The shrieking continues. Dave and I were hoping it was a fleeting thing but I guess I'm going to have to bust out all those toddler-rearing books. We don't know whether to ignore him (Grant) when he does it, scold him, or run screaming from the house. When the screams seem frustration driven, I try to help him figure out how to solve or work around whatever problem he's having. He screams regularly during mealtimes. The mealtime shenanigans seem to be him testing us. He's not very subtle about it. Shriek and scrunch your eyes closed oh and don't forget to flail your legs. Then open your eyes and look from Mommy to Daddy. Sometimes smile.
He's trained Kyle on shrieking, too. A few times in the last couple of days they start this screaming volley, like they're hitting a tennis ball back and forth. It's so loud and I envision it escalating into a cage match so I usually jump in and try to divert their attention. Maybe tomorrow I'll just let it go and see how long they can keep it up. When I played tennis as a kid, sometimes we didn't keep score the real way; the challenge instead was to count how many times we hit the ball back and forth before messing up. Maybe I'll do that with Kyle and Grant screaming back and forth. It might be less irritating if I'm actually cheering for it to go on as long as possible so we can set a record.
It's still raining. The boys and I went to IKEA today and as I was pulling out of the driveway I could see dark clouds behind me. My first inclination was to say oh forget it and pull right back in the garage. Getting the two boys in or out of the stroller and getting the stroller folded or unfolded is NOT fun in the rain, so unless there's some compelling reason to do it, I try to avoid it. But it's been raining on and off it seems like forever, so I've decided we're just going to have to get wet.
Tomorrow afternoon we're going to see my friend, Heather, from college and her 5 year old, Hayden. She and I email a few times a year and until today, we hadn't talked on the phone in a few years. It's so easy to lose touch. They are down from NY visiting her folks in Keller so the boys and I will head over there after lunch. I'll try to remember a camera so I can post pictures. Hayden is really into Harry Potter and Spider-man and Buzz Lightyear so I'm guessing Kyle is going to learn a lot tomorrow.
I went to the knee doctor yesterday and I'm going to have to have surgery, but he gave me a cortisone injection in hopes that it would buy me several weeks. I can definitely tell a difference today - not perfect but much better. I somehow managed to fracture a bone on the top of my foot and there's some sort of bone fleck / spur (his words) on the top of my foot which is why my foot has hurt so much in the last week. He came in the room after looking at the x-rays and said, "Now, you're sure you didn't fall? Or trip? Or drop something on your foot?" It's a mystery as to how it happened, but he gave me an injection there also and hopefully that'll be the end of the foot saga. Leave it to me.
Enjoy your day,
Mary Jo
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
My knee or Paris - 6/26/07
It's raining here in North Texas again. I can't remember a wetter spring / early summer but maybe that's because this is the first year I've been at home; when I was at my job it wasn't that important to me if the sun was shining or if it was raining.
I'm off to the knee doctor this afternoon because my knee is getting worse. I imagine he'll want to talk about surgery. But my big question is this... how can I be expected to leave my house when I could be sitting on the couch watching coverage of Paris Hilton??!?!? I sat with tears in my eyes this morning as I watched that poor misunderstood waif get sprung from the pokey and run into the waiting arms of her mommy. What an ordeal she's been through. She hasn't been able to go out to clubs until all hours of the night and she could hardly maintain her spray tan or eat sushi. I saw her attorney on the news last night and he says she is the sweetest, most genuine woman he's ever known, so how can I not feel sorry for her? He's only being paid about $750 an hour for every second he talks about her so there's no reason for him to lie, right? Now if he were being paid $1,250 an hour I might be a little skeptical of his claims.
On the kid front, I thought we had a problem with Grant shrieking a few weeks ago, but it's reached mammoth proportions, especially in the morning. I wish I really understood what frustrates him so much; only about 50% of the time do I realize what it is. Once again, I find myself fantasizing about using the same method I use to get the dogs to stop barking. I say, "No speak" (I could say "No Shriek" in Grant's case) and squirt them with the spray bottle of water. Don't worry, I wouldn't do this, but if it amuses me to envision it, let me have my fantasy!
Have a great day!
Mary Jo
I'm off to the knee doctor this afternoon because my knee is getting worse. I imagine he'll want to talk about surgery. But my big question is this... how can I be expected to leave my house when I could be sitting on the couch watching coverage of Paris Hilton??!?!? I sat with tears in my eyes this morning as I watched that poor misunderstood waif get sprung from the pokey and run into the waiting arms of her mommy. What an ordeal she's been through. She hasn't been able to go out to clubs until all hours of the night and she could hardly maintain her spray tan or eat sushi. I saw her attorney on the news last night and he says she is the sweetest, most genuine woman he's ever known, so how can I not feel sorry for her? He's only being paid about $750 an hour for every second he talks about her so there's no reason for him to lie, right? Now if he were being paid $1,250 an hour I might be a little skeptical of his claims.
