@ Counterstrike

This morning Denis watched the kiddies while I went for a haircut and a morning at the mall. Ahhhh.... but it was strange to be all by myself with absolutely no kid in tow. When I came back, we took all the kiddies with us to our friend Rey Tacadena's new martial arts school called Counterstrike MMA in Downers Grove. It was an open house that was also kid-friendly, which was the deciding factor on whether or not to go. It had a big, open space with mats on the floor and a big boxing ring. Nikko loved running across the mats and didn't collide with anyone, fortunately. He looked like he was running sideways, shaking his head back and forth, but luckily he wasn't stimming with sidelong glances. Nikko even took his socks off and was running barefoot at full speed. It was cute to watch. What wasn't cute and almost a disaster was Nikko trying to climb into the boxing ring while a Filipinio stick fighting demonstration was taking place. Rey graciously picked Nikko off the ropes and Denis came to corral him. Nikko really wanted to run around with the nunchucks but since they were training equipment I had to distract him with a rice krispie treat or juice. Ronin, meanwhile, drank 3 sippy cups of juice and wanted to run around with half-filled bottles of water. He also had a blast running around, and I feared that he'd collide with someone and go flying, but that didn't happen.

Running unbridled was really good for Nikko, and I'm glad we went. He blended right in with the other boys that were running around, except he didn't talk and didn't jump rope like the others. His actions were still age appropriate, I think. Nikko didn't want to leave, of course, and it was a struggle to get socks, shoes and coat on him, but once he was in the stroller I felt a sucker in my coat pocket and gave it to him. MAGIC. The struggle stopped and he gnawed on it peacefully all the way home. I got the sucker from the pediatrician's office and remembered that it has proven to be a useful device in times of meltdowns.

Later this evening, I was beginning to meet resistance again with signing More, when Nikko and Denis sat in the living room eating pizza. Denis kindly informed me that Nikko was signing More unprompted, for pizza. I had to go see this for myself and was indeed rewarded with Nikko signing More to Denis. OK, can't help but feel betrayed by Nikko, but was happy to see that he is truly capable of this action (remember the bunny). It must be those terrible two's and a power struggle against me. I'll try not to hold it against Nikko, but geez, what a bum deal that I gotta work doubly hard for his More. Grrrr..