When Squeaker is old enough I will let her read this blog. I have no doubt that shortly thereafter she will post pictures of her father with one of his eyebrows shaved. Just for the record, she did her hair herself. She's had a fun week, thanks to the MLK holiday. She's been to two local Children's Museums this week. 
My intention was to let her wander wherever she wanted in them, but the target age for both museums is a bit beyond her. My resolve to let her lead ended about the time she started climbing the dinosaur egg. All those big kids running around made me a little nervous, but she had a great time. We eventually found our way to the toddler's area. The other children were all close to her size, which might have been almost as much fun as the props. 
She's hasn't had any really bad tantrums this week. We, the adults in Squeaker's life, have maintained a unified front and let the tantrums burn themselves out without giving her whatever sparked it. She's started to throw them many times this week, but she usually gives up quickly. Where I haven't had much luck is with bedtime. Through the holidays, I was able to work the "daddy magic" and put her down for bed easily.
We read a couple of books. I put her down in bed. I rubbed her back a little bit. If I didn't say goodnight by the time she was ready to go to sleep, Squeaker would roll over and wave me away. Since I started teaching again this semester I have had no luck with bedtime. At least part of the problem is that I have been away more this semester and she's doesn't seem to like it. She won't let me read the books to her sitting on my lap. She wants to sit in bed while I read them to her. While this sounds like a good start to bedtime, she would usually end up bouncing up and down on the mattress after I had only read a few pages. After some tears and many attempts to say good night I would leave with her crying. Most nights I ended up going back into quiet her down, but the second trip would play out just like the first. Tonight we were running through the same script. I tried just holding her for a long time, no books, just us hanging out. She tugged on my beard some, compared our hands, then after a bit signaled me that it was time to go to bed. She went down without complaint and has been quiet ever since. That's about all I have to report. I did get a little video of her this morning. She's learning how to use her spork.
