Yes! And...

Leo is 2 months old today. It's taken a lot of improvisational creativity to keep up with him from day to day. I have found useful a tip learned in a workshop on how improv can help in daily life and work situations: there is a key phrase -- more like a mentality or attitude -- which is "Yes! And..." That is, one must affirm the other person, and then add on to it. Saying "No" or saying "Yes" and stopping is not so useful. So, for instance, in a comedy sketch, one person in the scene says "Doctor, I'm missing a leg!" If the other person responds, "I'm not a doctor, I'm a scuba diver!" The scene ends in disarray. If on the other hand the person responds, "Yes, you must be the one who called earlier, I have your missing leg right here. Try to remember it next time!" Then a whole scene can develop from there. In the case of the baby, if he is crying, I find it more helpful for my mental state to say, "Yes! You are hungry. And as soon as we get home I am going to feed you!" rather than, "No! Please don't cry! No, you're not that hungry! Come on, give me a break, I just fed you..."