Usually, when school first gets out, I wonder how in the world I'm going to entertain all 3 children daily. After about a week, though, we all adjust and it all becomes natural. About 3 weeks prior to school starting, we are all ready for school to begin again. This summer, however, felt very short. I'm not sure if it was because I was working some and therefore had fewer days with the kids, but this summer felt short. Also, I will admit that I was dreading Noah beginning Pre-K. He's my baby--I've had a child at home all day every day for the past 9 years. It's scary territory knowing that I would not have a child around for part of my day.
Katie is now in fourth grade. That's so hard to believe and very tough to admit that I have a child who will be in middle school in two years. Two years is not a long time...though I used to believe that it was! So far, she seems to be enjoying school, as she has several of her friends in her class this year. She is quite smart, but in third grade, she did not apply herself as much as she should have. She's also a Mountain View Bears cheerleader! I've never seen her so excited as she is cheering!
Aidan is now in first grade. It's hard to believe that two years ago, he was just starting Pre-K, and now he's in first grade! His teacher seems very nice, and I'm hopeful that his year in first grade will be just as wonderful as his kindergarten year. He learned so much, and he loves school. He's also in PeeWee baseball now--no more tees for him!
It was really tough for me to take Noah to Pre-K. With Noah's speech delay, I wasn't sure how it would all work out for him. He is very friendly (and social), but it was difficult for me to let him go. Noah may not have the same amount of speech as a typical 4-year-old, but he's so endearing. Not only that, but he does know his letters, his numbers, and his name. What he lacks in speech he makes up for in knowledge. I am excited to see how he progresses this year. Also, he's in t-ball for the first time (he was in pre-t last season), and he's making some progress in his game.
It's really tough watching your children grow up--a lot more difficult than I ever could've imaged prior to having children!
Showing posts with label Aidan. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Aidan. Show all posts
Thursday, August 23, 2012
Thursday, June 7, 2012
Aidan's First Kiss
When I was growing up, I really looked up to my sisters. After all, they are 7 and 8 years older than I, so I thought they were really cool, getting to do all the fun stuff while I was still a little kid. I remember spying on my oldest sister one night. She had been dating her husband for a long time, but a long-running joke was how they broke up once per year every April. Well, when they broke up that April, she began dating someone else for once. My other sisters and I heard when she got home, so we were able to sneak into the garage and spy on our oldest sister while she said goodnight to her date. Naturally, they kissed, which is what we were counting on! I began invisioning kissing a future boyfriend one day, and it made me really happy to think of that time.
When I was 15, I was very active in my church's youth group. I went to all of the activities, and it was quite common for people in the youth group to begin dating one another. This one older guy (he was maybe 2 years older?) and became friends--we would talk during youth group, and hang out together. Well, one evening, as we were about to go into youth group, he pulled me aside and kissed me! It was my first true kiss! I was filled with excitement, as I had been anticipating this event for as long as I could remember.
Today, as we were driving home from VBS, Aidan informed me that he had been kissed by a girl at church yesterday. Apparently, today, he kissed her! Now, they had held hands before, but this time, they kissed each other on the cheek! I know the little girl--she was in Aidan's Pre-K class, and we are friends with her parents. According to Aidan, she told him that she wants to marry him when they grow up! My goodness--I never thought my 6-year-old would be betrothed at such a young age in this day and age! Kids grow up too fast!!!!
When I was 15, I was very active in my church's youth group. I went to all of the activities, and it was quite common for people in the youth group to begin dating one another. This one older guy (he was maybe 2 years older?) and became friends--we would talk during youth group, and hang out together. Well, one evening, as we were about to go into youth group, he pulled me aside and kissed me! It was my first true kiss! I was filled with excitement, as I had been anticipating this event for as long as I could remember.
Today, as we were driving home from VBS, Aidan informed me that he had been kissed by a girl at church yesterday. Apparently, today, he kissed her! Now, they had held hands before, but this time, they kissed each other on the cheek! I know the little girl--she was in Aidan's Pre-K class, and we are friends with her parents. According to Aidan, she told him that she wants to marry him when they grow up! My goodness--I never thought my 6-year-old would be betrothed at such a young age in this day and age! Kids grow up too fast!!!!
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Apraxia?
It's been awhile since I've written anything on this blog!!! We've stayed busy, and the kids are doing well. Today Aidan and Noah had their well child visits with their doctor. Aidan is in the 25% percentile for both height and weight. He's doing well--the doctor told him that if he can't learn to control his behavior, then he can speak with someone. Aidan is a model student in school and baseball--he NEVER, EVER gets into trouble, and his teachers wish all of their students were like him. At home, though, he's been melting down. He will wrestle with his brother, talk back, and generally being a pain to be around. We've tried punishments and rewards, but nothing has been working. The doctor said a lot of it is his age, and told him that if he feels himself melting down, then he needs to recognize it and calmly go do something quiet until he calms down. She doesn't think he has any behavioral problems--I don't, either, but it's get old very quickly having him get into trouble nightly at home! He really is a sweet, caring boy, but he's got to stop melting down at home!
Noah is in the 75% percentile for height and weight--what a big boy he has always been! He was very good for his appointment, as he did exactly what he was asked. However, he wouldn't tell the dr. when he heard a beep for his hearing test. The dr. and I discussed Noah's speech, and she did a few speech tests on him. It's obvious he knows his shapes and colors, so she tested him. She agrees that he is very social, and most certainly not on the austism spectrum, which is wonderful news. However, she did suggest that he may have apraxia. I actually think someone has finally hit the nail on the head! Chris and I have always said that Noah knows exactly what you are saying, but he can't seem to communicate back. Noah is getting a referral to an audiologist to retest his hearing, as he has to pass for his school forms. Also, we absolutely have to get Noah back into speech therapy. I've done a bit of research on apraxia, and some things sound right on target. It's as if Noah wants to answer, but he can't find the word he's searching for. I hope and pray we can get some real answers soon--I can't wait until the day that Noah can carry on a true conversation with me!
Noah is in the 75% percentile for height and weight--what a big boy he has always been! He was very good for his appointment, as he did exactly what he was asked. However, he wouldn't tell the dr. when he heard a beep for his hearing test. The dr. and I discussed Noah's speech, and she did a few speech tests on him. It's obvious he knows his shapes and colors, so she tested him. She agrees that he is very social, and most certainly not on the austism spectrum, which is wonderful news. However, she did suggest that he may have apraxia. I actually think someone has finally hit the nail on the head! Chris and I have always said that Noah knows exactly what you are saying, but he can't seem to communicate back. Noah is getting a referral to an audiologist to retest his hearing, as he has to pass for his school forms. Also, we absolutely have to get Noah back into speech therapy. I've done a bit of research on apraxia, and some things sound right on target. It's as if Noah wants to answer, but he can't find the word he's searching for. I hope and pray we can get some real answers soon--I can't wait until the day that Noah can carry on a true conversation with me!
Monday, July 11, 2011
Sweet Summertime
It's been awhile since I've written. After such a busy spring, summer and the laziness that has ensued has hindered my writing. Actually, I think I've had a bit of postpartum depression. Yes, it is entirely possible to have postpartum depression after a pregnancy loss, just as it's possible after having a live baby. Spring kept me busy and allowed me to focus on many things, but when it all ended, I crashed emotionally. I have not been to a doctor or anything. However, I am finally allowing myself to think about what all happened, and I'm still trying to find peace with it. Though I am thrilled for any others who are pregnant or just had a baby, I mourn for my own loss each time a new pregnancy or birth is announced.
However, enough about me. The kids are out of school, of course. Katie and Aidan had a blast at VBS this summer, in which the theme was Galactic Blast. I'll post about our vacation to Myrtle Beach soon. This week, Aidan is at baseball camp with Jack City Sports Center. He's loving it so far! It's hard to believe the beginning of the school year is just a few short weeks away! Katie's ballet will begin the week school begins, and baseball begins in late August.
Noah's speech is getting better, but we are still debating putting him back into ST. My uncle is actually a professional when it comes to speech, and my dad discussed Noah's speech with him. I'm thrilled to say that my uncle, who is very familiar with austism, agrees that Noah does not appear to be on the austism spectrum at all. My uncle suggested a specific, rare form of speech therapy that he believes would be beneficial for Noah, and we are looking into it. I'm not sure if insurance will cover it or not. However, I feel confident that Noah will soon get the ST he needs and will hopefully become a chatterbox!
However, enough about me. The kids are out of school, of course. Katie and Aidan had a blast at VBS this summer, in which the theme was Galactic Blast. I'll post about our vacation to Myrtle Beach soon. This week, Aidan is at baseball camp with Jack City Sports Center. He's loving it so far! It's hard to believe the beginning of the school year is just a few short weeks away! Katie's ballet will begin the week school begins, and baseball begins in late August.
Noah's speech is getting better, but we are still debating putting him back into ST. My uncle is actually a professional when it comes to speech, and my dad discussed Noah's speech with him. I'm thrilled to say that my uncle, who is very familiar with austism, agrees that Noah does not appear to be on the austism spectrum at all. My uncle suggested a specific, rare form of speech therapy that he believes would be beneficial for Noah, and we are looking into it. I'm not sure if insurance will cover it or not. However, I feel confident that Noah will soon get the ST he needs and will hopefully become a chatterbox!
Monday, May 9, 2011
Busy Spring...
Things have been more than a little bit crazy around our house lately. Our days are full, as well as our evenings, and though the sun is staying out later, my days seem shorter than ever.
Noah is absolutely communicating far better. He answers questions now, and it is obvious he completely understands what he is being told. His vocabulary continues to increase as well. He is finally beginning to start his sentences with "I" when he wants something. However, the most interesting new activity for Noah is t-ball! He's been enthusiatically watching Aidan's baseball games, and after practice, Noah loves run the bases. We are thinking of enrolling him in spring t-ball, as we hear they are far less competitive during the fall. Also, he is still using the potty very well, but I've gotten a bit lazy and need to finish training him.
