Taxes And A Two Year Old

Waking up to the sunshine streaming into my windows I look at the time, ugh, 6:45. I lay in bed for about two minutes till Sammie decides I should be up. As the cat continuously paces on my chest, tries for my face, and is chatting at me like some gossipy teenage girl about the latest cute boy I realize if I am to get everything done for this move I have to get my list down to a manageable size. Pushing a protesting Sammie off my stomach I get myself up and ready for the morning.

PJs; check, contacts; check, coffee; check, breakfast; check, and last but not least all the forms I might need for my state taxes. Firing up the computer I sip my first cup with every intention of getting my state taxes filed before I do anything else this morning. The front door opens as the pc hums to life and I hear in a small sweet voice, “Good morning Aunty Heather!”. I look behind me and see Kaylee; she is a little over two years old and coming into her own personality. Her mother looks at my mother and wearily proceeds to tell her that little Miss Kaylee is uncooperative this morning. Great.

Well the taxes are nothing compared to a sly two year old who thinks she can get the upper hand. There are rules and I know them all, but Kaylee thinks I might not or that I might give in if she cries enough.

Breakfast; I am flipping through all the tax codes to find the deduction information I need and she proceeds to remove the towel off of her lap and begins to remove the bib. After thusly removing all clothing protection she goes to take her drink, but I remove it from her reach stating she may not have it till we replace the towel and bib. Those are the rules. She cries, loudly, hiding her face in her arms in typical dramatic two year old fashion.

Taking a sip of my increasingly cold coffee I look up from the tax booklet and ask if she is done with breakfast, she has had none of her oatmeal and one sip of her milk, she cries louder. Then she does something that makes me laugh. I know you are not supposed to laugh, but I can’t help it. She is rubbing her eyes in that fake crying that all children do when they are not getting their way and through her crocodile tears she pears up at me to see if I look concerned enough and if I will let her have her way now. I burst out laughing and tell her,” Those crocodile tears didn’t work yesterday on me. Why would they today?” This only makes her glare at me with the comprehension that this is not working and she immediately stops crying and tells me she is done with breakfast.

Enter Granddad; I ask if he knows where I might find the information I seek and he shows me where I might find it. Great just five more lines to work out! Kaylee sees her new mark and asks Granddad if she can have her cup and he begins the whole process of the towel and bib again with similar results. As she tells him under no uncertain terms will she be using the towel and bib this morning I am at the computer on the Colorado State Revenue site trying to get this paperwork filed. I ignore the screaming and chatter from the table and have almost finished when the site seemingly freezes. Great. It’s saved I will just get back to the previous page and start again. Almost finished now with less scream and crying in the background and more happy chatter.

Yes! Filled! A wave of satisfaction washes over me and I take one more sip of my now ice cold coffee. Ok, out of the high chair and now Grand mom needs to get Kaylee’s shoes on so they can go to the museum. That was a horror in the making. What’s up with this kid this morning? Shoes; on, jacket; in hand, stroller; in the trunk and finally child and grandparents out the door.

I need more coffee.