Whispers

When I started my part-time job at the library in April, Mark and I were very nervous about how Ricky was going to handle not having mommy or daddy around for hours at a time. To our surprise and delight, it seemed that Ricky adjusted very well. No crying when we left, nothing. He was happy as a clam to have the attention of whoever was watching him that day - be it my mom, my aunt, or my cousin.

For the last few weeks, things have changed. Now Ricky cries and latches onto my leg whenever I leave for work and I can hear him as I lock the door saying, "I want my mommy! I want my mommy!" It really breaks my heart.

Besides the crying, he has started answering back and telling his babysitters really awful things. Here are some examples:

1. Ricky tells my mom, "Come here Grandma - I have a secret." So my mother leans over and says, "What is it?" Cupping his hand, Ricky whispers in my mother's ear, "Get out of my house!"

2. Ricky says to my aunt, "Come here, I have a secret." My aunt leans over and says, "What?" and Ricky cups his hand and whispers in my aunt's ear, "Go to your car and go home!"

3. My cousin is sitting in a chair and Ricky (of course) wants to sit in that very same chair. I tell him to stop pushing her and he sighs very loudly and says, "UGH - I cannot move this BIG ROCK!!!"

Although quite funny, it is really bad. He shouldn't be telling his sitters to go home and answering back. Like everything else with him, I am hoping this is just a phase that will last for a few months and change. Until then, I guess he will just have to suffer through all the time-outs!