Katie is about to have her ballet recital! She's done extremely well with ballet this year--well enough to get moved up to the next level next year. She still hasn't decided if she's going to take ballet again, but I really hope she will. It's difficult to process that she's almost done with second grade! I am not ready for her to begin third grade next year!! Katie really enjoyed her swimming lessons last year, so we are going to let her take some more lessons this year from Swim Atlanta.
Aidan's schedule has been the craziest of all! He has really enjoyed playing baseball with the Dacula Braves this spring, and his team was undefeated for the first 8 games!! Aidan's enjoying baseball so much that we are going to enroll him in a baseball camp this summer at a local sports center called Jack City. They have both an indoor and outdoor field, so he won't have to endure 100* temps for his camp. Also, so many of the boys on his team have taken private lessons at Jack City, so I think we might sign him up for a couple of those as well. I also just registered him for kindergarten next year--I'm not ready for this! His PreK graduation is next week, and it will be bittersweet for sure.
Chris and I have both been working some crazy hours at Van Adams lately. Mother's Day was insanely busy there, which is great, but wore us out! I'm working another full week this week, so the extra money is great, but I have had to let some things go around the house. I've also begun making cakes for some extra money. One of my friends is going to create a website for me, and I hope I can eventually get to the point that I make at least one cake per week.
Mother's Day was enjoyable. We ate lunch with my parents and my sister Ruth, and we went to Red Lobster. The kids did surprisingly well there, and ate just about everything between the 3 of them! Katie made me a sweet card with tea attached to it, and Aidan painted me a wooden jewelry box and made a beaded bracelet to go inside of it. I also got a rose from Aidan's baseball team, flowers, Godiva chocolates, and some shopping money! I would be lying if I said I wasn't a bit wistful on Mother's Day--I was truly missing my twins, as I am quickly approaching what would've been my due date, May 28. Just as I think I'm getting better, something reminds me of the babies and I often get lonely for them.
Summer will be here before we know it!
Noah is absolutely communicating far better. He answers questions now, and it is obvious he completely understands what he is being told. His vocabulary continues to increase as well. He is finally beginning to start his sentences with "I" when he wants something. However, the most interesting new activity for Noah is t-ball! He's been enthusiatically watching Aidan's baseball games, and after practice, Noah loves run the bases. We are thinking of enrolling him in spring t-ball, as we hear they are far less competitive during the fall. Also, he is still using the potty very well, but I've gotten a bit lazy and need to finish training him.
Katie is about to have her ballet recital! She's done extremely well with ballet this year--well enough to get moved up to the next level next year. She still hasn't decided if she's going to take ballet again, but I really hope she will. It's difficult to process that she's almost done with second grade! I am not ready for her to begin third grade next year!! Katie really enjoyed her swimming lessons last year, so we are going to let her take some more lessons this year from Swim Atlanta.
Aidan's schedule has been the craziest of all! He has really enjoyed playing baseball with the Dacula Braves this spring, and his team was undefeated for the first 8 games!! Aidan's enjoying baseball so much that we are going to enroll him in a baseball camp this summer at a local sports center called Jack City. They have both an indoor and outdoor field, so he won't have to endure 100* temps for his camp. Also, so many of the boys on his team have taken private lessons at Jack City, so I think we might sign him up for a couple of those as well. I also just registered him for kindergarten next year--I'm not ready for this! His PreK graduation is next week, and it will be bittersweet for sure.
Chris and I have both been working some crazy hours at Van Adams lately. Mother's Day was insanely busy there, which is great, but wore us out! I'm working another full week this week, so the extra money is great, but I have had to let some things go around the house. I've also begun making cakes for some extra money. One of my friends is going to create a website for me, and I hope I can eventually get to the point that I make at least one cake per week.
Mother's Day was enjoyable. We ate lunch with my parents and my sister Ruth, and we went to Red Lobster. The kids did surprisingly well there, and ate just about everything between the 3 of them! Katie made me a sweet card with tea attached to it, and Aidan painted me a wooden jewelry box and made a beaded bracelet to go inside of it. I also got a rose from Aidan's baseball team, flowers, Godiva chocolates, and some shopping money! I would be lying if I said I wasn't a bit wistful on Mother's Day--I was truly missing my twins, as I am quickly approaching what would've been my due date, May 28. Just as I think I'm getting better, something reminds me of the babies and I often get lonely for them.
Summer will be here before we know it!
Saturday, March 19, 2011
Spring is here!
It's been a LONG time since I've posted anything on my blog. I've stayed pretty busy these past few weeks, and I finally have a little bit of time. To begin with, the weather has mellowed out quite a bit--it's in the 80s today! The kids are enjoying spending time outside, and I'm enjoying lower energy bills until the heat of summer really kicks in in a month or so.
I've spent a lot of time with Noah lately, assessing his speech and behavior. I have come to the conclusion that, if he is on the austism spectrum, which I highly doubt, he is extremely high-functioning. However, I truly believe that he is fine. I have focused on his speech a lot lately, and he is making great strides. He is finally beginning to really communicate his wants and needs to me. He loves looking at books right now, and he especially loves animals. I hope to take him back to the zoo soon because he's really loving elephants and zebras right now. He is also starting to follow directions. Does he ALWAYS follow directions? Of course not! But, his communication is much better. He's also playing with more kids. Does he still enjoy independent play? Of course! But, he's just as happy playing with other children. He shares pretty well, and especially loves cars and trains. He has begun to watch baseball and is starting to understand how to hit the ball. I'm also working with him on riding his new bike with training wheels. Potty-training is about to begin. He actually told me to change his dirty diaper the other day, so I know he's ready. I'm really proud of Noah! He's come a long way lately.
Aidan is deep into the spring season of baseball! This year, his team is the Dacula Braves, and they are a great team. The boys work well together, and they are undefeated as of this point. We spend about 3-4 days/nights per week practicing and playing games. Baseball is serious stuff her in Dacula! The coaches really work with the boys to get them to improve. Aidan's stance is much better, as is is swing. He still has a long way to go, but he's improved so much! It's a lot of fun watching them play, and Aidan is happy. I'm thrilled he's found a sport that he loves so that he can build some confidence and get some exercise.
Katie is performing in Cinderella tomorrow with the Northeast Atlanta Ballet. She seems to enjoy ballet, but at the same time, she says she doesn't want to take ballet next year. We'll see. She has tried a few activities, but she doesn't seem to love any of them enough to really get involved. She's still doing well in school. We also are coming off of our Girl Scout cookie sale. Girl Scouts is keeping us so busy, and I feel badly that I can't be more active with the troop. But with Chris' job and me having the boys with me, there's only so much I can do with the troop.
Chris is still searching for a new job, but no luck yet. I've been working a few days per week up until this week, and it's worn me out. We are also staying busy with our online video game business.
Ok, that's my quick update. Time to spend more time with the kids!
I've spent a lot of time with Noah lately, assessing his speech and behavior. I have come to the conclusion that, if he is on the austism spectrum, which I highly doubt, he is extremely high-functioning. However, I truly believe that he is fine. I have focused on his speech a lot lately, and he is making great strides. He is finally beginning to really communicate his wants and needs to me. He loves looking at books right now, and he especially loves animals. I hope to take him back to the zoo soon because he's really loving elephants and zebras right now. He is also starting to follow directions. Does he ALWAYS follow directions? Of course not! But, his communication is much better. He's also playing with more kids. Does he still enjoy independent play? Of course! But, he's just as happy playing with other children. He shares pretty well, and especially loves cars and trains. He has begun to watch baseball and is starting to understand how to hit the ball. I'm also working with him on riding his new bike with training wheels. Potty-training is about to begin. He actually told me to change his dirty diaper the other day, so I know he's ready. I'm really proud of Noah! He's come a long way lately.
Aidan is deep into the spring season of baseball! This year, his team is the Dacula Braves, and they are a great team. The boys work well together, and they are undefeated as of this point. We spend about 3-4 days/nights per week practicing and playing games. Baseball is serious stuff her in Dacula! The coaches really work with the boys to get them to improve. Aidan's stance is much better, as is is swing. He still has a long way to go, but he's improved so much! It's a lot of fun watching them play, and Aidan is happy. I'm thrilled he's found a sport that he loves so that he can build some confidence and get some exercise.
Katie is performing in Cinderella tomorrow with the Northeast Atlanta Ballet. She seems to enjoy ballet, but at the same time, she says she doesn't want to take ballet next year. We'll see. She has tried a few activities, but she doesn't seem to love any of them enough to really get involved. She's still doing well in school. We also are coming off of our Girl Scout cookie sale. Girl Scouts is keeping us so busy, and I feel badly that I can't be more active with the troop. But with Chris' job and me having the boys with me, there's only so much I can do with the troop.
Chris is still searching for a new job, but no luck yet. I've been working a few days per week up until this week, and it's worn me out. We are also staying busy with our online video game business.
Ok, that's my quick update. Time to spend more time with the kids!
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Well Check-Ups
Today, Aidan and Noah went to the dr. for well child visits. I had delayed taking Noah so that I could get two done at once. Our new insurance has kicked in, so my copay was less, which was nice. Aidan was worried he'd have to get a shot today, but I wasn't sure if would have to. Noah, on the other hand, would definately have to get a couple of shots.
