This one is about Audrey

My 8 year old daughter Audrey is a strange cat. I call her Diva because, frankly, she is one. Things have to go her way or she (and everyone around her) will be miserable. But on the flipside, when she's happy, all is right with the world and it's raining gumdrops. So many times I find myself trying to guess at the way she'll take things so I can make decisions based on her potential reactions. It's hard work.

Many times I get things all wrong. Like the time I thought the two of us would have a fun time shopping together at the mall. After buying us both a treat at Laura Secord, she asked (nay, demanded) a toy. When I refused, telling her we already got treats, she told me that she hated me, that I was ugly and the worst mother in the world. She stated unequivocally that she'd never ever EVER go to the store with me EVER AGAIN. Good times.

Then just when I think I've got her pegged, she surprises me. She lost her tooth last week and when she does, she gets a toonie from the tooth fairy. She uses it to get a little Winnie-the-Pooh-in-a-rubber-costume toy from a vending machine at the grocery store. They crack me up since Elliott hilariously calls them "dolphin Pooh", "tiger Pooh", "giraffe Pooh"... I guess you have to be here. Anyway, we all go to the store as usual (I still don't know why the family all go grocery shopping but we do) and at the checkout we're all getting ourselves organized. Scott is bagging and I'm maneuvering two carts out of people's way. The boys are kicking at each other near the exit doors and I see Audrey hovering at the Pooh machine (hee).

We finally get in the car and drive away and I ask Audrey what kind of Pooh she got today (hee). She told me calmly she didn't get one. I told her I saw her near the machines, did she get candy instead? She said, yes, she got a Pooh but it rolled away under the Coke machine and she couldn't reach it. Wha? She didn't cry, make a fuss, flip out, nothing. If it was me I'd have made such a ruckus they'd have had to use a forklift to move that machine or at least give me my $2 back. Why didn't she cry? Why didn't she tell us? She didn't even cry when she explained to me what happened. That is so not like her. She got me again.

You know the girl baffles me each and every day. I never know how she's going to take a certain situation. I love my only baby girl to distraction but it's so hard to predict what she's going to be like from day to day (or minute to minute for that matter). She's a true Gemini.

I'm going to replace her $2 this weekend and help her get her Pooh out of the machine (hee) myself to make sure it doesn't get lost. And I'm going to hug her and tell her what a big girl she is. Maybe I'll even take her to Laura Secord for a treat.

kxx