The sun is so hot today and the grass in the front lawn is so brown and crunchy that I've pulled out the popup pool and filled it partway. I'm in need of water, all sparkly, and we're going to have dinner by/in the pool tonight. My sneaky thought? Wear out the Toddler through fun and games. She's spent almost all of today in her crib; the first two hours trying hard to convince me that she really wasn't tired (yawn, stretch, giggle, burrow head sleepily in my shoulder when I tried to play with her) and then the past four hours napping. I think she woke up once to roll over.

My take on this? She's tired despite what she tries to tell me. Yesterday we went to costco and ran around town doing errands, and there was no nap. She refused to go to bed on time; although she did play quietly for about three hours before finally falling asleep. Those of you who disagree with my habit of crib-restriction until sleeping occurs? Bite me. I've tried letting her up and around, it leads to nonstop screaming and very hysterical toddler. The crib-restriction method is what works for us with this child. Next time around we will do what works for that child. And if Tiff can prove to me with active playing and trying to interact with me while on restriction that she really doesn't need the nap? I do let her up. Like most parenting tricks this is all about listening to what your kid needs instead of what they want.

It's going to be so much harder in another couple of months. Maybe. Maybe not. Maybe she'll grow into a sweetly biddable happy girl, and not be pigheadedly stubborn anymore. And maybe pigs will fly.