embracing the chaos: more extreme Samantha

How was I supposed to know!?

All I saw was this:

right after I had told her to pick the doll dress up off the couch and put it in her room.

also right after I had just bagged and put up a load of toys she didn't clean up after being told to repeatedly!

(I know, I'm mean...we haven't had to throw many toys away yet though, I have a one week rule and if they keep their rooms clean, minus what they are currently playing with, all week, they get their bag(s) back - working so far.)

so, I found that dress on the floor in Nora and Sophie's room, brought it into Samantha's room and laid it on her bed, thinking maybe she just got 1/2 way to her room and got distracted (see, I'm not all mean ;-)

Imagine my surprise when 10 minutes later I came back into her room and found this:

'this' would be Samantha's 'death stare' - out of all my kids, her death scare actually scares me - or does something to me, I don't know, I just know that I melt into a million puddles on the ground when I see it.

so, after I picked myself back up and choked back my tears (I didn't even know what was the matter yet!)

I took the risk and asked, "What's the matter Samantha?"

it's a risk 'cause you just NEVER know what's on the other side.

I kid you not that sometimes she is just 'practicing' this face and burst into giggle fits when you ask her what's wrong but most of the time....and this time, it was:

"My feelings are hurt, mama."

"What happened Samantha?" (choke, gurgle, choke)

"When I didn't clean up my toys and you put them up, Sophie's baby doll clothes were in the pile and because I didn't clean them up Sophie doesn't have any doll clothes so I gave her my special dress and then you took it away from her."

(mind you, she did not say this in a snotty-little-girl way but in a genuine, my-feelings-are-hurt way, which just, rightfully so, makes me feel like the scum-of-the-earth ;-)

"Samantha, I am so sorry. I had no idea! Here, I'll go give the dress back to her right now! And Samantha, I am proud of you for not only not whining but also for sharing in such a big way (that is like her #1 special doll dress!), you go girl! do you forgive me?"

I got a faint head nod up and down.

good enough for me. hey!? her heart was broken. she did the right thing and her mama came in and messed it all up!

So, I go to give Sophie the dress and guess what.

"No, I don't wan dat one - is too big."