It began calmly. Chris was off today, so we all headed to the pediatrician's office. The nurse got the weight and height of the boys--Aidan is 42 inches tall and 37 lbs, while Noah is 39.5 inches tall and 35 lbs. No wonder people think they boys are twins! Aidan had to have a hearing and vision screening for school, but he still didn't want to cooperate. Poor Noah had to get his thumb pricked so they could do some blood work on him, and he screamed bloody murder! While the nurse went to get the dr., Aidan decided to cooperate on the vision screening, so we all watched as he passed with flying colors. Once Dr. M came in, though, things got a bit hairy. Aidan did ok for his exam, but he was still afraid he'd get a shot. Noah watched with wonder as Aidan had his exam. Then it was Noah's turn, but Noah did not like that idea at all. Dr. M was patient with him, and he finally calmed down for his exam. Next, we had a nice chat about eating habits and Noah's speech. As we discussed Noah's speech, we briefly touched on what could be causing his speech delay. Dr. M hestitantly said there is a slight possiblity he has autism. She didn't want to even say it, because she doesn't really think this is the case, but she wanted us to watch for signs over the next six months and then we'll re-evaluate. She suggested that we get him more involved with other kids and see how he develops. We all truly believe that it is nothing more than a simple speech delay, but we will follow him closely the next few months. I'd be lying if I said that simply mentioning autism doesn't have me worried and concerned, but I'm trying to stay focused. His speech has come a long way, and I can only hope and pray that he will continue to make great strides.
It began calmly. Chris was off today, so we all headed to the pediatrician's office. The nurse got the weight and height of the boys--Aidan is 42 inches tall and 37 lbs, while Noah is 39.5 inches tall and 35 lbs. No wonder people think they boys are twins! Aidan had to have a hearing and vision screening for school, but he still didn't want to cooperate. Poor Noah had to get his thumb pricked so they could do some blood work on him, and he screamed bloody murder! While the nurse went to get the dr., Aidan decided to cooperate on the vision screening, so we all watched as he passed with flying colors. Once Dr. M came in, though, things got a bit hairy. Aidan did ok for his exam, but he was still afraid he'd get a shot. Noah watched with wonder as Aidan had his exam. Then it was Noah's turn, but Noah did not like that idea at all. Dr. M was patient with him, and he finally calmed down for his exam. Next, we had a nice chat about eating habits and Noah's speech. As we discussed Noah's speech, we briefly touched on what could be causing his speech delay. Dr. M hestitantly said there is a slight possiblity he has autism. She didn't want to even say it, because she doesn't really think this is the case, but she wanted us to watch for signs over the next six months and then we'll re-evaluate. She suggested that we get him more involved with other kids and see how he develops. We all truly believe that it is nothing more than a simple speech delay, but we will follow him closely the next few months. I'd be lying if I said that simply mentioning autism doesn't have me worried and concerned, but I'm trying to stay focused. His speech has come a long way, and I can only hope and pray that he will continue to make great strides.
Eat Mor Chikn
I cannot believe that Aidan is now 5! Where has the time gone? Only yesterday, he was born a huge baby boy, causing me to push for 3 hours before he was delivered. Now, he's in Pre-K, playing baseball, and learning at leaps and bounds.
We had Aidan's 5th birthday party on Sat., Feb. 5 at CFA on Scenic Hwy. We had discussed what kind of party Aidan wanted, and though he initially wanted a CEC party, I did some research and discovered that CFA was highly rated for birthday parties and a bit more frugal than other places. In fact, it appears that each individual CFA determines what they will charge for birthday parties. Some places rival CEC or Monkey Joe's, while others simply charge for the kids' meals. I was happy with what CFA in Snellville gave me for my money. They told me they would set up a table for the kids with a tablecloth, provide a balloon for each child, let the kids order what they wanted in their meals, give them ice cream, and have the cow present. Nothing seemed simpler to me! We invited the entire Pre-K class, but I knew they wouldn't all show up.
On Friday, after 5.5 hours, I had made Aidan's Super Mario cake from scratch. We decided to blow up Aidan's Mario balloon on Saturday morning, and when we went to Party City, the balloon was deflated by the time we went to check out. They refilled it, and once again, the air escaped. I felt bad for Aidan, but there was nothing I could do--no place actually sells the Mario mylar balloons. I had ordered it online from Birthday Express. Chris got off of work early, and we went to CFA around 5:15, about 15 min. before his party. People trickled in--several people who had not RSVPed showed up, and I was glad, because I only had about a half dozen RSVPs. As luck would have it, it was also daddy/daughter date night, so there was a violinist and arch made of balloons, as well as black tableclothes and candles on each table. All of the kids began playing, and we ordered a small nugget tray for the adults to munch on. After all the kids arrived, we ordered their meals. Honestly, the children were amazingly quiet during dinner! We got them ice cream, and the cow came over to help sing to Aidan. He was beaming with excitement! Next, he opened those presents!! All of the kids were excited--Aidan got lots of fun toys! As the party wrapped up, I passed out goody bags to the kids (filled with pencils, pads of paper, Play-Doh, Smarties, fruit snacks, a crazy straw, and Mario candy). Aidan was walking on air that evening. Once we got home, he ripped into his new toys, and he, Katie, and Noah had a blast trying everything out. I heard some of the kids say Aidan's party was the best they had ever been to! Needless to say, fun was had by all, and we had some exhausted kids that evening!
Sunday, January 9, 2011
Picky Eaters
It's funny. When Katie was a toddler, I could take her to any restaurant, and she would be the neatest eater at the table. And wow, she would eat almost anything. My boys are different. About a year ago, Noah stopped eating much of anything. For about 3 months, he would only eat a couple of things. I spoke with his speech therapist and his pediatrician, but they assured me that he would eat when he was ready. To suppliment, I began giving him Carnation Instant Breakfast daily. That way, he would get the nutrition he was lacking in his diet. To this day, he is incredibly picky, refusing to eat any fruit or vegetables, aside from what is in his chili and spaghetti.
When Aidan began Pre-K, I had to pack him a lunch because he was refusing to eat what they served him. At dinner, he would pick at everything. He's not as picky as Noah, but there are only certain foods he will touch. As a child, my parents would force me to sit at the table until I cleaned my plate. As a result, I refuse to touch seafood, even now. I don't want my kids to miss out on certain foods, so our rule is that you have to take at least one bite of everything on their plate. If they don't like it, they don't have to eat more, but this way, they are exposed to new foods and have the opportunity to develop their palates.
I just wish dinnertime wasn't such a battle of wills! At least Katie still eats very well and will clean her plate at just about any meal!
When Aidan began Pre-K, I had to pack him a lunch because he was refusing to eat what they served him. At dinner, he would pick at everything. He's not as picky as Noah, but there are only certain foods he will touch. As a child, my parents would force me to sit at the table until I cleaned my plate. As a result, I refuse to touch seafood, even now. I don't want my kids to miss out on certain foods, so our rule is that you have to take at least one bite of everything on their plate. If they don't like it, they don't have to eat more, but this way, they are exposed to new foods and have the opportunity to develop their palates.
I just wish dinnertime wasn't such a battle of wills! At least Katie still eats very well and will clean her plate at just about any meal!
Monday, November 22, 2010
Really?!
For the most part, I try to stay optomistic. Sometimes things get me down, but I usually try to look at the bright side of things. Well, I can officially say that November is one of the worst months I can ever remember. Over the weekend, my parents watched the kids for a couple of hours on Saturday so that I Christmas shop for a couple of hours. Katie had Nutcracker rehearsal, and she had fun. We got home, and she ate three slices of pizza. Aidan, on the other hand, went to bed at 7 pm, complaining of achy legs and a headache. I was praying he did not have the flu. Well, around midnight, Katie knocked on our door, complaining her stomach hurt and that couldn't sleep. I took her temp--it was 102! We gave her a bucket and Tylenol, and sent her to bed. She kept knocking on our door, and on Sunday, we found both Katie and Aidan laying on the floor in front of our door. Aidan got better, but Katie stayed in bed all day, fighting that fever. Today, she still had that fever and vomiting, so I decided to take her to the dr. They tested her for strep and flu, and sure enough, she has the flu. However, her dr. felt that she was too dried out and sent us to Scottish Rite for fluids. Really?! My parents took the boys, and when Chris picked them up, Aidan had a temp as well. His fever is around 100.5, so it's not as bad, but really?
To make matters worse, I have had some complications since the D&C. I began bleeding heavily on Friday, and it's continued. I'm kind of getting worried, but I can't drag kids sick with the flu to the OB's office, so I will call and try to get some medicine called in. As my sister Becky said, I won't be of any use if I end up in the ER.
However, for the moment, I am trying to look for something positive right down during this very dark time. I am thankful that Noah is not sick, and I am thankful to have a supportive family. I think everyone can agree that this has been a bad month for us. We lost our twins, we lost Chris' grandmother, and now we have the flu that sent Katie to the hospital. But, December is next week. Maybe something positive can happen. Maybe we can find some kind of joy this holiday season.
To make matters worse, I have had some complications since the D&C. I began bleeding heavily on Friday, and it's continued. I'm kind of getting worried, but I can't drag kids sick with the flu to the OB's office, so I will call and try to get some medicine called in. As my sister Becky said, I won't be of any use if I end up in the ER.
However, for the moment, I am trying to look for something positive right down during this very dark time. I am thankful that Noah is not sick, and I am thankful to have a supportive family. I think everyone can agree that this has been a bad month for us. We lost our twins, we lost Chris' grandmother, and now we have the flu that sent Katie to the hospital. But, December is next week. Maybe something positive can happen. Maybe we can find some kind of joy this holiday season.
