Theme: Comfort
When everything's going wrong and nothing seems right
When understanding seems way out of sight
When you're off your game and you just can't get "on"
When life seems too hard to have any fun
It's such a comfort to know
Your family loves you so.
Everyone else may be angry, mean and cruel
But the warmth of your husband - your child - your family is all you need to pull you through.
Monday, June 12, 2006
Sunday, June 11, 2006
Lessons Recently Learned
- NEVER go to a kids' movie on the opening weekend. Especially a rainy weekend.
- DON"T take a 3 year old to a 2 hour movie. 1 1/2 hours is good. Nothing more.
- Little girls who just learned to use the potty want to visit all potties everywhere - repeatedly. Three, count 'em - 3 - trips to the public restrooms at the theater. Twice to the ladies room, once with Daddy to the mens room (although that trip was pretty much only to fulfill Sweetie's ulterior motive of getting popcorn while they were out).
- I should not be the one to venture out alone with Sweetie in public, if at all possible.
Evidence A: A visit to Kohl's Department Store's ladies room, resulting in Sweetie getting away from me after we left said restroom and my calling loudly and frantically as I searched for her in the racks until Daddy showed up and found us.
Evidence B: Yesterday at the theater's restroom when, upon re-entering the movie, Sweetie decided that it would be much more fun to crawl back to her seat. I couldn't yell at her and my very angry words and threats to her meant nothing. All I could do was let her crawl and follow behind. Then quickly and thoroughly wipe down her hands with the baby wipes I had in my purse once we got to our seats.
I'm learning everyday here, people. Every single day.
- DON"T take a 3 year old to a 2 hour movie. 1 1/2 hours is good. Nothing more.
- Little girls who just learned to use the potty want to visit all potties everywhere - repeatedly. Three, count 'em - 3 - trips to the public restrooms at the theater. Twice to the ladies room, once with Daddy to the mens room (although that trip was pretty much only to fulfill Sweetie's ulterior motive of getting popcorn while they were out).
- I should not be the one to venture out alone with Sweetie in public, if at all possible.
Evidence A: A visit to Kohl's Department Store's ladies room, resulting in Sweetie getting away from me after we left said restroom and my calling loudly and frantically as I searched for her in the racks until Daddy showed up and found us.
Evidence B: Yesterday at the theater's restroom when, upon re-entering the movie, Sweetie decided that it would be much more fun to crawl back to her seat. I couldn't yell at her and my very angry words and threats to her meant nothing. All I could do was let her crawl and follow behind. Then quickly and thoroughly wipe down her hands with the baby wipes I had in my purse once we got to our seats.
I'm learning everyday here, people. Every single day.
Saturday, June 10, 2006
Sweetie Saturday #11
Netflix movie of the day: The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants.
Sweetie has special names for the different places we visit.
Because of the bullseye logo, she calls Target The O Store
Because I get lemonade whenever we eat there, she calls Panera Bread The Lemonade Store
Because she gets to eat popcorn whenever we go there, she calls any movie theater The Popcorn Store.
In fact, the first time she referred to the theater as The Popcorn Store was months after her first experience in one. We were going home from Nana and Papa Dave's house and she said how she wanted to go to The Popcorn Store. She had to give us a lot more information so we could figure out what she was talking about.
It's over there, Mommy. (as she's pointing in the very general direction of where she believed it to be). You go there and you eat popcorn and you watch Madagascar.
Ooooooohhhhhhh. Of course! The Popcorn Store!
And I swear she has a special name for the place I go to get my haircut. But when I just asked her what that place was called, she said The Bathroom. But that's where she goes for haircuts. Like the one Nana gave her yesterday - in Nana's bathroom.
Cutie :)
Sweetie has special names for the different places we visit.
Because of the bullseye logo, she calls Target The O Store
Because I get lemonade whenever we eat there, she calls Panera Bread The Lemonade Store
Because she gets to eat popcorn whenever we go there, she calls any movie theater The Popcorn Store.
