Toddlers and pre-teens have much more in common than you would think. Neither of them seem to have complete control over themselves and their emotions.
First-the toddler. I can't imagine how exciting the world must seem when EVERYTHING is brand new and even if it isn't, your memory is so short it seems that way. Your every happiness rests on whether or not you get a cookie today or if the batteries in Elmo are still "broken" (or removed to keep mommy from having to hear "uh-oh, Elmo fell down" 329847 times today). We recently got David a bubble machine that generates "thousands of bubbles in minutes" and boy does it live up to that! The greatest moment of his ENTIRE life is when he sees that machine come out. I can't read his mind, but I'm pretty sure it goes like this...
There it is!
She's getting it out!
This is going to be so much fun!
I'm the luckiest guy on earth right now!
This is the most wonderful thing that's ever happened to me!
I can die a happy man, now that I've seen the bubble machine!
And then, things get even better when it is turned on...
Oh My God, she's TURNING IT ON!!!
THIS is the greatest moment of my life.
I thought things couldn't get any better, but THEY DID!!!
I've never been so happy!!!
I can't control myself...I MUST scream like some kind of deranged hyena and dance around in a circle until I fall down!!!
I can't handle this much joy at once!!!!
Then the bubbles get turned off...
WHAT WAS SHE THINKING!!!!
Why did they stop?
How can she do this to me?
My heart is broken and I think I might perish right here and now.
What's the point in living?
I'm going to pack my things and leave this hell hole!
You would think that after we've done this a few times the highs and lows of a bubble machine wouldn't be so great. He would start to realize that when the machine comes out, it will be fun, we'll all have a laugh, then it will go away, only to return at another time. Kind of a "We've had some good times, I'll miss you dear friend, but we will meet again soon" feeling. But no, his entire happiness rests in this moment and it is either the most wonderful time of his life or he is in the pit of despair and life will never be good again.
Now - the pre-teen. I never would have guessed there could be a demographic that has more hormone swings than a pregnant woman, but Hannah has proven me wrong. Just like David, her happiness is decided moment to moment. The only difference is that her triggers are all internal. It really could be the greatest time of her life and she can be doing something she has always wanted to do or something that has always made her very happy and things can take a very unexpected turn into a dismal abyss.
Yesterday, she was sitting on the couch eating grapes, watching tv. We are all quietly enjoying our selves and our time together as a family, when BAM!!!! there are tears pouring out of Hannah's eyes. We are obviously shocked and concerned over what may have just happened to cause this awful breakdown. Did a bone spontaneusly snap in half? Did someone just silently rip all her fingernails out? Did she just learn she has minutes to live? Surely SOMETHING has happened to this poor child!
Nope, she doesn't know why she's crying and that makes her cry harder. As a woman, I recognize the feelings and can sympathize...as a mother it breaks my heart to see her so distressed. The outburst only lasts a few minutes and soon we are all happily playing board games, with (almost) no memory that 10 minutes ago the sky was falling and the outlook was bleak.
The person who I really feel for in these situations is Dave. He wakes up every morning not knowing which Jekyl/Hyde characters he's going to get today and praying that at some point, at least for a few minutes the three crazies in his life (the short, stinky one; the taller female one, or the biggest, pregnant one) will magically have their good moments fall at the same time and he might actually get to enjoy part of his day.
No wonder he golfs...its a guaranteed 6 hours away from this insanity.
PS~Yes, I am STILL pregnant, but a warning to those who know me. From this point on if you ask "why haven't you had the baby yet?", as if I have ANY control over this, you will be removed from the call list and you'll find out we had this kid when you get his college graduation announcement.
