halloween humor

This morning I drove a lovely flower fairy to her preschool halloween party. While she was happy in the backseat thinking thoughts of fairies, pixies and the like, I zoned out like I sometimes do to enjoy a few moments of quiet.

"Mommy, will you open the window for a second please?"
"Ummm, ok, sure"

So, I rolled the window down, waited a moment and rolled it back up, not really thinking about why this was requested of me.

"Thanks mommy"
"You're welcome Anna"

Then it dawned on me...what was that about? Did she throw something out the window? Hmmm....

"Why did you need that Anna?"
And as matter of fact as ever, flower fairy wand in hand, she replied:

"Oh, I just had to do a little magic out the window. That's all."

family fun

More pictures from a wonderful weekend visiting Nana, Papa and Uncle Nate... Thank you for a wonderful, relaxing weekend!

hey how's that experiment going?

You had to ask didn't you? Well, it's not working out all that great. Despite very few naps (about 2 per week, maybe 3) Anna is still having a hard time going down for the night. There are several trips out of her room, several excuses until finally sleep is achieved over an hour and a half later. Mornings continue to come before 6am.

Any suggestions on how to keep a little one in their room? So far she will take any consequence we offer in order to come out to tell us "one more thing" or to get "one more hug". She even said "it's ok, you can take away dance".

We have pushed her bedtime earlier - at least 30 mins - due to no nap and to accommodate the fact that it takes her forever to finally go to bed.

Aaaaargggh! I am at my wits end with this as her behavior is only getting more and more wild. She is not listening, and I have found that this is carrying over into places other than just at home.

HELP!!!!

9 months

Sweetie boy Emmett, as your sister likes to call you...you warm our hearts. How can it be that you turn 9 months today? How can it be that your first birthday is approaching faster than I can even begin to comprehend? I can't think about it without crying. Seriously.

At nine months you are as sweet as ever. I think 9 months is my favorite "baby" stage. I remember it so fondly with Anna, and I am enjoying it thoroughly with you all over again. You babble constantly in your quiet little voice. Every now and again airing it out to show us that you do in fact have a set of pipes on you. You love to say mamamama, nananana, dadadadada, papapapa, and a whole host of other hard consonent sounds that I cannot begin to interpret.


The rails on the crib are now lifted, the mattress at the lowest level. When in a seated position you can pull yourself up onto your knees. You love to stand - supported by people or furniture. You roll back and forth from front to back, trying to get to toys that are out of your reach. Just yesterday you started to push yourself backwards on all fours.

You like to have company - when left alone in a room for more than a few minutes you will squak to let us know you want some attention. You like to have a loved one close by to play with, to touch and just to feel secure.

Your favorite things to do are to bang on things, tip things over, bash them around, and just act in typical "boy" fashion. There's no simple play with the Fisher Price bus like your sister did - no...you are not interested in how the door will open and shut. You are instead fascinated with the sound the bus makes when you pick it up and bang it on the floor. I laugh watching you! You also love the outdoors. So much to see, touch and taste.

You still enjoy your green vegetables, rice cereal and fruit. You currently aren't too enthralled with your bottles, but I think that has to do with the fact that you are getting teeth. You have your two bottom front teeth and one of your top front teeth is about to poke through your gums any second. Teething does not come without it's disruptions in sleep as well - but we'll survive.

You are by all counts an *easy* baby. You take things as they come and you adapt well to changes in your schedule, surroundings, etc. Your cute grins and open mouth drool kisses light up our days. We love you sweetie boy!

crisp fall days

Don't you just love these crisp fall days?

You know, the days when it's not quite cool enough for a winter coat and hat...but just cool enough for an extra layer or two.The days when the sun shines bright and the lure of a pile of leaves calls loudly to the child
within.

Looks like fun doesn't it? Simple pleasures.

It was a weekend filled with them...more pictures to come from our visit to see nana, papa and uncle nate...

field trip day!

Today was Anna's much anticipated "Field Trip Day". For weeks she has been looking forward to this event, hearing lots about it from her teachers at school. We lined up a babysitter for Emmett and this morning Anna and I headed out early for her school to climb aboard a big yellow bus bound for Whistling Well Farm - a little apple orchard / farm near by.

A little colder than previous years the kids (and their chaperones) were bundled up tight. And despite cold little noses and frozen fingers, everyone appeared to have a great time.

We walked through the orchard, learned about apples, how to pick them, and where they went to be washed and stored.

And while this was all interesting and fun, it wasn't nearly as cool as when the chickens got out of the chicken coop and the children got to help chase them back in.

Anna will be the first to tell you that feeding all of the animals was the very best part. She walked right into that chicken coop and carefully fed them one kernel of corn at a time. Everyone around her was in stitches as she exclaimed "bawk bawk bawk little chickens!" and "are you hungry, ok, I have some corn for you" and "aren't you a noisy one?!" She claims one even tried to "peck peck peck at her leg".

