had her cup of HC and I reminded her that if she didn't bring her cup into the kitchen and put it in the sink when she's done then she won't get HC the next day. She gives me the "OK Mommy!" and trots off to the living room. I gave her a minute (she does drink like a true Hughes) and go check on her. Her cup, of course, was upside down on (not under) the couch. I asked her to take it to the kitchen and she growled (really - a growl!) at me as she picked up the cup. Apparently this was NOT the wisest time to inform her that she wouldn't be having her beloved HC the next day, because my dear, sweet, loving child then looked me in the eye and threw her cup right at my head. Luckily I'm tall and she's only three - she missed.

And it was all down hill from there...

After too much time and too many tears (both mine and hers) battling this child, and with Malia and Josh literally hiding from her in the basement, I realized that we needed a serious change of scenery. I packed up all the kids and headed to the park. I figured that either a) she would run hard and work out all of her aggressions or b) the other moms at the playground would intervene if I tried to kill her.

I honestly saw her worst behavior that day. It was downright ugly and horrific like something off The Super Nanny where one might watch and think, "That poor dysfunctional family - get that kid some meds!" (What kind of mom does this make me?) But... we have managed to make up and for some reason, she's been a perfect angel of a child for two days now. We are all getting along beautifully, she's listening & following rules & being polite and nice. I think we'll keep her after all. (And no, she has not had any more hot chocolate as she is on hot chocolate restriction until next Wednesday.)

Wish us luck with this girl... we're gonna need it!