Random bits and pieces (Anna)

1) Emma has developed the cutest little grumpy face and pout. It's so absolutely adorable it's a little hard to take her grumps seriously.

2) She's mastered the phrase, "I want to play!!" She says it very loudly and grumpily - employing the full newfound pout - any time we interrupt said play.

3) I had a very annoying interaction with another parent the other day. Emma decided to go into full melt-down mode when I picked her up from day care - a combination of being taken away from the red car she was playing with, and end-of-the-week I'm-tired-and-just-need-to-stop blues. Most of the time, we can find a way to deflate her melt downs, but sometimes only a change of scenario is going to help, so I was getting her out of there as soon as I could. Several parents made eye contact with me over the top of Emma's head with that understanding "Toddlers, huh" look or the "We've all gone through it. Hang in there" look, or rolled their eyes sympathetically. And then one parent, whose daughter was calmly sitting in his arms while he put her jacket on (which, honestly, is how Emma is most of the time, too!), said narkily, "Huh. She's totally the opposite to my daughter. SHE can't wait to come home with us. She misses us." The implication being, of course, that Emma hates us, hates her home life, much prefers day care and doesn't miss us at all. Just the kind of support you need when you have a toddler screaming in your ear. (Emma, by the way, kept up her tantrum all the way to the gate, long enough for every single caregiver and parent in the place to decide that I must be a terrible parent, before magically switching it off and nuzzling me and giggling affectionately as soon as we got to the elevator. Toddlers, huh!)