In fact, the first time she referred to the theater as The Popcorn Store was months after her first experience in one. We were going home from Nana and Papa Dave's house and she said how she wanted to go to The Popcorn Store. She had to give us a lot more information so we could figure out what she was talking about.
It's over there, Mommy. (as she's pointing in the very general direction of where she believed it to be). You go there and you eat popcorn and you watch Madagascar.
Ooooooohhhhhhh. Of course! The Popcorn Store!
And I swear she has a special name for the place I go to get my haircut. But when I just asked her what that place was called, she said The Bathroom. But that's where she goes for haircuts. Like the one Nana gave her yesterday - in Nana's bathroom.
Cutie :)
Wednesday, June 07, 2006
Plugging Away
Hi, All. Guess what. Give up? Well, I'll tell ya.
I've been published again! Yay!
The lovely ladies over at MommyBloggers contacted me to write a guest post for their site and I was more than happy to oblige. You can click here to read my essay. Thanks so much for the opportunity, MommyBloggers! I had a lot of fun writing for you.
Oh, and did I tell you that my Go-To Mom articles started appearing over at ClubMom? Well, they did. In fact, I'm already fixin' to send off my second batch of articles to them very soon. Click here to get to my profile page and read through my ever-growing collection of essays.
As always, thanks for reading!
I've been published again! Yay!
The lovely ladies over at MommyBloggers contacted me to write a guest post for their site and I was more than happy to oblige. You can click here to read my essay. Thanks so much for the opportunity, MommyBloggers! I had a lot of fun writing for you.
Oh, and did I tell you that my Go-To Mom articles started appearing over at ClubMom? Well, they did. In fact, I'm already fixin' to send off my second batch of articles to them very soon. Click here to get to my profile page and read through my ever-growing collection of essays.
As always, thanks for reading!
Monday, June 05, 2006
Mama Monday #16
Theme: Yo-Yo
What an emotional experience it is to be a mom! Likewise, the yo-yo emotions of a toddler are enough to make almost anyone go mental. And, of course, everything intertwines and she and I play off of each other in our up and down, round and round, tangled sort of dance.
One minute Sweetie is cranky, whiney, and just plain ornery. Not listening to me or her Daddy, stomping around, and breaking out in wails and sobs for no apparent reason whatsoever. This, in turn, puts me in a foul mood. Annoyed with her behavior, frustrated by her whines, and fed up with just about everything. I give up!
Then something changes. Who knows what's happened to turn her around, but here comes Sweetie, all cuddly and loving. Using her manners, being her silly, dancy self, doling out kisses and hugs for everyone. Instantly, she's set me right as well. All is right with the world and I'm loving my life again. Loving this motherhood gig 110%.
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The Yo-Yo's of Motherhood
Crying because your tiny baby is crying and there's nothing you can do about it and no one around to help you; at the same time crying because you realize you're finishing up maternity leave in a couple days and you won't be the only one constantly comforting and protecting your little one anymore.
Hating going back to work, missing your little girl all throughout your day; at the same time hating that your precious little bundle won't take a decent nap during the weekend so you can get things done on your own and/or have some quiet time for yourself.
Flipping out in a holy rolling out-of-your-mind crazy nutso freak-out session because your in-laws just walked in the door but all you've wanted all day is to spend a quiet evening with your Hubby and 5- month old daughter.
Frustrated that diaper changes are such a fight and wishing the whole potty training thing would just magically take care of itself and, boy oh boy, can't she just understand that it's much nicer to go in the potty than have messy, wet accidents; at the same time realizing, hey, potty training actually did go pretty smoothly, with tears coming to your eyes when she beams at you as she pees in the pot. She's so proud of herself and you're so proud of her too. She's growing up, becoming more aware of her body, having more control of what she can do, and (gulp) gaining more independence from you.
Can't she just stay little forever?!
But, gee, I sure can't wait to meet the wonderful, intelligent, full-of-life young woman she's destined to become.
