Bear Hug

Cakes continues to be the most unaffectionate child I have ever seen, particularly towards her mother. She has found a way to grudgingly admit her love: remember a while back I told you how she throws Dirty Simon where she wants to go? Her latest shtick is to show her fondness by throwing Simon at you. Yes my friends, that’s as good as it gets for me. No kisses, no soft, warm hugs, no snuggles: just bear hugs—a stinky, dirty bear lobbed in my general direction.

I don’t read many parenting books, but I vaguely remember reading somewhere that toddlers often behave better at daycare and with other caregivers than they do when with their mothers. This is because of the trusting relationship they have with their mother—they feel free to let mother see them at their worst because they know they're loved unconditionally. I am going with this theory--how else can I explain how Cakes is an asshole only around me? She behaves perfectly with everyone else, but once we’re alone together…asshole! Yes, we have an attached, trusting relationship indeed.

When she was good, she was very, very good
But when she was bad she was horrid.