My Little Miss

When my mother decided on a career change, she went to college, completed a child care course and started her own child care business.  I helped her with her assignments; cram for her exams. We even attended First Aid training courses together.  

After passing the police check (she tried to convince me that it was a work requirement, I still don’t believe her) she let me work for her during my university holidays. It was fantastic. I got paid to run around with a bunch of cute kids and play games.  

One would think the above would have prepared me for Little Miss. Well…

As a newborn, she rarely slept.  She grew older and we tried to introduce a routine. Despite an active day, nap or quiet time and a strictish 7 pm bedtime, she would sing in her cot from 7 pm to 10 pm. nonstop.  The neighbors commented.

As a nearly three year old she now sleeps all the way through. In our bed.

She wakes me in the middle of the night to tell me to be quiet (if I am snoring, talking in my sleep) or to move over. I try to tell her it’s my bed and she is a guest in it, but she refuses to listen to reason.

She regularly runs over to me and demands to be hugged. This could be while taking a shower, holding the baby or wrestling with bags of groceries. How can you turn her down?

Since moving, Little Miss’ diet has improved.  In London, it would be a good day if she ate something. In Greece, it’s a good day if I deliver what she wants to eat. Today she asked for endives..

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She asks to go in the ‘corner of thought’ - a time out mechanism introduced by nursery. If her nursery teacher refuses to comply, she does something naughty.  When she is in the ‘corner of thought’, she refuses to come out, having way too much of a good time, the teacher thinks.

She is the self-appointed swing inspector.  It doesn't matter how big or small the park is, she will road test every swing, and then provide commentary. I almost feel obligated to document her recommendations and send them to council.

She insists on wearing a pink shoe and red shoe every day.

If I start singing, she asks me to stop. 

When I am done reading a book, she asks to read it too. She will carry it around with her for days. At the moment she is reading  Marketecture’s ‘The B2B Content Marketing Cookbook.’  It’s a different read to Victoria Hislop’s ‘The Island.’

When we go out she packs a bag with her toys and her Hello Kitty pyjamas.  I pray she is not hoping to meet a nice new family to move in with.

She howls every night during bath time. When done, she turns to me and says, ‘It’s over. Well done Little Miss.’

She’ll call me over and point to the wall with new scribbles on it and will say ‘ohh who did that, oh, I did.’

She lines up her toys and reads to them. If they don't listen she puts them in the 'corner of thought.'

She doesn’t throw up on the nursery bus that picks her up every morning but throws up on any mode of transport we take together (car, bus, train or plane). We can’t work out if it’s the motion, the idea of a day out with her family, or my outfit that makes her sick.

She has called emergency services twice. What is she trying to tell them?

So there you have it, at almost three she is a force to be reckoned with.  She is a unique, happy, loving little mite and I can't get enough of her. Can’t wait for the next 20 or so years.

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