It's not all fun and games all the time -

So I guess some people are thinking that this all sounds too good to be true, happiness and fun all day. Okay, here's a sample of what happened this evening: 45 minutes of screaming and crying. Why? Hungry, tired, no toys to play with, Torture!? NO! Skyler decided that he didn't want to wear pants, socks and shoes. When we told him that he had to because it's cold, that started the big ball of tears and protests going.

Once it starts it's a little like a skipping record; it gets stuck in the groove and you have to do something to move it past that point. We tried everything (it's like a game to figure out, you never know what will work). As I struggled to force his pants on him while he kicked, Matt made Indian Chief sounds on Skyler's screaming mouth (moving the palm of his hand quickly on and off Skyler's mouth, sounds something like "woo-woo-woo-woo-woo", do it to yourself, you'll see what I mean). This made Skyler laugh while he was crying which we all thought was funny, including Skyler, but he still fought and refused to let us put clothes on him. Then came the time out (that means sitting in your crib for a few minutes until you come to your senses and only works sometimes at 2 yrs). Then I tried to hold him on my lap in the rocking chair and calm him down. He didn't want to calm down, he wanted to scream and cry. We gave in and let him put on his ABC pants (usually only at nap time) and offered him slippers. "Wow, what great parents I have! How nice they are. I'll let them put my socks and shoes on me now." Is that what he said? NO! He still wanted nothing to do with socks and shoes or slippers. Another time out.

We tried logic - it's 52 degrees out and this house is cold so you must wear shoes. We tried to reason with him - mommy and daddy both have socks and shoes on and if you want to run around this house you have to wear them too. We all wear shoes and socks in the winter. We pleaded - your screaming is hurting mommys head cold!

Finally, Elmo saved the day! When we explained that the only people in the house that didn't need to wear shoes and socks were Elmo, because he has monster fur all over including his feet, and the kitty because he has kitty fur on his feet, Skyler understood that perfectly and let me put on socks and slippers.

Yippee! Life goes back to normal and everyone is happy. Ahh. He was so happy to be happy, and that is a beautiful thing.

So Adrian, it's not all fun and games but it really is wonderful all the time.