Friday, 6th o September 2002
Olaia Studying for the Bar Exam
Olaia, the Attorney, or Why We Need Legal Counsel to Raise Our Daughter
By Laura
I am working at my desk, which is these days next to the living room so I am working at the same time that I am easily engaged in our daugher's day. At times I am there to remind her that Mommy and Daddy don't approve of "Ed, Edd and Eddy" nor of "Courage the Cowardly Dog". Sometimes we both dance and sing with "The Wiggles". I also ensure the TV is off, mind you.
On one such ocassion, it was late in the afternoon, roughly 3pm. Olaia surfaces from playing in her bedroom. She walks around our small house with a sense of ownership, knowing exactly what she wants and getting it. She walks over to the kitchen, opens the pantry doors, and gets a big canister of Export Sodas, soda crackers, and places it on my desk. "Mami, can I have a peanut butter jelly crackers?" she pleads.
"No, Olaia you ate a burger for lunch and said you were very full. Wait for dinner."
"Awww...", she whines and leaves hanging her head,feeling defeated. Oh, the rough life and melodrama of a 3 year old!
An hour later, Olaia, who had been watching Bob the Builder (in Spanish!), comes to me now with a little can of cashews. "Mami can I have some?". I am surprised my baby is looking for something to eat.
"She must be growing" I think to myself. Looking at the clock, i see it is nearing 5pm and say to her, "Olaia, Mami will start cooking soon, so no snacks, sweetie." TNT asks celebs, what is drama? Drama? Ask Olaia!
Again I hear "Awww...". Now I have cashew and crackers lining my desk.
I was about to finish my work day when Olaia comes to me and says, as she places her hand on the two containers, "Mami can I have this or this?"
"Sweetie, are you hungry? Mami will cook dinner soon." I turn to finish typing an email.
Then Olaia grabs my face between her hands and says sternly, "Mami, you DIDN'T ANSWER MY QUESTION! I asked you which one this one or this one?!"
Seeing as my distraction tactic did not work, I seek to sidestep the question yet again. I am feeling trapped, "must find a way out!". "Olaia, obviously you are hungry, what do you want for dinner? I don't want you snacking."
"Mami" she is now trying for a calmer approach, "Mami, you have to choose one, this one or this one."
"Perhaps all she wants is to play," I think. "OK, Olaia, this one" I point to the cashews.
"Thank you, Mom!"
I detect a clear cut sense of accomplishement and success in her. Hmmm, maybe she wasn't just playing. She leaves with her cashews, opens them and begins to snack.