(To preface this: Matt and I have been trying for months to get Liam to give us a kiss. Prior to this week he would only kiss his stuffed monkey (or dogs, or pillows, or the wall, but never his parents). This week he began kissing (after a brief fascination last week with our good-bye kisses in the morning, which he would ask us to repeat again and again) us, but only on the lips. His favorite time to do this is when he’s smeared with food. Licking me when I close in for the kiss is another favorite. When this conversation took place we were sitting at the table eating dinner. Liam was smeared with hummus from head to toe, quite literally.)
Liam: “Give Mama kiss? Mama kiss.”
(I lean in and pucker up and he kisses me on the lips.)
Liam: “Give Da kiss? Da kiss.”
(Matt leans in, but Liam won’t meet him halfway, and immediately turns his attention back to me.)
Liam: “Give Mama kiss? Mama kiss.”
(I lean in and pucker up and he kisses me on the lips.)
Liam: “Give Da kiss? Da kiss.”
(Matt leans in and puckers up and Liam won’t meet him halfway so Matt tries to get him to give a kiss on the cheek. This is yet another skill that Matt’s been trying to help Liam learn for months.)
Matt:Â “Why don’t you give me on the cheek instead?”
Liam: “No kiss cheek. I like kiss mouth.”
At least the kid knows what he likes.