Monday, November 1, 2010
Trick or Treat
Halloween 2010 was a pretty good day for us. On Friday, Aidan got to wear his Mario costume to school and got a huge bag full of candy. Katie got a treat bag at school as well, and then there was a dance at her school. I dressed all of the kids up in their costumes and we headed over to Dyer ES. They had Sonic there selling hamburgers, hot dogs, and corn dogs, as well as mozzarella sticks and slushies. Katie wanted a burger, but the rest of us chose corn dogs. Chris joined us at the school after he left work. They even had someone dressed up in a hot dog costume--Aidan was terrified of him! It's funny--Aidan loves the Chick-Fil-A cow, but that's it for costumed characters. Noah, on the other hand, loved the hot dog dude! He talked up a storm to the hot dog and gave him five. Katie got her face painted, and both Katie and Aidan ended up getting tatoos on their cheeks. The kids got grab bags and glow sticks, then we danced. Aidan cracked us up--white boy can dance! He loves dancing all around, and he's pretty good at it. There was a costume contest, but we didn't win, of course.
Sunday, Halloween, started out slowly. We ended up at the Dollar Tree, searching for some white gloves for Aidan's Mario costume, but had no luck. Chris went to Van's house to help for a bit and earn some extra cash, but he came home around 4:30. My parents came over at 5:30 to help hand out candy. We ate Checkers for dinner, and the trick or treaters began coming around 7 pm--much later than I expected. We went out at about 7:15. Katie was Hannah Montana, Aidan was Mario, and Noah was Thomas the Tank Engine. Last year, Noah could've cared less about trick or treating. However, he totally got into it this year! Katie and Aidan would run up to the door, and Noah would run up behind them. Whenever anyone gave him candy, Noah would shout, "Thank you! Good-bye!" It was adorable!
This neighborhood was fantastic for trick or treating. We have sidewalks, and almost all of the candy was good--not much cheap stuff. Well, there was the house that thought giving out Delta Airlines peanuts was a good idea.......but that was the only lame treat. Numerous houses gave out full sized candy bars--score for Chris and me! The kids got so much candy that we had to come home to drop off a load so that we could head back out for more fun. At about 8:15, Aidan was spent. We headed home, and our kitchen table was covered with treats! The kids took quick baths and passed out. It was one of the best Halloweens we've ever had!
Sunday, Halloween, started out slowly. We ended up at the Dollar Tree, searching for some white gloves for Aidan's Mario costume, but had no luck. Chris went to Van's house to help for a bit and earn some extra cash, but he came home around 4:30. My parents came over at 5:30 to help hand out candy. We ate Checkers for dinner, and the trick or treaters began coming around 7 pm--much later than I expected. We went out at about 7:15. Katie was Hannah Montana, Aidan was Mario, and Noah was Thomas the Tank Engine. Last year, Noah could've cared less about trick or treating. However, he totally got into it this year! Katie and Aidan would run up to the door, and Noah would run up behind them. Whenever anyone gave him candy, Noah would shout, "Thank you! Good-bye!" It was adorable!
This neighborhood was fantastic for trick or treating. We have sidewalks, and almost all of the candy was good--not much cheap stuff. Well, there was the house that thought giving out Delta Airlines peanuts was a good idea.......but that was the only lame treat. Numerous houses gave out full sized candy bars--score for Chris and me! The kids got so much candy that we had to come home to drop off a load so that we could head back out for more fun. At about 8:15, Aidan was spent. We headed home, and our kitchen table was covered with treats! The kids took quick baths and passed out. It was one of the best Halloweens we've ever had!
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Kid's Night
Last night, Aidan quietly asked me (as I was tucking him into bed) if we could go to Chick-Fil-A tonight and see the cow. I told him I would talk to Daddy about it and we would see. I spoke to Chris about it, and then I remembered that Tuesdays are kid's night at CFA on 124 in Snellville. Katie has ballet on Tuesday evenings in Grayson, so that worked out well.
Katie's ballet practice went well, and while she was there, we washed the van and got Chris a haircut. We picked Katie up and went to CFA. Aidan was beaming as we walked inside! It was really crowded, so we had Katie and Aidan sit in a booth while we ordered. One of the girls from Katie's Girl Scout troop was there as well, so Katie talked to her friend while we waited. On kid's night, you get one free 4 piece kid's meal with an adult meal purchase, so Aidan and Noah got the free meals and we paid for Katie's. Unfortunately, we didn't see the cow at first, but Aidan was ok. We had told the kids that they had to eat within a half hour because Chris had another surprise for them. They had hoped to exchange their prizes for ice cream, but we didn't have time. As we finished up dinner, the cow appeared! Aidan ran up to him and gave him a high five! This is a huge deal because Aidan has always been terrified of costumed characters, but he loves the CFA cow!
After CFA, Chris drove to the dollar theater. We have taken the kids to the regular theater, but Noah just cannot sit still enough during a movie yet. He likes to talk halfway through, and we feel guilty with other people in the theater. Anyway, Chris was wanting to see "Despicable Me", and Noah was free to the movie, so it was a great deal! The kids loved it! It was actually a really cute movie with a good message in it. Naturally, Noah decided to talk midway through the movie, but he did eventually calm down.
Overall, it was a good night with the family. We don't often go out for a night out, especially on a weekday, but the kids had fun, as did the parents!
Katie's ballet practice went well, and while she was there, we washed the van and got Chris a haircut. We picked Katie up and went to CFA. Aidan was beaming as we walked inside! It was really crowded, so we had Katie and Aidan sit in a booth while we ordered. One of the girls from Katie's Girl Scout troop was there as well, so Katie talked to her friend while we waited. On kid's night, you get one free 4 piece kid's meal with an adult meal purchase, so Aidan and Noah got the free meals and we paid for Katie's. Unfortunately, we didn't see the cow at first, but Aidan was ok. We had told the kids that they had to eat within a half hour because Chris had another surprise for them. They had hoped to exchange their prizes for ice cream, but we didn't have time. As we finished up dinner, the cow appeared! Aidan ran up to him and gave him a high five! This is a huge deal because Aidan has always been terrified of costumed characters, but he loves the CFA cow!
After CFA, Chris drove to the dollar theater. We have taken the kids to the regular theater, but Noah just cannot sit still enough during a movie yet. He likes to talk halfway through, and we feel guilty with other people in the theater. Anyway, Chris was wanting to see "Despicable Me", and Noah was free to the movie, so it was a great deal! The kids loved it! It was actually a really cute movie with a good message in it. Naturally, Noah decided to talk midway through the movie, but he did eventually calm down.
Overall, it was a good night with the family. We don't often go out for a night out, especially on a weekday, but the kids had fun, as did the parents!
Saturday, October 9, 2010
Stressed
Things have been stressful around our house lately. As I wrote last week, I have been sick, and I am still not feeling great. I don't have much of an appetite, yet I am forcing myself to eat what I can. Noah's been going through a rough stage lately. He's decided that it's hilarious to throw objects down the stairs, therefore creating a huge mess in our downstairs hallway and on our landing. I have told him that he's being a bad boy when he does that, but the only thing that seems to get through to him is placing him in time-out.
Katie and Aidan have had pretty good weeks. Aidan is going to the pumpkin patch with his class on Tuesday, and Katie had fine arts night this past Thursday, where she sang with her class and we got to see her artwork. She's also been hard at working practicing for "The Nutcracker"!
We have been searching for Chris a new job. We need one that pays better and offers benefits. His current job was fantastic after his being unemployed for 8 months, but he's been there for 2 years now and still hasn't had a raise, and we could use more money. Who couldn't?! He's been picking up some work helping his boss get his house ready to sell, so that's been some nice money. I just feel like I never see him anymore, and I'm stressed with that as well.
On the plus side, Noah's been wanting to read books a lot lately. He frequently comes and sits in my lap, wanting me to read him a story. It seems to be helping his vocabulary quite a bit!
Katie and Aidan have had pretty good weeks. Aidan is going to the pumpkin patch with his class on Tuesday, and Katie had fine arts night this past Thursday, where she sang with her class and we got to see her artwork. She's also been hard at working practicing for "The Nutcracker"!
We have been searching for Chris a new job. We need one that pays better and offers benefits. His current job was fantastic after his being unemployed for 8 months, but he's been there for 2 years now and still hasn't had a raise, and we could use more money. Who couldn't?! He's been picking up some work helping his boss get his house ready to sell, so that's been some nice money. I just feel like I never see him anymore, and I'm stressed with that as well.
On the plus side, Noah's been wanting to read books a lot lately. He frequently comes and sits in my lap, wanting me to read him a story. It seems to be helping his vocabulary quite a bit!
Thursday, September 9, 2010
This and That
What a crazy couple of months we have had! We have finally almost finished painting the house--the only rooms left are the downstairs bathroom and the dining room. Unfortunately, we need the bathroom tiled before we can install the toilet, and we haven't had much luck getting Chris' friend, who promised to help us out, to actually help. We've replaced several light fixtures, and we finally have some art on the walls.
Katie's off to a fantastic start in second grade. Seriously, how can she be in second grade already?! So far, she's gotten all As on her assignments, so I hope she can continue with the good work. Lately, she's been wanting to read more than what is required nightly for school, so I hope she continues her love of books. Luckily, she makes friends easily, so she has become friends with several girls in the neighborhood and in her class. In fact, our next door neighbor is only a year older than Katie, and they have quickly become good friends.
Aidan is adjusting well to Pre-K. I must admit, I was worried about him. He can be kind of shy, and for the longest time, he would cry if any child came up and tried to play with him. However, he loves school and has made a couple of good friends, one of whom lives across the street from us. His name is Hayden, and he and Aidan rode bikes together in our driveway and on our sidewalk last Saturday. He always wants to do "homework", which are simply those activity books I found in the $1 section at Target that is geared for Pre-K--things like learning the beginning sounds of words and writing letters. He has become much more well-rounded lately. He is enjoying his Thomas trains again, as well as his Imaginext Batcave and playing Nintendo. He's asking to play t-ball again, which is perfect because Hayden plays t-ball and his dad is a coach, so Aidan will be very happy!
