Sweet and Spicy

When people ask me about Macy, my answer these days is that she is VERY three and a half. If they have parented kids that age--even if it was a long time ago--they seem to know exactly what I mean. 

We have this rub that we use on salmon sometimes. It is a delicious blend of sweet brown sugar with a bit of a bite from cumin, cayenne pepper and chili powder. 

A delicious blend of sweet and spicy - that's our Macy girl!

A long time ago some friends termed her irresistible hugs "Macy Melts." It's like she sort of just lets herself go and melts into every corner that she can. It reminds me of when they put that heavy cover on your chest when you get x-rays at the dentist. Macy Melts are simply awesome. 

Macy has generally always had a nice temperament, and has a giant smile that can light up a room. From a very young age we noticed that she sometimes smiles so big that her eyes are reduced to small slits. 

She often gently rubs my arm when we cuddle. And, oh my, the cuddling. Morning and after-nap cuddles are two of my favorite times of the day.

Macy is often the first one to share, and is quick to check on her sister when she is hurt. It is not uncommon for her to offer a hug and rub on the back as I am consoling Norah.

But then there's the cayenne-pepper-like spice. Oh my. Frowny face, arms crossed, with a little "I'm not going to be your best sissy" thrown in for good measure. The whining, the obstinence...OH the obstinence. 

I read an article recently about dealing with toddlers. The author noted that toddlers are simply required to say/do/think the opposite of what you say/do/think. If you say "green" they will say "blue" even if their all-time favorite color in the whole world is green. I shared this with Seth, and now we frequently reference the article in the middle of Macy situations. 

Especially since it often coincides with when she is tired, it is completely unpredictable. Norah even sometimes looks at us when a protest begins and shrugs her shoulders.  

A while back I started asking Macy whether she needs some love (cuddles) in order to move on from a fit. Now she often asks for love from a time-out in her room, at which point we know she is ready.

I'm okay with a little spice. I think it could serve her well in life...as long as it is balanced with PLENTY of sweet. So far so good!