What an emotional experience it is to be a mom! Likewise, the yo-yo emotions of a toddler are enough to make almost anyone go mental. And, of course, everything intertwines and she and I play off of each other in our up and down, round and round, tangled sort of dance.
One minute Sweetie is cranky, whiney, and just plain ornery. Not listening to me or her Daddy, stomping around, and breaking out in wails and sobs for no apparent reason whatsoever. This, in turn, puts me in a foul mood. Annoyed with her behavior, frustrated by her whines, and fed up with just about everything. I give up!
Then something changes. Who knows what's happened to turn her around, but here comes Sweetie, all cuddly and loving. Using her manners, being her silly, dancy self, doling out kisses and hugs for everyone. Instantly, she's set me right as well. All is right with the world and I'm loving my life again. Loving this motherhood gig 110%.
------------------------------------
The Yo-Yo's of Motherhood
Crying because your tiny baby is crying and there's nothing you can do about it and no one around to help you; at the same time crying because you realize you're finishing up maternity leave in a couple days and you won't be the only one constantly comforting and protecting your little one anymore.
Hating going back to work, missing your little girl all throughout your day; at the same time hating that your precious little bundle won't take a decent nap during the weekend so you can get things done on your own and/or have some quiet time for yourself.
Flipping out in a holy rolling out-of-your-mind crazy nutso freak-out session because your in-laws just walked in the door but all you've wanted all day is to spend a quiet evening with your Hubby and 5- month old daughter.
Frustrated that diaper changes are such a fight and wishing the whole potty training thing would just magically take care of itself and, boy oh boy, can't she just understand that it's much nicer to go in the potty than have messy, wet accidents; at the same time realizing, hey, potty training actually did go pretty smoothly, with tears coming to your eyes when she beams at you as she pees in the pot. She's so proud of herself and you're so proud of her too. She's growing up, becoming more aware of her body, having more control of what she can do, and (gulp) gaining more independence from you.
Can't she just stay little forever?!
But, gee, I sure can't wait to meet the wonderful, intelligent, full-of-life young woman she's destined to become.
Sunday, June 04, 2006
Here's the Poop
Okay, this is the last post on the potty training/bathroom habits of Sweetie. Really. Promise. For now, anyway.
So she was working on it all day yesterday, but she finally did it. She pooped in the potty!
She had been pretty grumpy and whiney all day. And she kept going back to sit on her potty even after having just peed. So I knew she was working on something. But we went about our business anyway, taking her with us as we went clothes shopping at a couple different stores (she had to visit both store's restrooms, of course. Two stores, three bathroom visits, only two of which produced anything).
We got home from shopping and fixed dinner. Sweetie wanted nothing of it. She sat with us for a few minutes at the table, had maybe one bite of food, then started squirming. She wanted a treat (after all, she had just previously peed in the pot). We said she could get two treats, but she had to eat her dinner. Nope. She got down from her chair and we told her that was fine, but no more treats for the day.
Hubby and I sat at the table, finishing our supper as Sweetie walked past us into the bathroom. Soon she walked back to the living room, carrying the little pot from her potty training chair (which had been emptied and left in the bathroom right before supper). She smiled silently at us as she passed by. It was funny to see her so matter of factly walking with the pot, on her way to making her potty chair usable again.
So, like I said, Hubby and I were finishing dinner and she's noisily playing in the living room. She'd been so whiney, cranky and tearful all day that her current carrying ons didn't even register with me as anything out of the ordinary.
Then, all of a sudden, Sweetie's announcing, Now I get two treats!
No. The only way you're getting any treats now is if you poop in the potty. I inform her as I rounded the corner to check on what she was up to.
And there she was, our mini Vanna White, proudly showing off the contents of her potty chair.
See? It's poop, Mommy.
Why, yes. It certainly is, Sweetie.
Yay!
