December

I have lots of pics that need to be transferred to my computer, and it was my intention to put some of those pics on the blog today. But my camera is being buggy, and I don’t know why. So I will have to wait for Marcus (aka Fixer of All Tech Problems) to come home and figure it out. In the meantime, here are some pictures from December that I never posted. I actually thought I HAD posted these pictures, but I can’t find them anywhere on the blog, so I guess I didn’t. If it turns out that you have already seen these, then I apologize. But if you haven’t seen them, then you are in for a treat because I think they are awfully adorable!

and now, for my personal favorite in this series:

Pookie is doing great. He’s definitely got a will of his own… a will which does battle with MY will several times a day. When he gets frustrated, or the opposite — too excitedly happy — he reacts by seizing my arm, or knee, or thigh or FACE in his little hands and then digging his nails talons into my skin. THIS DOES NOT FEEL GOOD. He started doing that at least a couple of months ago, I think, and yes I do try to keep his nails short, but it still huuuuurts.  Of course, we try to teach him not to do this. Despite all the temptation to pinch him right back and say, “How does it feel?! Huh? HUH?”, I have instead been taking a more positive approach. When he pinches or scratches me, I say, “No. Be gentle.” Then I show him what “gentle” looks like, by rubbing his arm, or cheek, or head, in a soft manner and saying “gentle” over and over again. I have been doing this for quite a while, and just this week I think it has started to work. When he pinches me I say, “No,” and then before I can say “gentle” he preemptively rubs his own arm and says “zhen?” I say, “Yes! Gentle!” And then I clap my hands excitedly to show exaggerated approval for the right behavior. Then we live happily ever after. Sometimes. Other times, after being applauded for gently rubbing his own arm, he celebrates by pinching the crap out of my arm again! When THAT happens, I say, “No! That hurts! You don’t hurt Mama!” And then he throws himself on the floor and whimpers.

We’re getting there.