Reverse Psychology

James isn't a cuddle bug. He never has been, ever since the infant stage passed. The only time he'll cuddle is when he's sick or when he wants hugs and kisses before we leave. We read stories before bed, and he'll lay right next to us with his head on our arm, but that's really the only thing we get. Every time I'm tucking him in for bed, I say, "Can I have a hug and a kiss?" He says NO! and laughs and leaves me out in the cold. So one night I wondered what would happen if I tried some reverse psychology on him. I said, "Well, goodnight James, I don't want any hugs or kisses." IMMEDIATELY, his face glimmered with is beautiful smile and he said, "I do! I want hugs and kisses!" Of course that made my day!
So I decided to try it for lunch time the next day with his large glass of milk that he still had sitting there waiting for him to drink when he was about ready to get down to play. I looked at him and asked him if he could drink it down to a certain line, and I flat out told him that I didn't think he could do it. "I bet I CAN!" He replies with a huge smile and laugh. After he chugs down to that line, I tell him yet again that I don't think he can drink it ALL GONE, and he says, "I bet I CAN!" and drinks it all gone. I love it!
Tonight he was having his nighttime snack, a bowl of cereal. We had been upstairs a few moments before when he told me that he wanted a snack... and wanted cinnamon. Cinnamon? Oh, ok. So out I brought the Cinnamon Life cereal. He had TWO (small) bowls of it and then wanted extra milk in his bowl for drinking through the bowl's straw. Once again I broke out the reverse psychology, which has now become a pretty good joke, and told him I didn't think he could drink it all. He said, "I think I CAN!" again, and when I told him to show me, he said "Ok... FIRST... I drink!" and held up his pointer finger like he was beginning a lesson at school. It was so funny.
Part of the reason I think this works well with him and the milk is because I make such a huge deal about it with my expressions and comments. I say things like, "NO WAAAY! You can't POSSIBLY do THAT! SHOW ME!" I put a gigantic surprise expression on my face and he just GIGGLES! Every time. It's great.
There are some times when I'll say, "James, I really don't think you can finish that milk", and he'll say, "Oh, yeah, Mommy, you're right, I can't!" Ha ha ha. DANG!

James makes up stories... and names.

One night when I was getting ready to put James down to bed, we walked past Nathan in the hallway or something, and Nathan says to me, "You know, James really likes to make up and tell stories, too, as well as read books." Ok, so I tried it.
We read a story or two and then I asked James to tell me a story. He said "Sure!" and launches into a (very brief and unspecific) story about Willie and his dog Hornay. Yes, Hornay. You read that right. I honestly can't remember if I laughed at this or just kept pretending it wasn't funny when he said it, but I know inside I was DYING!
After I had tucked him in, I found Nathan and said to him, "What is with Hornay?" and Nathan replied, "Yeah, that was ALL him."
We still have NO idea where that came from, but he doesn't forget it! Willie and Hornay. I have NO idea. Ha.

Mountain Beer and Van Fun

Forgive me for not keeping up with the blogging the last few days, I've been so tired!
One blog that Nathan wanted me to make sure to get in was about Mountain beer... so here is the story....
About a week ago, Nathan was on the couch or sitting at the table or something and told James to go get him a Mountain Dew. We keep our sodas, extra milk, etc. out in the fridge in the garage, so naturally, James went out there to get Daddy a drink (excitedly, I might add). He was out there for a minute, and while neither of us had to say it to each other, Nathan and I were both thinking... "This should be interesting!" James came back with a warm Fresca, obviously one that wasn't in the fridge, and says, "Daddy! Here is your Mountain Beer!"
We all had a pretty good chuckle. The Fresca can has mountains on it!
Kaitlyn now knows that when we go to get in the van, she has to walk out into the garage and walk around to the driver's side of the van to climb up and get in. I can't believe that! She also threw me for a loop the other day when she climbed up into her car seat all by herself! I came out to the garage (of course after the third time back into the house to get something that I undoubtedly had forgotten, AGAIN) and looked in the car to see her sitting so proudly in her set. Silly girl, you scare Mommy!
Kaitlyn is a genius by the way, above her age group mentally by FAR. She is really good at pointing out stars right now, and when she sees one, she lets us know. "Star!" she says and points. My little genius pointed at the sun in a book the other day and said, "Star!". I'm telling you, she's going places! :) Ha ha.