Updates

Remember this post I wrote whining asking advice for how to handle the baby that's into everything all the time? Well, I figured I'd update you a little. I did replace all the books on the bottom shelf of the bookshelf with Marc-Adam's books. He loved that for a while, but has now lost interest in the bookshelf altogether. I also taped a soda bottle cap over the power button on the TV so he can't turn it on and off in record speed while also annoying his brothers. It's a very attractive look, lemme tell ya. However, I couldn't figure out how to cover the rest of the buttons because when I attempted to do so, he was still able to push ALL the buttons at the same time and put our TV into SAP. That was fun. So I had to remove that prototype and now those buttons are still exposed, so he gleefully turns the channels and the volume up and down all the live long day. And sends his brothers into panic attacks. I did also remove the chore cards for good until he's old enough to not be interested. Who knows when that will be.

So, even though most of those "problems" have been resolved, he has now moved on to bigger and better tricks. His new favorite past time is climbing up and standing on the coffee table or kitchen table. He climbs on the coffee table while I'm sitting on the couch and then hurls himself at me so that I have to catch him. This goes on and on, and I can't stop him from doing it. I'm too afraid that he'll do something when I can't catch him and hurt himself. He's also learned that when I'm cooking dinner and can't hold him he can climb up on the kitchen table, stand up, stand dangerously close to the edge and then cry. He knows that I'll come get him every time. And so for those few seconds, he also gets what he wants because he's got my attention.

And the newest trick is really very smart. If there's a seat that he wants and someone else is occupying it, he distracts them out of it. For instance, the other day, Z was sitting on a stool watching his favorite show and minding his business. Marc-Adam decided he wanted that stool (that we have three of, by the way) and started to push and pull and yell at Z to get up. When Zachary held his ground, or his bottom as it may be, Marc-Adam went over to the TV and turned the channel. Zachary got up to turn it back and went back to his seat. But by that time Marc-Adam had already run over and plopped himself on to it. That's really very smart. And funny. To me at least, and only until he uses the same trick on me to get the computer chair.

And an update on Stephen. I'm afraid to say much out of fear that I'm speaking too soon, but the last week has been really good. It seems we've weathered the worst of the attitude. For the most part, he's back to his normal sweet self. He has his moments, but really, don't we all? I'm still sleeping in his room, but I'm not ready to fight that battle yet. I want him to forget about being so oppositional and get back to being more compliant before I try to get out of there totally. Anyway, he's been sweet to both his brothers, too. And yesterday he asked if he could go get his new movie out of the car. I told him no and when he sweetly said, "Yes, ma'am", I praised him big time and told him that not only could he get it out in a little while, but that he could also watch it while eating dinner in the living room (which is a big treat around here). We've been talking a lot about getting out the foolishness, and the other day he told me that he didn't want to be foolish and that he was glad we were getting it out. I just about fell over...I had no idea it was actually sinking in.