I won't go into anymore detail. Suffice it to say, Sweetie got the "pooping" treat she'd been working on all day: letter cookies. She wanted to spell out my name. So that's what she got: "M" "O" "M"
One final note: yesterday I did give her two servings of orange juice and a small spoonful of honey. Both natural laxatives. And we also found a tub of candied pineapple in our cabinets. She had some today and loved it. Looks like we found ourselves a new potty treat! Now, instead of M&M's, whenever she goes potty she'll get the candied pineapple, which will help her go potty some more.
Candied pineapple, orange juice, apple juice and other fiber-filled foods are definitely going to be much more prevalent in Sweetie's diet, at least for awhile. Anything to make her more comfortable about her new bathroom routine.
Yay for Sweetie!
So she was working on it all day yesterday, but she finally did it. She pooped in the potty!
She had been pretty grumpy and whiney all day. And she kept going back to sit on her potty even after having just peed. So I knew she was working on something. But we went about our business anyway, taking her with us as we went clothes shopping at a couple different stores (she had to visit both store's restrooms, of course. Two stores, three bathroom visits, only two of which produced anything).
We got home from shopping and fixed dinner. Sweetie wanted nothing of it. She sat with us for a few minutes at the table, had maybe one bite of food, then started squirming. She wanted a treat (after all, she had just previously peed in the pot). We said she could get two treats, but she had to eat her dinner. Nope. She got down from her chair and we told her that was fine, but no more treats for the day.
Hubby and I sat at the table, finishing our supper as Sweetie walked past us into the bathroom. Soon she walked back to the living room, carrying the little pot from her potty training chair (which had been emptied and left in the bathroom right before supper). She smiled silently at us as she passed by. It was funny to see her so matter of factly walking with the pot, on her way to making her potty chair usable again.
So, like I said, Hubby and I were finishing dinner and she's noisily playing in the living room. She'd been so whiney, cranky and tearful all day that her current carrying ons didn't even register with me as anything out of the ordinary.
Then, all of a sudden, Sweetie's announcing, Now I get two treats!
No. The only way you're getting any treats now is if you poop in the potty. I inform her as I rounded the corner to check on what she was up to.
And there she was, our mini Vanna White, proudly showing off the contents of her potty chair.
See? It's poop, Mommy.
Why, yes. It certainly is, Sweetie.
Yay!
I won't go into anymore detail. Suffice it to say, Sweetie got the "pooping" treat she'd been working on all day: letter cookies. She wanted to spell out my name. So that's what she got: "M" "O" "M"
One final note: yesterday I did give her two servings of orange juice and a small spoonful of honey. Both natural laxatives. And we also found a tub of candied pineapple in our cabinets. She had some today and loved it. Looks like we found ourselves a new potty treat! Now, instead of M&M's, whenever she goes potty she'll get the candied pineapple, which will help her go potty some more.
Candied pineapple, orange juice, apple juice and other fiber-filled foods are definitely going to be much more prevalent in Sweetie's diet, at least for awhile. Anything to make her more comfortable about her new bathroom routine.
Yay for Sweetie!
Saturday, June 03, 2006
Sweetie Saturday #10: Potty Edition (of course)
I've got just one funny quote from Sweetie this week, but it's a good one.
Yesterday, after drinking several servings of "sweet juice" (warm brown sugar water - helps to get the poop movin') Sweetie finally pooped in her potty at Nana's house. She also happened to be peeing a lot from all the liquids she had been plied with. So, after she pooped she stood up, looked in the pot, and said.
Oh, I didn't know it was going to be that!
We'll have to see if she's able to go again in the potty. She's been trying some more this morning, but no success yet. So I'm not terribly confident that her experience yesterday cured her of whatever "fears" she's having over the situation.
Thanks for all the good tips, advice and encouragement you've given on the subject. I'll keep you posted (I know - you just can't wait to hear more about this, right?)
Yesterday, after drinking several servings of "sweet juice" (warm brown sugar water - helps to get the poop movin') Sweetie finally pooped in her potty at Nana's house. She also happened to be peeing a lot from all the liquids she had been plied with. So, after she pooped she stood up, looked in the pot, and said.
