Please with a Cheese

Recently I figured out a way to have Alissa not to cry whenever she doesn't get something right away. As usual, I would say that she needs to ask politely with a please. And she does, but still sobbing. Now, what I'm asking her to do is say please with a smile. That's nearly impossibly to do while crying. So, she has to stop, take a breath and then say please. The smile doesn't usually come out, but the point is she no longer sounds like she is pleading. She sounds more gathered up and confident. The a way a respectable lady should sound :)

I noticed that Yuri is more responsive to those requests too. If he has a toy she wants (or if he grabbed her toy), he's more likely to give it to her if she asks with a calm voice. That I think is counter intuitive, because the crying and sobbing causes more distress, so I would think he's more likely to try and stop it by giving up the toy. But the opposite happens. Calm communication seem to be more effective between the kids too. So, babies are serene and mommy is happy :)

Surviving development

I survived three more new teeth. Alissa's teeth that is. Each one means sleepless nights, cranky baby, cranky mama, breast in bloody bruises from biting. Those three still need to come out completely and then there are only one left. Phew. Almost phew. Maybe not even phew yet.

Still pleasant to see the progress after a battle. Tooth out - it wasn't all for nothing!
I can't imagine the kind of pain she must be going through, yet she is strong and always in balance.
Even when she throws a tantrum and screams on top of her lungs, she seems to be in control.
Amazing. Such little body, yet such strong spirit.

Affilicted with tech

They start early. First favorite toy for Alissa was my debit card. Then she started trying to punch in the numbers at the cashier. Now my iPad and phone aren't really mine anymore. The speed of learning measures not even in weeks, it measures in times of use.

I wonder what will their IT future will look like?  What is any future going to look like for the next generation?

I do see a lot of weakness in characters of the next. I also see a lot more sensitivity. I like to think that their responsiveness will help them find a beautiful balance in advance of technology,  spirituality,  business aggression and their self awareness.

I don't mean to get philosophical here. But I do mean to envision a positive future for my kids. It will help them believe in it and materialize it.

So here I am,  seating in a coffee shop,  typing the blog on my Samsung galaxy,  checking email on the iPad and listening to the mp3 player.... while wondering how come my kids are addicted to technology. ..

Well, in either case, I'm still trying to fight the sitting glued habit with interaction. This includes doing ponytails and braids with Alissa. :)

Looking down at the time

"Mom, do you remember how we went to a store yesterday to see a crocodile?... Yesterday.." Asked Yuri. Even at his age the time is very relative. The things we remember well seem to be less distant than the things we don't remember, or don't want to remember. A diary helps keep things in perspective, and also makes you realize how your memories evolve with time. Past is never static.
I believe this very disorienting concept is called "mind time". A concept of time being bendable (just like any other measure in the physical world). Frankly, I'm unsure what is more real: the mind time, with it's elasticity and intensity, or the time of the clock, that we always have to check because it's never in phase with our lives. I chose not to say to my son that we've seen the crocodile in the store about two months ago. The two clock arms don't mater as much as our memories.