Claire Helen vignette:

When I really need Claire Helen to listen to me, I squat down to her level, put my hands on her chest and shoulder, and look her in the eye before making my request as gently as possible. This morning we were at the playground with some friends, and I'd gotten a cookie from a coffee shop on the way there. All the other kids were off playing, but Claire Helen was buzzing around my knees asking for the cookie. Finally she got exasperated with my demuring on sharing the cookie, so she climbed up onto the bench where I was sitting, put one hand on my shoulder, and one hand on my chest, put her face right in front of mine to look me in the eye and said "Mommy, I know dis is hard, but I need some cookie."

Didn't work, but bonus points for creativity.

Simon vignette:

Simon crawls around everywhere, from the living room to the playroom to the blinking green computer button and back again. Today I decided to try to teach him chase, but he does not get it. Whenever I'd go behind him and start to chase him, he would just turn around and come toward me, or sit up and put his arms up, all "What? I'm right here! What are you doing?" and fuss when I'd go around the other side trying to get behind him again. Maybe later.


Pictures and hopefully a little vacation recap later!