Noah has been a bit more of a challenge. Lately, he fights speech therapy and refuses to repeat anything for Trip. Instead, he will talk up a storm any other time, but it's only half in English. He has his own language, and I know he's telling me about his days because I catch familiar words mixed in with his words! However, this has been my most trying week with him. He has become very stubborn and determined to get his way, and he's actually quite strong. I don't know where he has learned this, but he pushes his siblings and will throw hard toys at us. Keep in mind, he only does this at home--he's great around other kids or adults! On Tuesday, I went into our utility closet to throw something away, and he slammed the door while my head got caught between the door and the door frame! Needless to say, it hurt for a long time, and though I rarely spank my children, he got two swats on his bottom and went to time out. Once my pain subsided, I talked with him and explained that he gave me a boo-boo and was not being a good boy. He decided to stay in his room for an hour more. I am at my wit's end. I must admit, I am at a complete loss with how to discipline Noah. When he gets into a stubborn mood, he cannot be reasoned with. He will cry if one of his siblings, in trying to play with him, plays with any of his toys because he thinks they are taking his things. Any advice on discipling Noah is appreciated. He will stay in time out, but I'm not sure how much of an effect it has on him, you know? Every time he hits, he goes to time out, but we are still having the same behavior.
Chris and I have been working a lot lately. I've been helping out at Van Adams Jewelers, but Chris and I have also been helping Van get his rental house cleaned and ready to sell. His ex-wife used to live in the house and completely destroyed the place--we've been tearing and scraping wallpaper, scrubbing the bathrooms and kitchen, scrubbing doors and baseboards, and we will help paint. Van is getting new carpet and a kitchen floor, since a leaky sink destroyed the hardwood in the kitchen--such a shame. We're doing this to help Van and also to earn some extra money to fix up our own house.
Peaches has been enjoying having a fenced in yard and loves playing ball outside. Unfortunately, she got into some mouse bait that was hidden the garage, so she's currently at an emergency vet with Chris. Luckily, Chris knew immediately what she was playing with, so he took her in. They've induced her to vomit, and we're hoping she can make a full recovery. Chris mentioned that he's getting rid of the bait when he gets home--it's just not worth it. He had our exterminator set the bait just in case there were unwelcome guests who made our garage their home while the house was vacant--not that we've seen any, thank goodness. Please keep Peaches in your prayers--she's such a sweet, loyal girl who loves the kids as though they were her own, and whose been there for us when we need her.
Katie's off to a fantastic start in second grade. Seriously, how can she be in second grade already?! So far, she's gotten all As on her assignments, so I hope she can continue with the good work. Lately, she's been wanting to read more than what is required nightly for school, so I hope she continues her love of books. Luckily, she makes friends easily, so she has become friends with several girls in the neighborhood and in her class. In fact, our next door neighbor is only a year older than Katie, and they have quickly become good friends.
Aidan is adjusting well to Pre-K. I must admit, I was worried about him. He can be kind of shy, and for the longest time, he would cry if any child came up and tried to play with him. However, he loves school and has made a couple of good friends, one of whom lives across the street from us. His name is Hayden, and he and Aidan rode bikes together in our driveway and on our sidewalk last Saturday. He always wants to do "homework", which are simply those activity books I found in the $1 section at Target that is geared for Pre-K--things like learning the beginning sounds of words and writing letters. He has become much more well-rounded lately. He is enjoying his Thomas trains again, as well as his Imaginext Batcave and playing Nintendo. He's asking to play t-ball again, which is perfect because Hayden plays t-ball and his dad is a coach, so Aidan will be very happy!
Noah has been a bit more of a challenge. Lately, he fights speech therapy and refuses to repeat anything for Trip. Instead, he will talk up a storm any other time, but it's only half in English. He has his own language, and I know he's telling me about his days because I catch familiar words mixed in with his words! However, this has been my most trying week with him. He has become very stubborn and determined to get his way, and he's actually quite strong. I don't know where he has learned this, but he pushes his siblings and will throw hard toys at us. Keep in mind, he only does this at home--he's great around other kids or adults! On Tuesday, I went into our utility closet to throw something away, and he slammed the door while my head got caught between the door and the door frame! Needless to say, it hurt for a long time, and though I rarely spank my children, he got two swats on his bottom and went to time out. Once my pain subsided, I talked with him and explained that he gave me a boo-boo and was not being a good boy. He decided to stay in his room for an hour more. I am at my wit's end. I must admit, I am at a complete loss with how to discipline Noah. When he gets into a stubborn mood, he cannot be reasoned with. He will cry if one of his siblings, in trying to play with him, plays with any of his toys because he thinks they are taking his things. Any advice on discipling Noah is appreciated. He will stay in time out, but I'm not sure how much of an effect it has on him, you know? Every time he hits, he goes to time out, but we are still having the same behavior.
Chris and I have been working a lot lately. I've been helping out at Van Adams Jewelers, but Chris and I have also been helping Van get his rental house cleaned and ready to sell. His ex-wife used to live in the house and completely destroyed the place--we've been tearing and scraping wallpaper, scrubbing the bathrooms and kitchen, scrubbing doors and baseboards, and we will help paint. Van is getting new carpet and a kitchen floor, since a leaky sink destroyed the hardwood in the kitchen--such a shame. We're doing this to help Van and also to earn some extra money to fix up our own house.
Peaches has been enjoying having a fenced in yard and loves playing ball outside. Unfortunately, she got into some mouse bait that was hidden the garage, so she's currently at an emergency vet with Chris. Luckily, Chris knew immediately what she was playing with, so he took her in. They've induced her to vomit, and we're hoping she can make a full recovery. Chris mentioned that he's getting rid of the bait when he gets home--it's just not worth it. He had our exterminator set the bait just in case there were unwelcome guests who made our garage their home while the house was vacant--not that we've seen any, thank goodness. Please keep Peaches in your prayers--she's such a sweet, loyal girl who loves the kids as though they were her own, and whose been there for us when we need her.
Monday, July 19, 2010
The Potty Wars
Aidan began potty training last summer. We had to work with him diligently to get him to pee in the potty. He became comfortable enough to use his potty seat to pee, but refused to poop. This past winter, we ended up in the hospital because he became so constipated and we thought he was having an appendix attack. This spring, he became comfortable enough to stand when he pees, and, for the most part, he will use any toilet to take care of business, but he is still not potty trained overnight, so he still refuses to poop in the potty. Usually, he will go a week between poops, and by then, he's hurting a lot.
As we packed for Myrtle Beach a little over a week ago, I completely forgot to pack his potty seat for poops. Once we got to the beach house, I wasn't overly concerned because he rarely poops in the potty anyway, and I knew I had plenty of pull-ups for overnight use. We were at the beach on Friday when Aidan began dancing around.
"Aidan, do you need to poop?" I asked him.
"Yes, Mommy. Will you take me back to the beach house?"
"Yes, Aidan, but I expect you to actually poop if we walk all the way back to the house. If you do, I will give you some Coke as a reward."
Our pediatrician has recommend rewarding his pooping in the potty, and usually, at home, I will reward him with something non-food related, but at the beach, my resources were limited. He loves Coke, but it's not something he gets daily. I figured that might motivate him to take care of business. The beach house is enough of a walk from the part of the beach where we play that I did not want to walk all the way back only for him to refuse to potty.
Aidan happily walked back to the house. It was hot and sunny on Friday, and when we got to the house, he went to our bathroom. He was timid about not having a potty seat, but I promised to hold him so that he wouldn't fall in. As I helped him, he quickly took care of business. I was so proud of him!
"Mommy, can I have my Coke now?"
"Of course, Aidan. I am so proud of you!"
As we made our way back to the beach, Aidan boasted to everyone about pooping in the potty. He was in a fantastic mood from that point on.
We began driving home on Saturday, and, once again, Aidan said he needed to poop, but also said it wasn't urgent. When we got back to Grayson, he pooped in the potty again! We were impressed. However, the biggest surprise was yesterday--when he got up yesterday morning, he pooped in the potty for a third day in a row, and his pull-up was clean! Yes! Finally!! Maybe our potty war is finally coming to a close! For some reason, pooping in the potty at Myrtle Beach seemed to erase his fear of pooping in the potty. And for that, I am thrilled beyond words. Maybe he won't be constipated anymore. The past two days, he pooped without being bribed. Instead, he was simply proud of his accomplishment!
As we packed for Myrtle Beach a little over a week ago, I completely forgot to pack his potty seat for poops. Once we got to the beach house, I wasn't overly concerned because he rarely poops in the potty anyway, and I knew I had plenty of pull-ups for overnight use. We were at the beach on Friday when Aidan began dancing around.
"Aidan, do you need to poop?" I asked him.
"Yes, Mommy. Will you take me back to the beach house?"
"Yes, Aidan, but I expect you to actually poop if we walk all the way back to the house. If you do, I will give you some Coke as a reward."
Our pediatrician has recommend rewarding his pooping in the potty, and usually, at home, I will reward him with something non-food related, but at the beach, my resources were limited. He loves Coke, but it's not something he gets daily. I figured that might motivate him to take care of business. The beach house is enough of a walk from the part of the beach where we play that I did not want to walk all the way back only for him to refuse to potty.
Aidan happily walked back to the house. It was hot and sunny on Friday, and when we got to the house, he went to our bathroom. He was timid about not having a potty seat, but I promised to hold him so that he wouldn't fall in. As I helped him, he quickly took care of business. I was so proud of him!
"Mommy, can I have my Coke now?"
"Of course, Aidan. I am so proud of you!"
As we made our way back to the beach, Aidan boasted to everyone about pooping in the potty. He was in a fantastic mood from that point on.
