ISH!

Emma's newest word is "ish". She says it very deliberately. Dave and I have been trying very hard to figure out what it means. We're pretty sure she is saying "yes", but she also got to see several different aquariums this week and seemed pretty fascinated. She says "ish" frequently while watching the fish swim.

Emma is also GREATLY enjoying her stroller. We don't use it very often. She used to hate being in it. Now, she's content to sit quietly and watch the world go by. This makes Mommy very happy and makes it more enjoyable to go places.

Emma is still eating EVERYTHING we put on her plate. This week, she got to eat ground rattlesnake, and also some elk steak. She loved both. It is such fun to let her taste new things. She is always so eager and appreciative.

Another thing Emma has learned just today (after days of practice) is to flip the switch to turn lights on and off. It took a bit for Emma to realize that slapping the switch never worked. It was hard for her to learn to grasp the switch and know when to push it and when to pull it. Her success is a big accomplishment and has taught her a lot.

Dave and I have been using the principals of operant conditioning to teach Emma to mind. It is a proven science and has been successful. We do try to avoid using positive punishment whenever possible, but I think Dave and I both agree that there is a time and place for such (like when Emma used to play with the electric outlets). We do utilize negative reinforcement, negative punishment, and positive reinforcement as the need arises.

Read up on this before you make any judgement calls concerning our parenting skills. I am not particularly fond of having people read the term "negative reinforcement" and flipping out.

A thorough explanation can be found here.