If that wasn't a perfect enough morning as it was, it got even better when each child got to pick out their very own pumpkin to bring home along with their apples. It was a bus filled with tired children, grinning from ear to ear.

an experiment - day #1

Up until about 6 months ago I would have said that Anna was a very good sleeper. From fairly early on we had no trouble getting her to go to bed. Naptimes were typically a breeze, and much needed. I remember days when she would say to me "time for a nap". We would simply tuck her in, say goodnight and she would play for maybe 15 mins and then go to sleep on her own.

My how things have changed! Naptime, bedtime and mornings are battle after battle after battle. Often at naps Anna will play in her room for an hour and a half - coming out several times or yelling several times, before finally going to sleep. Then, at bedtime every excuse in the book comes out as she parades out of her room again and again - often for nearly 2 hours. And while always an early riser, she has gone back to the days of pre-6am wakings (sometimes before 5:30am) which results in another battle to keep her in her room resting, or resting still in our room until at least 6:30. Let's just say it is not a pleasant way to start and end the day, and with yet another rough patch in the middle.

I can honestly say that we have tried nearly everything we can think of. We have offered rewards, we have issued consequences - some small, some big. We have taken away animals, or anything that is of interest to her that day. In desperate times, we have put a child lock on her door until she falls asleep. We have put together a very consistent bedtime routine. We have pushed her bedtime back, we have moved her bedtime earlier. We have left her door ajar. Nothing seems to make a difference.

At our wits end with the battles and the near non-existent alone time that Steve and I share, we have decided to try something new. Today we changed Anna's naptime to "quiet time". She was allowed to pick out some toys to bring into her room and her alarm clock was set. Her rules are that she may play quietly, read, or sleep if she wants - the choice is hers. When her alarm goes off, she can come out. Our hope is that by removing her naptime, her bedtime will not only go a little more smoothly - but perhaps her nighttime sleep will extend from a mere 9 hrs to the 11-13 that are recommended for her age.

We'll see. So far "quiet time" hasn't been so quiet. But if we can eliminate even 1 of the 3 battles I will consider this a success. :) Anyone else been through this? Have any other tricks you can offer up?

all mixed up

While I typically love the first snowfall of the year, I must admit it's a little strange when your backyard looks like this only a few days into October...

It's only fitting that on a day like this Emmett took another trip to the doctor and has his first ear infection. Boo! Hopefully the medicine will clear it up quickly and he'll be back to sleeping through the night!

all about God

Anna: "Hey mom, did God make puppies?"
Me: "Yes Anna, God made puppies"
Anna: "He did?! I didn't know God made animals too mom!"
Me: "He did! He made people, animals and all the wonderful things you see around you."
Anna: "Did God make toys?"
Me: "No, God doesn't make toys."
Anna: "Well, who makes toys then?"
Me: "God made people, and there are some people who make toys."
Anna: "People make toys? Well, I didn't know that!"
------------------------------------
Anna: "My friend Maya went to India"
Granka: "She did? That's neat"
Anna: "Where is India, Granka?"
Granka: "India is on the other side of the world Anna. It's a long way!"
Anna: "Mommy, India is on the other side of the world!"
Anna: "Well, Maya is in India"
Granka: "Yes, you said that...is Maya from India?"
Anna: "No Granka, Maya is NOT from India. Maya is from God."
------------------------------------
Me: "Oh Anna, I have such wonderful kids! How did I get so lucky? How did I get so lucky to have two wonderful kids like you and Emmett?"
Anna: "Mommy, God gave us to you."
------------------------------------
Anna: "Mommy, does God live up in outer space?"

meanwhile...

While our baby girl could quite possibly give Supernanny a run for her money these days, our baby boy is busy growing up FAST!

Yesterday I took him in for his 9 month appointment (a few weeks early in order to get the flu shot) and was surprised to learn the following:

Height: 29.75 inches - 95th percentile!!
Weight: 20 lbs 14 oz - 55th percentile
Head: 19.5 in - greater than 97th percentile

No wonder all your pants are starting to look like capris!

At 9 months you are currently obsessed, and I mean obsessed, with trying to crawl. You do not want to be held. You do not want to drink your bottles. You do not want to sleep. You only want to be put on the ground with your mommy or daddy nearby, and you want to reach for things. You get up on your hands and knees and rock, eventually tipping over only to bang your nose into the ground. You want us to hold you so you can stand up and see what's a few feet higher. You want to touch everything and grab everything but you just can't get there. It's all so very frustrating for you! Soon enough dear boy, soon enough.

