Pint-sized drama

As thankful as I am to be at home and have my little McKaylee back to acting like a "normal" toddler, I've found a couple of things that are hard about this situation.....she's acting like a "normal" toddler! I spent the last seven months catering to a very sick and lethargic child, jumping at her every command and begging her to eat even the smallest bite of a meal. I do not regret my actions, as they were the only thing I could do considering the situation, but it now seems as though she remembers (gasp) the way things "used to be". Today I fixed her lunch and we sat down at the table, as we always do, so she could gorge herself on meal number five at 1:00 in the afternoon. She decided that it would be much better to eat her meal on the couch and softly said, "Eat....couch?". I smiled and assured her that it was not a good idea to eat on the couch and we were going to stay seated at the table for lunchtime. I guess what I expected was a courteous nod and a returned smile, but instead I got a look of disgust and a commanding, "EAT....COUCH!". I was a bit taken aback by this response and firmly, but nicely, reminded my little peanut that we don't talk like that to mommy. Actually, I believe my exact words were, "No ma'am, that's not nice to talk to mommy like that.". My tone of voice couldn't have been softer or sweeter, but she still poked her bottom lip out and collapsed into a full blown murderous cry. Where does this drama fit in such a small human being? She also tried to touch the space heater today (even though it was off) and I said, "Nuh-uh, that's not a good idea.". She rubbed her right foot into the ground, poking it inwards as though she were bow-legged, looked up at me with a very sly grin and poked her tiny lip out. "Are you upset?", I asked, surprised that she would even have a reaction to my calm direction. And once again, she made a B-line to where I was sitting, collapsed into my arms and cried so viciously that she actually had to stop just to catch her breath. It's like you can actually see her feelings and emotions flapping around on her sleeve, you can see the heartbreak at just hearing the word "no" muttered, she is truly the epitome of the inner workings of a woman's heart. Yet I look at her chubby little face and I can't help but smile at her because she's acting like a toddler! I never thought I would rejoice in my daughter's ability to have the energy to have an attitude, but I secretly do. Ahh, I am blessed to spend my days breaking up fights, mediating who-had-what-first, and being a mommy to one little pint-sized drama-queen.