On the kid front, I thought we had a problem with Grant shrieking a few weeks ago, but it's reached mammoth proportions, especially in the morning. I wish I really understood what frustrates him so much; only about 50% of the time do I realize what it is. Once again, I find myself fantasizing about using the same method I use to get the dogs to stop barking. I say, "No speak" (I could say "No Shriek" in Grant's case) and squirt them with the spray bottle of water. Don't worry, I wouldn't do this, but if it amuses me to envision it, let me have my fantasy!
Have a great day!
Mary Jo
Thursday, June 21, 2007
6/21/07
I had a great day with the kids today. We didn't do anything out of the ordinary but all three of us were in good moods for the most part. Kyle caught up on sleep that I didn't know he needed. Both boys are usually awake by 7, but he slept until 8:30 this morning! Yep - 13 straight hours. Then he napped for 2.5 hours. But wow was he in a great mood! I had physical therapy this evening and was gone for just over an hour. Both boys had apparently stored up some crankiness from the day and unloaded it all on Daddy while I was gone. I got out of here just in time and came home shortly after they found their happy faces again. Sorry, Dave!
I'm guessing all parents experience this... you do something once because you think it's really cute or fun or clever and it makes the kids laugh and oh aren't you just the greatest parent ever for being so entertaining. It's happened to me many times but we're going through the tunnel phase right now. After the fifth time I've made a tunnel by covering my body with two quilts, a blanket, a dishtowel, and two hand towels, all while sticking my arms and feet in the air so the kids can go under the 'tunnel', I realize I may have made a terrible mistake. After the 40th time, I'm quite certain I have! And yet, most of the time unless I'm too hot and sweaty or have already suffocated, I give in because Kyle and Grant giggle and laugh each time as if it was the first.
I don't know what my plan is for tomorrow but we'll get out and do something. This morning's adventure was to try to find a Salvation Army thrift store so I could look through the book section. I don't know if they even have books but Goodwill does and I've already picked over their selection. I couldn't find the store so it turned into just a nice drive. This afternoon I met a friend and her son at the mall for a walk.
Enjoy your day,
Mary Jo
I'm guessing all parents experience this... you do something once because you think it's really cute or fun or clever and it makes the kids laugh and oh aren't you just the greatest parent ever for being so entertaining. It's happened to me many times but we're going through the tunnel phase right now. After the fifth time I've made a tunnel by covering my body with two quilts, a blanket, a dishtowel, and two hand towels, all while sticking my arms and feet in the air so the kids can go under the 'tunnel', I realize I may have made a terrible mistake. After the 40th time, I'm quite certain I have! And yet, most of the time unless I'm too hot and sweaty or have already suffocated, I give in because Kyle and Grant giggle and laugh each time as if it was the first.
I don't know what my plan is for tomorrow but we'll get out and do something. This morning's adventure was to try to find a Salvation Army thrift store so I could look through the book section. I don't know if they even have books but Goodwill does and I've already picked over their selection. I couldn't find the store so it turned into just a nice drive. This afternoon I met a friend and her son at the mall for a walk.
Enjoy your day,
Mary Jo
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
I'm so smart - 6/19/07
Once in awhile I am reminded that I am actually smarter than my kids (imagine me patting my own back in pride)!!! I've been working on this but I think it's official. Because I have nearly lost my mind listening to kiddie music in the car like Hickory Dickory Dock and The Muffin Man, I've taken to listening to music I like and dancing in my seat and clapping just like I do when the the kiddie songs are on. At first Kyle didn't buy it, but now he actually says "More" when we get to a pause between songs. I don't even have to dance and clap anymore. What makes it even more impressive is that I'm subjecting the boys to country music and they're falling for it. I am brilliant!!!
Okay, so you're thinking, "Give it a rest; it's really not that big of a deal and I certainly wouldn't describe it as brilliant." But when I worked outside the home every day, several times a day I would do something or help someone in a way that I could think, "Hey, that was pretty good. Yay, me!" Now as a stay-at-home-mom I don't get as many opportunities so I have to grab them where I can, embellish them and then congratulate myself profusely!
Then of course there are all those times that I don't congratulate myself. At IKEA (a big furniture / home store) the other weekend, Dave was pushing Grant through the parking lot in the stroller and Kyle was walking with me. Kyle looked back and realized that Daddy and Grant were still well behind us and he pulled away and ran to them. Into the parking lot. In reality it was harmless - no cars around but we had to make a big deal of it in hopes that Kyle would get the message. So I became that lady.
You know who I mean. The lady you see from way across the parking lot and look upon with disdain because of how she's treating her precious child. You had no idea what preceded it, but you look over and here's this woman scolding her child rather harshly. Dave and I scolded Kyle appropriately (in our opinion) but unfortunately when I grabbed his arm he either lost his balance and fell or flopped himself to the ground on purpose. Either way, it looked like I knocked him over in anger.
