Pushing the limits

Lexi has recently started screaming whenever I tell her "no" or move her away from something she's not supposed to. I know this is perfectly normal, but it is also perfectly annoying. I don't want to be the mom who is always telling her child not to do something, I want to save the "no" for things that are especially dangerous or off limits. For example, I've been telling her for weeks not to play with the dog bowl and trying to redirect her attention, but finally one day I just said whatever and let her get a piece of dog food and she put it in her mouth and spit it right back out. I knew that it couldn't hurt her and I also knew that she wouldn't like it. She also hasn't tried to eat it since then (she still plays in the water, but that's another issue entirely). I really can't wait until we're living in our own home with Jon so I don't have to feel so nervous if she's getting into something that is my grandma's. I know that my grandma LOVES Lexi, but I can tell she's a little bit on edge if Lexi is going for something, like the dog dish or computer. In our own home, she'll be able to pretty much roam as she likes and then when she hears "no" it will mean so much more.

It's clear that she understands what "no" means, at least in the moment-I don't think she remembers today that I told her not to play with the candles yesterday-and she is clearly pushing the limits to see what she can get away with. Not only does she scream, but she laughs when I say "no". I am going to have my hands full when she's a little bit older, and I'm not looking forward to the debate with Jon about whether we should spank or not. I don't worry about a little swat on her rear if she's about to hurt herself after we told her not to do something, but I don't want to get into the habit where she's terrified to do something because she might be spanked. I want her to be free to explore her surroundings without feeling restricted (with supervision of course). I just think that Jon and I have drastically different views on raising a child, and we have a LOT of compromising in the future.

Oh well, she's happy and healthy and is flourishing in her development. I am so proud of my little baby (who's not so little anymore). I went to see my cousin who just had a baby last night and he is so so tiny and it's hard to remember Lexi being so small. And I know she was smaller than my cousin's son, but it's a distant memory filled with laughter, rolling over, scooting, rolling, and crying. I wouldn't change anything, but I am starting to get baby fever...