For some reason she wanted her hair washed and despite the rule that she not get it wet before she leave in twenty degree weather she HAD to wash it so it would smell beautiful for her teacher. Okay, that was comical. However, she KNOWS that if she does that I will dry it with a the blow drier because a towel simply won't do the trick! It's too cold.
She hates me doing that and at one point I had a brush in one hand, the hair dryer in the other and I was trying to turn her around to get the other side of her head which was out of reach the way she was standing. She got angry because she didn't want to move and snapped her head back planting her cheek on the end of the hair dryer. Thankfully she's not burned.
Then came brushing the teeth. That was a nightmare. She has been doing this herself finally. I think my son as well as me have all been trying to encourage her to take care of these small things herself. She's a big girl. Today she was satisfied with running her brush over one side of her teeth .. with one stroke and wouldn't brush them correctly.
I didn't think twice and I started to brush them. I keep telling her the reason I don't like to brush her teeth is because I can't feel them and she won't hold still. "Open, I need to get the back of your teeth." At this point the tongue poked out. No.. stick your tongue back in and let me brush your teeth. With one hand I'm holding her hair so it will stay out of the toothpaste mess and the other I'm trying to watch in the mirror what I'm doing when she decides she's done and tries to swing her head away. The next thing I knew blood was spilling out of her mouth.
I tried to flush it with water and it wasn't quitting. I ran to the kitchen looking for tea bags and of course we are out. She was sitting on the stairs with no clothes on holding her towel to her mouth and finally said, "They will come home and I'm naked!" So we went up to dress.
This is what she told me after she quit crying. "You hit a tooth and the blood went all over my body and the bathroom wall!" She says it was an accident.. all I know is that I was brushing her teeth and then blood was spilling out of her mouth. The two of us were freaked out even though I KNOW the slobber and water are making it look worse than it really is. It is still terribly unsettling to know I caused this. But really, it wouldn't have happened had she stood still and not tried to fight me brushing her teeth.. in fact.. it would have for certain not happened if she had brushed her own teeth.
I sent a note to school, got her off to school and I swear the whole morning has been like this. She was off to go next door, our neighbor drives her with his daughter to school. She popped back in with a pair of her missing gloves. "Grandma, he found my gloves!" I told her I was happy and have a good day, I love you.. I always say this but the door was already closing. I turned back into the kitchen for a MUCH needed cup of coffee when the door popped open again and that sweet voice chimed, "I love you too!" and then just as quickly she was gone.
My husband and the boys walked in and I came out and asked her father if she was with her mother yesterday. He looked almost ready to back up.. and said, last night she spent time with her, why? My husband, who has seen the jeckyll hyde nature of her before piped up and informed him that every time she spends time with her mother she's a pain to try and deal with.
Before she left while I was trying to write a note for her teacher so she got more than "grandma, tooth, blood all over my body." and she tried to tell me I had to tell her I was sorry for hurting her. I tried to tell her she would also have to tell me she's sorry for having a temper tantrum when I'm trying to help her. That mouth opened and she started to whine and cry and tell me I had to tell her I was sorry.
Finally, AFTER she started to listen I did tell her I was sorry and she said, "I'm sorry I acted out when you brushed my teeth."
Big hugs ensued and I told her to please try to find a way to get control of her tantrums because they are becoming dangerous. She has to be able to spend an evening with her mother and not come and behave this way. What is the connection?
