Strong Will

When Eva decides she wants something, it can take all the king's horses and all the king's men to change that stubborn little mind. When she wants to walk, putting her in the stroller is like trying to pin down an octopus. The other day, just as I sat her down in her stroller, she flung herself over the side and landed face first on the sidewalk. She ended up with a slight scrape and a big bump on her forehead. Lately she has started biting, too. It doesn't appear to be anything aggressive, because she does it while trying to hug me tightly or crawl into my lap. Maybe she's trying to get a better grip, maybe it feels good on her gums, or maybe it's her way of trying to get my attention. Either way, it's a behavior we've got to nip in the bud. Thank goodness it's not a habit yet, and she hasn't tried it on anybody else. She also appears to be an aspiring tattoo artist, because any pen she can get her hands on is instantly used to decorate her arms, legs, and tummy with creative squiggles. It takes a long soak in the tub and a good scrub to get them off. Her hair is long enough to reach halfway down her back now, but at her neck it forms into adorable ringlets, a' la' Shirley Temple. I just can't bring myself to cut it, though it's probably overdue. Her idea of “helping” me fold laundry is to try on every piece of clothing, usually by pulling it over her head and wearing it like a necklace. She insists of feeding herself, too, and for the most part is pretty good at it. She is now capable of getting 90% of the food to her mouth with a toddler spoon, and eats her morning oatmeal with less than half the bowl down her front.