July 16, 2002

Things to remember:

• Curtis cleaned out his office and came across a little stuffed soccer ball.  Milo picked it up and exclaimed "Cow ball!"

• So far, discipline is going pretty well.  My system (and I have a point coming) is that when it's time to come inside (for example) and I've told him it's time and he's said "no, I don't want to," then I'll reply with "Okay, then let's count to 10, and when I'm done counting then you have to come in."  When we get to 10, if he's still resistant, then I say "Okay, I've counted.  Now I'm going to carry you in."  We've been doing it this way for probably a year or so, and it really works.  Sometimes I do have to pick him up and carry him, screaming, inside, saying "Milo, I've counted,"  but usually, as soon as I say "10," he jumps up and does as he's told.  Okay, so we were at the airport, and I had made a bad Mommy decision:  I bought a frappacino for myself and juice for Milo.  And then had the brilliance to be surprised when he wanted the frappacino instead of the juice.  So he's asking in all of his many ways for some of my shake and I was trying to explain that he had juice, and then I was trying to ignore him.... and finally my child paused and said "Mommy, I'm going to count to ten."  And he counts, and when he's finished, he holds out his hand and says "Okay, Mommy, I've counted."  And that was that.  We shared a lovely frappacino together and I learned my lesson!