"No like it, video!"

I mentioned recently that we were having some behavior problems with Norah that I felt were related to sleep. Over the past week we have had good nights and bad nights, but once again I am hopeful that we are getting back on track.

I'll be the first to admit that some of it is personality. But I still feel some of it is related to sleep. She woke up at 2AM one night this week, and had a difficult time going back to sleep. Another morning she woke up for the day at 4:55. Add to this her transition to a new room at school, which may be part of the reason she didn't nap her usual 2 hours as consistently...and that is why I think some of it is related to sleep.

One evening she was having a fit in the middle of the hallway because she wanted to take her diaper off. She wanted to take her diaper off because she didn't get to choose her diaper. She didn't get to choose her diaper because she was given a "last chance" to do so, and didn't take the opportunity so I chose it for her.

In the video she cries...actually, wails is more like it. She kicks and screams. She dramatically throws herself on the floor. She repeats over and over, "No diaper, no diaper." I will not be posting the video, because not only is it not one of our proudest parenting moments (though I do think we are handling these situations pretty well), she is wearing only a diaper.

The thing about Norah is that she doesn't just do this for a little while and then get over it. We have to find a way to help her get out of the...uh...funk. On this particular night she refused to choose her pjs so Seth and I wrestled them onto her while telling her it was time to calm down. I then carried her around the house, her head on my shoulder, rubbing her back, whispering in her hear. Once the sobbing was over I sat her on the edge of the couch and talked about her inappropriate behavior.

(Side note: I have learned A LOT from my sister about parenting. Two words she uses a lot with her kids that I love are "appropriate" and "respectful.")

The next morning we talked with Norah once again about her inappropriate behavior in the hallway. And then that evening, it was time for the video.

We sat Norah in the big chair in front of the computer. Not knowing what was coming, she was very excited to watch a video. When it started her expression slowly changed from excitement to sadness. She repeated "no diaper" as she heard herself say it in the video. As we watched it we reminded her of the inappropriate behavior and her expression turned more and more sour. She then started to cry--and I mean tears streaking down her face--as she pointed her finger at the screen saying, "No like it, video." "No like it, video." We told her we didn't really like it either.

And when it was over we hugged and kissed her, reminded her that we love her and moved on with our evening.