At least she's creative.

There's one particular phrase Jaida REALLY doesn't like--"Not right now." It's almost worse than a flat out "no".
So today, while cooking dinner, when Jaida asked if she could go swimming, my response--"not right now"--elicited her usual response.
She let out her infamous Jaida yell (if you haven't heard it, it's precious. really.) and whacked the lid off the garbage can. I gave her "the look" (which I'm discovering is pretty ineffective with her) and continued making dinner (and by dinner I mean noodles--I'm gourmet).
Continuing her rage, she knocked the trash can over (remember the lid is missing at this point) and let out another angry yell (again, precious). I could see what was coming, but I had Mya in one arm (just seconds before, Mya was hysterically crying because I wouldn't let her run around the house naked--I have no problem with her being naked, but she thinks it's hilarious to squat on the carpet and pee) and a pot of boiling water in the other hand. I tried to set Mya and the water down as fast as I could and make it to Jaida, but my cat-like reflexes have really slowed down.
And so Jaida picked up the garbage can and tipped it completely upside down spilling its contents ALL over the kitchen floor. Super awesome.
She had a friend over at the time, who I asked to go home (so there would be no witnesses) and then asked Jaida (quite calmly, considering) to go to her room (before i hurt her.) :)
She refused. Surprise. So I "helped" her get up the stairs. By the time I got back down to the kitchen (after a few threats to keep Jaida in her room), Mya was having a little picnic on the floor picking out any food she could find. Nasty.
I cleaned up the mess on the floor (yes, I know there are a bunch of you moms out there saying "I would have made HER clean it up"--in theory a great idea, but in the moment, not gonna happen) and by the time I put in the last scoop, Mya was hysterically screaming "my bread, my bread". She wanted the leftover peanut butter sandwhich she had eaten for lunch 5 hours earlier that had been mingling with everything else in the garbage. Um, yea, I don't think so. I'll scoop food off the ground after it falls in public, but I draw the line at eating food that's been in the garbage can all day.
So. Fun day for me.
I mentally gave props to Jaida for being creative in her expression of anger. I really was impressed. I don't know if I could have come up with something like that.

And just as a side note to any non-parents out there reading this (because parents already know this)--if you could NOT mention this episode in front of Jaida, I'd appreciate it. Acknowledgment and laughter over the event is definitely not helpful. :)