Sacrifices

Myrtle never believed in the terrible twos.  Not their precious white egg, oh no!  Besides, Tiny is such a pleasant, docile, friendly, easy-going child.  Terrible she cannot be.  Then she turned two years and one month en toe begin die poppe dans (and then the trouble started). 

The Turtles woke up and raked Tiny closer to change her nappy.  As one does first thing in the morning.  She started screaming like a banshee: “no, no, no, no, don’t take my nappy off, no, no, no!!!!!” Tony and Myrtle stared at each other with amazement.  Who is this child?  They coaxed her out of her nappy (it took about half an hour, including 10 minutes when she sported Myrtle’s underwear, tied in a knot around her waist) and proceeded to take clothes out for her to wear.  “No, no, no!! I don’t want to wear that shirt!!!”  She usually gets a choice between two garments and she decided on a different colour.  OK, no problem.  Until Myrtle wanted to help her get dressed… “ No, no, no!  By myself!”  OK, no problem, by yourself then.  The whole episode was probably excacerbated by a late night -  the Turtles took Tiny to see a song and dance show on the cruise and she loved it!  She sat still for a full hour and a half, taking in all the sights and sounds.  She has not yet mastered the art of whispering and she had many questions: “What is the uncle singing?” “Where are the aunties now?” “What are they doing?”  “Why are they dancing?”.  At top volume, of course.

When the Turtles set foot in Barbados it was late morning and rainy.  The Tiny-tantrum episode, especially the part where Tiny didn’t want to have a new nappy on, plus the part where she rather wanted to wear Myrtle’s underwear made the Turtles decide to replace Tiny’s potty that was left behind in Hong Kong.

Yes, that’s right.  Whilst the other tourists explored the island, probably swam in the warm water and almost certainly lazed on the beach, the Turtles braved Bridgetown (the capital city of Barbados) in search of a potty.  They found one which is now used, irregularly but comfortably by Tiny (who insists that all the Turtles use an American accent to say potty – in other words, the accent on the first half of the word and the “t’s” almost pronounced as “r’s”).  As there is no space in the already overweight luggage, Myrtle will probably be required to transport the potty on her head as a hat.  Things one has to do for your child…

There is hope for our, currently difficult child:  First of all the stubbornness seems to come and go and not everyday is a struggle, for now.  Second of all was a bossy comment Myrtle received from her only child.  Myrtle says a prayer with Tiny at bedtime, after which it is bedtime and no more talking is done.  Myrtle was lying next to Tiny, propped up on her elbow and staring down at her white egg.  She was just drinking in Tiny’s lovely face before it was time to turn out the lights when Tiny’s patience wore thin: “Mamma, you must close your eyes and talk to Jesus.”  Myrtle has a feeling that she will be doing a whole lot more talking to Jesus about this little angel fish of them before she turns three…