Teeth!

Johnny is at an age that I love...and an age that I hate. He's developed a sweet but goofy personality and is catching on that he can get a laugh when he does certain things (such as "winking"). I love watching him explore is world. He's non-stop busy and into everything, but we've baby-proofed pretty well so he doesn't hear too many "no's" or "uh uh uh's". I actually like to let him show me what I need to move by following him around and seeing what catches his eye that either he could wreck or could wreck him. Of course, the first thing he went for was an electrical outlet followed by Henry's books. He's got what we've deemed his first word which makes me nervous: "uh, oh." He says it in his "bear" voice - a sort of gruff thing he does. Of course, having to grow up with the nickname Blue Bear (based on his infant snowsuit) which evolved into Johnny Bear and sometimes just Bear, he was bound to start growling at us.

The hard part about this age and the next couple of years, is that kids develop their own ideas about what they want to do and it's hard to convince them otherwise. Obviously, at John's age, it's simply the fact that he doesn't know what all that noise coming out of our mouths is supposed to mean. "Daddy blah blah blah blah, blah blah eat. Blah's Henry? Blah, blah, blah. Willie, no!" But, we've already begun the transition to the battle of wills stage. "I know you don't want me to chew on this here rug, but, you see, there's these string thingies hanging on the ends and I just need to put them in my mouth. There is nothing you can do to that will make me change my mind and if you try, I will get very pissed." Granted, that battle will probably go on until he's at least 25 years old, but at least there will come a time when he'll grasp some (hopefully most) logic. For example, he'll eventually understand that, "please don't eat the icky door mat" means "Seriously, dude - we put our shoes on that thing - gross!" But for now, we just say "Uh, uh - icky!" and move him back to his toys.

Sometimes, it's hard to follow the Dr. Sears book of child discipline and use everything as a positive learning tool, like when he decides to see what happens when he uses his shark-sharp chompers on my nipple. He's got two on the bottom and four on top now. And they are like knives. Last Friday morning, he bit down hard and then raked them off. I howled in pain and may have yelled "NO BITING - HURTS MOMMY!" Yeah, I overreacted. Out came the lip, down rolled the tears and he went on a nursing strike until Sunday night. Of course, I cried every time I'd try to nurse and he'd shoot me down. I took a more relaxed approach on Sunday and finally coaxed him back. He's looked me square in the eyes and bit down lightly a couple of times since then, but I've managed not to scream, react calmly and take him off the boob. However, I'm a bit gun-shy now and, like a grizzly bear, I think he senses my fear. Dave was trying to be empathetic and I suggested John suck on his nipples once just so he could really understand, but he didn't think that was a good idea. Chicken.