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« Happy St. Valentine's Day, Y'all! | Main | A Letter for Alexis »
Wednesday
Feb132008

Bringing Cheery Back

Um, yeah, I'm an idiot. Despite knowing full well that Alexis does not respond well to scolding, that time outs are wasted on her, and that the best way to help her forget that she's mad about something is to change the subject in dramatic fashion, it took me until way too long to initiate our Shake Out the Grumpies Game. My dear sweet Alexis has been back and in full force ever since we jiggled and shook and bounced around like complete idiots (literally shaking out the grumpies--try it sometime, it's physically impossible to stay grumpy when you're shaking your groove thang and yelling "SHAKIN' OUT THE GRUMPIES!" at the top of your lungs). All day long, two has been nothing more than a ghost of it's cranky self. I've known for months that my game was a great way to put an end to one of her foul moods, and I failed her by not thinking of it sooner. My apologies, kiddo.



To make it up to her, I have read her a book that I despise with all of my soul no less than fourteen times so far this evening. I'm sure we'll get at least five more readings in at bedtime because Elmo Does the Hokey Pokey is her current favorite book. She can't even go to sleep at night unless she's clutching it in her tiny little hands. Her mission at the moment seems to be to memorize the words so that she can "read" it by herself. Of course, not yet knowing all the words doesn't stop her from trying:







BTW, Elmo screws up the Hokey Pokey just like he does everything else in this world. The first verse is "Put your right foot in . . ." just like it should be, but the next one is "Put your cookie in . . ." She's got at least got THAT word right. Just very few of the others. Oh, and the way she makes sure she is looking at the pages as she reads? CUTEST. THING. EVER.

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Reader Comments (39)

That is just darling. How adorable is your girl! I love the way she "turns" the pages but kinda stays on the same one. Too cute!

February 13, 2008 | Unregistered CommenterJen

That is so cute! I want that book. I can handle Elmo but all things Barney have always been banned from this house. My mother-in-law has this stupid Barney hat book that the kids flock to when we visit and want me to read it. Yuck!

February 13, 2008 | Unregistered CommenterDeb in OPKS

I've decided the best thing about the Vermont trip will be that I will be step-mom...umm...step-dad...umm...someparentesquetypefigure to her. That was so endearing even grumpy Rocket Scientist thought it was cute.

February 13, 2008 | Unregistered Commenteranglophilefootballfanatic

Oh. My. Gosh. That is the cutest darn thing EVER. I want one of her!!! My favorite book was The Monster at the End of This Book, with Grover. I'm sure it drove my mom nuts.

February 13, 2008 | Unregistered CommenterFlea

THAT is super cute. I love that she puts her foot in as she's reading the book. And that you can't even make out any words but she just keeps going on. And she's trying to sing it.

February 13, 2008 | Unregistered CommenterKaren

This is my favorite age! I love it.

February 13, 2008 | Unregistered CommenterJenni

She's so cute and aren't you the cleaverest Mom for thinking this up!

Do you think that the dance will work with a grumpy thirteen year old? I could use some help to get her grumpies out today. Does Elmo do a 'these hormone are out of control' dance? Sigh.

February 13, 2008 | Unregistered CommenterLeanne

OMG, you were right that is the cutest thing ever!!!

And yes Elmo spent lots of time screwing up our life here, too.

February 13, 2008 | Unregistered CommenterMelissa

I sing praises daily that we are officially done with the Elmo stage. But hey, really cute kid!!!

February 13, 2008 | Unregistered CommenterKaren

Put your COOKIE in? Just what kind of hokey pokey is Elmo DOING??? ;)

February 13, 2008 | Unregistered CommenterMarlee

OMG! That is the cutest thing I've seen in quite a while!

I feel your pain, girl. We must read Angelina Ballerina's A Day at the Fair EVERY.SINGLE.NIGHT. It's kind of longish so we usually only read it once but OMG, I'm so sick of that story. I finally hid it this weekend so we could get a little break from it. I guess she hasn't missed it yet -- out of sight, out of mind!

February 14, 2008 | Unregistered CommenterMadame Queen

Awwww! Glad you caught that on tape. And, your shaking out the grumpies thing is genius. I'm definately using that in the future.

February 14, 2008 | Unregistered CommenterJen

OHHH MYYY That is the cutest thing EVVERRR !! I am sending people here to see that !! She is soo smart!!! Thanks for sharing, and I am going to shake my grumpies out now...

