Erica reports that when Alice gets really cranky at Charles’ swim lessons, she refuses to be held, runs around the kiddy pool once or twice, crying, then either demands to be picked up again or collapses and falls asleep. She’s started doing that with me as well. A few baseball games ago she got in one of her moods, forcibly disengaged from Dad and then ran randomly about in great distress until she suddenly demanded to be picked up. 20 seconds later she was asleep. Of course, one doesn’t look like the best parent when standing about while Alice is flailing about like an abandoned child, screaming with tears streaming from her eyes. Alice achieved a chewing the carpet level of rage at the last baseball game, primarily because I wouldn’t let her play with someone else’s water bottles (that doesn’t tend to turn out well) nor would I let her rummage around in my camera bag for goodies. At least in the case only people near by could disapprove of my parenting skills instead of everyone in walking distance.