Oh.

Asher's new thing is 'Oh.'

He has passed into the stage we all hope to avoid...smartness and willfulness have increased beyond the ability to distract, and behavior begins to deteriorate to often-intolerable levels.  I can completely correlate a good deal of the change in him to the onset of room-sharing with Owen.  They both get less sleep this way, and even though it's not a dramatic effect, I especially see that my very sweet-hearted and amiable little guy gets edgy and less sweet with mild sleep deprivation.  It's unfortunate, but not much to do about it at the moment :}

Anyway...he's gotten his first whoopin's in the last couple months (less than a handful).  He deserved them fully!!  Yesterday Owen was bugging him a bit, and he pushed Owen to the floor, took in a large mouthful of forehead, chomped down and held until I pried him off.  Owen was in orbit.  Asher was gleeful.  So, Asher got some smarting smacks, diaper down, with a controlled but intense tone from his mom.  His consistent response to this event has been unflappable silence-- no crying or upsetness--and then when he's turned around to look me in the eyes and be told NO, he responds quietly, "Oh."

Asher.  We DO NOT bite.  That is a NO NO!
"Oh."
Biting is VERY OUCHY and NOT NICE.
"Oh."
You got a big spankybottom because you bit Owen!
"Oh."
Please go say Sorry, Owen.
"Oh."
[Toddles off and says, "Sowwy, Owaaaahn!"]

It is actually rather hilarious the way he looks me right in the eye and says 'Oh.'  Luckily, I have not laughed yet...usually too mad for that.  But it softens me up quickly.  I don't think the spanking accomplishes too much, but sometimes you feel out of options for those moments when something is really off the chart.   I do think he's gotten more naughty since the first one...sort of testing what will happen.  I kind of wish I hadn't gone there with him yet...it's always easier to let oneself go to that not-so-effective option prematurely after you've allowed yourself to go there the first time (in my humble experience).

He's also on a serious nap-strike, which is not helping matters.  Right before a new baby!  Of course!

But he's still edibly cute and mostly wonderful...just not quite as fantastically sweet as he used to be.  We all have our seasons!