Arithmetic for Babies

3 minus 1 does not equal 5. It also does not equal 6, or 7 or 8 for that matter.

I've been trying to explain this magical equation to Adelaide in hopes that we can cut back on the number of times she nurses a day. But, apparently subtraction is a bit too advanced for an 11-month-old. So rather than simply subtracting the afternoon time, she thinks we should add 3 or 4 more times in the middle of the night to help bring the answer back to its original sum. Can you say backfire? :)

But we are having some rather wild and crazy afternoons in an effort to distract her. I have learned that it's best not to sit down with her from 11:30 a.m. to 7 p.m., or she rears back so she's lying down in my lap and starts flailing about so I am forced to pull her in close so she doesn't fall. Lesson #1: Close proximity = bad idea.

Her determination is admirable, however. She has begun to pick up a flare for drama, thanks to her older sister, so if she falls down or I take a toy out of her mouth, Adelaide can stick out her lip and have her eyes brimming with tears before she's even turned around to look at you. Yesterday, she thought she'd try throwing herself on the floor and burying her head in her hands while weeping. She was so convincing, I think she had Hannah taking notes. Lesson #2: Two dramatic girls in one house = one exhausted mom.

Needless to say, our household needs to work on our math. Addition is apparently easier than subtraction, for there are days when 3-1 = 4 and others when 3-1 = 7. But mostly, 3-1 = 3. Those studies you hear on the news about math scores dropping across the country must start at such an early age. It has to be her teachers, like all those well-informed parents tell Anderson Cooper or Amelia Santaniello. Oh wait ... I can't use that excuse yet! :)

Alas, she's due to wake up from her nap any moment now, so the art of distraction is about to begin. I wonder what equation we'll come up with today!