Cuddling Consequences

Well of course you see pictures of MY "consequences" all the time (it all started with a cuddle... actually, with home teaching.  Actually with moving into Foxwood. And so forth.) But here we are talking about that Riley.

Riley is a cuddle monster and I will bet you one MILLION dollars that nothing is better than her chubby arms wrapped around my neck and her awkward baby kiss that leaves sticky on my cheek. However I have two videos on my camera from this week and they both show that being so darn huggable is not without costs.

Oh Joe, you little bully you.

Then you've got this little guy - our neighbor friend who camped out by the door and wailed when his mom dropped him off (so cute/sad). Riley was beside herself trying to cheer him up - she kept trekking up and down the stairs with her books and toys, tried to get him to stomp with her, shoved her binkie in his mouth - all for naught (I was there too, obviously, but my attempts to console him were not well received either, understandably - mom just wasn't me!) Then Riley moved in with full cuddle energy and well, it worked just a little too well. She was wrapped up for about seven minutes and it probably would have been longer but she eventually pinched his cheeks so he, reluctantly, let her go.

And we all learn valuable lessons -

•  Cuddlers beware: if you are going to engage, always make sure you have an exit strategy.
•  Cuddler hopefuls: come on too strong and you might end up alone and sore-cheeked.
• Don't gross out your brother.

 And you think YOU are the one meant to be teaching THEM the lessons :)

*Editors note 11/30/12: I just got off the phone with my mom - I told her about the cuddle session of yesterday and I thought her response was just lovely: she pointed out what great empathy a one-year old showed in reaching out to her distraught visitor. There is the real take-away lesson, isn't it? That there is nothing wrong with focusing all our energy in alleviating the distress of others, and if we can bring ourselves to bother with others, to overcome whatever reticence is holding us back and give them a piece of ourselves, we can make the world a better place. Go ahead - give em a hug! 

Ah, that Mom - she has some pretty inspirational perspectives! Mom's are special like that, and I guess I need to up my game, being a mom and all. There was a definitely more to be got from this experience than cuddling guidelines for a preteen playbook. Though I will someday have preteens...and to them, you are welcome, in advance. 

But seriously, the world needs more huggin'!