We began driving home on Saturday, and, once again, Aidan said he needed to poop, but also said it wasn't urgent. When we got back to Grayson, he pooped in the potty again! We were impressed. However, the biggest surprise was yesterday--when he got up yesterday morning, he pooped in the potty for a third day in a row, and his pull-up was clean! Yes! Finally!! Maybe our potty war is finally coming to a close! For some reason, pooping in the potty at Myrtle Beach seemed to erase his fear of pooping in the potty. And for that, I am thrilled beyond words. Maybe he won't be constipated anymore. The past two days, he pooped without being bribed. Instead, he was simply proud of his accomplishment!
Thursday, July 8, 2010
"It's like a heat wave!"
Am I the only one who breaks a sweat walking outside for 60 seconds? My goodness, this heat is crazy! It's too hot to go to the park, play on our swingset, or even ride bikes. How in the world can I possibly entertain these children?
I went to IKEA for the first time in December. I met up with several of my Douglasville friends, and it was an interesting experience. Katie was at school, but Aidan and Noah loved playing with the slide, train table, and kitchen. We ate a delish lunch of swedish meatballs, and then my heart dropped. Noah had vanished! Literally! I had turned my back for about 30 seconds, and Noah was nowhere to been seen. My poor pregnant friend was stuck watching the "good" children while the rest of us frantically started running through IKEA. What felt like an eternity later, an employee guided us to Noah, who was running through the showrooms! Immediately, he was strapped into his stroller, and we called it a day!
However, I have decided to try to get better organized when we move, so I wanted to swing by IKEA again. Within the past month, Noah has gotten very good with sitting in his stroller when needed and following directions. Yesterday, we had a playdate at IKEA, and I took all three kids there. I even decided to brave the store without a stroller--nuts, I know! The walk inside the building was easy, and we quickly found our friends in the children's section. All of the children played on the beds and then found the tents, kitchen, and train table. Soon we decided lunch was in order. Katie and Noah had mac and cheese, but Aidan wanted a PB&J, and I had to have the meatballs again. We also had some chocolate cake! The kids played in the play area at the food court, and then we decided to walk the showrooms. This time, Noah stayed with us! In fact, all three kids were on their best behaviors! I was able to find some storage, and it was a very fun (and cool) afternoon.
Today, we met my parents for lunch at Chick-Fil-A. Apparently, the forecast called for near record temps, with readings close to 100*. Luckily, CFA has an indoor playground, so we figured this would be a good option. As soon as we got there, we saw the CFA cow outside waving. I knew that wouldn't last long, and sure enough, the cow came inside. Aidan is terrified of costumed characters, and cries every time we go to Chuck E. Cheese. To everyone's surprise, Aidan ran up and gave the cow a hug! The cow patted Noah on the head, and gave high 5s to everyone. We stayed at CFA for about 2 hours, watching the kids play, playing with the cow, and exchanging the kids' toys for ice cream!
By the time we got home, it was 100*, so I figured it would be a great day to cool off in the kiddie pool. I know about you, but I always think that the pool is too cold, because the hose water is always cold. Today, though, the water warmed up in about 5 minutes, and after a half hour, we had to pull the hose back out and add more cold water to the pool. Katie and Aidan took turns holding the hose and spraying everyone! They made rainbow water--coloring on the pavement with different color chalk and pouring water over the colors, thus creating rainbow water!
After an hour, we took baths and got dressed for bed, even though it was only 5:30 pm. We had dinner, and Noah went to go play in his room. I went to check on him, and he was fast asleep at 6:45 pm! I guess the heat wore him out! I can't wait to see how the kids handle the beach next week!
I went to IKEA for the first time in December. I met up with several of my Douglasville friends, and it was an interesting experience. Katie was at school, but Aidan and Noah loved playing with the slide, train table, and kitchen. We ate a delish lunch of swedish meatballs, and then my heart dropped. Noah had vanished! Literally! I had turned my back for about 30 seconds, and Noah was nowhere to been seen. My poor pregnant friend was stuck watching the "good" children while the rest of us frantically started running through IKEA. What felt like an eternity later, an employee guided us to Noah, who was running through the showrooms! Immediately, he was strapped into his stroller, and we called it a day!
However, I have decided to try to get better organized when we move, so I wanted to swing by IKEA again. Within the past month, Noah has gotten very good with sitting in his stroller when needed and following directions. Yesterday, we had a playdate at IKEA, and I took all three kids there. I even decided to brave the store without a stroller--nuts, I know! The walk inside the building was easy, and we quickly found our friends in the children's section. All of the children played on the beds and then found the tents, kitchen, and train table. Soon we decided lunch was in order. Katie and Noah had mac and cheese, but Aidan wanted a PB&J, and I had to have the meatballs again. We also had some chocolate cake! The kids played in the play area at the food court, and then we decided to walk the showrooms. This time, Noah stayed with us! In fact, all three kids were on their best behaviors! I was able to find some storage, and it was a very fun (and cool) afternoon.
Today, we met my parents for lunch at Chick-Fil-A. Apparently, the forecast called for near record temps, with readings close to 100*. Luckily, CFA has an indoor playground, so we figured this would be a good option. As soon as we got there, we saw the CFA cow outside waving. I knew that wouldn't last long, and sure enough, the cow came inside. Aidan is terrified of costumed characters, and cries every time we go to Chuck E. Cheese. To everyone's surprise, Aidan ran up and gave the cow a hug! The cow patted Noah on the head, and gave high 5s to everyone. We stayed at CFA for about 2 hours, watching the kids play, playing with the cow, and exchanging the kids' toys for ice cream!
By the time we got home, it was 100*, so I figured it would be a great day to cool off in the kiddie pool. I know about you, but I always think that the pool is too cold, because the hose water is always cold. Today, though, the water warmed up in about 5 minutes, and after a half hour, we had to pull the hose back out and add more cold water to the pool. Katie and Aidan took turns holding the hose and spraying everyone! They made rainbow water--coloring on the pavement with different color chalk and pouring water over the colors, thus creating rainbow water!
After an hour, we took baths and got dressed for bed, even though it was only 5:30 pm. We had dinner, and Noah went to go play in his room. I went to check on him, and he was fast asleep at 6:45 pm! I guess the heat wore him out! I can't wait to see how the kids handle the beach next week!
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Independence Day!
Our Independence Day did not work out exactly as we had planned. Originally, we had planned to move last week and spend our day at the neighborhood pool, but since that did not happen, we had to come up with some new plans.
Our 4th of July got off to a slow start. I made blueberry and chocolate chip muffins, and we skipped church this week. We decided to go see the house again, so we grabbed some Checkers for lunch, and then we headed to Lowe's. I know--exciting stuff!! Actually, we thought it was kind of exciting. The occupants in the house decided to take the nice plantation blinds and leave us the flimsy, cheap blinds, so we are going to slowly convert all of the blinds. However, since we are going to be painting and fixing up numerous things, we are going to do it one room at a time from here on out. We did, however, decide to go ahead and replace the blinds in the kids' rooms since they tear up the cheap ones too easily. We also got some curtain rods for all of the rooms. We have pretty much decided on color themes for each room, and the kids picked out their own paint colors. I have already purchased a new bathroom set for the kids' bathroom--it's whales! Chris and I also found a new duvet set for our bedroom. Since we plan to stay at this house for awhile, we are redecorating, since I haven't really decorated a house since we left Winder in 2007.
We decided to go to see the fireworks that First Baptist Snellville puts on every year. We have been known to actually participate in the festivities, but more often, we go to Britt Elementary, which is next door to the church, and we have a perfect view of the fireworks without the crowds. We decided to have a tailgate dinner of KFC, and then we went to the school playground. The kids had a blast! Very few people were there, but Aidan's t-ball coach from last year was there, so that was fun catching up with him and his family. Unfortunately, by the time the fireworks were ready to begin, I was not feeling well. I can only eat Hebrew National hot dogs without getting ill, but I had decided to split a chili dog from Checkers with Chris because it sounded so good. I guess those 3 bites didn't agree with me, because my poor stomach was in knots, and I didn't really get to enjoy the fireworks. Noah did enjoy them, though--he kept saying "wow" every time they would burst in the sky! Katie, Aidan, and Noah all enjoyed the fireworks--for the first time ever!! By the time we got home, the kids were exhausted.
On Monday, Chris had the day off, so I went to work in the evening instead, and we took the kids to Lenora Park water park. It's the first time we've been all year, but the kids usually enjoy it. Last year, Noah only went once and couldn't really play because he was still so young, and then he was in the cast the rest of the summer. Aidan didn't really like the water park because he can't swim. I had decided to buy Aidan and Noah some Puddle Jumpers this year. One of my friends has one and gave it a great review, so I did some research online and found out that everyone liked the Puddle Jumpers. They are Coast Guard approved life vests that look like those inflatable swimmies, but they are much safer. Aidan has a fish Puddle Jumper, and Noah's is a turtle. For the first time ever, I was not nervous taking all three kids to the water park. Noah was hilarious--he would slide down the water slide and "dive" into the water, giggling the entire time! Aidan loved the lazy river--he even let go of us to float on his own. Katie put her swimming lessons to good use and practiced keeping herself afloat. After 3 hours, the kids were worn out!
We had a great holiday weekend, and can't wait to head to Myrtle Beach on Saturday!
Our 4th of July got off to a slow start. I made blueberry and chocolate chip muffins, and we skipped church this week. We decided to go see the house again, so we grabbed some Checkers for lunch, and then we headed to Lowe's. I know--exciting stuff!! Actually, we thought it was kind of exciting. The occupants in the house decided to take the nice plantation blinds and leave us the flimsy, cheap blinds, so we are going to slowly convert all of the blinds. However, since we are going to be painting and fixing up numerous things, we are going to do it one room at a time from here on out. We did, however, decide to go ahead and replace the blinds in the kids' rooms since they tear up the cheap ones too easily. We also got some curtain rods for all of the rooms. We have pretty much decided on color themes for each room, and the kids picked out their own paint colors. I have already purchased a new bathroom set for the kids' bathroom--it's whales! Chris and I also found a new duvet set for our bedroom. Since we plan to stay at this house for awhile, we are redecorating, since I haven't really decorated a house since we left Winder in 2007.
