Triggers are Every Where

We have had a strange couple of days. I have been stewing about them, trying to sort them out, and this is what I came up with.

Wednesday night, we finished up our chores and we were watching The Cheetah Girls on TV. The movie ran past Alyssa's bed time, so I told her she could stay up to watch the end(even though she has seen the movie a million times). Well when the movie was over, I hopped up and said, OK tootz, bedtime. Alyssa got up very slowly(putz mode) and walked into her bedroom. I told her to put a scrunchy in her hair so that she didn't look like Cousin It in the morning and she completely lost it! She started screaming, crying, and she pinched me! Jeff and I got her settled down and into bed and she finally fell asleep.

Then yesterday, she was sooooooo whiney in the morning and moving in putz mode. When we got home from work/day care, she crawled up in my lap and wanted me to feed her a bottle. So, I got out her water bottle and we played baby. Jeff even got into the act and got a big towel out and "diapered" her butt! We went to church, came home, and Alyssa went to bed with no problems. This morning - AGH!!! I told Alyssa that if I heard any more whining, I was going to be forced to beat her! Her response? She laughed! I get no respect! Then she looks at me and asks if Daddy can pick her up tonight? Does she know who the weak link is or what?!

When I get home tonight her chores better be finished and her laundry put away. Otherwise Daddy's in Trouble!!!

I have given a lot of thought to Alyssa's outburst on Wednesday. First of all, they happen so rarely now that when they do happen, they freak us out! Secondly, I can usually figure out what set her off. I haven't been able to do that! I was thinking about it today at work and I kept coming back to what we were doing right before her blow up. We were watching the Cheetah Girls Movie. I kept coming back to that darn movie and then it hit me! One of the characters is a foster child and doesn't have a "real" mom! I think this triggered some big feelings and Alyssa didn't know how to handle them. So we will have a chat tonight and see if I'm right. Daddy will have to deal because I work at the bar tonight so I will have time to go home, change my clothes, and leave again. I'll let you all know what I find out!