Two tantrums before 11 am...

And I'm talking about the kind during which Tommy covers his ears and screams as loud as he can. I will note that if Lizzie is crying and Tommy pitches a fit, she stops. That, my friends, is called a silver lining. I should explain that Tommy woke up at six this morning, which is too early. When we finally left the apartment at nine, he complained for about fifteen minutes that he wanted to go home, he didn't want to go to the park, he didn't want to go outside. Then, we got to the park and he found a stick that is as tall as I am. So the first fit occurred when I made him leave the stick in the grass rather than take it into the play area (not just an arbitrary rule; he had almost brained me with the sick about four times because it was so long he couldn't really control it). After he calmed down, I asked him what I could do to help him not have these horrible fits, but he didn't have any suggestions. So 40 minutes later, he borrowed a little girl's pink shovel, and when she wanted it back, he has his second fit. After he calmed down from that one (we were walking home), he talked about how he wanted a pink shovel, and I told him that he will never, ever get a pink shovel and even if someone gives him a pink shovel for a gift, I will take it, because he will never get anything he wants when he has fits like that. Yes, I realize I am the parent, but the embarrassment and frustration were fresh...

When we got home, I was writing something and he wanted to hold my pen. I told him no, because (1) he writes on inappropriate surfaces, and (2) he takes my pens apart and loses little bits so I can't get them back together. So, he said, "I DO want to hold the pen! I want to write an email!"

Lizzie has slept only 40 minutes today but is down now and hopefully will have a good nap. She enjoyed our time in the park because she likes to look up at the leaves on trees. She likes it best when the wind is blowing and they are moving as they were this morning.

Sorry I didn't post yesterday. Frankly, the days are all sort of the same, although we did go to the post office yesterday and Tommy was relatively good. Otherwise, playground at Kensington Gardens in the morning, home for lunch and nap, and garden in the late afternoon...Tomorrow is special, however, because it's the first day of preschool!! My mom was supposed to come tomorrow but obviously her visit has been postponed due to the volcano in Iceland. Disappointing.