On Understanding

At 14 months old, Colleen is really starting to understand a lot of what people say to her.  For example, you can ask her to bring you something and more often than not, she's bring you the right thing.  However, she is only 14 months, so she can't verbalize anything she wants to tell us.  This leads her to become frustrated easily and while I don't know if I would call them tantrums quite yet, she has been known to wail and cry and throw her body on the ground.  Luckily, these are usually short lived.

This morning, she seemed especially frustrated.  I didn't know what she wanted.  Tom didn't know what she wanted.  Everything we tried to give her just made her mad.  I totally didn't understand her.  When she was calm enough, I spoke with her and wiped the tears that were still on her cheek.  I know that when she is older, we will be able to communicate better.  I just wish I understood.

Later this afternoon, we finally heard back about what was wrong with our SUV.  Transmission fluid is leaking...a $624 fix.  As with most people, money these days is tight.  I understand that it could have been worse.  But, I was upset thinking of how I would have loved to put that money into our savings account.  How we pulled Colleen from daycare this summer (with a chance of losing her spot to another child) in order to save money.  Money that will now be used to repair a vehicle we hardly drive.  So, I started to cry.  And just as I had done with her this morning, Colleen came over to me and with her little hands, started to wipe the tears off my face.  I could tell by the look in her eyes, that if she could talk, she would have said, "Don't cry Mama.  It's going to be okay."

I might be able to understand her quite yet, but she definitely understands me.