It must be a phase

Lately A. has changed her ways. And not necessarily for the better.

Up until now, she has always been really fearless and bold. She is the type of kid who will talk to people at the store, announce what she did in school to the table next to us at a restaurant and generally just be jovial and outgoing. Until 3 weeks ago.

Now we are suddenly having "shyness" issues. When I drop her off at preschool she will hide outside the room and won't enter it. She won't get in the pool at swim lessons (which have always been one of her favorite things). She wouldn't sing at her school's musical night because she "didn't want everyone looking at me." She just wants to cling to me. Of course, when it matters not a wit, she is still very outgoing. But every time we are on a time line, there is someone special who wants to see her, or I am paying for her to spend time with someone doing something that used to be fun, it is a no go. Plus, every time I give in and tell her she doesn't have to do XYZ and we leave, it is followed by a 45 min melt down with her crying about how she wanted to do it after all and begging to go back. But the next opportunity leads to the same clingy mess we had before.

This clinging has also extended to bed time. Now, it is taking her 45 mins to an hour longer to fall asleep and there are WAY more tears and drama surrounding every task that leads up to bed.

Frankly, I am exhausted. I think that it must be developmental because these behaviors started showing up about the same time that her imagination just went WILD and she is suddenly able to play by herself a bit more spinning stories when it is just the two of us. However, knowing that doesn't help a whole lot when bed time stretches into it's second hour and we are on round three of tears and drama over something like tooth brushing because I have had to hold her down and force the issue after 30 mins of fighting about it.

I can only hope that this is a very short lived phase, because at week 3 it has already extended beyond her mother's patience. I ask only for some kind words and maybe a bottle of tequila, we are becoming very dependent on margaritas around here.