I'm just warning you that this blog isn't for the faint of heart.
Today I let the kids bathe together which is something that has only happened like twice. Most of the time, my son showers early in the morning. This week has been a little wonky so he hasn't had his usual morning showers - or afternoon or night ones either. Poor dirty fellow. I decided that the easiest thing was to throw them both in the bath. It was all going so well until my daughter decided to splash. Then my son followed suit b/c he didn't want to be outdone by his little sister. The bathroom was SOAKED - and so was I! I have video footage of the splashing that I'll post on FB soon. Anywhoooo, all of a sudden my daughter turned very red in the face and made the most poopy in the tub that I've ever seen her make in one time her whole life. I started screaming at my son to jump out of the water "poopy alert." He got out just in the nick of time - still clean too! The little girl, finished her business. She even stopped up the tub - how gross is that. My husband is gonna love fixing that! My son already called him and said "it's never a good thing when there's poopy in the bathtub. Alright now. I love you. Bye." We never got a return call after that message :)
Our Family
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Testing Dumb Ideas
Today I had an insanely bad idea. I worked this morning, & it looked so beautiful and sunny outside. I made a plan with my children to grab food from Publix (subs were on sale!) and eat it at the park. We got our subs, took our little picnic to a table, and sat there freezing our tushies off in the fierce bitter cold wind. Even my son said, let's just eat the rest at home. We all left with runny noses. Dumb idea! Guess I wouldn't have many adventures if I didn't test some of my ideas every now and then though.
On a cute note, my son was cheering me on in my newest addiction, Zuma - a playstation game. He was so proud of himself when he up and wrote a note that said "win" and taped it beside the TV. He's really learning how to read and write quickly. I'm super proud, and you'll see that note the next time you come over b/c I will NEVER take it down! I love my days - well, mostly!
On a cute note, my son was cheering me on in my newest addiction, Zuma - a playstation game. He was so proud of himself when he up and wrote a note that said "win" and taped it beside the TV. He's really learning how to read and write quickly. I'm super proud, and you'll see that note the next time you come over b/c I will NEVER take it down! I love my days - well, mostly!
Saturday, February 20, 2010
The Potty
Don't worry, I haven't had to reach into the toilet after Little People again. I've no longer been conserving water.
Two days ago, I was cleaning the bathroom when I noticed some peepee in the little baby potty downstairs. A few days prior to this, my son called me into the bathroom to re-diaper the baby. He had her on the potty encouraging her to try. Well, apparently she had success that I hadn't noticed earlier.
Tonight, I put her back on the potty. She had a dry diaper from about 2 hours before. She went potty!!! I know...not so exciting for you, but she's only 17 months! Do they make pull-ups that small? I'm gonn search for them b/c I think she's ready!
I rewarded her (and myself too) with an m&m :) We've seriously been trying to pinch pennies, but I had no clue that this was an option!
Two days ago, I was cleaning the bathroom when I noticed some peepee in the little baby potty downstairs. A few days prior to this, my son called me into the bathroom to re-diaper the baby. He had her on the potty encouraging her to try. Well, apparently she had success that I hadn't noticed earlier.
Tonight, I put her back on the potty. She had a dry diaper from about 2 hours before. She went potty!!! I know...not so exciting for you, but she's only 17 months! Do they make pull-ups that small? I'm gonn search for them b/c I think she's ready!
I rewarded her (and myself too) with an m&m :) We've seriously been trying to pinch pennies, but I had no clue that this was an option!
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
The Toilet Bowl
My effort to save water one flush at a time backfired on me this morning. I was in the shower while little Boo was throwing her Little People in the “dirty” potty. She was all grins when I got out of the shower. Yes, all the “kids” got a bath, but I’ll not be conserving water in that way anymore. It reminded me of my sister and her “digging for the flashlight in the poopy port-a-potty” experience. I’m sure my experience wasn’t quite as traumatic considering it was my own poop, but none the less, it was disgusting! Talk about dropping the kids off at the pool….
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Faith of a Child
We opened the garage door this morning to find hundreds of little snowflakes dancing in the air. I was surprised, but my son said, "of course, Mommy, God heard my prayer for snow" in such a matter of fact way. It made me chuckle and think too - that I should have faith like my child.