You are currently fighting through the flu shot. You didn't make a peep, or even stop smiling for that matter, while receiving the flu shot - several hours later you did get pretty fussy which has continued into today. I don't think you liked that one very well as you are noticeably uncomfortable. Unfortunately you have to get another one in 4 more weeks (2 are required if younger than a year).

Which leads me to the H1N1 vaccine. Are you getting it? Will your children? I am not certain. Right now I am leaning towards no. In speaking with my doctor, Emmett may be the only one it makes sense for, and even with him it's iffy at the moment. I suppose it will all depend on how things go over the next few weeks until the shot is made available. Just thought I would ask what other mothers are doing...

oh yes she did

This morning we ventured out to spend some time at a nearby indoor play place that we haven't been to in awhile. What I thought was a good idea apparently was not...

"Hey, that's MINE. I want to drive that car!" (push, shove)

"NO NO NO, you have to go through MY checkout. I am the checker!" (pull, grab)

"NO, you can't open the door to this house. It's MY house" (slam)

"It's MY turn." (snatch out of another's hands)

"I'm HUNGRY"

OK, it's time to go home now...let's pack up and go have lunch.

"I don't want to go!"
"Arrrrrrrrggggggggghhhhh" (top of lungs)
"But I'm NOT hungry"
"NO, I WON'T GO" (stomp feet)
"It's NOT FAIR!" (throws shoes)
"NO NO NO NO NO ARRRRRRGGGGGGHHHH" (climbs up shelves away from me)

Say goodbye to your friends

"GOOOOOODBYYYYYE" (not nice voice, top of lungs)
(flailing arms, stomping feet)

I'm leaving Anna, this is unacceptable. Please sit right there while I put your brother in the car.

"NO NO NO!" (hits all the cars next to ours)
(stomps feet, yelling, yelling, yelling)

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Tell me, what would YOU do if it was you as the mom in this situation?

social graces

Yesterday as we stood outside the door of Anna's preschool classroom waiting for the teachers to open up for the day, Anna *graciously* greeted some of her fellow classmates nearby:

Anna: "Hi Valentina" (shy smile)
Anna: "Hi Colin"

Anna: "Mommy, that's Colin, but I call him Colly-Wolly-Doodle-All-the-Day"
Me: (suppressing a giggle) "Anna, you shouldn't call him that unless he likes to be called that"
Anna: "Colin, is it ok if I call you Colly-Wolly-Doodle-All-the-Day?"

Colin: (blank stare)

I have a feeling she may be getting a few of those stares every now and again.

big man on campus

age three

I can't say I wasn't warned. I can't say I wasn't warned often. Yet I still find myself caught off-guard with this new phase we are in. At age 3 we are in the middle of unpredictable mood swings, wild tempers, fierce independence, unrelenting negotiations and a whole lot of other things I cannot find the words to describe. New behaviors surface each day. Yelling. Hitting. Stomping. Flailing. Pounding.

Anna: I don't like you mommy, but I love you.
Me: Anna, I know you don't know what that means. I like you AND I love you.
Anna: No mommy! I don't like you. I love you. Just love you.

Me: Anna, you know the rules. If you do _____ (fill in the blank) one more time, you will get a time-out.
Anna: That's ok mommy. I can have a time-out. I'll do it again.

Me: Why is Emmett crying?
Anna: Because I knocked him over.
Me: Did you do that on purpose Anna?
Anna: Yes.
Me: Why did you do that?
Anna: I don't know.

Our rules are basic. For example: Use your inside voice in the house. Couches are for sitting on, they are not trampolines. Hands are not for hitting. Hugs are gentle, they should not hurt. And yet there are days when I have literally exhausted my arsenol of consequences, finding that not a single one has managed to steer the behavior in another direction. Let me tell you...this is exhausting.

Don't get me wrong, there is joy in age 3. Imagination run wild. Conversations that have me laughing for many days to follow. Questions that perplex me. Social interactions that are so cute your heart feels like it just might burst.

But I wasn't prepared for the flip side of this age. I don't want to be a "NO!" mom. I don't want to be a "yeller". Alas, I find myself there more often than I'd like, frustrated with her behavior and equally so with my inability to deal with it effectively. Being a parent is no easy job, I am reminded daily.

I read books that describe these behaviors and why they occur. I read about strategies on how to diffuse the tense situations. I solicit advice from my husband and other moms. I pray for guidance and patience. I pray for lots of patience. Because I know that while we may be up to our eyeballs in tears and tantrums...smiles and sunshine are right around the corner.


Some days it's just easier to get there than others.

smiles are hard to come by

Good morning Anna! You look so cute in your hat, can I take your picture? Can you look at me for a second?

How about one nice smile? Please?

How about one without your tongue?!

And that would be why there are not very many pictures of our darling daughter on the blog as of late.