I Am Outnumbered, But I Soldier On

This pretty much sums up Max and Maggie's interactions of late: Maggie, delighted by Max and trying desperately to dive through the screen door in order to get closer; Max, testing blockades for strength and shooting at Maggie with the closest thing to a gun he can find. I have found my preschool training coming in handy lately, as we have had many talks about 'gentle hands' and 'using words'. Max is going through this phase right now where he wants to build elaborate works of art out of legoes or blocks (last week he asked me to help him make a water fountain with a fish out of duplos. I pawed feebly at the duplos until he gave up on me in disgust.). This has unfortunately coincided with Maggie going through a phase where she likes to break apart or crawl on top of elaborate works of art and then eat the pieces. Somewhat understandably, Max has been irritated at her a lot. We are working on helping him channel his irritation in ways that do not include violence or pteradactyl-like shrieks of rage. I can see that it is going to be an ongoing project. Pray for me.