Sixty and Sunny

We had another beautiful day today - it was sixty and sunny! Since the weather was so nice the kids and I took a walk to the post office this afternoon. Instead of pushing the stroller with Joey, I wore him because I find it easier to catch Amelia if I don't have a stroller to worry about. Since he wasn't shaded by the stroller we tried out his sunglasses:

Amelia actually did very, very well on this walk. Each time she pulled her hand away or tried to wander away from me I found a way to stop her - without yelling. We are trying very hard to keep calm with Amelia and practice/learn more patience. It isn't always easy but the results are so much better than the results yelling or raising our voices got us. When we would react with anger it resulted in us all being more upset and nothing was ever accomplished. By using calm voices and patience we are offering her the chance to learn vs. creating even more anger or frustration - in all of us. Like I said, it is not always easy but the results are worth it.

One way I kept her with me was this big stick or as she called it, her "kay" which translates to cane.

She found it on the sidewalk right away on our walk. Several times she let go of my hand and tried to get me to hold the stick and she would hold the other end. Over and over and over we stopped and I would explain to her again that she could hold her stick and I would hold her hand. Otherwise, we would be going home.

We went on an hour long walk and she held my hand the entire time. I must be doing something right because towards the end if I let go for a second to adjust Joe she would stop and tug at my shirt! It would seem that she learned something on this walk through patience and kind words! Now the biggest question is...will she remember on our next walk?

Amelia has been very into her Dora rainboots since we dusted them off. So into them that this is how I found her last night:

Same thing tonight:

(Watching Oliver and Company with her "two cows" (white and chocolate milk mixed))