Confessions of a (FAR FROM!) Perfect Momma

All of a sudden the Girl has been having "accidents." Frequently. Two back-to-back in as many days and three total in the past week. Yesterday was the most recent. We'd just gotten home from preschool and she was sitting at the kitchen table watching me fix lunch. I'd asked her when we got home if she needed to go potty as she'd not gone all morning. She said she didn't. Now, not five minutes later I turn around just in time to witness a very large puddle forming on the floor beneath the chair and the Girl staring at me expressionless. By the size of the puddle it was quite clear that she had been holding it for a very, very long time. I was so angry. I raised my voice and started scolding her...she laughed in my face. What was I to do?! I swatted her behind and instantly regretted it as past instances have proven that spanking isn't an effective mode of punishment for her. I'd already taken cartoons/tv away the day before when she'd had an accident. So I took her upstairs put her in the bathtub, cleaned her up, fed her lunch and then sent her back upstairs to spend the rest of the afternoon in her room. As I was cleaning up the puddle on the floor and throwing soaked clothes into the washer, I could hear her upstairs playing in her room. Reading happily away to her dolls and stuffed animals no doubt dressed in a princess gown. Hardly seemed like punishment to me...and then I saw them. The cookies - 4 remaining mini Chips Ahoy in a plastic cup on the counter. Left over from the day before when a friend came over to play and brought them to share. The Girl had asked for them earlier and I told her she could have them if she finished her lunch. That was before the accident and we'd both forgotten about them since. So out of spite I ate them, all of them. Extremely childish I know, but boy did they sure taste delicious! Later that evening the Girl remembered them and asked if she could have them. I told her "no" and when she asked why not I told her that I had eaten them because I was mad that she'd peed on the floor. She had a fit. Hmmmm, that certainly seemed to grab her attention. Maybe I should keep a jar of "her" cookies on the counter and whenever she starts misbehaving I'll just start plucking them out and popping them into my mouth. Totally immature but it may just work! Ha!