Chuck that Whine in the Garage

We are into those months here in the U.P. when the winter days start to drag on a bit, the cabin fever sets in some, and every one's patience is wearing a little thin. You would think after coming back from our trip south that I would be rejuvenated, but anyone who has taken a week long "vacation" with a three year old (one that involved three connecting flights. Can you say chaotic?) knows it was not necessarily restful. Fun, yes, but relaxing? Not so much.

Yup, somewhere last Tuesday evening in Detroit Metro Airport when I was chasing after my husband and daughter, who were leaping up an escalator like two gazelles (me trailing behind, lugging our 25lb. carry-on bag, plus Isabelle's lavender child-size backpack) in a desperate attempt to make our last flight for home (we did with about 3 minutes to spare) I lost what was left of .... shall we say, my "chipper attitude." I just got tired. The truth was, my back was killing me, and my feet hurt because I had made the poor choice to wear my favorite pair of boots from Younkers, which while fashionable and easy to put on (a bonus for going through airport security) were not so great when having to sprint like a track star the length of an airport. This combined with undertaking the tender negotiations it took all day to travel with an understandably tired child was taking its toll on my psyche. Like Isabelle, all I really wanted was to be home and in my bed. Thankfully, we did finally get there.

Of course, now a week later we are here, but I am still struggling to regain the aforementioned "chipper attitude." I ran around last week getting everything back in order, doing laundry, putting luggage away, running errands, getting Isabelle back into her schedule, but I just feel..... off. Isabelle is whiny, the weather outside is blah, you turn on the news and well, that isn't exactly bright and cheerful these days, I've got this rash on my skin (yeah, whole separate issue) and I guess it has left me feeling for lack of a better word, cranky. I think, perhaps, I should try an exercise that I have adopted with Isabelle when she gets especially touchy.

Over the weekend Isabelle was doing the whine game. This happens when she basically is somewhat bored and feels Clay and I are not paying enough attention to her. I was fixing my hair in my bathroom after taking my shower and Isabelle was loitering nearby, essentially complaining, frustrated with me for not solely focusing on her at that moment. The whine was escalating to the point where she was going to reach a full on tantrum and in my exasperation I said to her, "Isabelle, why don't you go chuck that whine out in the garage because I do not like it when it comes into your voice. Can you just go get rid of it, please?!"

Well, the kid froze, and I swear you could physically see wheels turning within her head and then all of a sudden she was jogging down the stairs and I heard her cross the kitchen floor, open the door and make a little grunting noise ( I pictured her flinging her little arm into the void of the garage). I heard the door close and her steps coming back toward me up the carpeted stairs.

I met her eyes in the mirror. "Well, did you chuck that whine out?"

"I did, Mommy. I chucked it out," she replied, her voice miraculously devoid of all whine and sounding gloriously cheerful once more. Even more amazing she was now smiling and happy where two seconds ago she was moments away from meltdown status.

"Good. Thank you." I say, calmly smoothing my hair, while inside I am screaming, DAMN! I cannot believe that worked! And why did I not think of that sooner? Afterwards, we went on to find an activity to do together, crisis and meltdown averted.

So, anyway, my point is, maybe I need to take a page out of my own lesson plan and go chuck my crankiness out in the garage. Get over it already. (Course, it might also help if this darn rash would go away.)