Well, Fans, we laid down the law: the No Running In the House Law, whose corollary is the No Screaming In the House Law. We didn't have to lay it down until just after the truncated afternoon snack Sunday. Ted had had hot chocolate for the bambini. Joe reportedly took two sips and then, with a gleam in his eye, said he was all done and pushed back, which meant that Clara was all done as well because she knows what's coming. Joe was clearly ready to tear it up, and Clara was ready to get that party started as well. It wasn't long before we'd run through all our consequences: no toys in the tub at bath time, no bubbles in the bath water at bath time, no time for Joe to do anything fun with Ted upstairs while Julie read books to Clara, no books before bed for Joe with Julie. Both bambini were in bed by 6:30pm. Julie told Joe she was so, so sad not to be able to read books with him. Trying to make her feel better, Joe said, "You read books with Clara." We really do hope he was trying to make her feel better, and not highlighting the fact that although Clara was running around and screaming, Julie read Birdie books.
After all, Joe is not instigating any of this! Rather, it is the exuberant-please-please-please-chase-me! Birdie that begins it every time. Tough love is very tough, Fans.
But, we are pleased--so pleased!--to report that last night's, at least, post-dinner and pre-bed minutes, went swimmingly. No one ran, and although Clara screamed, Joe did not. Toys were played with, bubbles were had, time was whiled away with Ted, books were read with Julie. And then! AND THEN! Clara was still up babbling when Joe went in to bed, and Joe was a rock star and showed Clara how to sleep.
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