Parenting

No one said it was going to be easy to parent a child, but I didn't realize it would be so hard at times.  I remember the first couple of months being a new parent and all I worried about was making sure my baby was feed, bathed, pooped, etc.  Those days were actually easy compared to taking care of a toddler.  Parker is such a sweet and lovable child.  People are always coming up to me in a store telling me how cute he is.  I think he melts them with his smile.  We are having major issues with listening and hitting.  Now, he does listen to his daddy but not mommy.  Here are a few examples from the weekend:

1)  Lee went out of town on Friday to go Turkey hunting and fishing so it was just little man and I until Saturday night.  I picked Parker up from daycare and headed to Walmart.  We were going to my hometown for a baby shower early the next day and I needed to get a gift.  I decided while I was in there to grab a few items that I knew that we needed.  BIG MISTAKE!!!  It all started when we got out of the car and he wanted to walk.  I told him know because we don't allow his to walk in a parking lot.  So he screams and all the girl scout mom's look at me like I'm crazy as we walk in the door.  I let him down at that point and told him he has to stay right by me or we would make a trip to the bathroom.  You know as well as I do, I wasn't going to take him to the bathroom.  He would run in front of other people, run way ahead of me down an isle, etc.  I was give out from constantly telling him to come back.  I typically never take him to the store with me, and you see why. 

2)  We leave Daphne around 7:10 Saturday morning to head up to Chatom.  Typical toddler, he needs to potty and there is no station around.  He said he could hold it so within 5 minutes we were at a gas station.  I get to the door and there is a sign that says "BATHROOM OUT OF ORDER, SORRY!"  I know my poor child can't hold it for 15 more minutes so I pull to the side of the building, open both passenger doors and let him do him business.  My aunt watched Parker while I went to the baby shower.  I picked him up around 1:30 and took him over to play with my friends little boy.  We get there and he would not listen to me and kelp hitting Max.  I know her parents think I can't control my child, and they may actually be right.  I was so disappointed.  We head back to my grandmother's house so I could get him ready to go take Easter pictures.  He kelp doing the opposite of what I was telling him to do.  Pictures went great and finally at 6:00 we were on the road home which is about 1 hour 20 minutes.  I know he was acting up because he had not taken a nap and that's my fault.  The drive went okay for the first 20 minutes and he pitched a fit about every little thing the rest of the way home.  My blood was boiling by the time I got home.  I felt like the biggest failure of a mom because I had allowed my child to treat me like crap the past 2 days.

I hate being the mean one but I know I have to be consistent and make him mind me.  He doesn't treat his daddy like that and he should not treat me like that.  It's okay to be stern and for him to know when I mean business.  I love being a mommy and love every minute I have with Parker.  If I continue to let him "run over me" as my husband says, it will only get worse.