a little pincher

We're just coming out of a phase that I thought would never end. pinching. Yes that's right.  Our sweet, adorable, tender-loving, thoughtful baby girl was for the longest time (a month and a half) a pincher.  She'd pinch all the time.  And not in a mean or spiteful way, sometimes I don't think she even knew she was doing it.  But her pinches HURT! Like the kind when you grab the smallest piece of skin and twist it between your fingernails.  Painful pinches I tell you. Here's what usually happened. 

Madeline: pinches my neck 

Me: Ouch!

Madeline: smile

Me: Gentling holding the fingers she pinched me with, "No Madeline. We don't pinch."

Madeline: bigger smile

Me: Head turned the other way so she can't see me laughing.  "No Madeline"

Madeline: Looks at daddy and smiles

Daddy: Turns head and laughs really hard but barely gets out, "No pinching Madeline"

Madeline: starts laughing because everybody else is!

Not good.  But how do you scold an adorable eight month old? I don't know how she's managed to outgrow this habit with all our negative reinforcement, but she doesn't pinch nearly as much anymore.  Phew. 

But even if she kept pinching forever we'd always love her, because she's so dang cute!!!!!!!!!!!!