Occasionally, I am forced to admit that babies have their own logic, though not always in a way I’d like to see.
Today at church, sacrament meeting was over and it was time for classes, and I had William, since he’s not old enough to be in nursery yet – or there aren’t enough babies to keep nursery open, or something. I was giving him rice crackers to keep him happy, but by the 3rd one, he was less effective at shoving them in and some pieces fell to the carpet. I told him to pick them up, but he would not do it. So I sat there for a few minutes trying to think of different ways to get him to pick it up. I couldn’t really be firm with him, we were right in the middle of the lesson, so I decided on the reverse approach, to see if I could incentvise the boy.
There were a few treats in the baby bag, but only two of each, and I thought for sure I would get in trouble if Willy got one, not leaving enough for the other two to wolf down on the way home. Then I remembered there was a bottle of soy milk, and I thought, “ah-ha! I’ll dangle the bottle of milk and make him pick up those cracker pieces.” (thunder, lightning, evil laughter)
My plan backfired.
As soon as I pulled out the milk Willy knew what to do: make room for that bottle, and there was still cracker in his mouth. To my chagrin William executed a highly effective jettison of the food in his mouth, actually using his fingers to scrape it from his tongue and shake it onto the floor. He was surprised and then extremely disappointed when I didn’t give him the bottle for which he was now ready. He set up such a howl that I took him with me down to the bathroom where I got a paper towel to wipe up the lovely pile of cracker and baby drool.
I also managed to get the pieces of cracker that precipitated the whole event. Myself.