So I pick him up and all four of us go into the entry way to the store. Kyle is crying hysterically and I'm holding him and calming him down. But I made EXTRA sure that my calming him down was said fairly loudly so everyone who may have seen it could hear: "You scared Mommy and Daddy. You can't go into the street without holding a hand." Most looks we received at that point were sympathetic oh-that-explains-it looks, but there were still some snobby what-an-abusive-parent looks.
Truthfully, no one probably noticed the incident and the looks of disdain were probably because I hadn't brushed out my ponytail that morning and had smears of wet smooshed Goldfish crackers on my shirt.
Gotta go - off to physical therapy.
MJ
Okay, so you're thinking, "Give it a rest; it's really not that big of a deal and I certainly wouldn't describe it as brilliant." But when I worked outside the home every day, several times a day I would do something or help someone in a way that I could think, "Hey, that was pretty good. Yay, me!" Now as a stay-at-home-mom I don't get as many opportunities so I have to grab them where I can, embellish them and then congratulate myself profusely!
Then of course there are all those times that I don't congratulate myself. At IKEA (a big furniture / home store) the other weekend, Dave was pushing Grant through the parking lot in the stroller and Kyle was walking with me. Kyle looked back and realized that Daddy and Grant were still well behind us and he pulled away and ran to them. Into the parking lot. In reality it was harmless - no cars around but we had to make a big deal of it in hopes that Kyle would get the message. So I became that lady.
You know who I mean. The lady you see from way across the parking lot and look upon with disdain because of how she's treating her precious child. You had no idea what preceded it, but you look over and here's this woman scolding her child rather harshly. Dave and I scolded Kyle appropriately (in our opinion) but unfortunately when I grabbed his arm he either lost his balance and fell or flopped himself to the ground on purpose. Either way, it looked like I knocked him over in anger.
So I pick him up and all four of us go into the entry way to the store. Kyle is crying hysterically and I'm holding him and calming him down. But I made EXTRA sure that my calming him down was said fairly loudly so everyone who may have seen it could hear: "You scared Mommy and Daddy. You can't go into the street without holding a hand." Most looks we received at that point were sympathetic oh-that-explains-it looks, but there were still some snobby what-an-abusive-parent looks.
Truthfully, no one probably noticed the incident and the looks of disdain were probably because I hadn't brushed out my ponytail that morning and had smears of wet smooshed Goldfish crackers on my shirt.
Gotta go - off to physical therapy.
MJ
Sunday, June 17, 2007
Father's Day - 6/17/07
Happy Father's Day to Dave for being the best father our kids could ever dream of! Dave is so good at so many things - sailing, building stuff, technical things - but he was made to be a dad. The boys and I made him a stepping stone and all I can say is that next time I'll do a better job! My mom and I discovered that when you're mixing cement don't mix in too much water. My grand plans of everything that was going to be on the stepping stone quickly went up in smoke. Or should I say quickly squished into the cement. Oh well - we got the word "Dad" and the boys' handprints.
We went to my brother Mike's house yesterday for lunch. The boys loved seeing their Aunt, Uncle and cousins! Mike and Michelle's house has stairs and we have to keep a sharp eye on Kyle because there seems to be a magnet in the stairs that sucks him in. This time he was very sneaky and he plotted his strategy for over an hour. He followed me into the bathroom and when we came out I thought he turned left to where everyone was hanging out. Everyone else thought he was with me. This all happened in one split second and the little stinker had scampered up the stairs and was grinning and giggling peeking down through the rails at me. I didn't make a big deal of it because I think that will wildly increase the attraction. And honestly I knew that even the most effective scolding or discipline in the world would not have dampened his elation at his little adventure.
Dave and I went to dinner last night after the kids went to bed. We figured since they were asleep they'd be fine by themselves. Oh for Pete's sake don't be ridiculous and believe that! My mom is here and she stayed with them. We found an out-of-the-way seafood restaurant that had great food. Well, except for the appetizer which was kind of icky.
It appears that the fever Grant had was roseola. Roseola is basically a high fever for a few days then once that breaks a rash appears. It's not dangerous except the fevers can get high enough to cause febrile seizures. Fortunately Grant's never got over 103 and was mostly 101.5. I think if he had a seizure Dave and I would have one of our own. The rash Grant has is pretty mild, too. Our friend Matthew just got over roseola so we knew what to look for.
I'd better go. I think I'm supposed to be cleaning.
MJ
We went to my brother Mike's house yesterday for lunch. The boys loved seeing their Aunt, Uncle and cousins! Mike and Michelle's house has stairs and we have to keep a sharp eye on Kyle because there seems to be a magnet in the stairs that sucks him in. This time he was very sneaky and he plotted his strategy for over an hour. He followed me into the bathroom and when we came out I thought he turned left to where everyone was hanging out. Everyone else thought he was with me. This all happened in one split second and the little stinker had scampered up the stairs and was grinning and giggling peeking down through the rails at me. I didn't make a big deal of it because I think that will wildly increase the attraction. And honestly I knew that even the most effective scolding or discipline in the world would not have dampened his elation at his little adventure.
