Pick and Choose Your Battles

“Pick and choose your battles” is definitely a phrase that you have to become familiar with as soon as your baby learns to walk and thus becomes a toddler. It seems like the second Aubrey learned to walk she discovered a whole new world and her personality has enhanced 100 times bigger since then. She is definitely learning what she likes, what she dislikes and our daily routine. For example, at night she knows that if she sits politely in mine or Daddy’s lap that we will read her a story of her choice and bedtime will be delayed. However, when the end of the story comes and you close the book and say, “the end” to her, you get a response of “No! No! No! No!” as she frantically tries to open the book back up to any page that it is not the last page. Sometimes we will cave and read the book again or let her pick out another one, sometimes we don’t; I guess it just depends on how tired we are. I always laugh though because it’s like out of nowhere she suddenly made the connection between story time and bedtime.

The same is true when it comes to those damn quarter rides at the mall. On one hand I know that she LOVES to ride those things and on the other hand I know that I will look like the Evil Queen when I reach the last quarter in my pocket. It’s inevitable; once I run out of quarters I know what is coming. I will take Aubrey off the ride with a nice strong grip, she will wrench her body and scream bloody murder, I will struggle to buckle her into her stroller, other mall goers will look on at me like, “What is that lady doing to that child?” and we will continue with the screaming and onlookers until we reach the car in the parking lot.

Yes times like these can be frustrating and make me want to scream at the same ear-piercing pitch as Aubrey, but like I said, “pick and choose your battles.” We choose to read to our daughter every night before bed in the hopes that she may one day have a passion for reading like her Mommy. (Plus I hear it is really good for learning at this age). And we choose to let her ride those damn quarter rides at the mall because seeing the thrill on her face is priceless; she’s enjoying life. (And hey, maybe she’ll become a roller coaster junkie like her Mommy & Daddy…helloooooo Disneyland!) 

Love,

Justin, Candice & Aubrey

During the Ride

 

After the Ride