Competition

Several weeks ago, we resorted to using reverse psychology as a method to get Carver to eat. It worked very well for a few times, but slowly faded off. Fairly recently, I tried something a little different: competition. Now, instead of telling Carver not to eat, I explain that the food is mine, and I would be ever so distraught if I were to find that someone else had consumed it while I was not watching. Simply by pretending that I want something immediately motivates him to want it. This technique has worked so well, in fact, that these days it is just about the only thing that works. Even when it comes to things he likes doing, he has found that it is much more pleasurable if he gets to deprive others of what they want. 

For example, he enjoys laying in his big boy bed, but the only way we can seem to get him to head into it is by saying casually that I am going to go lay down in it. He grins widely and then launches off toward his room, giggling the whole way. As he triumphantly lays his head on the pillow, he laughs at my moan of disappointment that I was too slow. 

At this age, I figure it’s just a fun little game, and a good ego boost for him to beat his daddy in a race. If he’s still doing this in high school, there might be some trouble.

We are anxiously awaiting the arrival of the new child. We have decided on a name, still fairly confident that it’s a boy. So here it is [drum roll]:

Jesse Hakan Ricks

Going with our pattern of names so far, we’ve used one family name from my side, and one from Kira’s side. This time, “Jesse” is of course the name of my little brother who was killed in an accident last year. “Hakan” is a Scandinavian name of one of Kira’s ancestors. We plan on calling him by his middle name, mostly to confuse him, but also partially because it would seem a little strange to call him by my brother’s name. 

Keep refreshing your browser for the next couple of weeks; the little guy could come at any moment!

#Happenings