Getting Through

I'm a blog neglecter.  Coming back to it gives me a little stage fright actually.  I'll try not to talk about this too much and just hop back in.

Days with M continue to barrel along.  Being able to communicate verbally more and more every day is awesome.  Learning more about the best ways to understand each other - even better.

A few weeks ago I was looking after my sister's boys and beforehand we were talking about what to give them for a snack - I was going to make some cake and she said this would be a fine snack as long as I told them that it is "customarily eaten with cheese" (or with peanut butter, I forget - just something to up the nutritional content).  This idea of explaining what is 'customary' has opened up a new world of smooth sailing for M and me.  Not always in a bad way, but a toddler can sometimes seem a lot like a wild animal.  This rift between animal-toddler and adult desired behavior shouldn't be surprising, considering the gazillion 'customs' we adults abide by without a second thought.  For one, I was starting to get really frazzled by M's behavior in restaurants.  Energetic puppy dog on a good day, rabid raccoon on a bad one - a broken glass here - many an untouched meal there (mine and hers) my 'cool' was becoming hard to find.  Last week when we were on vacation - in a state of despair - we brought the iPod touch all jacked up with toddler games with us when we went out to eat.  It was magic.  Like a big tranquilizer shot for the rambunctious tiger cub.  However, the thought of sitting down to eat with our kid (not even 2 yet!) glued to an iPod touch "out of necessity" made me sick to my stomach.  In a last ditch effort, the next time we went out to eat I carried her around the restaurant before we sat down and explained "the customs" of eating out.  "See, everyone is sitting, we ask for food, it gets cooked, we wait, we continue to sit, then the cooked food is brought to us, we eat it.  See, everyone is sitting.  This is what is customarily done in a restaurant".  It worked!!  The kid sat, waited and ate.  We've gone out to eat a few more times since then and while she's no Emily Post, she is following the customs much more closely.  I would consider it miraculous except that it makes complete sense.

Our other communication breakthrough involves speaking on behalf of inanimate objects.  Sounds completely insane, no?  It is - but anything with the power to transform a door banging, top of lungs screaming meltdown into a hopping into bed and falling asleep little sweetie in less than 3 minutes is insanity I'll embrace.  Goes something like this:

M: OUT DOOR OPEN (screaming and banging against door - on repeat)

Me: (after trying "everything else") Oh, here let me try to open the door (gets her attention).  Oh, man, I can't seem to open it.  Wait, shh... the door is talking... what did you say door? M should go to sleep? Oh, in her bed? Oh, ok.

M: sniff, sniff, (sweet quiet voice) door, sleepy

Me: yes, the door wants to know if you want to get in your bed.

M: yeh, uh huh.

Me: ok

M: yeh (gets in bed)

This has also worked with squirrels in the park, dolls, etc.  I'll take it!