Terribly Two

"I don't like mummy! I want snack! I can eat snack!"

That's the response I got from Changunnie when I told her "That's enough snack for the day". She did not eat well at all over the weekend. I tried her food and they tasted perfectly fine. I was happy to eat her left over pasta as my lunch (I spent an hour to make the sauce!) She rejected her lunch and dinner but always wanted to have something substantial around 10pm.

Then, I realise it was grandpa feeding her snacks throughout the day. The list was actually pretty impressive:

- Milano cookies
- cheese (my precious 4 year Comte!!)
- banana chips, dried cranberry and blueberry mix
- mini wheetabix with fruits and nuts
- cup cakes
- ice cream

No wonder she's not eating. On Sunday, I finally decided to put on my dictator hat. No food between lunch and 8:30pm. By then, she was hungry and ate the entire bowl of rice and Miyuk Gook (Korean seaweed soup) within minutes.

The toughest thing of raising a kid with grandparents around is the grandparents always have a big soft spot for the little ones. The little ones may be young but definitely not ignorant. Changunnie knows grandma and I are the disciplinarians. Her tactic is to grab grandpa or daddy into the kitchen and quietly asks for snack. I find it difficult to enforce my rules. On the one hand, I want the grandparents (which include both sides) to know that I appreciate what they are doing for Changunnie and I respect them. On the other hand, I need Changunnie to know who's words are final. A very fine balance to strike.....

I don't like mummy!

It was a normal day at home yesterday until bed time. Changunnie insisted on having daddy to read to her and they had a late snack together. (Her pronunciation of Croissant was amazingly french! Should put a lock on the cable box. She's the one who watches more T&L, Food Channel than I do!!) When I was ready to step in to put Changunnie to sleep, she quickly took her daddy's hand and said "I don't like mummy!" As if she worried the effect may not be felt, she turned around and proclaimed her love for her daddy.

It wasn't too long ago when she had her second birthday and we are experiencing something brand new. She used to see me as the centre of her world. I had the word food written all over my face in the first few months of her life! Daddy used to mean someone fun to hang out with if you don't mind being dropped on your head or not getting your meal promptly. What happened overnight? She was still kissing and hugging me the night before!

Maybe it's nature's way to teach me about separation anxiety so that I will be more prepared when she goes to college. No matter what I say, I have a wicked feeling that I could be the stalker type mum, registering myself for classes at Changunnie's school and try to follow her around campus....

On a more positive note, it's finally my turn to nap on the weekend, to sleep early at night, squeeze in some fun things to do during the day. I haven't been to the cinema in a long time. I watch my movies on the plane (and so ended up watching the same thing at least twice). I haven't been to the spa in 3 years as I didn't go for any massage when I was pregnant for fear of having a premature delivery. What should I do this weekend? Maybe I can watch Slumdogs Millionaire at a cinema!!