Hmm...

"No Guinness!! (slap across the fingers) Be more gentle!!"

Is whacking your kid's hand a good way to encourage gentleness? Oh dear.

OUCH!

Tonight he was messing around at the table after supper, and he got the salt container. (Our salt comes in a round container with a lid and a small spoon inside it. There is no way to keep moisture out of salt shakers here.) He got the container, and popped the lid open.... spraying himself all over, face included, with salt. It takes about 1 second and he is screaming his head off, his poor eyes just burning. "It's biting me mommy!!!" he yelled. So I rush him to the sink and start splashing his eyes out, poor guy!! Ouch!!!

The Pond

Almost lost Guinness to the ducks tonight!

We were at TaiDa feeding the ducks and turtles, and Guinness walked to this other little pond across the path, and climbs over the little fence... I book it over there just as he is stepping on to this little floating dock, pushing it out into the water and rocking it. I got my leg over the fence and grabbed his arm just in time to haul him to safety.

Ewww ewww eww, I know I would have jumped in instantly if I had to but that water is SOOOOO GROSSS!!! About 2 feet deep and SLIMY and turtles and huge yucky bottom dwelling fish and ew eww ewww.... And also so glad I have a child whose arm is firmly attached at the shoulder :)

Bragging Post

Sorry, can't help it. But I got this picture in my email yesterday with a note from a friend:

"Saw this bus yesterday morning; is that Guinness?"

And I am pretty sure it is! The one on the right, with the glasses. He was at that shoot, with the other kid and I think the ears are a giveaway.

Un.Real. My kid is advertising Kinloch Anderson on a bus.

Terrible Twos

You know that stage where you think your previously sweet and pleasant child has been kidnapped and replaced with a child who looks the same but is much more rude and whiny? Here we are!

Everything you say to him in the last three days is met with, "I don't like ______" (fill iin the blank with whatever was just asked)

Do you want to have supper? "I don't like supper"
Can you take this to Gemma? "Don't like Gemma!"
Want a cookie? "Don't like cookie." then he cries and says he wants a cookie.
It;s time to go to the park! "Don't like park."
Trying to talk to Grandpa on the phone today, "Don't like Grandpa."

Fortunately his resolve is not strong and he forgets that he didn't like something within 5 seconds of saying it. He is still fairly agreeable and easy to trick into obedience.


He has that barking cough again tonight; dry heaving and coughing till he chokes. Came up really suddenly, he's been fine the last month or so...

Knucklehead

We use the word 'knucklehead' loosely around here; usually to indicate a behavior that is too silly as opposed to proper. For example, if Guinness wants to walk instead of be carried, I ask him if he will walk nicely or like a knucklehead. (He usually responds knucklehead but then walks nicely. If he doesn't I pick him up and tell him he was walking like a knucklehead...Anyway...) We were going to get Gemma from school and there was an old man walking in front of us with an old man shuffle. His legs were obviously very stiff and he took quick, short little shuffly steps forward, and we quickly overtook him. Guinness watched him the whole time, and as we passed him, Guin looked back at him and said to me, "That man walk like a kuncklehead". I tried so hard not to giggle, and once again was SO THANKFUL that most people around us can't understand what my kids say.

Commentator

Our apple TV has a slideshow feature where when you're not watching a show it does a slideshow of your pictures on the computer. Its pretty mesmerizing, and we all are known to stare at it when it comes on. Lately Guinness has been talking through the pictures...

Gemma's birthday party!

That's the beach.

Daddy's coffee shop.

Pirate cake!

See the present?

He doesn't even need an audience, he just sits there and talks to himself. I love language development.