Sink and swim.

It's around 5pm that my son goes rank.  He cries because he's had enough of the day, but it's too early for bed.  He's hungry - but because he's teething (or just has ridiculously particular taste), he doesn't want to eat what I feed him.  He's bored with being on the floor, sick of being held, and gets just plain fed up with the world.

It's only recently, I have discovered the thrills of the kitchen sink.  I plopped him in it one afternoon to wash his hands - because, quite simply, he'd made a hell of a mess with the food he was meant to be eating.  He enjoyed it so much, that when he's really grumpy and whingey, I chuck him in for half an hour or so, and that seems to hit the spot for him.  

I'll never understand babies all that well, but it just goes to show you that sometimes, the thing you would never think of -- THAT is the answer!!

A. xo