PMS baby

Ladybug is at that age where she’s full of emotion but doesn’t quite know how to express it.

If she’s having trouble with a task – say, pulling the zipper of her pocketbook open – she’ll scream and throw it if she doesn’t succeed after two or three attempts.

If she’s excited, she’ll hit whoever happens to be standing next to her.

If you happen to be holding her at the time, Lord have mercy. She’ll give your shoulder a gnawing that will put a pitbull’s chew toy to shame.

This week, she demonstrated a new emotion: embarrassment.

I had just given her a cup of yogurt and was walking toward the kitchen sink when I heard a kaplunk. I turned around and the cup was on the floor. Yogurt had splattered on Ladybug’s high chair, the wall, the cabinets, everywhere.

“Did you drop that by accident or on purpose?” I asked.

It was a legitimate question. She’s capable of eating from a cup on her own although she does have a tendency to have butter fingers. On the other hand, she’s been known to toss food when she’s no longer hungry.

Ladybug looked at me and then dropped her head forward in shame. Her shoulders slumped and she sunk down in her chair. All of a sudden, I was the one that felt bad.

“Oh, honey, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to embarrass you,” I apologized. “It’s just that when you don’t want anymore, you say ‘All done.’ We don’t throw food on the floor.”

I leaned in to give her a kiss on the forehead and felt a shooting pain go through my nose. Ladybug had headbutted me.

Now that’s a coping mechanism to remember.

You think that will work the next time I forget to mail the bills?

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