Yesterday my two-year-old Lucy, once again, lunged to hug her five-week-old brother while he was in his moving swing.  Knowing she was breaking a rule (a lot of new rules have been implemented since the birth of baby Mark), she looked at me while in motion.  Sensing my silent disapproval of what she was about to do, she stopped, then ran toward me asking, “You happy now?”

Along with wanting to drink water from a bottle and for me to periodically pat her bottom while she pretends to be a baby, this you-happy-now question has emerged as one of Lucy’s new behaviors since her brother’s birth.

My toddler is stressed out. Here’s a summary of our evening yesterday: Lucy didn’t touch her dinner, which is not so weird considering I served salmon and green beans (I was in one of those short-lived good-pregnant-moms-serve-and-eat-healthy-food-only moods), not macaroni and cheese with hotdogs, for dinner. Then she asked me to cuddle with her on the couch. Cute. And, again, not that out of character after a busy day of play group, then “ballet class,” which for two-year-olds is just play group dressed up in a tutu.

Then she peed a puddle in our living room and danced in it …