**Backstory: last night we spent the night at my folks' where Emery is always spoiled. I'm happy about that but it's not always fun to get her back on schedule. Plus, she's teething so her schedule has been completely off today and she's easily thrown (emotionally speaking).**
Nolan made dinner (scrumptious mac & cheese w/ hot dogs) while Emery and I watched a video (I'm excited about these videos because it makes me feel like I'm at Tiny Tots all over again). Everything was fine; she was tired but cuddly and we were meltdown free.
Then came time to sit at the table and eat. While at grandma's she likes to sit on grandma's lap to eat her meals. That doesn't fly at home and normally she's okay with it. Tonight; not so much. She cried. and cried. and cried--the ugly cry with heaves, real tears, red face, and a lot of snot. Plus she kept reaching out for me and sobbing, "mommy, mommy." Kills me. Literal pain in my chest.
At first, we tried to talk over her. Yeah right. Then I tried to make excuses for her: her day's been off, she took too short of a nap, she's killing me, it'll just be this once, and then I jabbed a low blow and said it was easier for him because she wasn't calling his name. I know. Awful but he let it go (such a good man). He reassured me that we need to stand our ground and she'll be okay. I wasn't buying it and neither was Em. Then we tried reasoning with her.
19-month-old in full meltdown mode + two reasonable but annoyed parents = no meshing
I picked her up and held her but didn't let her eat. I just held her and told her I wasn't going anywhere but she needed to be a big girl and eat her dinner. So I placed her back in her booster. More sobs and now I was also feeling like a betrayer. I had to leave the room so I did.
Tag-team. Nolan took over. He didn't pick her up. He let her cry but talked soothingly to her and then tried to make her laugh. I could hear the early attempts failing miserably but he didn't stop. He's so good at standing his ground which is great because I'm almost always ready to give it up. Eventually her good nature won out and Daddy got her to laugh despite her best efforts to stay upset. It was funny to listen to the change between sobs, sniffles, half laughs that turn back into sniffles, and then full on laughter. I sat and hid in the office for a bit and when Nolan called me back in, all was well (except her sweet tear-streaked face that re-broke my heart). She ended up laughing with us and finishing her plate.
The best part was when she rubbed Nolan's arm (with ketchup hands) and leaned over to kiss his mouth (with her own ketchup-drenched lips while also placing her ketchup hand on his face)No harm done. Dinner finished. Laughter found. Kisses for everyone. Thanks, Nolan for taking one for the team!
*as a sidenote and plug for birthday presents (on Em's behalf, of course) those videos would be an amazing gift. Just saying.
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