Spud, this one's for you!

Hello everyone! We are still alive! Mari and I had a fantastic weekend last weekend and a pretty good week. This weekend is a different story...I picked her up from daycare on Friday and she had turned into an absolute monster. Argh! It has been non-stop misbehaving and tantrums, especially today. Finally the last couple hours tonight she seemed back to her old self (was it the motrin, the teething tabs, the orajel, the gas drops, the allergy meds, or the yummy fish sticks...who knows, who cares?). Yes, she has been gassy, teething, not sleeping well, clingy, etc. etc. etc.

Worst of all, she has decided that it is okay to hit mommy. WRONG! Telling her "no" produces a laugh. Redirecting her just gives her a chance to run around and go right back to whatever it was she was doing. Praising her for listening or putting something back just lends itself to her being more ornery so she can get the praise when she does listen. So I've instituted "sit down time." If she gets in trouble she has to sit down, no toys, no music, no mommy. At first she thought that was funny until I wouldn't let her get up...I only make her stay until she actually seems upset about it. If she starts crying or throwing a tantrum then she stays until she gets herself together. It was somewhat working but the consistency was difficult, so now we have moved onto a "naughty spot." This is an old (but still nice) kitchen rug that I put in the corner of the living room and that is where we spend "sit down time." It is much more effective, she is already responding to the phrase "do you need to go to the naughty spot?" We'll see.

Here is some pix/video. Mari is growing up very fast. She has started eating at the table with me (instead of the highchair or the booster/tray). She is doing very well with it, has even really started trying with silverware. She talks nonstop...favorite words are Abigail, Elmo, eyeballs (we have googly eyes on her mirror for Halloween), Happy (she has a "Happy Bear" in the car). She has started to read along with me at bedtime. She knows lots of body parts...fingers, eyes, nose, mouth, ears, belly, hiney, feet, toes, arm. I think she is finally growing a little taller (check-up on Friday, we'll get the "official" measurement) and I actually can see her neck now!

Best thing of all...she knows that I'm Mama! (Not just repeating it when I tell her or screaming it when she's mad). She will come running to me at daycare with her arms stretched out yelling "Mama!" Ahhhh.....

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