Counting to 10

My oldest child likes numbers- she always has and probably always will. She learned to count quite early and is starting to do simple addition at three. Perhaps this affinity for numbers is to blame for the fact that she make me count to ten multiple time a day. She's not aware of my counting, mind you...but counting has saved her life on multiple occasions.

Before having children, I used to say I wasn't a baby person and that I wish kids would just come out at age three. They are hilarious at three, after all.... Now I have a three year old and yes, there are moments when she is hilarious, but there are just as many that are not so funny. I feel bad, but sometimes I just find her behavior annoying. "There is a hotdog on your head" is quite frankly no longer funny. But once she gets a laugh for something she is going to replay that baby over and over and over again hoping for the same. She loves to make us laugh and honestly, we love to laugh around here, but at the end of a long day- my humor has it's limits. These limits are not unreasonable, really:
1) I would like to cook dinner without her hanging on my leg.
2) I would like to put her brother down for five minutes without her licking his head or attempting to pick him up.
3) As aforementioned, I would like the hotdog on my head to disappear and to refrain from forcing a fake laugh to avoid bruising her fragile ego.
4) I would like any and all requests to be stated in a semi-normal tone. Why does whining become seemingly inevitable after 5pm, even with a good nap?
5) I don't like yelling/screaming in my ear or anywhere near it. In fact, I find that type of silliness appropriate only for outside, but for some reason, anything is supposed to be funny if it is stated loudly and ends with her sticking her tongue out.

Ah, bedtime has come and no more counting will be done this evening...thankfully, my dear daughter has no idea I spent much of the day breathing deeply and counting to ten before reacting to her. She is fully aware that she is loved unconditionally and secure enough to be crazy and insane- I suppose that makes today a success. An early bedtime and a little reflection will refresh me to start anew tomorrow- preparing to offer just a fraction of the love and grace God gives me on a daily basis. I wonder if he finds 32 year old grumpy moms annoying? Thank God, I have no idea if HE is breathing deeply or counting to ten, but I AM fully aware that I am loved unconditionally and secure enough to authentically communicate my feelings;) His mercies are new every morning and mine will be too!