Dave and I went to dinner last night after the kids went to bed. We figured since they were asleep they'd be fine by themselves. Oh for Pete's sake don't be ridiculous and believe that! My mom is here and she stayed with them. We found an out-of-the-way seafood restaurant that had great food. Well, except for the appetizer which was kind of icky.
It appears that the fever Grant had was roseola. Roseola is basically a high fever for a few days then once that breaks a rash appears. It's not dangerous except the fevers can get high enough to cause febrile seizures. Fortunately Grant's never got over 103 and was mostly 101.5. I think if he had a seizure Dave and I would have one of our own. The rash Grant has is pretty mild, too. Our friend Matthew just got over roseola so we knew what to look for.
I'd better go. I think I'm supposed to be cleaning.
MJ
Friday, June 15, 2007
I'm a mall walker - 6/15/07
The boys and I went to a new mall this morning to walk and play with our friends Julie and Matthew. After being cooped up in the house yesterday because of Grant's fever I was dressed by 8 this morning and heading out the door. I had no idea to where but I just knew we had to get out of here. Fortunately Julie happened to call me before I left so we met for a walk. It did me probably more good than it did the kids but they had fun, too. Unfortunately when I was putting the boys back in the stroller after we were done in the play area, I jacked my knee and it was questionable that I could pick them up to get them in the van. A mall play area is where I originally tore my cartilage 7 weeks ago so maybe I should get the message that I'm supposed to stay out of mall play areas.
My mom came to town to visit and the boys are very excited to see her. I love seeing the boys develop such strong relationships with my mom and Dave's parents. We were close with my Grannie growing up but she lived across the country so there wasn't a regular grandparent presence.
My mom came to town to visit and the boys are very excited to see her. I love seeing the boys develop such strong relationships with my mom and Dave's parents. We were close with my Grannie growing up but she lived across the country so there wasn't a regular grandparent presence.
Dave's shed is almost done so hopefully soon we can clean out the garage and make room for more junk that we'll undoubtedly accumulate in the garage. Dave and I took a few minutes to go down the street to an empty field so he could fly his remote control plane with the new wing he just put together. I had no idea that assembling a new wing for an RC plane would be so complicated but he got it done about two o'clock this morning. Anyway, the flight was great and fun to watch. No damage to the plane or any surrounding structure!
On the homefront, we've been talking to foundation companies about getting our slab fixed. Most that we've talked to have recommended between 6 and 9 piers but the lady that's here right now actually told us that we really didn't need to do anything. I like her answer the best.
I liked the foundation guys last night also because they actually spoke to me as if I was a human with a brain instead of a mindless wife whose big strong husband makes all the decisions. The guys that fixed our air conditioner came one day when Dave wasn't here and I got all of the, "Your husband can decide if he wants to XYZ." What I wanted to say was, "Listen here, Neanderthal, I've owned this house for seven years, six of them by myself and would you believe that I, a female, was capable of making major decisions without the input of a man!" He did change his tone a little bit after I gave him a clear message that talking down to me really wasn't the best move he'd make that day.
Gotta go. My mom wants to go outside and help Dave with the shed so that means I actually have to stay in here and take care of my own kids. The nerve.
MJ
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
6/13/07
Ahhhhh… it’s one of those days. After two days of almost no incidents, Kyle’s been in time-out several times today for biting and hitting. Kyle’s biting started before Grant came home last November, but it intensified and has never abated except for short bursts here and there. It’s hard to know if we’re handling the situation right but if we judge it by the results we’re not. Kyle has a very intense personality and I know that we have to find the right method of discipline that works with who he is; we just don’t know what that is yet.
I had to cancel our standing play date with Matthew tomorrow. No, the kids don’t have to stand the whole time. Grant still has a fever and I don’t want to risk getting anyone else sick. It was bad enough that Matthew got bit last week; if he got sick from us this week his mom, Julie, just might change her phone number!
Tonight is an open house for a mom’s club that I might join. I’ve only been to two of their play dates and haven’t been bowled over by the other moms. For the boys’ sake, though, I think I’ll go.
I hear Grant waking up so I’d better go.
MJ
I had to cancel our standing play date with Matthew tomorrow. No, the kids don’t have to stand the whole time. Grant still has a fever and I don’t want to risk getting anyone else sick. It was bad enough that Matthew got bit last week; if he got sick from us this week his mom, Julie, just might change her phone number!
Tonight is an open house for a mom’s club that I might join. I’ve only been to two of their play dates and haven’t been bowled over by the other moms. For the boys’ sake, though, I think I’ll go.
I hear Grant waking up so I’d better go.
MJ
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
Random - 6/12/07
On Saturday we drove an hour to the zoo and an hour back. Listening to kids music for two hours can do silly things to your brain. The third time we heard Skip to My Lou, Dave said, "Wow, he must really have to go to the bathroom."
