Remember When ↠ l.p.

Nicknames and stubbornness

"Tessie, don't you want to use the big girl potty?" I plead with her. This is the first time she's being a bit impossible with me. Some days there are little things, but today she has been talking back and refusing to do anything that I tell her. She didn't want to eat her peas earlier at lunch and threw a toy at the wall when Cailyn wouldn't play what she wanted earlier. It's a few days after her birthday party with her parents and it seems she's already becoming a very stubborn three year old.

"NO. I don't wanna!!" she protests, trying to wiggle out of my grip and run away from where we crouch by the toilet. 

"Well why not?" I ask her as I rearrange my grip on her and force her to look up at me. "You've got to learn sometime. And your parents would want you to try. Come on, just sit up there for a minute and try for me."

"I don't gotta wee. Lemme go." she slaps at my hands and wiggles more desperately. 

"Well that's not what you said a few minutes ago." I frown at her, standing up slowly and nudging the door closed behind us. "Theresa, you need to try to use the big potty, come on."

"Noooo!" she howls as I drag her over to the toilet. 

"Theresa, come on. Don't be silly. Do you really want to wee in your pull-up and have it feel icky? You said that you didn't like it just a few minutes ago. You even said you would try on the big toilet for me."

"I like it now! I don't gotta wee." she digs her heels in, which doesn't help much on the tile floor. "Izzy stop! I don't wanna!"

I exhale slowly. "Theresa, you need to sit on the toilet for at least a minute. If nothing happens then you can get off. But you're sitting on the big potty and that's final." With that said I scoot her as close to the toilet as I'm able to and pull down her pants and pull-up and lift her on. She's sniffling and a tear trickles down her cheek as she looks up at me sadly.

"I don't like it. Izzy, the potty's scary." she whimpers out, twisting and trying to get off.

"It's not scary, Cailyn uses it. I use it. There's nothing to be afraid of." I rub my thumb on her skin where I'm holding her. "Okay? Now, please try to wee for me." She makes a face but stops struggling as much as she was. A minute passes and nothing happens. She smirks stubbornly as I help her change her pull-up and wait as she washes her hands. "Thank you for trying Tessie," I call after her as she runs down the hall to find Cailyn.

* * * *

"Hey there," I greet Liam tiredly later that day. The girls woke up from their short nap with a lot of energy and as it was too late to take them to the park I've been trying to wear them down by playing games indoors. So far it only resulted in getting worn out myself. 

"How was she today?" he asks, frowning slightly at my lack of enthusiasm. "Did she give you any trouble?"

"Yes, actually. She gave me a little. She's been very fond of the word 'no' today and wouldn't use the toilet the three times I tried to get her to today." I fix my ponytail and rest my hands on my hip, watching as the girls run around the kitchen and living room, completely ignoring the fact that Liam is here. "Girls! Liam's here, go get Tessie's stuff ready, thank you." 

"Sh- I mean, crap. I'm sorry. She's been a bit trying at home too, hopefully it's just a phase, yeah?" he chuckles. "Feel free to take bribe her or tell her she can't watch a movie if she doesn't try to wee on it."

I nod. "If she's still doing it tomorrow, I'll do one or the other." Cailyn runs up to hug me from behind, making me stumble a little and Liam to put his hand on my shoulder to steady me. "Careful mija." she hands me Tessie's bag and I smile down at her. "Where is Theresa?"

"She's comin," Cailyn says, pointing behind her without looking. She kisses the back of my leg. "I love you mommy."

"Love you too," I murmur as I pat her head awkwardly. "I hope you two got out some energy running around," I share a glance with Liam "they woke up very well rested and while I've been trying to wear them out a bit, I didn't seem to help much." 

He grins and beckons Tessie to him as she walks toward the doorway slowly. "I can play with her some around the house after dinner if she's still hyper. Thanks, uh, Izzy." he winks at me as he accepts Tessie's bag.

"Are you trying that out as a nickname? Because it isn't really working for you as well as it does for your daughter." I tease as I give Tessie a quick squeeze as she walks towards her dad.

"Well I'll have to try a new one tomorrow," he laughs. "see you then!" 

Sorry I missed yesterday, I had half of this written but then I got sick and forgot to publish it. So I made it a bit longer for today. Vote & comment? ^-^