450. daddy addy addy

William had band aid envy, about the band aid Andrew got for his blood taking. It was a Curious George band aid.

Andrew danced New Years away. William laid down with his mother and snoozed.

Andrew says, "daddy addy addy." I love that. He's almost saying, partially saying more things. William is speaking quite a lot too, it's quite amazing to watch them develop. They have regressed too, with my going back to work, they have had another difficult adjustment.

Paquita has reduced TV watching at my request. I don't want her job to be impossible, but last night the boys were more verbal with less TV, lots of book reading. A friend sent me an article about the ills of TV watching in children. I don't think it's horrible, but it's definitely something that shouldn't be on all day--they need variety. We're so lucky to have Paquita and I'm grateful to her.

William didn't want to go for a walk with me and Andrew, until we were just going out the door. Diana gasped when I said, "words have consequences," might have not been an appropriate lesson for an almost 33 month old boy. When I came home he said sorry, perhaps apologizing for his tantrum and anger, perhaps he imagines I was punishing him. He's scared often, and to me that's anger projected out and then coming back at him, which scares him. I'm encouraging him to express his anger in productive ways, support emotional intelligence.

William and Andrew continue to struggle with what to do when the world doesn't go their way. William says, "knock knock."

"Who's There?"

Usually he says, "William Bell"

Last night he said, in the midst of a tantrum for milk before he ate--which we freely give him, but not as a substitute for eating--"Milk". Diana and I laughed and laughed, and that got him mad.

Andrew enjoyed the walk, but when I held him when I got my veggie delight sub, he wasn't into being put back into the carriage and slouched down and sulked the ride home. It's jarring and I think it almost lulled him into a sleep. Back home, putting out the aerobed for Aida and Natasia, the boys romp on the air mattress. They are quite energetic boys, cute, adorable, exhausting, challenging. They bring out the best in me, and the worst in me. I just hope giving them my best is enough for them, "good enough parenting" in Winnicott's phrase.