Girls vs boys

So, I must admit that my little bundle of sweet brown sugar has caught me totally unawares. Because of her, I am experiencing a whole new world of motherhood that was never introduced to me with Dylan. Drawing on everything, throwing food (and I don't just mean onto the floor, I mean THROWING food- She has an arm!!), and tantrums... Oh, the tantrums. I don't understand how a 7 month old (yes, they started at 7 months) can figure out that she can drop herself to the ground and throw herself around like a fish out of water,screaming at a pitch unreachable to every other human being on the planet!! Other than it must somehow be programmed into her DNA. Or is it a female issue?? The fact remains, that they have gotten progressively worse with age... So, when she is laying on the grocery store floor, kicking, writhing, and screaming at the top of her very large lungs, what is a mother to do?? So far, my strategy has been to turn away and laugh so she can't see me laughing.

I am to the conclusion that God thinks I have some major improvements to make in the patience department. He cares more for our character than he does our comfort, right??

That being said, I am learning to pick my battles. I no longer fight her on the fact that she insists on eating dog food. Fine. I have learned to laugh at the fact that she is very consistent in taking off her shoes and socks every time she is in her car seat. Fine, it's even become comical. I have learned that just because things are "out of reach", that does not by any standard mean that she cannot get to them.

I am learning to let go a little... I am realizing how lucky I was with Dylan, who never got into anything, who never took a pen or pencil to my walls, and who very, very rarely throws a tantrum. I think God gave me an easy one as my first to trick me into having a second... Could this be??

Enjoying my little bundle of mishap... She may be a wild one, but she is so much fun.