Super Koala Bear Back In Action

I am was in the room preparing for my night meeting last night and I heard Charlotte started crying for mommy soon after I left the living room. In fact, I just came back from Charlotte's weekly music class at the Kindermusik but I had to sneak out to get ready for my night meeting. I knew and expecting to hear a crying baby as soon as she realized that I am out of sight.

Charlotte was like a koala bear before she turned one. I still remember when I left for a business trip to US with a very heavy heart that time. I didn't have a maid but it took Charlotte about 2 months to accept Brenda when she came on Nov 2006. I had a little bit more time and space for myself since then as Brenda is indeed a very capable and sincere. I was able to have a nice bath after came back work without having to rush out half way through, able to have a complete meal without having to carry a crying baby in between, able to drop off Charlotte at MIL's place in the morning without leaving a crying baby behind and with a heavy heart to office and etc.

Lately, all these situations came back. It started very obviously when Charlotte turned two. She is not letting me to have my dinner when I come back from work. She wants me to be around her, or just inches away. She is not letting me to go to toilet, she is not letting me sitting on the dining table in the morning and have breakfast, (I have to bring my breakfast and sit with her on the couch), she is not letting me to go to work (she cries and screams for "mommy come!" as I drove away), and etc. I have to make myself "disappear" every night but hearing her crying for mommy just breaks my heart. I tried to explain to her, such as "mommy needs to go to work, for Charlotte to buy toy and buy nen nen" but her response is always "no!".

A short conversation with her yesterday:

Charlotte: where daddy?
Me: daddy go to work already
Charlotte: where mommy?
Me: mommy here, but mommy also needs to go to work
Charlotte: no!
Me: mommy needs to go to work for Charlotte to buy toy
Charlotte: no no!

(she pause for awhile)

Charlotte: charlotte work also
Me: huh? Charlotte wants go to work also?
Charlotte: yes, Charlotte go work also
Me: Charlotte work where?
Charlotte: queensbay mall *slap head*

Me: Charlotte go queensbay mall work?
Charlotte: yes.............. go run!!!! *double slap head*

I think she didn't get the meaning of mommy and daddy going to work, she must be thinking we go shopping and having fun but not bringing her along.

When we go to the mall, she also and only wants me to carry her (that is after enough of running and exercise). Only after much negotiations (and cries sometimes) either Auntie Brenda or daddy will forcefully carry her away because of my injured wrist. I suffered a wrist injury and I had 2 steroid injections last year alone. I have to be really careful and not to hurt it again as the doctor said next time will be a surgery if the pain comes back. When she sees me wearing my wrist guard, she'll say "mommy hand pain pain". I told her yes, mommy cannot carry Charlotte, mommy hand is painful. Immediately she will ask me to take off the wrist guard, and she'll say "mommy can carry Charlotte" (smart!)

She is so possessive of me that she doesn't let anyone to have my attention sometimes. How? Lately, she will stop anyone to have any conversation with me. If daddy or Auntie Brenda or her grandma talks to me, she will put her palms on my cheeks and turn my face and redirect my full attention to her by keep calling "mommy, mommy, mommy...!!!" or sometimes she says "stop! stop! stop!". She didn't actually has anything to say, she just looked at me and smiled. If I continue chatting away, she will start wailing until she has my full attention.

These are some of Charlotte's Terrible-Two "specialties" so far. I only pray that she will be more understanding when she passes the stage. For now, I just need to accept the fact that my little koala bear is now back in action, this time she is a Super koala bear!