Stages

Literally ever since Zadie was born, I have told Tori that her particular age at that moment was definitely my favorite age. She always laughs at how I keep changing what my favorite age is based upon whatever age Zadie is at the time. I think it's because I didn't previously have much experience with babies and so everything has been new and exciting -- and I really have loved every stage.

Except this new stage. Zadie is 14 months old now and she really, really wants to talk. She does actually do a lot of talking, but none of us know what she's saying. It's kind of a nasally alien language and she is very persistent in her attempts to communicate. This isn't the part that I don't like -- I find her little alien language very adorable. The part I don't like is what happens when we either don't understand what she wants or we understand but decide not to let her have her way. She yells and cries. It's not like any of the tantrums that I know some kids have (and maybe that's in store for us down the road), but it's very unpleasant.

It's only been 14 months, but I think I can identify what one of my major parenting challenges is going to be and I'm really trying to work on it. I think I get very easily drawn into standoffs and battles of will and determination...like I'm always trying to prove a point or something. I don't want Zadie to think she can yell and then she'll get what she wants, so my natural instinct is to battle her and show her that I'm in charge. But then I see how Tori so naturally avoids major conflict and instead offers different solutions or finds some way of convincing Zadie that her way is definitely the most fun way. So I'm trying to work on not engaging in a battle of wills with my 14-month-old daughter. I better start working on this now so that I'll be ready when she becomes a teenager! As my own parents can attest, I was a very stubborn child so hopefully Zadie will not inherit that. I remember watching "Bridge on the River Kwai" (sp?) when I was in elementary school and then deciding to go on a hunger strike over something I was mad at my mom about. Wisely, she ignored the whole thing and the hunger strike kind of lost its appeal.

This is my very favorite photo of Zadie (hooray, Kim!). Kim also took the family photo, which I really like, but I think I'm going to get a snarky comment from my mom about my terrible posture. Mom, this is not an issue of my posture -- it's just that Zadie was being squirmy and everything got discombobulated.