Ticket, please!

Saturday, gymnastics was horrible. I should have known. Ten minutes before class even started, Jenna pitched in with, "I want to go home." She kept telling me this. UGH. Finally, once the class started, I threw her over the wall and told her to go sit on her dot. It was then, that the gates of hell opened. She screamed, and ran back to me. I went back out there with her. More screaming. Now parents are looking at me. Miss Becky took her over to the free-play area. Jenna climbed up and was going down the slides and such. I went to go sit down. Jenna screamed and came after me. Again, we return to the floor--Jenna sat on my lap, emitting evil looks from under her long lashes. --sigh-- We tried to get her to cooperate. More screaming. The teacher suggested we try the "Mommy and Me" class. We go over there, they welcome us into their group. Jenna's having fun, she participates. We go to another "station"--the teacher tells her what to do. She screams. She runs away. The teacher goes after her. About to beat her within an inch of her life, I pack up the stuff and we leave. As i'm absoutely FUMING, I buckle her into her seat and am just cussing non-stop in my head. Jenna then leans over, and says in her whispery voice, "Mommy, I love you so much." Damn it! We get home, and she has, without a doubt, the WILDEST day ever. Non-stop, riotous, full-charged, running around like a maniac, energetic, and a bunch more adjectives. I have NEVER seen her like this. It's like someone spiked the milk. It's insane. She finally just passes out at 6:45. YES, that would be six-forty-five P-M. Thank God mom was there. I spent the next hour just saying, "What am I doing wrong with her?" Sunday morning, Scott went out to get the mail--because in Jenna's super-charged whirlwind, I didn't have a moment to go and get it--and what would be inside, but a package from Heather! I opened it, and there it is...the book about the spirited child. I read the first page and almost cried--it's written about Jenna. While Scott fed the girls breakfast, I read. While the girls played in the playroom, I read. While Jenna watched "Dumbo," I read. Let me say, I have a totally different understanding of my spirited child! I used some of the techniques offered in the book, and Sunday was, without a doubt, the best day we've had in MONTHS! Jenna was so well-behaved, so NOT out-of-control! It was awesome! She went to bed, without a fight, at 730 last night, and was asleep by 8. I almost finished the book last night. I'm going to try to finish it tonight, then reread it just to make sure I got everything from it. What I have learned so far, is that Jenna's not "bad." She's energetic! I just have to learn how to parent that type of child!