AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!!

I'm having one of those days. On what will most likely prove to be my busiest day of the week, my middle daughter, has decided to act out in a myriad of ways.  Forget the pre-dawn bed invasion...I'm used to that.  It started out like any other ordinary Monday.  Off to school for Jordan. It's "No TV Monday" in the house-- our family Lenten Promise. So Olivia and Ava played together this morning while I hurried to finish the grocery list and get us off to the store before Jordan finished up her half day Kindergarten.

At 10:15am, I knew we had to hustle but we could realistically make it to the grocery store and the 11:30 pick up.  I told Ava that she would have to join us instead of heading over to the Eagle's Nest (the place I throw the two older kids on a normal shopping excursion).  They have those double shopping carts at the store so I buckled Livi in and told Ava that she didn't have to be buckled if she could sit in her seat the whole time.   Things were going fine until Ava decided to stand up in the cart at every stop and was getting into Livi's Face.  I told her 3 seperate times to sit down (first mistake, I should have given her one warning and then buckled her.)  Finally I did strap her in and she had a complete FIT!  I am really lucky, usually my kids are very well behaved in the store. Not today. Ava was literally screaming from the frozen food section (halfway point) to the register.  Shouting, growling, mean little fit she had.  I tried a combination of ignoring and speaking through clenched teeth. My blood was boiling though.  (2nd mistake, I should have given her NO attention whatsoever.) 

When we got to the register an over friendly bagger that usually oohs and aahs over my kids tried to soothe Ava...Even though I told her that she was misbehaving and that she shouldn't be talked too.  (Please Bagger, mind your own business, do your job, and let me be the mom.) Ava just sobbed through their whole conversation and was getting more wound up from the attention.  FINALLY we were out of there.  And as Ava's audience began to shrink to the few customers that were entering the store as we exited her tears dried up and she was quiet!  Should have ignored her from the start.

We were 10 minutes late to pick up Jordan. 

At home, I made lunch and then we had to make ANOTHER trip out to the store. This time K-mart. That trip was pleasant an uneventful...I guarantee it was because I was buying things for the girls.

Back at home, I began to straighten the house, put a load of laundry in, tidy the livingroom and load the dishwasher so I could begin to work on treats for Ava's preschool Easter Party tomorrow. I'm in charge of the snack. I opted for egg shaped Rice Crispy Treats dipped in chocolate and festively sprinkled. But not before I had to referee a fight between the girls!  Ava pulled Jordan's hair (Jordan tattled---annoying), and then she refused to come downstairs when I asked her to come and talk to me about it so I had to go up and drag her out of the playroom. I gave a her a time out and stern talking too.  I may have swatted her on the butt too, but to no avail. 

A mere hour and half later she is back at it...she knocked Livi down in the Kitchen. Made her cry and then ran away when I asked her to help Livi up and apologize. MY BLOOD IS BOILING.

I have had it! AND  I just don't get it because, of course, every technique that worked with Jordan fails miserably with Ava.  Time out, Reasoning, taking things away, threats, shouting, spanking. It doesn't matter. She knows exactly how to get a rise out of me.  She can be the sweetest and the most horrible kid within a matter of minutes.  I am at the end of a fraying rope with her.  

We have dance class tonight and I have book club after that.  My husband is working late and she picks today to turn into a little monster. 

I need some tips for her.  She is strong willed, temperamental, stubborn, and feisty and I am running out of patience.  She doesn't seem phased by any disciplinary technique we have tried. Oh, she will work up some tears, but I just don't think it ever sinks in.  I don't see genuine remorse from her and I can't stand it. She lives life on her own terms and that's just how it is. Or is it??

I hate feeling this way too...A few deep breaths...and nope, not better. 

Here comes one of them "What are we having for dinner?" Sheesh.