Harper had a big week last week...turned 4, hung out with Aunt Cheryl for a few days, wondered why she didn't have balls, called me bossy and shoplifted for the first time.
Here's the breakdown:
The balls...
"Where are my balls?"
Me, "WHAT?"
"Why don't I have balls like you?"
Me, "WHAT?" while racking my brain where on earth Harper learned about balls
Me, "What balls are you talking about?"
"You know, the balls on your belly"
Me, "Can you show me the balls on my belly?"
"Right there" while poking my boob AKA the balls on my belly.
We have welcomed Snowflake the Elf into our home for the Christmas season, she "watches" over the girls during the Christmas season to report back to Santa. She was perched on the kitchen light fixture the other morning watching over us during breakfast. I told the girls maybe she was in the kitchen to watch me since that's where I hang out most of the time.
Me, "What do you think Mommy does that Snowflake could report back to Santa? What does Mommy do that's naughty?"
Lacy, "You don't do anything naughty Mommy" LOVE HER
Harper, "You boss us around all the time"
I then felt the need to defend myself and my parenting to my 4 year old, going into detail how it's not bossiness but parenting, teaching right vs. wrong,etc....pretty sure I lost her after the first 20 seconds.
Harper is the latest Newton girl to disgrace our family by shoplifting. Browsing around Old Navy with the little girls, Harper found a very ugly crystal feather bracelet that caught her eye. She asked if she could wear it in the store, told her No and moved onto the rest of the store. Apparently, the bracelet went along with us in a pocket or something. We got home and a short while later, there was the hideous bracelet on the floor. She denied it at first when I started to interrogate her. I sent her to the corner until she was ready to tell the truth. Sooo....
"I'm ready to tell the truth"
Me, "Harper did you take this bracelet"
Harper staring back at me, mute.
Me, "Harper, tell the truth. Did you take this bracelet?"
"Maybe"
Me, "Go back to the corner until you're ready to tell the truth"
A few minutes later...
"I'm ready to tell the truth"
Me, "Harper, did you take this bracelet?"
Harper, "Yeah"
And then I repeated the stealing lecture from a year and 1/2 ago with Lacy...against the law, against God's laws, yada yada yada. Maybe I should make a DVD and just play it for when Haley does this??? At this point Harper's crying because she knows she did the wrong thing & she's going to have to go back to the store to make it right. We practiced "I took your bracelet and I'm sorry. I won't ever steal again" She was very nervous heading back to the store but she did it. A lady on our way out had overheard Harper's apology and said, "Wow, what a great lesson for her" Well, we're not going to let her keep it!!! I wasn't quite as mortified as I was when Lacy did it, I think I've gained some perspective. It's normal for that age AND I've read if they do it when they're little, they won't do it when they're teenagers. Harper was so relieved after her public apology, she literally skipped out of the store to the car.
