Children certainly have their ways of trying to get their own way. Sometimes it's crying or yelling. Or lying on the floor. Or even the occasional pick-something-up-and-throw-it moment. Autumn will try any of these, and also will sit down right where she is.
She's done this in stores or in the mall, which, although not ideal, doesn't bother me that much. I'm content to let her sit for a bit until she calms down and wants to cooperate. But yesterday was a different story.
We left a Giant Eagle after stopping to pick up Pediacare. After all, this is one of the few places I can still get Pediacare, even if I have to sign away my entire life for one little bottle. When we went to leave the store, she wanted to walk. But she didn't want to hold my hand. Needless to say, on a dark, cold evening with extra holiday shoppers and cars going this way and that in the parking lot, holding my hand was not negotiable.
So right in the middle of two lanes of traffic, immediately in front of the store, Autumn promptly sad down on the pavement. Thankfully, the snow has melted so she didn't sit in a wet pile, but, as I told her, this was not safe, there were lots of cars around and if she couldn't hold Mommy's hand, Mommy would have to carry her.
Most times she so very good, but when she doesn't want to do something, she lets her thoughts be known. It's at these times when I just need to be stronger. I'm sure this phrase will come out of my mouth more than once as she continues to grow, but it really is for her own good.