Stuck on You

"Stuck" is Punky's new favorite word. 

It all started one night when I put her in her crib at bedtime.  On her back with her legs straight up in the air, she struggled to get her feet out from under the blankie.  "Are you stuck?" I casually asked as I helped her get free.  When the scenario repeated itself the very next night, she told me, "Mama... Stuck..." before I even had a chance to ask.  It has since become part of our night time routine.

Around the same time, she began climbing into her toy box.  Sometimes she gets a leg down deep between the toys and needs help getting out of it.  Again, one time I asked her, "Are you stuck?" as I rescued her from the toy quicksand.  Now she tells me she's stuck every time she gets in it...whether she needs help getting out or not.

That made me wonder if she really understood the meaning of the word, or if she was simply repeating what she heard me say in the prior identical situation.  I've gotten my answer many times over this week.

Like when I shut her little finger in the refrigerator door...

I didn't even realize she was actually stuck.  She was standing by me while I opened and closed the door, and I didn't think a thing about it when I walked away and she remained by the fridge.  I thought she was trying to get the door open.  She knows apples are in there and she gives the handle a daily tug in the hope of it opening so she can grab one.

About thirty seconds later, I heard a pitiful, "Mama... Stuck..."

"You're not stuck, baby," I said in that reassuring mama tone as I continued making her dinner.

Another half minute went by and I heard an even more pitiful, "Mama... Stuck..." which was immediately followed by a, "Stuck! Mama!"

So I went over to the fridge and sure enough, one finger was stuck behind the magnetic strip that holds the door closed.  Her tiny little finger was no match for the powerful magnet and she couldn't pull her finger out without opening the door.

My next clue came a night or so later when I was distracted right after dinner.  I unbuckled only one side of her highchair belt and attempted to lift her out of the seat.  Only half her body moved and she quickly told me "Stuck!" before I even fully realized it myself.  

And, as if I needed further evidence, tonight she walked into the bathroom to brush her teeth before bed.  The light switch is on the opposite wall so she is used to it being dark in there for a few seconds until I can get around her to turn it on.  I forgot I left two garbage bags of clothes in there earlier today and she got her leg all tangled up one of the drawstrings.  I hit the lights just as she let out a loud, panicked "Stuck! Stuck! Stuck!" and proceeded to shake her leg violently to escape the tiny strap of plastic around her ankle.  I knelt down to help free and calm her.  

Yep.  Stuck.  She gets it.