Oh, I didn't know it was going to be that!
We'll have to see if she's able to go again in the potty. She's been trying some more this morning, but no success yet. So I'm not terribly confident that her experience yesterday cured her of whatever "fears" she's having over the situation.
Thanks for all the good tips, advice and encouragement you've given on the subject. I'll keep you posted (I know - you just can't wait to hear more about this, right?)
Thursday, June 01, 2006
Potty Training: The Rundown (The Legs)
How Things Differed From My Attempts Last October:
1) Currently: I knew days in advance that Memorial Day Weekend would be Training Weekend. As opposed to spontaneously deciding out of anger and frustration that, "That's it! No more diapers!"
2) Currently: Because I had a plan in advance, my husband also knew what to expect. As opposed to his being upset by my spontaneous, anger/frustration induced solo decision that "today is the day!". The current result: full spousal support for me and full parental support for Sweetie.
3) Currently: I've learned Sweetie's bathroom routine. That is: approximately every 2-3 hours, she pees. This, opposed to being shocked at just how much one little girl can pee! I'm talking, literally every 10 minutes when off the potty and not peeing one drop when on the potty (even after 45 minutes of waiting).
4) Currently: Sweetie more regularly wakes up with dry diapers. Most mornings, she's dry as a bone (but, for now, she's still staying in pull-ups overnight). As opposed to waking up soggy and wet everyday.
5) Currently: Sweetie is upset by accidents. It's no fun to pee down her legs and on her toes, and it doesn't make mom and dad or Nana too happy to clean up after her. Opposed to her not caring in the least or, for that matter, even noticing when an accident has occurred.
6) Currently: Sweetie is decked out in all her pretty dresses. I don't often put her in a dress, even though she has many. But Potty Training Days call for easy access, so dresses it is. Opposed to simply trying to keep her clean and dry in anything!
7) Currently: Something magical happened at Nana's house yesterday morning. After two big accidents in a 1/2 hour time period - on Nana's nice new carpet, no less - my mom had a "serious talk" with Sweetie. I have no idea what mom said to her, but the very next time Sweetie had to pee, she stopped her playing, told my mom, and made it to the potty on time! And ever since - success! Sweetie has regularly either announced that she has to pee, or she simply takes herself to the pot all on her own. In fact, at school today (her first day back since training began) I'm told she sat herself on the potty about every 10 minutes or so - not doing anything all those times - just sitting. But eventually, she did in fact pee. An accident free day! Yay! All this, opposed to my mom's role during my last training attempt when I asked her to quick buy and deliver to me some more big girl undies because, gosh darn it, Sweetie's learning today and I don't have enough underwear for her!
8) Currently: We've just completed Potty Training Day #6 and we're still going strong. Actually, I'm pretty confident in announcing: she's trained! We are still working on the pooping in the potty thing, though. I know that's a common sticking point for kids. Do any of you kind readers have some suggestions for getting kids to poop on the pot? I'd love any advice you can offer. Opposed to five hellish hours of puddles on the floor, stains on the carpet, an apathetic trainee, an upset husband, and finally running out of clean laundry (even after mom brought me new underwear), all adding to my angered and frustrated state of mind at the start of the process. Five hours of Potty Training Day and I gave up.
9) Sweetie has the cutest little "knowing" smile. When she pees on the potty, she looks up at you and just beams! Adorable. :)
Results: Success! I'm not only so proud of Sweetie, I'm also proud of myself. This dreaded "event" that I have so been fearing for about a year and a half now - done! And pretty easily at that! Thanks to the advice of friends and family, the help and support of my husband, mom and Sweetie's teachers, and Sweetie's readiness to master this exciting new part of growing up, potty training has successfully taken place.
Now - seriously - can someone please help with this whole "pooping in the potty instead of a pull-up" thing? It's our last obstacle. Thanks so much in advance!
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