You may know from a prior post about Molly's housefly anxiety. She is a such a sweet dog but houseflies turn her into a quivering shivering 80 pound mess. The PBS show NOVA this evening was something about tracking fly DNA from prehistoric dinosaur era. All was well until they played a housefly (or is that a cavefly?) buzzing. Molly jumped up like she had been electrocuted and ran for the bathroom. Ahhh, we love her.
The kids took a turn for the fussy this afternoon and Grant has a 102 degree temperature. He doesn't have any other symptoms so maybe it's teething. Infant's Motrin is a wonderful thing.
MJ
You may know from a prior post about Molly's housefly anxiety. She is a such a sweet dog but houseflies turn her into a quivering shivering 80 pound mess. The PBS show NOVA this evening was something about tracking fly DNA from prehistoric dinosaur era. All was well until they played a housefly (or is that a cavefly?) buzzing. Molly jumped up like she had been electrocuted and ran for the bathroom. Ahhh, we love her.
The kids took a turn for the fussy this afternoon and Grant has a 102 degree temperature. He doesn't have any other symptoms so maybe it's teething. Infant's Motrin is a wonderful thing.
MJ
Monday, June 11, 2007
Mommy 112 times - 6/11/07
I can remember waiting for the day when Kyle would say “Mommy” and how Dave and I ‘worked’ with him on the mmmm sound. And I admit that I still love hearing him say it. We’re now looking forward to the time when Grant says Mommy (and Daddy, too, but this is about me!).
And yet now that Kyle has entered the stage of saying Mommy Mommy Mommy Mommy Mommy incessantly I consider asking Grant to wander toward that milestone at his own liesurely pace. I'm working with Kyle on getting our attention by saying Mommy or Daddy before he asks for or tells us something. He's doing great with this and it's helping lessen some frustration on all of our parts.
Unfortunately, he's expanded this to mean that he's supposed to get my attention before he says anything. So all the rambling gibberish that he says as we're driving down the road is now prefaced with "Mommy" and a pause. The word that brings me more joy and warmth than any other is also the word that sometimes makes me want to scream. Now, don't think I'm cold-hearted or not in touch with the wonders of childhood and all that. I'm not talking about hearing "Mommy" once every quarter of a mile. Try every 45th rotation of the tires.
About seven years ago, an acquaintance's three year old was on a streak of saying "Mommy" every 10 seconds or so and it was at it's most annoying in the car. She said she was thinking of changing her name to "Shit" and slap him for cussing. I have no idea if she told him that (I hope not) or if she just fantasized it, but it still makes me laugh.
But at the end of the day, I think of my friend whose son has autism. She told me how lucky she is that she's heard her son say "Mommy" since that is far more than many parents ever get. So as I find myself getting annoyed after hearing it 112 times before lunch, I'm going to remind myself how truly blessed I am to hear it at all.
Good night,
MJ
And yet now that Kyle has entered the stage of saying Mommy Mommy Mommy Mommy Mommy incessantly I consider asking Grant to wander toward that milestone at his own liesurely pace. I'm working with Kyle on getting our attention by saying Mommy or Daddy before he asks for or tells us something. He's doing great with this and it's helping lessen some frustration on all of our parts.
Unfortunately, he's expanded this to mean that he's supposed to get my attention before he says anything. So all the rambling gibberish that he says as we're driving down the road is now prefaced with "Mommy" and a pause. The word that brings me more joy and warmth than any other is also the word that sometimes makes me want to scream. Now, don't think I'm cold-hearted or not in touch with the wonders of childhood and all that. I'm not talking about hearing "Mommy" once every quarter of a mile. Try every 45th rotation of the tires.
About seven years ago, an acquaintance's three year old was on a streak of saying "Mommy" every 10 seconds or so and it was at it's most annoying in the car. She said she was thinking of changing her name to "Shit" and slap him for cussing. I have no idea if she told him that (I hope not) or if she just fantasized it, but it still makes me laugh.
But at the end of the day, I think of my friend whose son has autism. She told me how lucky she is that she's heard her son say "Mommy" since that is far more than many parents ever get. So as I find myself getting annoyed after hearing it 112 times before lunch, I'm going to remind myself how truly blessed I am to hear it at all.
Good night,
MJ
Thursday, June 7, 2007
The wave - 6/7/07
I knew it was inevitable but today it happened. Kyle bit his friend Matthew. Hard. Matthew and his mommy were over for our Thursday playdate and a few minutes before they left the boys got into it over a toy and I wasn't quick enough to stop it. It was horrifying of course, but Matthew's mom Julie understands that those things can happen when kiddos get together to play. I think she's just buttering me up in advance for the day when Matthew gives Kyle a black eye. :-)
I read an article about biting that said biting and hitting at this age are developmentally appropriate behaviors used to express frustration when the kids can't otherwise communicate. That's nice and all, but it's small comfort when your child is the most 'developmentally appropriate' kid on the block!
