"Mean" Baby

Last week, I went to a mid-week Relief Society activity held at a gal's home in my ward. I was looking forward to getting out of the house. I don't really get out too much. (Baby, bum leg, etc.)

So it didn't take me too long to realize that I have the "mean" baby of the ward. You know, there is one in every crowd of children. That one child that is undiciplined and out of control. (You're never going to have one, you know, one of those kids.)

I came to reality as I was watching Bella go up to the (mostly) newborn babies in carseats and smashing them. (I am sure Bells thinks she is loving, but it's actually smashing.) Then she would go up to any child her size and just grab the around the neck as hard as she could. (Loving them, I'm sure.) Then she would go to any child larger than her, and take their stuff away and yell at them when they wouldn't give her what she wanted.

The ladies at the activity were so patient. They all said, as they were trying to protect their children, "well, she has to be tough, she is the youngest of six." (What nice women I have in my ward!) Needless to say, I was the first one to leave. Bella, no. Bella no, Bella stop for about an hour. That was my limit.

So I was pondering this as I watched her play with Matthew today. She was grabbing two handfuls of his hair and pulling it as hard as she could. Matthew was laughing and would give her hugs. Then, Derek and Tyler took her outside and played basketball with her. She got thumped in the chest with a full size basketball twice. That didn't stop her. She has a bruise on her face from running in the bathroom and sliding into the tub. Bruises on her leg from climbing in her toy box and falling out. She is a force to be reckoned with.

I guess it's no wonder she is the "mean" baby. Love in her world is a rough and tumble business. I bet she grows up to be a something else and FUN!