The One With the Coconuts

When dealing with the Big One I try to remember to pick my battles. This is the exact reason that I allow her (most of the time) to pick out the clothes she wears each day. Occasionally I regret my decision, like the time we were going to the grocery store and I told her to go pick out the shoes she wanted to wear. She proudly returned, rain boots in hand and announced “I’m ready to go mom!” UGH! That being said…

This is the conversation we had this morning:

Me: “ Big One, what do you want to wear today?”

TBO: “ I want to wear my dress with the coconuts on it.”

Me: “ Honey, you don’t have a dress with coconuts on it.”

TBO: “Yes I do. I wore it yesterday”. Now in The Big One’s world yesterday could mean anything. It is the one word that she uses to describe any day that is not the present day.

Me: “Well, I don’t know what dress you are talking about. What color is it?”

TBO: “Purple. The purple dress with the coconuts on it. It’s hanging in my closet.”

We go to her closet. Piece by piece I show her the purple clothes in her closet,

Me: “Is this the one?”

Every time her answer is the same.

TBO: “Not that one! The one with the coconuts on it!”

Me: “Big One, I have no idea what dress you are talking about so you are going to wear these.” Exasperated, and pretty much over trying to find the purple dress with coconuts (that I knew didn’t exist), I promptly put an extremely unhappy three year old into a pair of shorts and t-shirt.

I left her in her room playing with her toys, to tend to the baby. Shortly after, she emerged from her room, beaming with pride .

TBO: “Mom, I found it! I found the purple dress with the coconuts on it!”

I looked up from nursing the baby to see what she was wearing. As frustrated as I was, I had to laugh.

Me: “Ohhh, you wanted the purple dress with the polka dots on it!”

Glad we figured that out!