Grant is doing great and is now letting go of us so he can stand by himself for a fraction of a second. It's fun to watch because of the way he does it. I don't know if I can do it justice but picture this... I'm laying (or is that lying) on the floor and Grant comes up and stands next to me with his hands on my stomach (he also does this with Dave). He starts laughing and rears up with his hands in the air and then plops them back down again. Kind of like he's at a baseball game and is doing The Wave, only there's no one else doing it. It's VERY cute!
Have a great day,
MJ
I read an article about biting that said biting and hitting at this age are developmentally appropriate behaviors used to express frustration when the kids can't otherwise communicate. That's nice and all, but it's small comfort when your child is the most 'developmentally appropriate' kid on the block!
Grant is doing great and is now letting go of us so he can stand by himself for a fraction of a second. It's fun to watch because of the way he does it. I don't know if I can do it justice but picture this... I'm laying (or is that lying) on the floor and Grant comes up and stands next to me with his hands on my stomach (he also does this with Dave). He starts laughing and rears up with his hands in the air and then plops them back down again. Kind of like he's at a baseball game and is doing The Wave, only there's no one else doing it. It's VERY cute!
Have a great day,
MJ
Wednesday, June 6, 2007
Speed Bump 6/6/07
How is one day with the kids really good and then the next day definitely not? I'd love some consistency, or at least a progression so I could at least know what's coming. Dave knew I'd had a rough day and when he came home he told me to do whatever would give me a break. I called a friend and met her for dinner which I DESPERATELY needed. It was a rough day and I was fully prepared to go eat chips and hot sauce all by myself if necessary. I went to a play date this morning and the other moms were complaining about how their husbands weren't helpful or in tune with parenting and I am happy to say I can't relate. I always get a kick out of it when moms say that their husband "babysat" or "watched" the kids. I'm new to the playgroup so I didn't want to gloat about my husband, though next time I'll have to speak up!
So on to the play date... There were 3 other moms there with their kids; it was good for the boys to be in a new environment for an hour or two. I could write a whole post about the play date, but I'll skip to the ending. Keep in mind that my boys are 10 months apart at 12 and 22 months old. So when we head to the van, Kyle was walking and I was carrying Grant. We had to go in the street to get to Grant's side of the van so Kyle had to hold my hand. I've never had a problem with Kyle holding my hand before.
Well, there's a first time for everything and this morning he tried to yank his hand out of mine. I had to grip his wrist to keep hold of him and that's when he decided to go limp. I'm thinking, "Listen mister, I'll be darned if I'm going to stand here and try to negotiate with you" so I kept going, basically dragging him along. I just knew that after a couple of seconds Kyle would just snap to it and realize WOW! Mom really means business so I'd better straighten up. At which point I would congratulate myself for my astute parenting strategy.
That's not exactly what happened. He kept hanging and I kept going. I had visions of his shoulder popping out of its socket but I didn't have any other option. I then realize that Kyle is laughing and smiling, apparently having fun hanging by his arm and getting pulled along. So this didn't work exactly as I had hoped. By the time we got to the van I had to let go of his hand so I could put Grant in the van. I think letting your kid lie down on the street, even if he's perfectly safe, is an automatic 10 point deduction in the point standing for Mother-of-the-Year which will basically knock me right out of the running. By the way, Kyle thought lying on the concrete looking up was also pretty fun. Mommy's little speedbump.
Note to self... Turning Kyle into a human tetherball dangling at the end of my arm does not serve as an effective deterrent or punishment.
I wonder what great new lesson I'll learn tomorrow!
Mary Jo
So on to the play date... There were 3 other moms there with their kids; it was good for the boys to be in a new environment for an hour or two. I could write a whole post about the play date, but I'll skip to the ending. Keep in mind that my boys are 10 months apart at 12 and 22 months old. So when we head to the van, Kyle was walking and I was carrying Grant. We had to go in the street to get to Grant's side of the van so Kyle had to hold my hand. I've never had a problem with Kyle holding my hand before.
Well, there's a first time for everything and this morning he tried to yank his hand out of mine. I had to grip his wrist to keep hold of him and that's when he decided to go limp. I'm thinking, "Listen mister, I'll be darned if I'm going to stand here and try to negotiate with you" so I kept going, basically dragging him along. I just knew that after a couple of seconds Kyle would just snap to it and realize WOW! Mom really means business so I'd better straighten up. At which point I would congratulate myself for my astute parenting strategy.
That's not exactly what happened. He kept hanging and I kept going. I had visions of his shoulder popping out of its socket but I didn't have any other option. I then realize that Kyle is laughing and smiling, apparently having fun hanging by his arm and getting pulled along. So this didn't work exactly as I had hoped. By the time we got to the van I had to let go of his hand so I could put Grant in the van. I think letting your kid lie down on the street, even if he's perfectly safe, is an automatic 10 point deduction in the point standing for Mother-of-the-Year which will basically knock me right out of the running. By the way, Kyle thought lying on the concrete looking up was also pretty fun. Mommy's little speedbump.
Note to self... Turning Kyle into a human tetherball dangling at the end of my arm does not serve as an effective deterrent or punishment.
