1-2-3 Magic is, well, Magic!

I have to say I am incredibly impressed with the 1-2-3 Magic technique for dealing with shall we call it annoying behaviour (whining, tantruming, arguing etc). The first day I started, Madison got 4 counts (each count going up to 3, giving the child 2 counts to stop the behaviour and on 3 the consequence is given). The first two "counts" she got to 3 so she got time-outs. The last two she stopped when I counted to 2 (so no need for a consequence). So, it is working! The funny thing was, when she started to whine, say "no" and was about to tantrum when I wouldn't let her drink my coffee, Emma said "Maddie, that's 1!" Poor Maddie now has her mummy and her sister counting her! I cannot complain about either of my girls, because in spite of Maddie and Emma's "feistiness" at times, they are both well-behaved kids. Emma hasn't been counted at all since we started, although I imagine her time will come!

Emma has been a bit off the last couple of days. I have asked her if she feels ok or if she feels sick. She says "I ok." Then a couple of days ago she said "mama, I want ice cream, that make me feel better." Ha ha. Nice try kid! We went to Whittamore's Farm on Saturday with our friends and their twin boys. The kids had a great time, they rode the wagon, played in a tree fort with a slide, jumped in a bouncing castle, built sand catles, rode tractors and chose fresh fruit and sweet corn. The following day, our friends Yenny and Steve came over with their 3-month-old baby Aiden. Aiden was sleeping in his infant carrier and when he woke up, my girls went and got every "boy" type toy that we own, and put it in his carrier. So poor Aiden, who is sitting quietly in his carseat, is burried in cars, trucks and trains! I asked why the girls were giving him the trains and trucks and Emma replied "cause he likes dem." Maddie kept patting him on the head and giving him his soother, even when he didn't want it.

Speaking of soothers, I brought up the subject of the girls giving theirs up the other day. Emma was looking for her soother and I said "one day soon, we are going to say bye-bye to soosie." She got very concerned and started frantically looking for it. I told them they were big girls, and big girls don't need soosie's. I then named all of the big kids they know and said that they don't use soothers (Tynen, Zoe, Lily, Kyle, Lee etc). Emma said "but I like soosie, I like it in my mouf." I didn't intend on taking them away at this point, I was just testing the waters to see what reaction I got. The goal is to get them off their bottles first which I think we will be stopping cold turkey in Sept. Yikes! My babies are growing up! They are at a funny stage, where there are so many things they want to do or that they can do but couldn't before, so they call themselves big girls. But when they want to be pampered and catered to, or they want us to do something for them, they will say "but mama, I'm your baby!" Works like a charm! I am a sucker for my babies!

Yesterday we went to a friend's house for a bbq and there were a ton of people there. Emma walked in and went right up to strangers and shook their hands! The grandma, who is the head of the family, said she was very impressed with how well behaved the girls were. Maddie was shy, but very polite. They both said "yes please" and "thank-you" throughout the night. When we were in the backyard I was spinning them around, taking turns with each daugther. After a few minutes I was tired, so I gave them a "last one" warning. They both said "again" and I said "no, mummy said last one, I am tired" and that was it. Not one of them fussed or whined about it. They just sat down on the picnic blanket with me and Maddie offered to feed me! I must have looked as tired as I felt! lol