Invasion of the body snatchers

This blog totally fell by the wayside during my pregnancy so I haven't been able to share with you all the joys of being a mom to Arianna... aka primadonna, aka dramaqueen

I joke with my Dad that we have to 'save' Daria from the primadonna effect that has so engulfed her sister.

Arianna is very needy and I'm not sure where it came from. My pregnancy had very little effect on her until I was put on bedrest yet her needy-ness started well before that. Up until then I was doing everything with her I had done before, even picking her up and carrying her around - I doubt there was a change in 'lifestyle' to initiate this change in her behavior.

I think it was aliens.

Seriously - how many kids need you to sit by their bed and hold their hands until they fall asleep? And if you make too much noise leaving their room they'll stand at the door and cry until they fall asleep on the floor? I don't see how this is comfortable for her - sleeping on the floor all night, because we can open the door to put her back in bed as she has wedged all 24 lbs. of herself between the door and the wall behind it. It has to be aliens.

How is it that the kid who LOVED bugs in the spring will suddenly totally flip out, almost to the point of tears, if something (doesn't even need to be a bug) is within eyesight? I almost drove off the road one day when from the back seat I hear (in blood curdling scream tone) "MOM!! BUG!! QUICK, GET IT GET IT!! MOM!!!" That one is aliens FOR SURE.

Not only that but its her intense need to be the center of attention at all times that really gets to you - I can't even do laundry anymore. This morning for instance she fell down the basement stairs (much to the chagrin of her nose) while trying to follow me to the laundry room. Bad bad mommy award right here! She knows, all too well, how to get her way. While nursing her sister this morning, in the recliner, she would try to wedge herself onto the arm of the chair, lean over, kiss Daria and rest her head on my shoulder while saying "I love you so much Mom". (Yes, the collected 'awww' can be heard here). But in reality - it gets old quickly. Mainly because when she does this her sister breaks her latch and starts screaming and Arianna has used her elbow as a pivot point (placed ever so nicely on my upper body somewhere) to get up and down from the chair causing me lots of pain. No, its not so cute anymore...

Toddlers... when do the aliens leave? Someone told me it could be 4 or 5... I don't think she'll make it that long.