Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Pay back sooner than expected

I was not a darling teenager. In fact, I was quite often a B*R*A*T. It is true. I know those of you who only know me as an adult are having a hard time to believe this since I'm such a darling now, but it is true.

I routinely told my mom she was "stoo-pid" "dumb" "lame" and that I didn't like her. I even told her that I hated her a couple of times. There was even one time that a really unkind, rude word escaped my lips. It happened at the dinner table and although all my siblings were shocked, no one was more shocked than I. The fact that I am alive to be telling you this can only be attributed to stake presidency meetings. If those meetings hadn't been held that night, my dad would have been at the dinner table and I would have been toast! My mother didn't say a word. She bit her lip (literally and figuratively) and a single tear ran down her cheek. I think that was a turning point for me. That was punishment indeed.

I've figured that I will have times with Eden when I am punished again. Now that I know a mother's love and sacrifice, I know that I will remember with hightened pain how cruel I was at times. I have been anticipating that pain (the pain of a obstinate daughter and the pain brought on by new awareness of how cruel I really had been to my own loving mother) to arrive in about ten years.

However, the payback has come a little sooner than anticipated. For the past several nights Eden has refused to give me a kiss good night (she finally did last night when Phil asked her to, but not when I asked). Then today as I changed her diaper the following conversation took place:

Eden: "Sister Hollie" (her nursery leader)
Mommy: "Does Sister Hollie love you?"
Eden: "Yes."
Mommy: "Does mommy love you?"
Eden: "No, Sister Hollie."
Mommy: "Yes, Sister Hollie does love you. Does mommy love you too.."
Eden: "No. Sister Hollie, friend."
Mommy: "Sister Hollie is a good friend who loves you. Mommy loves you too."
Eden: "No ... love you mommy."

She's totally messing with me. She's got my number and she knows it. Think how well she'll have this mastered in the next ten years!

Agony, I tell ya!

6 response(s):

Layne said...

The Hulk is ours. He's a grudge-holder and often refuses to hug us before he stomps off to bed. I hate it. It makes me feel terrible.

Kathy said...

There is nothing truer in the world than this: the best punishment for a mean kid is for that kid to have kids of his/her own! Heavenly Father gives them to us as loveable, kissable, helpless babies for a reason! (And what do we do? We teach them to talk--dumb, dumb, dumb.)

Porters said...

Oh the horror! Just kidding. Well, I think I knew you when you were younger (probably older than the "phase" you are speaking of), and I think you will be blessed to have a girl who turns out like you.

What about those poor mammas who get blessed by a "MIL curse"! I'm really not prepared for my future! Luckily I will have fond memories of when he was little, and the Lord to turn to for 'instructions' for those days ahead.

Alisha said...

Eden, Eden...she is already good at pushing buttons...I have a little one like that...hmmmm.

amy greenway said...

Um, I'd be miffed too if my mom made a prom dress for someone else and not for me! ;) I'm kidding.

It's all a show, she'll come around and be your sweet little love again.

michelle@somedaycrafts said...

Cadence, unfortunately, does this to me. It breaks my heart. When dad gets home, she doesn't speak to me. When baby #2 came, she was done loving me and allowing me to love her. Sad!!!