Gummies

I pulled Parker out of bed.  He was fussy and moody so I offered him his daily vitamen (the exotic treat of the day).  He bounced in my arms with excitement as I pulled the jar from the shelf, giggled with anticipation as I opened the lid.  I stuck my fingers in to pull out the two gummies that were his daily ration when 'WAAHHHHH!!!!AAAAAHHHHAHAHAHAHAHHH!!!!!!!!!!'
I had broken him!


The child was inconsolable.  I put the gummies back; no, that was not what he wanted.  I pulled them out again; no, no, no wrong again!  I tried to put them in his hand so that he could see what they were; NO.  Wrong flavor?  switch the flavors?  No no nono no nooooo!  What was I doing wrong?  I finally got him to hold his gummies in his clenched fist.  I then grabbed two for Lyra.  Hopefully she would take my wake up offering better than Parker had.  I mounted the stairs, Parker in my arms now sweating and still wildly shaking his head in frustration. 



"Wheeere's Lyra?' I said, trying to engage and distract the frustrated little boy.  "wheeere's Lyyyyra?"  We opened the door, Parker now curiously peaking around the corner hoping to catch first glimpse of her.  "THERE-E-IS!" He cried triumphantly, temporarily distracted.  I put him down and watched him toddle over to Lyra who was still just waking.  "Lyra, it's time to get up! Look, here, we have vitamins."  She wasn't interested. 
  
I picked her reluctant beautifulness out of the crib and sat with her in the rocking chair like Daddy did.  Somehow Dad had made the magic discovery.  These kids were 100% happier if they lay on your chest while still waking up.  I think it is a remnant of all that tummy time we did with them in the hospital while they were preemies.  Whatever it is, Dad had made a morning ritual of it and while Lyra loved it with her Daddy.  She tolerated it with me.  It still served to smooth over a rocky wakening.
 
She rested sweetly on my chest as Parker, no longer distracted by Lyra hunting started fretting about his gummies again.  I gave Lyra hers and something about the situation absolutely infuriated Parker.  He yelled curtly at me looked at the two gummies still clenched in his sweaty palm and pitched them both at the wall. 
I had had it with the boy.  I had warned him already that his fussing would land him in bed and it just had.  He was back to bed where he could fuss and whine all he wanted.  I turned my back on the furious screams he let fly from his crib and returned my attention to Lyra.  She was looking at me now with concern, thoughtfully chewing on her gummy now.  I smiled at her and sat down to read her a story.  We read a short one and she stacked a few blocks as Parker serenaded us with running scales of screams.



Two minutes were up, I went to retrieve Parker from bed and he gave me the customary 'sorry Mommy' and pat on the head that was required after such episodes.  All three of us then sat down and Parker quietly engaged himself with his cars.  Lyra seeing him, stood up, calmly walked over to where Parker's discarded gummies lay, and picked one up.  'Oh, if Parker sees her eat one of those...'  I didn't know what he would do, I just hoped he didn't see her.  She then toddled over with the one in her hand and offered it to him.  He ignored her, almost spitefully.  She offered it again and received the cold shoulder once more.  The sweet girl then set the gummy down on the floor, retrieved the other abandoned gummy and lay it next to parker with it's companion. Without another sound, she then walked away, and found something to occupy herself with. 



I was so touched.  I would have eaten the thing in Parkers face just to get him back at being such a brat.  But now that I write that, I see what a bratty thing it would have been to do.  Parker silently picked up the gummies one at a time and ate them without looking away from what he was doing.
  
I am so glad I had my sweet little girl there to show me how to love someone.  It is so odd seeing such adult behavior play out between these two, but it happens with startling frequency.  They are living breathing blessings.