You've come a Long way, baby

This evening during Larkin's bath she was making me so mad.

I had gotten after her for being too rough with Layne, and she was being a pill. She hit me on the arm, so Matt and I told her firmly that we never hit Mommy. Then she kept making like she was going to hit me...which really pissed me off.

Hitting has been an off-and-on problem since around the time that Layne was born. It's annoying when she hits, and we respond by disciplining her and/or distracting her and/or encouraging her to use her words to express how she feels.

She continued to test her limits by kicking when I was putting on her diaper and jammies. It was so frustrating. Matt took over and when I left her room they were sitting together and Matt was speaking directly and firmly to her.

A few minutes later I was playing with Layne on the floor in her room when I heard Matt say, "Mommy, Larkin wants to tell you something."

She walked up to me and put her arms around my neck for a hug and I distinctly heard her little voice say it.

Sorry.

My heart melted. My anger faded. I told her I loved her because I always want to reassure her that even when she makes me mad, I love her.

I figure this will not be the last episode of this kind, but hopefully each time we deal with it she is learning a little more about remorse and how her actions affect other people.