Giggles in my Belly

Max is 19 months old. He's totally precious. He went through this phase last fall/winter where he was, ummm, awful, and I threatened to leave Joel and take Jack with me. But we spent a month in the States over Christmas (where he was even MORE terrible), and when we got home, he went back to being amazingly adorable Max. Whew!

But unfortunately, he is NOT perfect Max. Cute. Sweet. Fun. NOT perfect. So we've graduated from hand-swatting to punishing. I hate it. I'm a total sucker for tears, but his father is unswayed by crying. Plus, Joel had not had caffiene ALL DAY LONG. This in itself is not good for our family. And then Max starts testing us.

He didn't want to sit in the chair to eat dinner. He wanted to put a bite in his mouth, get down, run around and come back whenever a hunger pain struck him again. But Joel wasn't having any of it. So he told Max, "If you get down again, you'll have to get in your high chair." Oh, horror of horrors. {eye roll} Kid LOVED that high chair till he learned he could sit in a big chair and still get food.

See:


But apparently those high chair loving days are gone. So he looks at Joel, RIGHT IN THE EYE, and crawls out of his chair.

It was like hilariously funny and totally shocking at the same time. I am amazed at a 19 month old's ability for defiance. So Jack, who used to be the one in trouble at dinner time, can't stop laughing at Max.

"JACK, IF YOU LAUGH AT HIM AGAIN, I WILL SPANK YOU TOO." That's what Joel said, and Jack answered,

"But Bapa, I can't not laugh. I have giggles in my belly."

Ya gotta admit it's hard not to laugh when there are giggles in your belly. :)