February 14, 2008 | Unregistered Commenterbeanhead

Elmo. Ugh.

Bring her to NY! She and Morgan can have a sleep over!

February 14, 2008 | Unregistered CommenterKellie

That's so friggin cute!! Looks like the cheery's back in full swing!

February 14, 2008 | Unregistered CommenterAutumn

Oh my gosh...so cute...totally needed this this morning as I head off to an appointment that promises to be as boring as watching paint dry...

February 14, 2008 | Unregistered CommenterJonny's Mommy

Cute video!

Happy V-day!

February 14, 2008 | Unregistered CommenterBecky L

That's adorable!
I'll have to remember the shake out the grumpies game too. I think we're gonna need it.

February 14, 2008 | Unregistered CommenterBecoming Mommy

Very cute! Seems that Elmo is a big hit....son even calls Mickey Mouse Elmo!
Love the video!

February 14, 2008 | Unregistered CommenterVal

How totally adorable!! She's edible.

February 14, 2008 | Unregistered Commentersecret agent mama

How do you not DIE from the CUTENESS that is Alexis?

Shaking out the grumpies is a great idea. Very "Playful Parenting" of you.

February 14, 2008 | Unregistered Commentercaramama

I agree. That is the cutest thing ever! I'm guessing you sing it to her? I also love that she is sitting, reading, AND actually doing the hokey pokey!

February 14, 2008 | Unregistered CommenterTootsie Farklepants

Yes, I do believe I am to blame for the attempts at singing. You can't just READ the Hokey Pokey, you know.

Sadly, I think I'm also to blame for the fact that she is horribly out of tune. You can't learn to sing well when your inspiration is the likes of me.

February 14, 2008 | Unregistered CommenterBurgh Baby's Mom

That is TOO CUTE!!!

We used to do shakin' off the grumpies when Maya was younger. It worked about 70% of the time.

Happy Valentine's Day!

February 14, 2008 | Unregistered CommenterMandy

cutest. ever.

(btw, chickies, elmo is soon replaced by emo... elmo is preferable.)

February 14, 2008 | Unregistered Commenterjanet

Ack! She is TOO CUTE!!!!!!

February 14, 2008 | Unregistered CommenterKathryn

J's sittin' in my lap and was riveted by her. Could it be love?

February 14, 2008 | Unregistered CommenterLaskiGal

Gracie and I LOVE her. I want to hang out with her. Seriously.

Oh, and in our house, the word grumpy is another word for um, flatulance. Brings new meaning to the phrase "Shaking out your grumpies" doesn't it?

February 14, 2008 | Unregistered CommenterCecily R

oh i am going to try this dance for sure. and maybe i'll let the kids join in!! :)

hope you have a great ♥ day!!

February 14, 2008 | Unregistered Commenterkay

That Alexis is so darn sweet. Truly sweet. I think you deserve extra points for being so clever!

We have that book. :O

February 14, 2008 | Unregistered CommenterMamaGeek

Elmo is a big deal around here to!

February 14, 2008 | Unregistered CommenterNap Warden

That is the cutest EVER. Way cuter then Elmo...

February 14, 2008 | Unregistered CommenterHRH

you are right
CUTEST THING EVER!

February 14, 2008 | Unregistered CommenterSusie

That really is the cutest thing ever! I'm going to make sure I read lots of books to my daughter tonight because yours is going to be reading soon! Your going to cry over this when she's all grown up!

February 14, 2008 | Unregistered CommenterMaria

She is very cute!

February 14, 2008 | Unregistered CommenterPam

She's so sweet. I love when she drops the book and picks it back up without skipping a beat. Gotta love it!

February 14, 2008 | Unregistered CommenterKIDZMAMA

so sweet!
I cried the first time Gavin 'read' Thomas and the School Trip to me, even though I was really tired of that book.
And um, do I detect a little bit of a North Dakota accent in there? :)
Also, do you know if Shakin' Out the Grumpies works on grouchy husbands?

February 14, 2008 | Unregistered CommenterColleen

Colleen-I'm working on that experiment. I'll let you know if I can get him to give it a try. 'Cuz if it does, I'll be making millions marketing the strategy.

February 15, 2008 | Unregistered CommenterBurgh Baby's Mom

OK, that might be the cutest thing I've ever seen.

You are so lucky you can film your child.

Every time he does anything cute and I get the camera out, he just runs to me and goes "I watch Little Man movie now!" Which is not the way to capture those cute moments.

February 15, 2008 | Unregistered CommenterCatwoman

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