It's Not What It Sounds Like

So, it turns out Addie has GATES.  We're taking it pretty hard, but trying to keep up a brave face and not let it disrupt our normal lives.  I mean, at first we were like, "What's GATES?  What are we going to do?  Is it contagious?!"  But once we learned more about it, we realized though horrible, this is something we can learn to cope with.  It might be a struggle, but how are we ever going to enjoy the good parts of life without the hard?  We can adjust and persevere and make it through anything!

Before you all go crazy googling GATES, lemme just explain it for you:

I have no idea what GATES actually is.

All I know is that Addie will sometimes walk morosely around the yard, the saddest look on her face, put her head in her hands, and when I say, "Honey come on inside for dinner," she'll respond:

"Mom.  I can't come inside.  I have GATES."  And then she'll show me her hands.  As if this clears it all up.

I finally managed to figure out that GATES is something Elsa from Frozen gets.  And then after a lot more sleuthing I discovered it's this part of the movie when she's in shackles, that is what Addie calls "having GATES".

So, now my very drama-y little three year old finds ways to dramatically trap her hands somewhere and be sad about it.  We went to the museum the other day and when we were playing in the outside garden part she found a chain on a fence and wrapped them around her hands and yelled, "Moooooom!  I'm stuck!  Someone help me!"  I of course ignored her, being the ever-caring mom I am, but a very enthusiastic museum employee ran over to her practically shouting, "HANG ON LITTLE GIRL!  I'm gonna get you out!" and then was totally confused when she started crying after he freed her from the non-binding contraption.

"You shouldn't have done that," I said shaking my head.  "Now she's gotta have GATES for at least another 20 minutes before we can go.  Thanks a lot."

"I'm sorry?" he said.  "Should I. . . chain her back up?"

"If you want the crying to stop you should."

Here she is in the car, disassembling her car seat for the perfect GATES.

Happily shackled.

Some people's children like to pretend they're princesses, mine only does if that princess is in some sort of tragic turmoil.  Her real life is just too happy, she has to counter it with some very dismal playtime.