Don't Cry Over Spilled Milk

Gracie has been so funny today. She came up to me earlier and asked for some milk. I had JUST started to feed Kairi though, so I explained that I couldn't get it right that second but I would be happy to get her some when I was finished.

Clearly she was bummed so she started whining.

"But Moo-ooohm!" she complained. "I'm THIRSTY!"

"I know you're thirsty, Gracie, but I am feeding Kairi right now. You saw me pick her up and ask her if she was hungry. In fact, it seems to me that you intentionally waited until I was busy with your sister to ask me. So, you will have to wait because I am busy right now."

"But Moo-ooohmmmm!!!" she moaned. "I'm thirsty right. NOW!"

I shifted my gaze from Kairi, who was peacefully and contentedly eating, to Gracie who was slumped down with her arms crossed and her foot tracing an invisible figure-eight on the floor. I knew that if I didn't tread lightly this confrontation would turn sour quickly and I would end up with not one, but two whiny daughters.

"So, tell me Gracie," I started in a playful manner, "just WHAT is going to happen if you have to wait for your milk?"

I caught a glimpse of an extremely short-lived smile as she looked up. She caught the silliness in my voice, but didn't want me to know that she was game just yet.

"Well.... I.... I," she stammered. "I think....? I think I might die." I was surprised at how well she maintained her poker face throughout this conversation; her only tell being the snippet of a smile I caught a moment before.

"Really? You might.... die???" I was trying not to giggle at her dramatization.

She gave me a stern look. "Yes. I'm gonna die. I'm gonna die if you don't go get me my milk right now."

I thought about where to go from here for a moment. Kairi was almost asleep and if I could just drag this out for a couple more minutes I could keep both my girls happy and in the end maintain my good mood.

"Huh," I was stalling. "We-ellll.... You know, I think I might miss you if you were to die. Do you think you could avoid dying for just a few more minutes?"

Gracie was a little puzzled by my response. It caught her off guard. She took a moment before speaking. "No. I'm gonna die. And you can't stop me. So go get my milk. Please." She was maintaining her position pretty well. What can I say? Stubbornness doesn't run in the family, it gallops.

I decided that if I was going to keep this going much longer I would have to change my approach a bit. As I reached for the camera I saw those gorgeous blue eyes of hers light up. She knew what was coming and it was clear that she liked it.

"Gracie," I turned the camera on and switched it to movie mode, "would you mind telling the camera what you've just told me?"

She repeated her story, just as I knew she would. And just as she was finishing I felt Kairi's head drop as she conked out into a deep sleep. I laid her down for her nap and got Gracie her glass of milk. And lucky for me, she didn't die.