I Scared Madelyn

Here is my cute Madelyn story of the week:

Perla, Madelyn, and I went to Sam, Stephanie, and Sonia's house in celebration of Sam's 31st birthday. Madelyn and Sonia are great playmates, as they are only 6 months apart (Sonia being the elder), so she enjoys going over there. However, last time we were over, Madelyn had an "accident" and peed in her bloomers, a more common occurrance as of late as she has slight regressions in a way (we think associated with the impending birth of her sister). So, this time, before we stepped into the house, I look into Madelyn's eyes and said,

Madelyn, listen to me, if you pee in your bloomers, we will leave. Understand?
Yes, Papi. I won't pee in my bloomers."

and she understood, and for good measure, I threw in

And no saying "I want", okay?
Okay, Papi.

And so we entered the house. Madelyn did great as the Cowboys vs. Eagles game went on, as we took her to the bathroom every time it looked like she need to go. But, finally after 4 hours, she pulls me aside:

(whispering) Papi, I peed in my bloomers. Just a little bit.
Madelyn, we are leaving.
No, Papi! I didn't pee in my bloomers.
Let's go to the bathroom.

Sure enough she had peed in her bloomers, enough that she couldn't wear them anymore

I am going to tell Mommy.
No, don't tell Mami.
Madelyn, you said if you peed in your bloomers we could go, so we're leaving.
Noooooooooooo!

And so, when she finished up Perla and I started talking to her and let her realize why we were leaving, and then she started with her "wanting".

I want to stay. I don't want to leave.

So, as we're leaving (Perla and I are both exhausted, her from being pregnant and me from running 15 miles that morning) we get Madelyn in the car and she is still crying and crying with her wanting. So, I raise my voice:

Madelyn, please stop crying. There is no need to cry. We are going to Ian's house.
I don't want to go to Ian's. I want to go to Sonia's house. I want Ama (grandmother).

And she continued, almost causing me to run a stop sign. So, I pulled the car aside with her crying and turned around,

Madelyn, you need to stop crying. Now.

and here came the cutest, genuine statement out of her since her birth,

I can't, Papi, you're scaring me...

as tears were bursting out of her eyes. It was so cute, yet so real. My raised voice (something I rarely do) really scared her. She was just tired, as she had not napped all day and when she gets tired she gets emotional (hmm, note: all women), so she was just crying and crying, asking for her grandmother.

Perla and I were just smiling at how cute she was. Within seconds Madelyn was asleep, completely physically and emotionally drained. But I have with me an everlasting cute, yet powerful memory.

Needless to say, I spent some time, like every night, whispering in her ear while she slept that Papi loves her...