A Few of Tess' Least Favorite Things

You already know how Tess feels about these:

Butterflies are a lingering fear. We've been talking about going to the zoo. Tess will tell me all the animals she wants to see and then say: "Butterflies--later."

Well, I have two more items to add to Tess' growing list of irrational fears: flowers and sunshine.

Butterflies, flowers and sunshine are terrifying enough to elicit screams and cries of "I hurt you!" (Which in Tess-speak means, "It's going to hurt me." It's as if the butterfly is directly threatening her, "I'm going to hurt you!!!")

This is a child who loves ghosts, monsters, witches, and skeletons. Funny ones, at least. I was cautious about having her watch Monsters, Inc., but it's one of her favorite shows. "Funny scary monsters."

Flowers--not so funny. We've had a lot of cut flowers in the house lately because I'm anxious for spring. When my first set of tulips started to die off, Tess freaked out. Tulip petals fall off one by one. From her reaction, you would've thought somebody's limbs were falling off. Death screams--she wouldn't even go in the general vicinity of the flowers for fear a petal would fall off and "hurt you!"

Now she's figured out that even fresh flowers will eventually pose a terrifying threat, so she's not so keen on them either. Wendy gave me these beautiful flowers after my procedure, and Tess has been telling me to throw them in the "crashcan" (i.e., "trashcan") from the time I brought them home. A slight browning of the white petals is enough to put her over the edge.

Sunshine--also not funny. We've finally had some beautiful, sunny days, much to Tess' chagrin. She throws a fit every time we venture out into bright light. She buries her head in my legs, covers her face with her arms--anything to block out those cheerful, sunny rays.

"Da light, I hurt you! I hurt you!" I've tried sunglasses and hats, which are a couple more of her least favorite things. It's going to be a long summer.

We are making a little progress though. After being terrified at the sight of her ladybug Halloween costume, Tess has decided that ladybugs are "nice." Because they are "teeny, tiny" (said in a very high voice), have "spots," and "crawl on finger." Sound logic.

Other things that Tess REALLY likes:

"Nummy ife-cream-cone! Cold! Brrr! Sweet! Mine! I do it."

Lunch with Dad in "C.D."

(Though we did stroll the streets of D.C. with Tess' sweater hood

hiding her face from that blasted sun.)

P.S.--This cracked me up. Tess pointed out a large handicap symbol on the side of a van. "Look, Mommy! Change a stinky diaper!"

When your diaper starts looking like that, you know it's time for a change.