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Potty Dance
Do you know that Pampers commercial (or is it Huggies) "Do the (clap-clap-clap) Potty Dance?" Help...I can't get that song out of my head. Singing It's a Small World isn't helping either!
Dirty Socks
It has been a super extra busy couple of weeks. So much has happened that I only get on here and write about a few things at a time. I'm procrastinating so what better time to blog?
I'm getting ready for a consignment sale of epic proportion. I think I've hung about 500 items (or more) on wire hangers. I've pinned about half of those to the hanger, and my poor thumbs are raw from pushing the pins through thick material like jeans. I hope that all my hard work pays off. We could really use the extra cash that comes from this sale. We could also really use the extra space that these close will yield after they are GONE!
My son got in trouble yesterday for hitting a child. I was devastated. I asked him about it a million times yesterday, and he was in BIG trouble. Turns out he was hitting in self defense. A boy was threatening to push him off the top of the playground playset thingy. Only thing is that my son got caught, and he didn't tattle on the boy....so he got in trouble and the other boy got to play victim.
I got to thinking about that little victim. As adults, we still do that. I say "we," but right now I'm thinking about how other people do that. I'm sure I'm just as guilty. I really believe that this is a good teaching/learning experience for my boy. He needs to learn about life, and I have the great responsibility of teaching him. I'm feeling very burdened by that responsibility.
In other disturbing news, I work in the childcare at a local gym. I love my job, and I LOVE the people I work with. I also love that I can take my children with me. Today, my son and his friends had this brilliant idea to gather all the chairs at the gym into a circle and pretend that it was a giant bubble bath hot tub. I looked over after they had assembled the chairs, and my son had his arms up around the chairs enjoying life and cutting up with his friends. It reminded me of a dirty old man with a giant beer belly in the hot tub with a bunch of chicks. My friends all looked at me laughing. I was horrified. I don't know where he got the idea! Anyone know?
With all this consignment tagging, I've been neglecting house work as was evident when my daughter took her shoes off and 5 minutes later had black socks. How gross is that!
I'm getting ready for a consignment sale of epic proportion. I think I've hung about 500 items (or more) on wire hangers. I've pinned about half of those to the hanger, and my poor thumbs are raw from pushing the pins through thick material like jeans. I hope that all my hard work pays off. We could really use the extra cash that comes from this sale. We could also really use the extra space that these close will yield after they are GONE!
My son got in trouble yesterday for hitting a child. I was devastated. I asked him about it a million times yesterday, and he was in BIG trouble. Turns out he was hitting in self defense. A boy was threatening to push him off the top of the playground playset thingy. Only thing is that my son got caught, and he didn't tattle on the boy....so he got in trouble and the other boy got to play victim.
I got to thinking about that little victim. As adults, we still do that. I say "we," but right now I'm thinking about how other people do that. I'm sure I'm just as guilty. I really believe that this is a good teaching/learning experience for my boy. He needs to learn about life, and I have the great responsibility of teaching him. I'm feeling very burdened by that responsibility.
In other disturbing news, I work in the childcare at a local gym. I love my job, and I LOVE the people I work with. I also love that I can take my children with me. Today, my son and his friends had this brilliant idea to gather all the chairs at the gym into a circle and pretend that it was a giant bubble bath hot tub. I looked over after they had assembled the chairs, and my son had his arms up around the chairs enjoying life and cutting up with his friends. It reminded me of a dirty old man with a giant beer belly in the hot tub with a bunch of chicks. My friends all looked at me laughing. I was horrified. I don't know where he got the idea! Anyone know?
With all this consignment tagging, I've been neglecting house work as was evident when my daughter took her shoes off and 5 minutes later had black socks. How gross is that!
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Feigning Innocence
What is the big draw to push buttons? My son MUST be the one to push buttons on the elevator, and if he doesn't get to, it's a HUGE ordeal. Both my children love to touch the buttons on the TV and the remote.
Little Miss Thing, loves to turn the giant knob that controls the TV volume. I swear she is going to blow out the speakers one of these days. I've even put lots of other things in front of the TV to make it difficult to reach, but that doesn't prevent her from getting to that knob any slower. With my boy, I had to put the baby gate in front of the TV. With my girl, I need that baby gate to prevent her from climbing the steps b/c she is a climber.
