"No"

These weekly emails are always right on the money. I was going to write something about Eloise's incessant use of the word "no" in my next post and before I got to it, I see this email for "Your 15 Month 3 Week Old"....

...Being little is tough, especially when someone bigger than you dictates what you'll wear, and when you'll take a bath, go to bed, and eat meals. One of the only ways your 15-month-old has to assert herself is to say "no" or refuse to cooperate. To cut down on the number of no's you hear, try to limit your own use of the word — toddlers are great mimics, after all. You may be pleasantly surprised by the results.

I have to say, I logically cut down on my own use of the word "no" along time ago. I knew that word would bite me in the you know what if I wasn't careful and so I didn't use it very often. I'd find every other alternative and also try my best to explain to her what it was I wanted or didn't want.  Anyway, it didn't matter. Thanks for trying and thanks for the email but Eloise uses "no" like a maniac. And it appears to almost always be used in context although I do believe she's at the infatuation stage of the word vs. really meaning "no" all of the time.  Do you want anymore water? No. But then she'll take a drink. Did you put your monkey over here in your toy bin? No.  Actually, there it is. But then I'll get a good one....are you hungry? No. Lol. 

Anyway, "no" is in big use around the Vail household as of late. And I'm not sure I needed this weekly email to let me know but the otherside of it is, at least now I know I'm not the only parent of a "15 Month 3 Week Old" who has a chronic "no" parrot in the house. That's comforting.