Dear Mai,
Yesterday I found myself having the strangest argument with a three year old. I couldn't have envisioned this if I tried. You wanted Brussels sprouts for dinner and were having a fit because I wouldn't make them for you. I ordered pizza and you threw an even crazier fit. Before you think I'm an awful parent let me esplain.
We decided to travel down to Portland over the weekend to celebrate with Uncle Shawn on his birthday. It is also quite possible if the three of us were cooped up in this house together any longer we might have done something severe to each other. Oh, and we like Portland. So we are trying to get ready and head out to meet our friends Dave and Megan for lunch to help celebrate Dave's birthday first. We figured, let's just pack up and head out right after. Well, you are in this "test your boundaries" and push us phase and you were throwing a fit. I can't even remember why but it was probably something like we were awful parents and asked you to put your coat on or something. Whatever it was, there were timeouts involved, being sent to you room and all kinds of fun stuff. We finally got out of the house, and made it to lunch. Mommy and I were kind of leaning towards just not going. Maya: "No! Please! I want to go to Portland real bad!" Fine. We went to Portland. Of course we all had fun. You love staying in hotels, especially with Tito. Tito? Not so much.
On Sunday we hit the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry and you had a blast.
Just recently you've shown this new found interest and love for all things space. I showed you a picture of the cosmos with all the gases and stars the other day. Your reaction: "Oh my goodness! It's so beautiful!" It's been fun showing your more and more about our universe and beyond. It's not often we're out late enough or in a clear enough spot to see the stars but when we are you can always find the big dipper. We're working on Orion and the north star. You want to go camping so we can lay on the grass and look up in the dark night sky to see more stars. In fact you mention that you want to do that often enough that I thought it was a good time to practice camping a few weeks back. We got our sleeping backs, flash lights, played campfire songs, made smores (in the oven) and transformed our living room into "Camp Ground." You're creativity hasn't fully kicked in when it comes to naming things.
Not two minutes into laying on the ground: "I'm not comfortable at all." - Mommy: "Welcome to camping kid." You are your mother's child. Tito seemed pretty happy with the company and comforts of our Camp Ground.
Anyhow, back to Portland. After our OMSI visit, we hit the road and headed home. I don't know what the world will be like when you're old enough to drive but if we still live in the Pacific North West region you will know what we mean when we say it is a special kind of hell driving between Portland and Seattle sometimes. 5 lanes of traffic come to a complete stop sometimes for no apparent reason. This was our drive home. What should be about a 3 hour drive turned into an almost 5 hour drive. By the time we got home we all were beat and just ready to be done with they day. I had told you on Friday that I *might* make some Brussels sprouts when we got back from Portland. You were so happy you made up a Brussels sprouts song. So what happens 2 minutes after we walk in the door?
Maya: "I'm so hungry. I want Brussels sprouts!"
Daddy: "Oh Maya, Daddy is too tired to cook. Let's just get pizza or something and I'll make the Brussels sprouts tomorrow"
Maya: (screaming at the top of your lungs) "NOOO!!!!!!!!!!!! I WANT BRUSSELS SPROUTS!"
Mommy: "Go to your room! None of that nonesense"
Maya: (stomps off in a fury and a crying fit) "I WANT BRUSSELS SPROUTS"
Maya: (upstairs, in your room, with the door closed) "I... (cry, cry, cry) want... (cry, cry, cry).. BRUSSELS... (cry, cry, cry) SPROUTS"
Mommy and I were downstairs thinking, "Did we just send our kid to her room because she wanted Brussels sprouts instead of pizza?"
So after a bit we got past that episode and pizza was enjoyed by all. So today after work you finally got your Brussels sprouts for dinner. In fact you even helped me prep and cook them.
You of course loved them. You still have on and off days when it comes to food but you seem to like bitter veggies. You love Kale, Red Cabbage, Asparagus and Brussels sprouts. Let's keep that up kiddo. After some watermelon for dessert it was a pretty good evening.
Sometimes I don't know if we're awesome or awful parents. Some days I don't know if you're an angel or the devil. The one thing I know for sure kiddo is that we love you to pieces. No matter how crazy your little three year old self is or whatever your future self will be, we'll always love you. Keep up the healthy eating, curiosity, learning and exploration and you'll be just fine in this crazy world. Who knows, maybe you'll be a space explorer and get to eat space Brussels sprouts while watching the earth from the heavens above. The sky's the limit baby.
Love,
Daddy