A couple of days ago while I was working in the kitchen my son started screaming for me to get in the living room stat b/c the baby was touching the TV knob. I ran around the corner and found this: my daughter had stepped about 10 feet away from the TV. She was standing there with her hands clasped behind her back doing this little twisty thing completely saying with her body language "I don't know what he's talking about - I didn't do it." She was feigning innocence, but she had had the most guilty look on her face. It was adorable.
Where do they learn to do that anyway?
Little Miss Thing, loves to turn the giant knob that controls the TV volume. I swear she is going to blow out the speakers one of these days. I've even put lots of other things in front of the TV to make it difficult to reach, but that doesn't prevent her from getting to that knob any slower. With my boy, I had to put the baby gate in front of the TV. With my girl, I need that baby gate to prevent her from climbing the steps b/c she is a climber.
A couple of days ago while I was working in the kitchen my son started screaming for me to get in the living room stat b/c the baby was touching the TV knob. I ran around the corner and found this: my daughter had stepped about 10 feet away from the TV. She was standing there with her hands clasped behind her back doing this little twisty thing completely saying with her body language "I don't know what he's talking about - I didn't do it." She was feigning innocence, but she had had the most guilty look on her face. It was adorable.
Where do they learn to do that anyway?
Friday, February 5, 2010
Decisions
It seems that my life is constantly full of decisions...and change...and challenges. I'm not sure what change is in store for my sweet little family, but I know that despite the change, I have to make plans for now.
The biggest decision I face currently is where to send my son to school. I've never considered public school an option. I am a teacher, and I know what happens "there." You get the luck of the draw, and your child doesn't always get the best - teacher, education, friends. I've been quite adamant about NOT sending my child there. However, we are on the brink of having a kindergardener.
We've visited lots of private schools each of which has its pros and cons. Do we put him in school all day? Do we want to pay $2500 or $8000? Do we have the money to pay for any of it? Or do we *gasp* consider a public education for our cherished little 5 year old ONLY precious son?
After much prompting from several friends, we visited our local public school. It currently has only 12 children in each of the 6 kindergarten classes plus 2 para-pros to help throughout the day. The school was built for 1200 children, and it has not exceeded 600. They have NEW resources, the building is beautiful, the teachers were all very friendly and happy. The work those kindergartners were doing was pretty spectacular. All in all, the school was HIGHLY impressive. God even allowed us to tour with a sweet Christian lady who was able to answer all our difficult questions including the ones that "they" aren't supposed to talk about.
I (we) still have a huge decision ahead of us, but for now, I feel very at peace about the process. I'm mostly concerned about the heart of my sweet boy. I don't want it tainted by anything. I want him to learn about his Savior in an intimate and personal way each day. The question I have to answer is: Does it really matter where he goes to school? God can and will still hold him in the palm of his hand no matter "where" he is. That knowledge makes the decision a little easier for me.
The biggest decision I face currently is where to send my son to school. I've never considered public school an option. I am a teacher, and I know what happens "there." You get the luck of the draw, and your child doesn't always get the best - teacher, education, friends. I've been quite adamant about NOT sending my child there. However, we are on the brink of having a kindergardener.
We've visited lots of private schools each of which has its pros and cons. Do we put him in school all day? Do we want to pay $2500 or $8000? Do we have the money to pay for any of it? Or do we *gasp* consider a public education for our cherished little 5 year old ONLY precious son?
After much prompting from several friends, we visited our local public school. It currently has only 12 children in each of the 6 kindergarten classes plus 2 para-pros to help throughout the day. The school was built for 1200 children, and it has not exceeded 600. They have NEW resources, the building is beautiful, the teachers were all very friendly and happy. The work those kindergartners were doing was pretty spectacular. All in all, the school was HIGHLY impressive. God even allowed us to tour with a sweet Christian lady who was able to answer all our difficult questions including the ones that "they" aren't supposed to talk about.
