July 5

I was getting a little smug for a while there.

I kept thinking to myself, "Caleb is such a cooperative, mellow little boy. He communicates so well, and he's so compliant; there's no way we'll have any problems when he turns two (or three, depending on who you talk to).

WRONG, WRONG, WRONG.

He now throws a tantrum at the slightest provocation.

I redirect him? He screams and cries.

I tell him we'll do something later? He sobs and shouts.

I wait to help him until he says "please"? He stomps his little foot and turns beet red.

That's my kid.

I'm trying to do the right stuff: catching him being good and praising him effusively, giving him small tasks so he can feel a sense of accomplishment, waiting calmly as he finishes the tantrum, explaining things clearly and concisely...

The hardest part is not laughing at him.

We're working to help him learn to do things independently. The current task is dressing and undressing himself. He really likes to put his shorts on.

It's just that sometimes...

he puts them on up-side-down.

Oops.

Daisy was chilling on the chair while Caleb dressed himself. Then he noticed her, and made a beeline for her and her cherry dress. I know the photo is blurry, and Daisy doesn't look so attractive, but I love how she's laughing at him!

He loved that cherry!

"Hold Daisy hand."

My sweet little girl.

I keep intending to do an all-out 2-month photo shoot, but fate keeps conspiring against me. Either she's sleeping or hungry or Caleb needs my attention or it's dark. Maybe tomorrow. In the meantime, here are her 2-month stats:

She sleeps a lot. Maybe too much. She goes to sleep around 7 pm, wakes at 10 to nurse, then usually sleeps until about 5:30 in the morning. We're calling that "sleeping through the night."

Still an ambivalent nurser - she'd much rather sleep.

A happy girl. She smiles and laughs (?) all the time.

Very mellow - she's not much for crying, except in the evenings.

Loves to look at the doggie on her bouncy chair, and the paper lanterns hanging from our chandelier.

Loves being naked. She kicks her legs in delight when I take her diaper off.

Hates baths, unless she's in the bathtub with one of us.

10 pounds, 4 ounces-ish

I need to see how long she is tonight.