Support Act

Owen and Will, aka The Cheeky Monkeys, have been up to plenty of shenanigans this week, including the usual biting, hitting, pinching and slapping of siblings. This almost always results in a time out in their crib or on the bottom step, but sometimes I'm not fast enough to follow through and they get a stern warning instead.

Today however, Owen decided that he was a Climbing Cheeky Monkey, and stood on the precarious kitchen table as well as on the even more precarious side table in the living room. In both instances, I managed not to yell in fright and/or anger and I immediately deposited him in his crib to serve his two minute time out.

I'm really not convinced of the efficacity of time outs in our home though, mostly because as soon as a child has been put into a time out, his dear brother goes into the bedroom and says, "Book, Owie? Want book? Want read?" and gives the troublemaker several choices of reading material. It kind of takes away from the whole discipline vibe. Sigh. What's a mother to do?

I suppose its quite sweet that they've been "hepping" each other out lately. They hold each other's hands for balance as they put their snow boots on (the wrong feet, of course), and try to zip up each other's jackets; They've been helping in their playing too, which is really fun to watch and listen in on - "want hep, Owie?" "yeah, want hep" - and almost sharing food -'Try, Owie?" "yeah, try" - but somehow the proffered morsel is always snatched away at the last minute and stuffed into a mouth a la Cookie Monster before it can actually be shared.

And yes, they are still calling each other Owie, even though its quite clear that they both know who William is. Owen occaisionally calls for "Waaaaaa-yam!" at the top of his lungs, but usually only when I suggest that name to him. It'll be interesting to see when they start actually saying their names or if they just decide to go forth into the world as Owie and Owie. Cheeky and Monkey.