I wonder what great new lesson I'll learn tomorrow!
Mary Jo
Tuesday, June 5, 2007
Superbugs - 6/5/07
I took the boys to a different mall today - much bigger than our usual two. We all liked a change of scenery. I didn't let them play in the play area but we did watch the ice skaters and the zamboni. I nixed the play area because it had some 'equipment' that has walls and too many areas where you can lose visibility of the kids (some mall's areas are much more open). When you have a 22 month old and a 12 month old that's a little nerve-wracking. Do I think they'll escape? Maybe. Do I think there's a chance that they'll get flattened by some of the older kids? Yes. Is there a possibility that Kyle might bite a strange kid when I can't see him? Yes and I definitely don't want that for several reasons. After all, there's no telling what kind of illness the kid might have. Wouldn't want my angelic little biter to get sick, now, would we?
On a good news, front... Kyle didn't try to bite or hit Grant at all today!!! Of course there's still over an hour before bed so the night is still young.
We also went to Target today so I could get some different sunscreen for the boys as well as some bug spray. It's Texas so of course the sun is blisteringas usual, but it's been very wet this year so the bugs are VERY bad. My dilemma is this... when the kids are going outside and I want to protect them from the sun and the bugs, which do I put on first and will all the ingredients play nicely together? I'm envisioning that some obscure ingredient from the bug spray and a normally harmless ingredient from the sunscreen will join together and serve as a growth hormone for the mosquito. I guess the plus side is that while I'm treating Kyle for horrible mosquito bites we can take some photos of our super-enhanced bulked up mosquitos and sell them to a tabloid or nature journal.
Yes, you can always count on me to find the bright shining side of every situation.
Enjoy your day,
Mary Jo
On a good news, front... Kyle didn't try to bite or hit Grant at all today!!! Of course there's still over an hour before bed so the night is still young.
We also went to Target today so I could get some different sunscreen for the boys as well as some bug spray. It's Texas so of course the sun is blisteringas usual, but it's been very wet this year so the bugs are VERY bad. My dilemma is this... when the kids are going outside and I want to protect them from the sun and the bugs, which do I put on first and will all the ingredients play nicely together? I'm envisioning that some obscure ingredient from the bug spray and a normally harmless ingredient from the sunscreen will join together and serve as a growth hormone for the mosquito. I guess the plus side is that while I'm treating Kyle for horrible mosquito bites we can take some photos of our super-enhanced bulked up mosquitos and sell them to a tabloid or nature journal.
Yes, you can always count on me to find the bright shining side of every situation.
Enjoy your day,
Mary Jo
Monday, June 4, 2007
Posting comments
Someone just pointed out to me that they couldn't post comments unless they had a google account. I fixed that so that anyone can comment. Just click on a comment link and choose the Other option and type your name. Thanks and sorry for not catching this before!
Lunchtime contest 6/4/07
We just got done with lunch and I must say the boys made me laugh and they made each other laugh alot. Forgive the nature of the discussion, but here goes... at least 75% of the time when Grant sits in his booster chair he poops. We call the chair the poo magnet. So we sit down and of course it becomes apparent that he's taking care of business.
So I say what I always say when somebody is pooping. Well, not Dave or any grownups but when one of the kids is. "Are you poopin'?" So then Kyle starts groaning like Grant is and before I know it they are having quite a back-and-forth with their poo groaning and contorting their faces, long after Grant is done with the real thing, and Kyle's was completely fake.
Okay, it's 5pm now and now we just got back from the 'zoo'. Translation: mommy sold out and took the boys to Petland. I've probably mentioned this before but I don't understand why people purchase animals at a pet store when there are thousands of dogs and cats just waiting in the shelters, or even from reputable breeders. But hey, it amuses the kids so what can I say. It absolutely poured when we were in there so we got stuck for about 45 minutes.
There was a baby ground squirrel in the enclosure that usually houses ferrets, and he was so freaked out. He was jumping up and down against the glass. I couldn't believe that the pet store was selling a squirrel to become someone's pet. I later found out that someone had found it abandoned and it's only there temporarily so I had to quit being all indignant and superior :-). There were signs on the enclosure asking people not to reach in and touch the squirrel because it's a new environment for him and he's adjusting and all that.
There was a lady (customer) at the bunny display holding a bunny and reminiscing about the wonderful bunny she had in her first apartment and it was litter trained and just a dream and talking all about rabbit behavior. When she felt that one person wasn't listening she turned to the next set of ears. Well, I could tell that she fashioned herself quite the Animal Whisperer. I next saw her with a big scarlet macaw on her shoulder. And round about lap 24 of Petland, she is standing at the ground squirrel's enclosure with a bleeding hand. I think she forgot to whisper to the squirrel.
Have a great day!
Mary Jo
So I say what I always say when somebody is pooping. Well, not Dave or any grownups but when one of the kids is. "Are you poopin'?" So then Kyle starts groaning like Grant is and before I know it they are having quite a back-and-forth with their poo groaning and contorting their faces, long after Grant is done with the real thing, and Kyle's was completely fake.
