When would be a good time?

Tonight was family worship night. Allen didn't really feel like cooperating or answering the questions Daddy was asking. After several requests for him to listen, Allen replied,

Now's not a good time.

OK ... I wonder when would be a good time ....

xoxo,


P.S. other new words/phrases include, "I don't bewieve it;" "because," and "everyfing." The last two are usually used repeatedly in the stories he makes up, and the first phrase is usually after he makes us laugh about something ... he kind of laughs, then sighs, and says, "ahhh I don't beweive it!" Too much!

The Negotiator

My son, the future lawyer. With negotiation skills and charm even the most polished litigators would envy ...

Yesterday morning
We're laying in bed just after waking up. Dad's downstairs procuring breakfast. Allen hugs me, and says:
"True friends eat donuts."
He had me at "true".

Last night
We'd just finished watching Toy Story 2, and it was time for bed. So the negotiating began:
Allen: I need to watch Toy Story again in your bed.
Mom: We're going to go upstairs and read a book and sing in your room, and then go to sleep.
Allen: No no no no no. That's not the choice I want. That's a bad choice. Let's talk about it.
After more back-and-forth, he tried again once we were upstairs: "Let's do something. Let's go in your yoom ..."

And here I am typing this post, as Allen sits between Brian and me in bed, eating jelly beans and watching Finding Nemo. This boy's got skills!

xoxo,

I hate Gummy Bears

So remember my Bribery post from a couple days ago? How excited I was by my brilliant plan to use bribery (or positive reinforcement) to help train Allen to behave at meetings? Well, we tried it today at the meeting. It didn't work so well. In fact, the whole plan kinda blew up in my face.

We spent the entire first half of the meeting sobbing. Daddy tried to calm him down. Mommy tried to calm him down. Nothing worked. Finally Allen decided that he could go to the seat and sing the song. So I gave him a few gummy bears since he calmed himself down. Then he lost it again because he wanted the rest of the gummy bears. It took me another 15 minutes to calm him down from that episode. When we finally got back to the seat, he had missed his opportunity to raise his hand to answer "Noah." Though when someone else did, his eyes lit up, and he look at me and whispered "Noah!" At least he was listening.

For the remainder of the Watchtower he did pretty well. But then during the final song, he started messing around in Nana's purse. Therefore, during he prayer, he was not behaving (and was making noise opening and closing her eye glass case). As soon as we tried to pull him away, he screamed. I had to practically run out of the auditorium into the bathroom.

Needless to say, I was exhausted after the meeting. Utterly exhausted. So, loyal readers (all four or five of you), do you have any suggestions for how we can help Allen behave during the meetings? I welcome -- even plead for -- your suggestions.

xoxo,



P.S. I apologize for the lack of photos. I tried to post them, but Blogger is not letting me.

Naughty puppies, toes, cherries

Kristen ... this one's for you :)

As ya'll know, Kristen was here about a month ago, while our Mom went off to Grand Cayman with our Dad. I had several posts that discussed Kristen's visit, including one of her making our drinks, but those were with my camera. So here are a few more pics of her visit that were taken with her camera. Hope you enjoy ...

I forgot to close the bathroom door, so the puppies got in and did some damage ...

Allen is trying to keep his maraschino cherry away from the pups (Kristen was making Manhattans again this night, hence the cherries).

Mom took us to get pedicures. I convinced Kristen (after the woman offered it to us) that we should get little designs on our big toes. Look how pretty!

xoxo,

People Wait! Boogie Night

Before I post about the Peanut, I'd like to say that I don't like any of your responses to my puppy post. C'mon guys, I want a new "baby," but I'm not ready to have one of the human variety. Support the need ... is it really that much more expensive to have two? (that's not a sarcastic question ... I'm serious. I've never really noticed the expense of having Mia. Is it noticeable with two dogs?). Though, I have to say that with four negative responses, my confidence is wavering. Anywho ...

Tonight, my child was atrocious at the meeting. I can't even begin to explain how bad he was. Testing limits ... yelling ... I don't know what came over that child, but I was at my wits' end. It didn't help that Daddy is still sick and stayed home tonight. But I don't think that was all it was. That child deliberately did things I told him not to do. It was awful. Even Nana was surprised and said, "he's testing you." If she says something negative about the Peanut, then you know he was naughty.

Two positives from the meeting though ... 1) he said "Amen" really loudly and enthusiastically at the end of the meeting (we were in the bathroom for the first prayer because he was throwing a fit, so maybe he said it super loud to make up for that); 2) when the first two people walked out of the Kingdom Hall, he yelled, "People, wait!" and continued to yell that for the rest of the time we were there. Except for when he was rolling around on the floor ... oh and on the stage too (see what I mean about being naughty?)

Also, we discovered today that he now says, "I got you man (or I got chew man)." I'm not sure where he learned this, but it certainly is amusing.

Now onto more positive things ... dinner with the Todds during our Pennsylvania trip. Allen and Ava were hilarious. Here are some shots at dinner ...

Uncle Brian taught Ava to stick her tongue out (I'm sure her Mommy and Daddy are forever grateful for that one)

Contemplative Ava

What a cutie!

Even cuter close up!


Allen wearing Ava's barrette

As hard as I tried, I could not get one single nice picture of the two of them.


I think Ava grabbed Allen's butt ...

Once we got outside and finished the supposed "posed shots," the kids decided to dance. Tony provided the "beat" ...

Ava getting down!

The two of 'em groovin'

And groovin' some more!

He moves like such a white boy ...




And hugs at the end of the night (I can't wait to display this picture at their wedding!)

XOXO my loves, I've got to go to sleep now!


P.S. I'm only five viewers away from the big 500! Let's hope I get five more new viewers in the next couple days!