I think that every new parent approaching toddler-hood wonders if his/her child will stage the frightening tantrum that the entire grocery store hears. I know that I've been thinking about that lately, especially since our baby girl is experimenting with deliberate defiance. Kayleigh has been napping and sleeping poorly; as a result, she is overtired and very impatient. I know her brain chemistry is changing rapidly, making her unable to control some of these changes ... but the defiance, she can control ... and we're actively working on that. Nevertheless, I find it amusing that no matter how she's behaving prior to our shopping trip, what I get at the store is anybody's guess. It could be this:

[caption id="attachment_469" align="aligncenter" width="640" caption="Happy at the Store"][/caption]

OR it could be THIS:

[caption id="attachment_470" align="aligncenter" width="640" caption="Tired at the Store"][/caption]

Yesterday, after "sleeping" through most of the grocery store visit, we looked outside and saw a torrential downpour. I was carrying Benjamin in the Baby Bjorn (facing out, so he was exposed to the elements), and Kayleigh was riding in the cart. She saw the rain and immediately woke up. She was so excited to get wet. The thunder was clapping all around, and we saw at least three lightning flashes while we were walking to the car. My sleepy daughter was IN HER GLORY! She was so excited ... I heard, "OOOOHHH RAIN!!!! and THUNDER BOOM BOOM! SEE thunder!" After we got in the car (soaking wet, despite a stranger's kind attempts to shelter the babies with her umbrella), Kayleigh looked all over for the thunder. As soon as we got home she RAN to the lower windows and parked it, watching the rain fall. I was grateful for a chance to put away the groceries without her usual, "Want some of THAT! ... OOOH Want some of THAT! ... Momma .. some of that!!!" She was so engrossed in her "rain watching" that she never even saw me coming to take her photo. Notice the drenched hair and clothing ... :)

[caption id="attachment_471" align="aligncenter" width="640" caption="Watching it Rain"][/caption]

Ahh well, all in the day's "work." I do love my life - despite it's challenges sometimes.