Lessons learned (common sense really)

First off I have to say, "If you want your children to learn appropriate lessons, you should not openly laugh when they openly disobey your wishes."

Having said that, let me relate my latest adventure with the girls. Since I've had a craving for Jamba Juice lately and since I was in the neighborhood of one, I thought I'd take the girls in for their very own juices. We ordered and the girls amused all in the store with their antics including Riley who found it fascinating to stand 1 1/2 feet away from a teenage couple and watch them make out. In any case, we got our juices and both girls immediately took the straws out of their drinks. I carefully explained that the straws had to stay in the drinks if they wanted to keep them at which point they again tried to take them out. I put them back in, and yes Liz, I told them it was inappropriate to take the straws out. Since it was time to pick up Bill at the train station, I loaded the girls in the Tahoe with their drinks. Again the straws came out, so I took the drinks away from the girls which proceeded to set off a twin chorus of screaming as if they were being tortured (which to them, I guess they were.) We again had the talk about the straws and after cinching them in their carseats, gave them back their drinks. They happily sat back and began sipping their drinks. Foolishly thinking I had triumphed, I hopped in the drivers seat with my very own Jamba Juice, and proceeded to the train station. No sooner had I pulled out of the parking lot than I saw Riley's straw go flying over her head. As I observed in the rear view mirror, she tried to drink through the little hole the straw should have been in, then just began biting the lid. Within minutes I see half a lid being waved victoriously over her head followed by Sammi's hand waving the other half of the lid. Knowing this could not be good, but also knowing the damage was already done, we picked up Bill and headed to the grocery store. Once at the store, I got out, opened the back door to get the girls out and had to return to the front of the car I was laughing so hard (didn't want to reinforce the behaviour afterall.) Riley was covered with strawberry banana Jamba Juice from head to toe, it was all over her carseat, the leather carseats, and the window, and of course she was very proud of her newest conquest and just sat there smiling at me with half a lid in one hand and the empty cup upside down in the other hand.

I guess I could say I had a 50% win however as Sammi's straw was still in her cup and she was happily drinking it. Yeah!

Babies: 2976, Me: 1