Bring Yo Daughter to Work Day

Today the baby is here at work with me, and will be again on Friday (though on Friday we ain't coming in until noon!). I am trying to be cool and laid back, although I got ticked off last night when she was still awake at like 11:30 pm. However I noticed this morning that when I was picking out some CD's to listen to from my collection, CD's that I have not listened to in a real long time, I felt a calm and peace and happiness wash over me. The power of music therapy strikes again! Anyway, I am resorting to asking S for suggestions on how to gain patience with her when she does things that are totally aggravating such as:

1. Constantly ask questions when we are trying to watch a tv show/movie. I am serious, this is getting out of hand.
   
2. Constantly ask where S is when she knows where he is.
   
3. Make comments like, "I don't want to [fill in the blank]."
   
4. Take FOREVER to get out of the damn house, car, etc.
   

Really, I have ways of handling the above, I just need help with being patient with her b/c she's only 6 but since I am working on my patience generally these days, this is an additional test on top of everything else. Here's how I handle these issues:

1. Just ignore her. She can ask all she wants and I just keep watching the show and looking straight ahead. I don't know if there's a better way to handle this and I wish some parents would give me some advice. I may have to post to a parenting board somewhere. Yes, I can tell her to be quiet but I don't want to hurt her feelings or squash her curiosity; I was hoping by ignoring her she'd get the hint. I don't know though.
   
2. I tell her, "Stop asking me that. You know where he is. Don't ask a question if you know the answer to it."
   
3. The other day she said she didn't want to go to the polka concert/dance. I told her, "Too bad. When you grow up and you have a job and money and a car you can do what you want. But who has the money and car right now? That's right, me!" Also sometimes when she says she doesn't want to do something we tell her to do I say, "That's ok, you don't have to do what we say. But then me and Daddy don't have to take you to the movies, or take you to Chik Fil A, or buy you toys, or let you have any fun!" (Then we had tons of fun at the concert anyway! It makes me think she just says this crap to test me sometimes!)
   
4. This especially grates on me in the mornings like today when I was trying to get to work. She dawdles so much and it's just so aggravating! This is when I try my hardest not to yell. Today I finally got her downstairs and teeth brushed and we were out the door and she asked could she bring a puzzle with us and I said yes, but to hurry. When she took too long I finally said we had to go NOW and to forget the puzzle b/c she was taking too long. So hopefully she understood the consequences of her (slow) actions.

I have an appt. with my counselor tonight and I will totally be discussing with her my need to learn greater patience. I know it'll just take practice though. I know about the counting to 10 thing but I feel like if I'm constantly counting to 10 people are gonna wonder what's wrong with me and why I'm not talking and they'll think there's something wrong with me mentally. I feel like I am doing better with S. I was discussing with my aunt yesterday that men are always gonna screw up and we just have to learn to constantly forgive them if we want to have good marriages. Before, I felt like S needed to just stop screwing up and that he wasn't worthy of my forgiveness b/c he kept screwing up so much; now my attitude is that I better forgive him or else my marriage is doomed. "For better or for worse", right?

Tomorrow: Sleeping IN! and relaxing until I go on patrol. I'll be dropping off the baby at S's work and probably head out to district around 5 or so. Xmas day at my aunt's house and sausage balls and even my dad will be there with his women. Ah, family!