Ornery little bugger...

Ornery. That’s what he is.

Stinkin ornery.

For the past 2.5 weeks Jude has decided to pay Mama & Daddy back for taking away his “Baba”.
He’s coping quite well with the separation as he’s decided to replace his beloved blanket with his father.

Daddy must now be the one he snuggles while watching a video.
Daddy has to be the one to check on him during the night when he throws himself into a screaming tirade.
Daddy is the one who must console him when he gets an ouchy.
Daddy is the one he screams for when he loses sight of him.
Daddy is the one he clings to when he’s feeling insecure.

Only, Daddy is at work for 10 hours…every day.
Daddy has music practice 2 evenings a week.
Daddy doesn’t sit with us at church.
And sometimes, Daddy needs a little breathing space.

So, who gets to enjoy the full gamut of Jude’s rage?

Mama.

Mama gets to greet him in the mornings when he looks at her with contempt and says, “Daddy!”
Mama gets to clutch his screaming, squirming little body when he's filled with fury because Daddy wasn’t there to comfort him when he fell.

Mama gets to hold him back, as he's kicking & screaming, and trying to run up on the stage with Daddy during church.
Mama gets to battle with him for 2 hours every day at nap as he defiantly throws every pillow, blanket & teddy bear off his bed. And gets up and plays with his brother. And makes sure to squeal and laugh and make a ruckus in order to keep his brother awake, too.

And grins when Mama opens the door.
And grins when Mama gets after him.
And grins when he wakes up his sister.
And grins. And grins.
And then starts again from the beginning.

Because, after all, who could stay angry at such an ornery thing when he's so stinkin cute, too?

He soooo knows.