Your mouth says "no" but your eyes say "yes"

Too many choices! These days, Jonathan is really struggling to gain some independence. He's using his now extensive vocabulary (I gave up counting at 125 words) to try to put Mommy and Daddy in their rightful place. Whatever we offer, whether it's lunch, or a blankie, or a toy, is met with "No!"

The problem is, we're actually rather nice parents. We know what Jonathan likes and what he needs and so he winds up rejecting things we know he really wants. He knows it, too. He loves to have "two blankies" for his nap and at bedtime. But telling me "no!" is also important. So nowadays, as soon as I lay him in his crib, he's up on his feet. He shouts "No blankie! No blankie! Bye-bye, Mommy!" I have tried to drape a blankie over his shoulders, but he throws it off. I ask him "Are you sure? You like blankies." and he tells me again "No!"

I rarely get out of the room before he's wailing "Blankie! Pwees!" I turn around and he drops to the mattress, hands at his side, happy to be covered up.

This is not my favorite stage, to be sure. Chris and I keep reminding ourselves what he's really doing, which is growing up. We've decided to let him change his mind once. After that, whatever decision he makes, he's stuck with. Jonathan has figured out our limits. Once he gets that all-important "No!" out, he's much more reasonable.