We decided to go to see the fireworks that First Baptist Snellville puts on every year. We have been known to actually participate in the festivities, but more often, we go to Britt Elementary, which is next door to the church, and we have a perfect view of the fireworks without the crowds. We decided to have a tailgate dinner of KFC, and then we went to the school playground. The kids had a blast! Very few people were there, but Aidan's t-ball coach from last year was there, so that was fun catching up with him and his family. Unfortunately, by the time the fireworks were ready to begin, I was not feeling well. I can only eat Hebrew National hot dogs without getting ill, but I had decided to split a chili dog from Checkers with Chris because it sounded so good. I guess those 3 bites didn't agree with me, because my poor stomach was in knots, and I didn't really get to enjoy the fireworks. Noah did enjoy them, though--he kept saying "wow" every time they would burst in the sky! Katie, Aidan, and Noah all enjoyed the fireworks--for the first time ever!! By the time we got home, the kids were exhausted.
On Monday, Chris had the day off, so I went to work in the evening instead, and we took the kids to Lenora Park water park. It's the first time we've been all year, but the kids usually enjoy it. Last year, Noah only went once and couldn't really play because he was still so young, and then he was in the cast the rest of the summer. Aidan didn't really like the water park because he can't swim. I had decided to buy Aidan and Noah some Puddle Jumpers this year. One of my friends has one and gave it a great review, so I did some research online and found out that everyone liked the Puddle Jumpers. They are Coast Guard approved life vests that look like those inflatable swimmies, but they are much safer. Aidan has a fish Puddle Jumper, and Noah's is a turtle. For the first time ever, I was not nervous taking all three kids to the water park. Noah was hilarious--he would slide down the water slide and "dive" into the water, giggling the entire time! Aidan loved the lazy river--he even let go of us to float on his own. Katie put her swimming lessons to good use and practiced keeping herself afloat. After 3 hours, the kids were worn out!
We had a great holiday weekend, and can't wait to head to Myrtle Beach on Saturday!
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Patience
I am not a very patient person. I really do try to be. I think my kids have taught me a lot about patience, sometimes without even meaning to. I have learned to be calmer when I take all three of them out, and I have learned the things that set them off. When you're pregnant, you have to wait 9 months to meet this amazing person that you have felt grow inside of you for almost a year. Potty training--oh, yes, much patience is needed for that as well!
If I have learned one thing during this process of buying a short sale house, it's that I need to be patient, and that's been a challenge. I have so many ideas for ways to make the house our home that I am eager and want to get started. I feel like a child on Christmas--I can't wait to see my present!
When I wrote my post on Tuesday, I was very bitter, angry, and above all else, disappointed. There is only one other time I have felt that way, and it was in 2005. When Katie was about 18 months old, just after Christmas, Chris and I went to Cherokee, NC. It was our first trip since having Katie that she didn't go with us, but it was a much-needed break. After coming home, I found out I was pregnant and due in October, just after Katie's second birthday. I was so excited! My OB-GYN does not confirm pregnancies until you are at least 6-8 weeks along. The reason for this is that they do a free, early ultrasound to make sure everything is moving along as it should be, and the heart doesn't usually begin beating until around the 5th week of the pregnancy. I went in when I was 8 weeks pregnant. I was having morning sickness and felt very pregnant. When we looked at the ultrasound, though, I knew immediately something was wrong. I couldn't see the flickering of a heartbeat, and the baby wasn't as big as it should've been. I didn't understand--when I had a miscarriage before Katie, my pregnancy symptoms simply vanished and I began bleeding. This time, though, I was ill. I was not bleeding. I knew they had to be wrong, so I refused their advice of scheduling a D&C immediately and asked for another ultrasound and some bloodwork. When the bloodwork came back, I was indeed pregnant--my numbers of HGC were around 75,000, a good number for where I was in the pregnancy. However, my numbers from 2 days later dropped a little, so we had another ultrasound, and the baby was smaller. I felt empty inside. I began crying, and I couldn't stop. Chris knew how upset I was, so we left Katie with his parents and headed out to Biloxi, MS because I wanted to go to a beach. We packed nothing. My crying continued most of the drive, but when we got there, I felt better. We didn't find a hotel room until 3 am, but we ate Whattaburger and talked. We went dancing. Basically, we got away. The next day, we went to the beach and enjoyed the salt air for a bit, then we drove back home. I had my D&C on March 16, and vividly remember watching "The Incredibles" with Chris and Katie that night. However, the worst was yet to come. After my surgery, they tested the pregnancy materials and discovered that I had had a partial molar pregnancy. This means the child had an extra set of genes, but the worst part was that a molar pregnancy, even when removed surgically, could come back and spread like cancer in my uterus. I didn't know how things could get worse, but they did. My dr. recommended not getting pregnant for a year, and I would have tests often to test my HGC levels. Once they hit 0, I would be told to wait 3 more months and then I could try again. My patience was maxed out. Not only would I never meet that child, I wasn't allowed to get pregnant again for a YEAR! That felt like an eternity to me. I knew in my heart God must have a plan, but I felt alone. I started having weekly tests, and my HGC levels dropped drastically after 1 week. By the time it had been a month since my surgery, my levels hit 0. At that time, I was told to wait the 3 months, but then I could try again and not wait the year. After 2 months, I discovered I was pregnant. My doctor wasn't happy, but immediately began tests, and the baby was healthy. At 14 weeks, I began bleeding, and I couldn't stand the thought of another miscarriage. I went to the doctor, and the ultrasound not only revealed a healthy baby, but we found out it was a boy due on Valentine's Day! Aidan was born on Feb. 7, 2006, and was quite healthy. Sometimes I wonder what the other child would've been like, but I know that Aidan was meant to be here instead. He's a loving, sweet boy, and I cannot imagine our family without him.
So, even though I'm disappointed that I'm not in the new house today, as we planned, I know that we will be. Somehow, some way, things will work out, and my patience will be rewarded. We are blessed that Ironstone, the bank that owns our current rental house, has agreed to let us stay indefinately, and we do not pay rent, either. Every month that goes by without rent or mortgage means we are saving that much more money in our account, building up a bigger nest egg. I couldn't see it the other day, but I'm beginning to see the hidden blessing in waiting.
If I have learned one thing during this process of buying a short sale house, it's that I need to be patient, and that's been a challenge. I have so many ideas for ways to make the house our home that I am eager and want to get started. I feel like a child on Christmas--I can't wait to see my present!
When I wrote my post on Tuesday, I was very bitter, angry, and above all else, disappointed. There is only one other time I have felt that way, and it was in 2005. When Katie was about 18 months old, just after Christmas, Chris and I went to Cherokee, NC. It was our first trip since having Katie that she didn't go with us, but it was a much-needed break. After coming home, I found out I was pregnant and due in October, just after Katie's second birthday. I was so excited! My OB-GYN does not confirm pregnancies until you are at least 6-8 weeks along. The reason for this is that they do a free, early ultrasound to make sure everything is moving along as it should be, and the heart doesn't usually begin beating until around the 5th week of the pregnancy. I went in when I was 8 weeks pregnant. I was having morning sickness and felt very pregnant. When we looked at the ultrasound, though, I knew immediately something was wrong. I couldn't see the flickering of a heartbeat, and the baby wasn't as big as it should've been. I didn't understand--when I had a miscarriage before Katie, my pregnancy symptoms simply vanished and I began bleeding. This time, though, I was ill. I was not bleeding. I knew they had to be wrong, so I refused their advice of scheduling a D&C immediately and asked for another ultrasound and some bloodwork. When the bloodwork came back, I was indeed pregnant--my numbers of HGC were around 75,000, a good number for where I was in the pregnancy. However, my numbers from 2 days later dropped a little, so we had another ultrasound, and the baby was smaller. I felt empty inside. I began crying, and I couldn't stop. Chris knew how upset I was, so we left Katie with his parents and headed out to Biloxi, MS because I wanted to go to a beach. We packed nothing. My crying continued most of the drive, but when we got there, I felt better. We didn't find a hotel room until 3 am, but we ate Whattaburger and talked. We went dancing. Basically, we got away. The next day, we went to the beach and enjoyed the salt air for a bit, then we drove back home. I had my D&C on March 16, and vividly remember watching "The Incredibles" with Chris and Katie that night. However, the worst was yet to come. After my surgery, they tested the pregnancy materials and discovered that I had had a partial molar pregnancy. This means the child had an extra set of genes, but the worst part was that a molar pregnancy, even when removed surgically, could come back and spread like cancer in my uterus. I didn't know how things could get worse, but they did. My dr. recommended not getting pregnant for a year, and I would have tests often to test my HGC levels. Once they hit 0, I would be told to wait 3 more months and then I could try again. My patience was maxed out. Not only would I never meet that child, I wasn't allowed to get pregnant again for a YEAR! That felt like an eternity to me. I knew in my heart God must have a plan, but I felt alone. I started having weekly tests, and my HGC levels dropped drastically after 1 week. By the time it had been a month since my surgery, my levels hit 0. At that time, I was told to wait the 3 months, but then I could try again and not wait the year. After 2 months, I discovered I was pregnant. My doctor wasn't happy, but immediately began tests, and the baby was healthy. At 14 weeks, I began bleeding, and I couldn't stand the thought of another miscarriage. I went to the doctor, and the ultrasound not only revealed a healthy baby, but we found out it was a boy due on Valentine's Day! Aidan was born on Feb. 7, 2006, and was quite healthy. Sometimes I wonder what the other child would've been like, but I know that Aidan was meant to be here instead. He's a loving, sweet boy, and I cannot imagine our family without him.
