I’ve written a lot about the things my girls do that drive me crazy. I’ve also written quite a bit about why I love them so much. Sometimes, however, the things that drive me crazy make me love them that much more.

This evening, for example, Chloe had a meltdown because she wanted to play a game with Papa. The problem was that she decided she wanted to play the game about ten minutes before it was time for “Survivor: China,” which has become a weekly TV bonding ritual for Chloe and me (please don’t judge me for allowing this). There are worse things she could watch (I promise!), and at the very least she’s learning a tiny bit about strategizing, how not to behave towards others, and what she would need to do to be cast in a reality show. Anyway, Chloe didn’t want to choose between a game with Papa and TV with Mommy, so she became hysterical.

TV won out, of course. I like to think it was because she relishes bonding with me. But I’m not delusional. The game pieces were still lying on the table and I told her that if she didn’t put them away, the game would go in the garbage. I suggested she clean it up during the commercials, and remarkably, she did. Without my having to remind her. Chloe then cheekily informed me that she put the game away not because she cared if I threw the game out; she did it because “I didn’t have anything better to do” during the commercial.

At about 7:55 pm, my husband and I were rolling our eyes at each other as the tears and snot were streaming down her face. Believe me, we’re not callous or uncaring, but there comes a time when parents just have to ignore the drama. And roll their eyes. By 8:10 pm, as the “Survivor” recap was drawing to a close and the new episode got underway, the tears had subsided and were replaced by loud grunts of displeasure. Ignore, ignore. By 8:15 pm, Chloe had calmed down and starting asking questions about the show. Just a mere 20 minutes after the initial outburst.

All was finally as it should be. And that’s when I realized that our love for the girls is boundless. And the amount of time they spend driving us crazy is really minimal compared to the amount of time we spend loving them. Especially if you count the 10-12 hours that they sleep everyday.