The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

Let's work backwords. Today started out ok. Then Brooke woke up from her nap early. So I encouraged her to go outside to enjoy the beautiful weather (and so she didn't wake her sister up early from her nap!). This was at 2:30. Here comes The Ugly part of the story (I told you we'd work backwards). About 5 min later, she walks in and tells me she got a splinter. Very nonchalantly. She even shows me on her hand. So, I go get the tweezers and magnifying glasses to attempt to pull it out. Enter The Ugly. She went absolutely nuts! Screaming bloody murder, flailing, fighting me...going absolutely ballistic! Wow. Didn't see that one coming. She has had bigger 'splinters' before...just not one that needed tweezers. So, I put her in timeout for the fit, she screams even longer and louder.
Yep - Brenna then wakes up. Nice. She continues to scream. I tried everything to get her to let me remove the splinter. I tried to console her - "Brooke, I know its scary and you think it might hurt", etc etc.... Then I tried the discipline technique...."you let me take the splinter out or you go to timeout.", etc etc....I also tried the forceful technique....trying to hold her arm, "we WILL get this splinter out.". I even tried bribery...."you can watch Charlie Brown while I take it out....", nothing worked. I can only be so forceful with her, ya know?

Anyway, an hour goes by....still screaming. Another hour....yep. Still screaming. And this is constant screaming/fit, no time for breaks for her! Finally I am getting frustrated and getting a headache, I have a baby to deal with as well....yada yada yada....

Enter The Bad. Or maybe it should be The Dad. Because apparently this episode (now over two hours long) was all because she wanted Daddy to take the splinter out because only he knew how to do it without hurting and she didn't want me to use the tweezers cuz they would hurt. Etc....etc...etc.... You have to remember, she is still only 3 and still rationalizes as such a 3yr old would. So we try to call Daddy and he talks with her (right before he leaves work) to get her to calm down at least to quit screaming. He tells her he is on his way home (yes, by now it's after 5) and he'll do it when he gets home. Not the exact tactic I was willing to partake in b/c I am not one to give in to her nonsensical requests especially after this long of an ongoing ordeal. But it got her to quit screaming for the moment.

I am fuming at this point. Have broke down to tears a couple times myself. I finally tell her to just go sit on the couch (away from me) until Daddy gets home. I am starting to play out the upcoming conversation out in my head. Daddy will explain that Mommy can do splinters too and make her trust me to do it. Now that it is even more engraved into her skin making it harder to get out because of all the pushing on it she has been doing this whole time. Yes, in my mind, she was sabotaging my good splinter-getter-outer skills. Darn her!

Now, for The Good. After all this rigamarole, she is sitting quietly on the couch, I am at my desk staring at the wall (remember...still fuming). Daddy is on his way home. Which is why I am fuming - at the fact that I am having to rely on him to come solve this 'problem'. We sit this way together...in silence....for about 10 minutes. Then all of the sudden (exactly 2 min before Daddy walks through the door), she walks over to me, sticks her hand out, and says...in the softest tiniest voice......"Mommy, I want YOU to get my splinter out now."

I'm not sure whether to be completely mad, frustrated, relieved, or happy. Maybe some of all. But this, my loyal readers, is what I have to look forward to 10-fold when she is 13! I think she just wanted to win this power struggle this afternoon. That and I also think that deep inside (this is still sweet Brooke) she was feeling bad for hurting my feelings (I had told her once that it hurt my feelings she didn't trust me to take out a splinter). Either way, The Good was that I persevered and removed the splinter! It only took 2 1/2 hours of screaming, a headache, a lost nap, a pair of tweezers and Charlie Brown Valentine's special on YouTube. But hey...getting the splinter out....Priceless. I'm just not sure Mastercard can buy back my peaceful afternoon from me. Oh well...tomorrow's bound to be better!

Oh, yes, I almost forgot. Here's pictures of the deadliest splinter you'll ever see....

What? You mean you couldn't see it? Ok, well, here's a close-up picture....
Yes, that little fleck that looks like a smudge on your computer screen. That is what caused our afternoon to be so horrific. Here's to a splinter-free tomorrow!