MY OJ

Sometimes I ponder my daughter. I think on her a lot. She is sparky and energetic, bright and beautiful. She's also willful and independent, bossy and sassy. She actually told me the other day she was too busy to thank Wyatt for giving her something (I can't actually remember now). I was stunned. I think it took me a good twenty seconds to recover and actually reprimand her for her snotty behavior. Seriously? Shocked!



My husband is mostly at a loss when it comes to this girl. She LOVES her daddy, and gives him a ton of affection and vice versa. But when it comes to discipline, its like Jarrod has not been a father before her. He carefully walks that punishment line. Where I discipline generally the same for each child, age adjusted of course. A typical punishment in our house is the time-out in a corner for a period of time equal to their age. OJ is so NOT fond of this punishment, she like her brother Luke, are "negotiators." Instead of heading straight for their time-out, they question our judgement, which means they usually tell us they are being sent to time-out unjustly. Second, they cry and/or stomp their feet, fall to the ground(Luke does not proceed to this step), wail and flail around. Jarrod is in way over his head. OJ's a girl, and therefore is handled differently by him. He usually, if I'm home, will look at me with that look. Of despair, "help me!", kind of a look. I have typically jumped in because I am firm with her and demand obedience and respect. This isn't to say my husbands a pushover or a giant mush, I think he simply is unfamiliar with how to deal with raising a girl.



Sometimes I forget she's only four. She is just so strong-willed. I love this about her, except when she refuses to do the things asked of her. On any given day she will be all sweetness and light and make her bed, get dressed, help with her brother and help me with whatever needs tending to. On others its a whole day battle. She refuses to get dressed, hates all her clothes. Won't make her bed unless she is helped, because its too hard. How can I make such a small fragile little girl make her own bed? She will continually boss her baby brother, torment her older ones, and whine incessantly. *sigh*

I actually do sigh as I type this. I don't write this to belittle OJ in any way. She is tough as nails, and dainty as a flower. She's my girl. She's her brothers (all four of them!) only sister. Daddy's little girl. I can't believe she's SO DIFFERENT!

We visit my mom on a weekly basis, and every time we do she says how much she wants to live with my mom. Well duh! Who wouldn't? She is spoiled, loved, given treats, they have toys we don't. Mom has so much patience, where I'll fall flat. But that's grandparents. They're not in the thick of it anymore. So finally OJ's chance to spend time with grandma and grandpa all alone, no siblings, no cousins, just her! She spent the night on Saturday, went to church with my mom and dad, they got donuts, helped mom organize her kitchen (my dad called it "playing house"). When I called after we got out of church, mom thought OJ should decide if she should spend the night again. I agreed, talked to her, and NO she didn't want to come home. Okay. We went home to finish our Sunday.

A couple hours later, my mom calls, and tells me OJ wants to come home and that she's getting teary. I really do love her independence, but I love that she still needs me more. I do have to say that the boys called it. When discussing OJ on the way home, Luke said, "she may Want to spend the night again, but she's gonna get lonely." I thought no way, no how. But he was right and she did. This family just would NOT be the same without her. She keeps us all on our toes.