Second Child or 4 year old?

Em is so random, so defiant, so independent... sometimes I don't know if she is a scary second child that I don't know what to do with? or if she's just being a regular 4 year old and will outgrow this absurd behavior. I just asked her to throw something away and she asked me, "Do you want me to throw it away upstairs or downstairs?" I said, "Downstairs would be best." Her reply, "I think I'll just throw it away upstairs!" And so our day begins... (more later!)

(for simplicity sake, I'll just keep adding to this post. This will make it chronological!)

Our trip to school began with a quick wait at the bus stop, Kt waiting outside, Em waiting in the car. My neighbor stopped by to talk briefly, like we typically do, before I pull out and follow the bus out of our neighborhood. This is our routine every M, W, and F, Em's preschool days. While I'm talking to my neighbor, Em begins to throw a terrible fit in the backseat. It starts with, "Come on...." Today, it progressed into a full fledged temper tantrum, complete with screaming, tears, red face, etc.

After being told several times to be quiet and wait I finally turned around and said, "STOP IT, RIGHT NOW!" She looked so forlorn, in pain, desperate! I said, "What in the world is the problem that you had to interrupt my conversation?" Complete silence. I ask again, "Why in the world were you screaming and crying just a minute ago?" Still, silence, accompanied by a very satisfied look on her face. Then, "Well, I just wanted you to go." It's at this point that I lunge into my lecture on rudeness, impatience, tantrums, etc. In response, I see the expressionless, unmoved face that always follows any kind of correction involving Em. Am I in for it, or what?

(later, around lunch time)

We're just sitting around, and out Em comes with a blood curdling scream, followed by a semi-hysterical laugh. And I ask you, second child, 4 year old or just totally possessed??

(afternoon)

We had a pleasant afternoon, improved by a playdate with one of our favorite little girl friends. The girls had a fabulous time together and when their growling tummies finally pulled them up out of the basement, they both squealed in delight when they saw the snow falling. I've always thought rain and snow brings out the beast in children - am I right??

So, other than Em doing some kind of karate sequence with the barstool at the kitchen island while I asked her three times what kind of juice box she wanted until she came out of her asian trance, everything was fine and dandy. I don't know, maybe ADHD???

(dinnertime)

So, T came home and said to Em, "You have green lips! How did that happen??" She quickly looked to me, and I concurred, she had green lips, mostly likely from the Christmas tree cookies she had just eaten (yes, right before dinner!). She was unhappy with our observations and quickly took herself into the bathroom, checked herself out in the mirror, returned, looked at both of us with a very wide grin and said, "No, I don't!" So, now, T and I are blind!

As I was coming up here to write this, I reminded Em to put all her dirty dishes in the sink, and from the time it took me to get from down there to up here, all I heard was, "Yes, maaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaam."

I'm in for it, I can already tell. If this is 4, I don't want to even venture a guess as to what 14 looks like!

Oh yes, we reinstituted the sippy cup tonight as she spilled her daily glass of orange juice tonight. She has spilled at least one glass of juice a day for over a month now. Fortunately, this one missed T - he's usually the victim of the spill!