If the punishment fits...

When C gets time outs--which is rare--it's generally because C has not listened to Mum-Mum or Ba. Tonight, C earned a time out for various antics (imagine a bare bottom and diaper waving around in the air like a lasso) while Ba was trying to put on C's diaper. After much fanfare, Ba placed on said diaper and pajama pants. But like the true preschooler C is growing into, the antics began again when it was time for Ba to put on C's pajama shirt. Said antics ended when C began hugging the toilet seat cover. Ba asked, "C, do you need a time out?" C looked up, looked Ba directly in the eyes, and matter-of-factly stated, "Yes." C then proceeded to walk out of the bathroom and sat down on the edge of the stairs, leaving Ba in the bathroom, simultaneously amused and flabbergasted in the bathroom.

After time served, Ba sat down next to C. The following conversation took place:

Ba (trying to maintain a straight face): "Why did you give yourself a time out?"
C: "I don't know."
Ba (repeating the question): "Why did you give yourself a time out?."
C: "I'm thinking..."

Well, at least he's thinking...Ba then repeated his conversation from the end of time out #1 about C needing to listen to Mum-Mum and Ba.

Most evenings, Ba has been in charge of nightly baths. Typically, after C's bath, B serenades C with favorite lullabies. Ba always concludes his set with "Edelweis" - signaling that it's time for C to have his diaper put on. The past couple of nights, C has started interupting, "Edelweis." Once Ba gets to the line, "blossom of snow...", C says "Snow man", gets down from Ba's lap, and walks out in the hallway to make snow angels in the carpet. Ba just figured out what words in "Edelweis" were triggering C's need to make snow angels. After all, C's never actually made a snow angel in snow, nor seen one made. We live North Carolina where it rarely snows and sleet angels just don't have the same cache. But then again, there's no Edelweis here either so I guess C's free to make up whatever dance movements he wants...apologies to Rodgers and Hammerstein.

C has been doing well in pre-school. He's in his third week now. C's teacher told Ba (on day 3) that C should be moved up to the next level as soon as C is potty trained. That's always good to hear. C is making progress in potty training. In fact, he's made pretty good progress...given that C's only been trying it with his "big boy underpants" for two weeks. He's now telling us consistently that he needs to go poopy and probably hasn't had a "Code Brown" in his diaper for about a month. C's also telling us that he needs to go pee-pee about half the time. Initially, C resisted sitting on the potty. Now, this didn't mean that C didn't have to go...in fact, often we found ourselves cleaning up spills immediately after C removed himself from the toilet seat. Now, C's resistance to expel the contents of his bladder typically means that he does not have to go.

C's becoming more chatty, both in person and on the phone. Happily, Mum-Mum and Ba can interpret most of his conversations through our familiarity with the pronunciation of his key words.

C is a creature of habit and takes time to adjust to changes in his bedtime routine. Typically, C's bedtime routine consists of his choosing books of the evening for his reading pleasure. After said books are read, C gives obligatory kisses and hugs, then will turn on his nightime music on the CD player, crawl over Mum-Mum and Ba (simultaneously, there can't be a space between the parents...), turn off the light, and crawl into bed. Nighttime prayers are said and the non-bathing parent sits on the carpet until C fell asleep.

The past couple of weeks, C's been able to fall asleep without Mum-Mum or Ba having to be in the room. After prayers and his obligatory blessings of the neighborhood houses (Jordon's house, Nate's house, Shane's house...), we tell him we'll be in our bedroom or downstairs, etc. Sometimes, after a few minutes, C's head will pop up and we'll hear "See you." Whereupon, one of us calls out to C (reminding him where we are) or (if C is not appeased by this answer) makes an appearance in the doorway (to which C says "Oh. Okay." and lays back down). C's also been falling asleep much faster than he ever did, though this is probably the result of pre-school exhaustion than Mum-Mum and Ba's new going-to-bed strategies.