So, even though I'm disappointed that I'm not in the new house today, as we planned, I know that we will be. Somehow, some way, things will work out, and my patience will be rewarded. We are blessed that Ironstone, the bank that owns our current rental house, has agreed to let us stay indefinately, and we do not pay rent, either. Every month that goes by without rent or mortgage means we are saving that much more money in our account, building up a bigger nest egg. I couldn't see it the other day, but I'm beginning to see the hidden blessing in waiting.
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Potty Training?
Ah, if there is one aspect in which I can, without a doubt, admit to completely stinking at as a mother, it's potty training! I remember when Katie was 18 months old. I was very excited at the thought of potty training her, so I went to Target by MOG and bought her a royal potty! No joke--it played royal music when we "flushed" it. My enthusiasm must not have been contagious, though, as Katie refused to go potty. Soon, her third birthday came and went, and she was still in diapers. By that point, Aidan was 6 months old and I was so done with having two in diapers at once. I asked my pediatrician, and she suggested not giving Katie an option and forcing her to wear underwear. Katie also went on Miralax, which was a script at that time. We had two birthday parties to attend just after beginning the Miralax, so I was smart and dressed Katie in a pull-up, just to be on the safe side. The first party went smoothly, with no accidents. Once we got to the second party, the unforgettable happened--the Miralax not only worked, but worked it's way down Katie's entire lower body! The pull-up was no match for it. Poor Katie had to get a bath at a birthday party, and even borrow clothes since hers got destroyed and I didn't think to pack any others since she was in a pull-up. Lesson learned! However, the following week, she was completely potty trained during the day, with no accidents.
Aidan was a bit different. He's more stubborn than Katie, and even though he hated being wet in underwear, he would simply not give in and use the toilet. Finally, last summer, several months after his third birthday, he became potty trained during the day. Except that he isn't. Getting him to have a BM in the potty has been an even worse nightmare than Katie's Miralax incident. Poor Aidan was holding his BM to the point that we went to the pediatrician in Jan. and had an x-ray. Aidan had an impacted stool, but our pediatrician believed it was best to let him suffer and refused to help him. Needless to say, this was NOT ok with Chris and me, and was one of the reasons we changed pediatricians this past winter. We ended up at CHOA Immediate Care, where the doctor and nurse were so kind to Aidan that his misery ended and he was awarded a new teddy bear by the dr., a bear he named Hero. A week later, on his 4th birthday, Aidan ended up in the ER because Chris and I thought his appendix had ruptured, only to discover that he was impacted again. The screams from Aidan were unreal, and he could not stand up or walk. I felt the stool in the right side of his abdomen, and that's why we believed his appendix was about to rupture. After that fiasco, he has relax quite a bit with his BMs. Sure, we're not there yet--there are many mornings he wakes up to a BM in his pull-up, but I will take that ANY day over those hospital trips. Our new doctor has encouraged us to simply reward his BMs in the potty, and not punish over having them in his pull-up. It's a process, but slowly he's gaining confidence.
One can only imagine how excited I must be at the prospect of potty training another child. After all, I've had nothing but pleasant, easy experiences thus far. Therefore, I shocked myself by deciding to go ahead and try to potty train Noah. We tried for the first time today. It seemed to go pretty well at first, but by this evening, he had two accidents. At least he was excited to sit on the potty, and continued to sit on it throughout the day. I have no idea how long I will decide to continue potty training him, or if I will decide to wait until winter, but it seemed like a good time. He's interested in it, so I figured it couldn't hurt. If only we could get a success....maybe then I wouldn't dread potty training so much!
Aidan was a bit different. He's more stubborn than Katie, and even though he hated being wet in underwear, he would simply not give in and use the toilet. Finally, last summer, several months after his third birthday, he became potty trained during the day. Except that he isn't. Getting him to have a BM in the potty has been an even worse nightmare than Katie's Miralax incident. Poor Aidan was holding his BM to the point that we went to the pediatrician in Jan. and had an x-ray. Aidan had an impacted stool, but our pediatrician believed it was best to let him suffer and refused to help him. Needless to say, this was NOT ok with Chris and me, and was one of the reasons we changed pediatricians this past winter. We ended up at CHOA Immediate Care, where the doctor and nurse were so kind to Aidan that his misery ended and he was awarded a new teddy bear by the dr., a bear he named Hero. A week later, on his 4th birthday, Aidan ended up in the ER because Chris and I thought his appendix had ruptured, only to discover that he was impacted again. The screams from Aidan were unreal, and he could not stand up or walk. I felt the stool in the right side of his abdomen, and that's why we believed his appendix was about to rupture. After that fiasco, he has relax quite a bit with his BMs. Sure, we're not there yet--there are many mornings he wakes up to a BM in his pull-up, but I will take that ANY day over those hospital trips. Our new doctor has encouraged us to simply reward his BMs in the potty, and not punish over having them in his pull-up. It's a process, but slowly he's gaining confidence.
One can only imagine how excited I must be at the prospect of potty training another child. After all, I've had nothing but pleasant, easy experiences thus far. Therefore, I shocked myself by deciding to go ahead and try to potty train Noah. We tried for the first time today. It seemed to go pretty well at first, but by this evening, he had two accidents. At least he was excited to sit on the potty, and continued to sit on it throughout the day. I have no idea how long I will decide to continue potty training him, or if I will decide to wait until winter, but it seemed like a good time. He's interested in it, so I figured it couldn't hurt. If only we could get a success....maybe then I wouldn't dread potty training so much!
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Breakthrough
Every once in awhile, my kids will really surprise me. Chris and I are working through situations with each child. Sometimes, we get instant gratification with our efforts, but most of the time, we don't reap the benefits until months later.
Katie can be a great big sister, when she wants to be! Unfortunately, she seems to enjoy causing trouble more than being a good example. Katie is really smart, though. Since this is my blog, I figure I can brag just a little. This past year in school (first grade), Katie got all As the entire year and scored in exceeding expectations on her CRCT standardized test. Unfortunately, she gets bored, which can cause trouble at home. Today, she had her friend Lindsay come over. Katie and Aidan constantly disagree on certain things, but one thing Katie really was looking forward to was watching a Hannah Montana this afternoon. As it turns out, Lindsay wasn't really a fan of the show, so I was surprised (and proud) that Katie hid her disappointment and watched another show, a show that I thought everyone might like. It can't be easy to have one's hopes set high only to be knocked down. She handled it very maturely--and it made me realize just how much she's grown up.
Aidan's issue is potty training. He pees in the potty like a big boy--he even stands. Unfortunately, pooping is another issue. For some reason, he's always been scared of pooping the potty. We even have had to take him to CHOA for an impacted stool. It was obvious he needed to poop today--he had to change underwear and he whined a lot. When Chris came home, he offered Aidan $1 to poop in the potty. For some reason, that really motivated Aidan, and sure enough, he obliged! Obviously, we are not above bribes!
Chris has really worked with Noah on getting him dressed. Noah used to really fight getting dressed. As he was getting his bath, he decided he wanted to hold onto my pajamas, which are kind of a safety blanket for him. I told him he may hold them, but not in the tub. Noah was not pleased with me, and proceed to throw a bit of a tantrum. I ended up holding the pajamas close to the tub, just out of his reach, and that seemed to satisfy him. Eventually, Noah decided to try to grab the pjs, to which I responded with a stern "no". I told him once again that he could hold them once he was finished with his bath. He stuck out his lower lip, but held his arms up, telling me he was ready to get out. As I dried him off, he got my pjs, and directly laid down and did not move while I dressed him. I was amazed! Apparently, he got the message that he got what he wanted if he cooperated!
Of course, who knows what tomorrow will bring..... :)
Katie can be a great big sister, when she wants to be! Unfortunately, she seems to enjoy causing trouble more than being a good example. Katie is really smart, though. Since this is my blog, I figure I can brag just a little. This past year in school (first grade), Katie got all As the entire year and scored in exceeding expectations on her CRCT standardized test. Unfortunately, she gets bored, which can cause trouble at home. Today, she had her friend Lindsay come over. Katie and Aidan constantly disagree on certain things, but one thing Katie really was looking forward to was watching a Hannah Montana this afternoon. As it turns out, Lindsay wasn't really a fan of the show, so I was surprised (and proud) that Katie hid her disappointment and watched another show, a show that I thought everyone might like. It can't be easy to have one's hopes set high only to be knocked down. She handled it very maturely--and it made me realize just how much she's grown up.
Aidan's issue is potty training. He pees in the potty like a big boy--he even stands. Unfortunately, pooping is another issue. For some reason, he's always been scared of pooping the potty. We even have had to take him to CHOA for an impacted stool. It was obvious he needed to poop today--he had to change underwear and he whined a lot. When Chris came home, he offered Aidan $1 to poop in the potty. For some reason, that really motivated Aidan, and sure enough, he obliged! Obviously, we are not above bribes!
Chris has really worked with Noah on getting him dressed. Noah used to really fight getting dressed. As he was getting his bath, he decided he wanted to hold onto my pajamas, which are kind of a safety blanket for him. I told him he may hold them, but not in the tub. Noah was not pleased with me, and proceed to throw a bit of a tantrum. I ended up holding the pajamas close to the tub, just out of his reach, and that seemed to satisfy him. Eventually, Noah decided to try to grab the pjs, to which I responded with a stern "no". I told him once again that he could hold them once he was finished with his bath. He stuck out his lower lip, but held his arms up, telling me he was ready to get out. As I dried him off, he got my pjs, and directly laid down and did not move while I dressed him. I was amazed! Apparently, he got the message that he got what he wanted if he cooperated!
Of course, who knows what tomorrow will bring..... :)
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