Tantrums

Rachel is real spit fire- always has been. She can argue and manipulate like no other. She is conniving, stubborn and willful and to be honest generally just a bit naughty. But she is a cute enough it is pretty easy to look past all that. She doesn't throw to many tantrums. She actually hardly ever does, but when she does-watch out. We were hit with two major tantrums during our Oregon vacation. Both of which were on the way home. Not surprisingly she was exhausted and tired of driving and all that came out when she didn't want to go to Jack in the Box for dinner. I believe the entire town of Redding knew that she did not want to go to Jack in the Box. She had never been there before so it's not like she'd had a previous bad experience or anything. She didn't even know what it was or have an alternative place she did want to go- but she didn't care all she knew is she did not want to go there. She made that loud and clear. Well after her opinion became apparent to the whole town Rick picked her up and wrestled her into her car seat, did up the buckle which didn't do any good since she just immediately undid them, and started driving her around town. She screamed and kicked and threw things and threatened and spit until her body couldn't take it anymore. When she was broken enough to calm down and she quite gasping for breath the way babies do after their all cried out she sat up and sweetly said, "I'm sorry Daddy- can we go in now" Initially Rick said no but after she sat quietly for a few minutes he gave her another chance. They came back in and she sat down and ate all her dinner as happy as a clam.

We got to Salt Lake and Anna needed to pee. We really didn't want to stop and decided a wet seat would be less desirable so we pulled into a truck stop. Everyone got out to go. Rachel didn't want to. She had to go but she wanted to go by the side of the road. Once again the whole town heard her peeing preference. I am not sure how we made it through that one. I was extremely tempted to sell her to the truck drivers - of course it would have taken a miracle to find someone who would take her. Eventually she did go but listening to the lady in the stall next to us laughing at us was pretty humiliating. I would have probably laughed to if I heard a little girl screaming, "I want to go pee by the side of the road" over and over again.