The Scene of All Scenes

Happy Birthday Big Gwamma and Great Grandma Cobb!

Monday was just one of those days that I should not have pushed it by going to the DMV, but I did. Emma woke up on the wrong side of the crib. This was obvious by the way she kept saying "No" to everything and just making everything very difficult. But you gotta do what you gotta do, and after sitting at the DMV on Saturday for almost two hours to get our cars registered and finding out that we first have to pay taxes on them, I realized I had to drag the kids to do just that.
First we headed to the tax collector's office, where we waited for just a few minutes to get our bill assessed and then a few more to pay it. However, those minutes were made longer by the toddler who decided to go limp and start a Scarlett O'Hara scene when it was our turn to pay. It was quite a scene, and I'm sure if it were on film, there would be a nomination or two for her performance. However, with Bela in the pouch, and a diaper bag and about 5000 documents in tow, I did not much appreciate having to bend down and drag her little butt to the counter. Thanking my lucky stars that it was a quick trip, I dragged Emma next door to the DMV and in my shock at the enormous crowd inside, I neglected to watch as the door slammed on poor Emma's little hand. It took about five minutes outside to calm her down (and a promise of raisins once she got inside) and we were back waiting. Every chair was taken as well as every inch of standing room only space, but by some miracle we found an empty chair in the far corner. Emma sat there and ate her raisins meticulously for about a half hour before deciding the ants in her pants were just too much to bear. She did some jumping, some singing, and a little skipping (or so she thinks, it's really just ridiculous looking marching). Finally it was our turn (after a long 1 hour and 15 minutes), and I was so thankful that Emma had been pretty well-behaved. And then I said "Emma, you need to come up with mommy". That's when the scene of all scenes to beat any scene happened.......She said simply "No." and went back to her business. So I grabbed her hand (which I usually do and nothing ever happens) and she yanked it back and started her sloooooooowwww drop to the floor. I bend down grabbed her arm and dragged her little butt to the counter, her feet kicking in the air the whole way. When we got there, she started to scream. So I put her in timeout by my feet. Then she started howling, like I had just told her she would never eat again. After a minute I picked her back up and she promised to listen to me, so I let her stand by me. With an innocent little face she asked if she could sit in the "spesho (special) chair" that was in that far back corner. I told her no, so the next round of fits began. This time she was rolling on the floor, saying "oh no!" as she rolled back and forth. I picked her little butt up and put her in timeout again by my feet and this time the little punk started kicking the counter. I yanked her up and held her, and this time she knew I was furious. Meanwhile the entire place was chuckling. If it weren't my daughter I too would have found this little toddler's very dramatic scene a little humorous.....Then the compassionate lady at the counter asked her name and said "Emma, what's wrong which you girl? You better cut your mama some slack". After that, Emma put her head on my shoulder and just stayed put. She nearly fell asleep and Bela actually did as I rocked the two girls, all while pulling documents out of the diaper bag and signing checks and forms. I'm beginning to think I'm an octopus.....you kinda have to grow many limbs when you have no one to watch your kids.
Later on that night Braden took Emma to the park (see, she's the kind of kid who needs to get to the park before she has time to lose the privelage and then she's an angel- just has too much energy and doesn't know how to harness it for good yet) only to find that it was closed due to repairs. Her heart was broken. Her day was sooo horrible and all she wanted was this special date with dad, so she broke down into tears when he said "Emma, this way park is closed. Do you want to go to the store?" Since this is not like her at all (she's usually pretty flexible and doesn't care where she goes as long as it's out) he flew right back into the parking space and took her right past the yellow tape. Turns out all she wanted to do anyways was "feed chickens" which entailed spreading dirt all around. So I guess it wasn't too bad that they broke park rules. This has been the popular activity at the park lately....not sure where the feeding chickens thing came from- Cinderella maybe? She hasn't watched that since we were in Detroit though.... oh well.
Emma found the tools Grandma and Grandpa gave to her awhile ago and was thrilled to pieces. She made me laugh hysterically when she said "Emma Builder, yes she can!" (part of Bob the Builder's theme song) as she hammered and sawed a little shoebox. Speaking of Bob...there was a celebrity sighting at the park last week (can't remember if I already rambled on about this in another entry) when Emma saw a little boy dressed in a flannel shirt and jean overalls. She stopped dead in her tracks and stared at him....finally she whispered "Bob". She was honored to be in the "real" Bob the Builder's presence. (Really he was a three year old in Bob the Builder clothes, but don't tell her that- she went home and told dad she saw Bob!)
Bela is starting the teething process, waking up a lot and putting everything in her mouth. Emma likes the fact that she drools- finds it funny that she blows bubbles, though she's a bit disappointed that we won't "make Bewa bwow bubbos" (make Bela blow bubbles)- doesn't quite understand that it can't happen on command. She is also sleeping on her stomach with her butt totally up in the air. It's really funny! But at least the snoring has stopped- that was wretched for the longest time!
Both the girls are getting a little tanned despite the gallons of sunblock that we've gone through. They're cute as buttons as their hair grows lighter and their skin a little darker.