I (we) still have a huge decision ahead of us, but for now, I feel very at peace about the process. I'm mostly concerned about the heart of my sweet boy. I don't want it tainted by anything. I want him to learn about his Savior in an intimate and personal way each day. The question I have to answer is: Does it really matter where he goes to school? God can and will still hold him in the palm of his hand no matter "where" he is. That knowledge makes the decision a little easier for me.
I believe that change is good, & challenges make us stronger. God is in control, and His ways aren't our ways. Sometimes they even include public school. I kinda like His ways better anyway - takes stress of my shoulders. His are bigger and can hold more!
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Perfecting the Terrible Two's at 17 Months
What has happened to my sweet little girl? All of a sudden, she turned 17 months and now:
She's screaming about everything. When she doesn't get her way. When she wants something but isn't willing to say the word. When brother (or anyone) gets near her - God forbid they actually TOUCH her. When Mommy leaves. When Daddy won't hold her. When someone looks at her. When she's happy. When she's sad. All the time!
She loves other babies. They are her personal dolls. However, if they don't pay attention to her, she FORCES them to by jumping on them. Really I didn't give the description justice. She basically does a belly flop on top of them as they frantically try to escape.
She doesn't want to sleep - EVER!
My mom says she's just perfecting her terrible 2's. I think she's trying to drive me bonkers, and it certainly won't take much of this behavior to accomplish her goal.
She's screaming about everything. When she doesn't get her way. When she wants something but isn't willing to say the word. When brother (or anyone) gets near her - God forbid they actually TOUCH her. When Mommy leaves. When Daddy won't hold her. When someone looks at her. When she's happy. When she's sad. All the time!
She loves other babies. They are her personal dolls. However, if they don't pay attention to her, she FORCES them to by jumping on them. Really I didn't give the description justice. She basically does a belly flop on top of them as they frantically try to escape.
She doesn't want to sleep - EVER!
My mom says she's just perfecting her terrible 2's. I think she's trying to drive me bonkers, and it certainly won't take much of this behavior to accomplish her goal.
Monday, February 1, 2010
Rewards
My son is challenging, and he challenges everyone & everything all the time! He can argue with a door (mostly b/c he likes to hear himself talk - I think), he argues with me, and boldy enough he even argues with his father. He's been in LOTS of trouble b/c of his argumentative nature. He's gotten into some trouble at school b/c of this little "flaw" too.
They do the red/yellow/green light thing at his school, and when he started getting way too many yellow lights and finally a red light, I knew I needed to do something fast! I chose to reward him when he got a green light.
I picked the first reward and kept it simple: 3 days of green lights in a row got him a day at Monkey Joe's. He QUICKLY earned that reward. He picked the second reward: 4 days of green lights in a row got him a trip to Chuck E Cheese (which also happened to be on his birthday so it was a bonus for me to only have to take him there once!). He earned that QUICKLY too. We no longer have a problem with him coming home with yellow or red light, but I still often reward him randomly for green lights.
Today was one of those rewards. We went to Arby's and got a "free" shake. He earned it fair and square for extra good behavior. He couldn't decide which flavor to get so he asked me which one I would like to taste b/c he wanted to share his reward with me. I declined, but when I looked in the backseat, I caught him sharing with his sister. She was so excited! And then they held hands the rest of the way home with her beaming at her super-hero big brother...that was MY reward!
They do the red/yellow/green light thing at his school, and when he started getting way too many yellow lights and finally a red light, I knew I needed to do something fast! I chose to reward him when he got a green light.
I picked the first reward and kept it simple: 3 days of green lights in a row got him a day at Monkey Joe's. He QUICKLY earned that reward. He picked the second reward: 4 days of green lights in a row got him a trip to Chuck E Cheese (which also happened to be on his birthday so it was a bonus for me to only have to take him there once!). He earned that QUICKLY too. We no longer have a problem with him coming home with yellow or red light, but I still often reward him randomly for green lights.
Today was one of those rewards. We went to Arby's and got a "free" shake. He earned it fair and square for extra good behavior. He couldn't decide which flavor to get so he asked me which one I would like to taste b/c he wanted to share his reward with me. I declined, but when I looked in the backseat, I caught him sharing with his sister. She was so excited! And then they held hands the rest of the way home with her beaming at her super-hero big brother...that was MY reward!
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