I can see a rainbow

So I find it amazing that even though the area that we lived in for the last 2 years was an area of much rain, it wasn't until we moved to a desert area that my children experienced their first real rainbow.

One night this last week, after we had put the kids to bed, I happened to glance out the window and see a rainbow. We got the kids up to let them see it too.
Cinderella wanted to go climb it. She was kind of disappointed when I told her she couldn't, because it is just made of light.

Guy was very excited and talked about how there was a rainbow in one of his books.

I really enjoy exposing my kids to new fun things.

A baby blessing

So on June 7th, we had Sleeping Beauty's baby blessing. This is something done in our church, that a special prayer is said for the baby, that gives some direction to the baby for their life, and gives them a name to be listed on the Church records.

We invited my siblings with their families, my parents, my grandparents, and my husbands sister that lives in the area to attend. After our church meeting, we had everyone come over to our house for a pot luck lunch. It was a lot of fun to have people over at our house. I was hoping that the weather would be nice and people could eat outside, where there is more room. However mother nature didn't agree, and so we had around 24 people crowded into our house. But at least we have a house and not an apartment. That would have been really crowded.

What do you do about an defiant 4 year old?

So Cinderella has entered a stage lately that I don't know how to deal with. It probably doesn't help that I am currently sleep deprived. But she is ornery, and screams all the time. Any time she doesn't get her way she starts screaming, and then she turns and hits Guy.

Sometimes he deserves it, I guess. He does egg her on, but I don't think that kind of behavior is ever acceptable. Then when I try to discipline she totally ignores me, and does what she can to get out of the discipline. I try to ignore her behavior when I feel like it can be ignored, but sometimes it can't.

For example. This morning I had Sleeping Beauty laying on the floor, while I was sorting laundry. Cinderella was talking to her, but then decided that it would be a good idea to jump over her. Well, that is one action I can't condone. But knowing that she might not even realize there is something wrong with doing this, I calmly explained that doing this can hurt the baby, and that she needs to not do it. She said OK, then waited till I went back to the laundry, and then started jumping again.

I once again told her she can't jump over the baby, because it can hurt the baby. Then I asked her if she understood what I was saying. She just stared at me, and refused to acknowledge that I had even said anything. It is at this point that I start fuming, and get frustrated. I asked her several times if she understood. Finally she said she did. I let her go, and then she went and stood next to the baby, and acted like she was going to jump, and said, "no, I don't understand." So I made her take a time out, by sitting on a stool, in the laundry room with me. She sat there for a minute then stood up, and looked at me with this look that seemed to say, "how are you going to make me, mom?"

This kind of defiant attitude is the way she is treating all of my discipline tactics lately. I know a big part of it is the age and stage. But the thing is, I know I really can't force her to take a time out. I can't force her to say she is sorry. I can't force her to not hit her brother. She is right, I can't make her. But I don't want her to get the message that the boundaries that are set aren't real, and aren't going to be enforced.

So I want to know if any of you have any suggestions of what you have done with your children in this stage, or what you would do.