The Tormentor and the Tormented

Despite the happy faces in these pictures, I'm a bad mom. I will likely think this up until my child wins the Nobel Prize or I die. I can not for the life of me figure out how to manipulate, I mean bring out the best in Eddie. I know that it is my problem because I am the only one to experience the behaviors (Den does on ocassion). It's gotten pretty bad in that Josie and Eddie fight more than they get along, which saddens me.

Josie has certainly figured out how to push Eddie's buttons. He has a toy garage in his room with these little tiny cars. They are too small for her to be playing with, but every now and then she is allowed to when I am there--until she puts them in her mouth. Eddie is very possessive of said cars. Last night she waited for her chance, reached in and in one fell swoop grabbed a handful of cars and bolted from the room. He ran whining after her.

Tonight, while he was trying to get me to read stories, she would grab a car and then hold her hand out as if to give the car back, only to pull it away. When this didn't grab his attention she walked back and forth in front of him waving the car right in his field of vision. It was such odd behavior to see in a 14 month old that it was almost kind of funny, but not really.

I feel immense guilt that the first 2 years of his life, to save on childcare, I squeezed in work around the edges and never once took Eddie to a playgroup or other group experience. He always seemed too young, but now I understand why those experiences are so valuable. I know his personality is a large part, but this new whining and crying out every time his sister walks by is getting really old. What happened to my sweet, happy child?

We played in the pool this weekend and Josie just loved getting herself in and out and Eddie loved filling it with water--he's become quite proficient with the garden hose.

On Monday, while Josie slept, Eddie and I enjoyed a couple of drumsticks. He didn't want to finish his (!) and so I got what I think is the best part of the whole thing--the very bottom of the cone.