Sometimes it feels like I spend all day saying the word "No."
"No No Ayden don't touch that. No No that either."
So much I have to stop and wonder if she thinks her name is No No Ayden.
"No No Ayden! Don't spit that out! No No Ayden! Spit that out!"
But how do I get the point across to a one-year old that you do not dump dry cereal (or wet cereal, for that matter) into Daddy's work boots, without using "No"?
Heck, how do you get her to understand that while using it?
I've tried "Stop Ayden" to no avail. She just laughs in my face and continues to take all the shoes off the shelves. Distracting her did not work any better. She just stuffed her half-eaten apple into her ball-popper toy and tossed her Very Busy Spider book into the sink full of dishes.
I've also found that sarcasm is lost on a thirteen-month old. (I never really thought it wold work anyway, but it was a nice change from No.) "In the toilet? Really?" was met with a giggle and a kiss and her running away only to do it again another day... and "Sure Ayden unfold all the freshly-folded laundry," only encouraged her to unfold the next batch.
"No No Ayden" it's going to be for a while. At least until she understands the meaning of No better. She's kind of getting the hang of it, but we've got a long road ahead of us.
Until then, "No No Ayden don't put that much food in your mouth. No Ayden don't jump off the bed! No No Ayden! Mommy's typing! 44588cc23/////... Stop touching the keys. No No! Ayden! Don't pull the cord!" (all happening as we speak)
