Some things come in twos

Today Mason had a fitting for his leg brace.  This leg brace has been an ongoing trial and tribulation.  Mason can figure out anything we throw at him.  No matter what we do to secure it on him for the night he manages to get it off, even with all the extra baby-proof bells and whistles we asked them to put on it.  We go in there after an hour of listening to him cry and say "stuck" and he is sleeping peacefully with the brace off to the side of the crib.  It's almost like he is saying "try harder.  really."  So we are now equipped with the new and improved Mason-proof brace.  We will see how the torture goes.  Here is a picture of the new brace next to the one they gave us in China.

The first night after we got Mason and had tucked him into the makeshift bed we had made for him on the

floor of the hotel room, we stared at him for a while and went to sleep.  Sometime later we were awakened by the ripping sound of velcro as Mason deftly removed his brace and then went back to sleep.  We gave up after about three nights.  Here he is on that first night.                                                                                                                                                                                                          

So this resourcefulness and stubborness reminds me so much of Kasey as a toddler that it is scary.  Example:  When Kasey was two and a half I foolishly thought I would potty train her without too much heartache and hassle.  Wrong.  After a very short time Kasey thought the whole thing was just bogus and decided not to poop at all. Ever.  She would go as long as she could and then, well. . . . I guess some things are better left unsaid.  But anyway, we had a very miserable and stubborn little girl who could hold onto poop like no other.  I even took her to the doctor, and was told after an amazingly horrible exam that Kasey had the strongest sphincter muscle that any two year old could have.  A dubious honor at best, but for some reason now it makes me laugh (sorry Kasey!!)  Anyway, the stubborn nightmare continued for many months, until her grandpa somehow talked her into sitting normally on the toilet and being like other big girls.  Voila!!  Potty training achieved.  Though Kasey has no memory of the whole episode, I have remained scarred and leery of potty training ever since.  One of the few scars raising Kasey has left me with!!  (Just kidding honey!!)  So now I am dealing with an amazing resourceful toddler who can outsmart me. . . again.  This gig isn't up yet, the new brace goes on tonight!