Saturday, we had Kiera’s birthday party. It was the perfect little party. She played hard with all of her friends and we were all exhausted by the time the party was over, but we wouldn’t have had it any other way.
Sunday turned into a recovery day for us. I had some work to catch up on so I headed for the bedroom to work while Aaron and Kiera played with some of her new toys.
I have two small desks in our house. One is set up in the living room so that if I am working, I am still close to my little family and all that is going on. The other desk is set up in our bedroom. It actually doubles as a vanity/writing desk. If I need quiet to write or work, then it is where I retreat. I just have to shove makeup and hair products to the side. But, hey, whatever works, right?
Once I got my desk situated, I hunkered down and tried to knock out as much as I could so that later I could relax for a bit with the family. From time to time, Kiera would wander in to let me know what was going on in the living room. Her reports varied as the day wore on.
Kiera can go from being on top-of-the-world to the-world-is-crashing-around-my-feet in just a few minutes when she is tired. And she was tired on Sunday.The first time she came in the bedroom she was giggling hysterically about something her Daddy had said. The next time she came in the bedroom, she was all pouty lips and dragging feet. After assuring my tired, little drama queen that “Daddy was not being mean, he had a reason for telling her no,” she tucked her lip back in and dashed to the living room.
After a couple of hours, Aaron and Kiera moved their party into the bedroom where I sat working at the desk. I think it was actually unintentional. First, Aaron came in to check on my progress. He lay out on the bed to talk with me for a few minutes as I continued to work.
Next, Kiera entered the room and climbed on the bed. From that moment on, there was total chaos. I sat with my back to them while working and listened to them laugh and be silly.
Before too long, their silliness turned into wrestling. Kiera loves to wrestle with her Daddy. Well, I call it wrestling. It’s more like Kiera throws some punches, jumps on Aaron and he tries to protect vital parts of his body…like the kidney, eyes, ribs, etc.
I tried not to laugh as I heard the occasional “ouch” from Aaron as Kiera plowed her elbow into his ribs and kidney. Honestly, I was thankful it wasn’t me. The child has got some strength behind that punch.
At one point, Aaron rolled onto his stomach with his arms around his head. Kiera never let up. She lay on the bed and ‘gently’ kicked Aaron in the head.
“Ouch!” His cry was slightly muffled from hiding his face in the mattress. Kiera continued to giggle as she tried to tell him it was an accident.
Finally, my poor husband, tried to appeal to Kiera’s softer side. He let out a small wail and pretended to cry.
By this time, I had turned to watch the show. Kiera stood up straight and towered over Aaron as he lay on the bed. “Wait…are you crying!?” She asked.
“Yeeesss,” Aaron wailed.
Drawing herself up to her full height, she tossed her shoulders back before barking at Aaron, “Step it up, mister! This is the Army! There’s no crying!”
We both dissolved into fits of laughter as Kiera continued to try and look tough.
I never know what to expect from this child.
Rowonna McNeely is a graphic artist for Willie’s T’s Screenprint & Embroidery. She is a mother of a five-year-old girl and step mother of two adult girls. Her crazy life includes a dog, Sloane and psychotic cat, Gracie. Both females. She is married to her prince, who is outnumbered by the opposite gender.