Okay, it's 5pm now and now we just got back from the 'zoo'. Translation: mommy sold out and took the boys to Petland. I've probably mentioned this before but I don't understand why people purchase animals at a pet store when there are thousands of dogs and cats just waiting in the shelters, or even from reputable breeders. But hey, it amuses the kids so what can I say. It absolutely poured when we were in there so we got stuck for about 45 minutes.
There was a baby ground squirrel in the enclosure that usually houses ferrets, and he was so freaked out. He was jumping up and down against the glass. I couldn't believe that the pet store was selling a squirrel to become someone's pet. I later found out that someone had found it abandoned and it's only there temporarily so I had to quit being all indignant and superior :-). There were signs on the enclosure asking people not to reach in and touch the squirrel because it's a new environment for him and he's adjusting and all that.
There was a lady (customer) at the bunny display holding a bunny and reminiscing about the wonderful bunny she had in her first apartment and it was litter trained and just a dream and talking all about rabbit behavior. When she felt that one person wasn't listening she turned to the next set of ears. Well, I could tell that she fashioned herself quite the Animal Whisperer. I next saw her with a big scarlet macaw on her shoulder. And round about lap 24 of Petland, she is standing at the ground squirrel's enclosure with a bleeding hand. I think she forgot to whisper to the squirrel.
Have a great day!
Mary Jo
Sunday, June 3, 2007
Little Gym - 6/3/07
Yesterday we took the boys to their first class at The Little Gym and it was great. The instructor was very upbeat and wasn't hung up on making sure all the kids did what she was doing. In other words the kids could wander around freely, which of course Kyle did. He likes to hang on the outskirts until he assesses new situations and that's exactly what he did yesterday.
Both boys played on the equipment but their favorite were the places where they did front rolls and back rolls. Okay, actually maybe the favorite thing was actually when the teacher dumped out the 30 balls that they could throw and bounce all over the place. Grant wasn't afraid to explore and he loved watching everything.
No clever entry today - just an update on The Little Gym!
Have a great week!
Mary Jo
Both boys played on the equipment but their favorite were the places where they did front rolls and back rolls. Okay, actually maybe the favorite thing was actually when the teacher dumped out the 30 balls that they could throw and bounce all over the place. Grant wasn't afraid to explore and he loved watching everything.
No clever entry today - just an update on The Little Gym!
Have a great week!
Mary Jo
Friday, June 1, 2007
Play-by-play 6/1/07
Aaaahhh... silence. The boys are in bed and I hope that every tooth that is even thinking about popping through on either one of them comes through overnight so that tomorrow will be a better day! We start our class at The Little Gym tomorrow at 8:45 - should be fun.
On days when the kids are fussing and whining and screaming and nothing I do helps, I often think, "It is SUCH a good thing I am not 16" I think impluse control is something that strengthens as we mature. It's a good thing I'm mature :-)
The scream/cry/shriek factor was big here today and I will confess that I fantasized more than once (mostly because it made me laugh to think of it) about using the same technique on the boys that I use on my dogs when they are barking. Yep... the dreaded squirt bottle. It's worked so well with the dogs that they've turned into self-scolders. Now when they bark they will sometimes shake their head as if they're shaking off water. And of course I congratulate myself profusely every time for my stellar skills at dog behavior guidance. To do this (congratulate myself) I have to ignore the fact that in the last hour alone, Molly has eaten poop in the backyard and Katie has stepped on my heels twice because she's overly attached.
Many of you know that Kyle has had some let's just say 'biting issues'. I realized today that most of his attempted bites are more like attempted licks. He got mad at me today when it was time to leave the play area at the mall and he cocked his head towards my arm repeatedly with his mouth wide open and tongue stuck out. His intent wasn't to actually bite me (or lick me for that matter) but it was to let me know he was mad.
Now, some people don't want to scold their kid in public because they want to spank their kid but are afraid that other people will be horrified or comment or whatever. Me, I don't want to scold my boys in public because I don't want other people to critique me or do a play by play; I had two mothers watching exactly how I handled things today and I didn't like it. Kind of like John Madden and Troy Aikman calling a football game and offering plenty of editorial.
Madden: Oh Troy that was a bad call
Aikman: Yeah, John, I really think she fumbled that one. Did you see how those boys did an end run around her when she got ready to leave? Did Kyle just try to bite her?
Madden: I think it was more of a lick, Troy.
Aikman: Oh I wonder how she's going to handle this one.
Madden: Oooohhh I'm really shaking now! She put her hands on his cheeks and told him that teeth are not for biting. Whippee.
Well, I'd better go enjoy my peace and quiet. Enjoy the weekend!
Mary Jo
On days when the kids are fussing and whining and screaming and nothing I do helps, I often think, "It is SUCH a good thing I am not 16" I think impluse control is something that strengthens as we mature. It's a good thing I'm mature :-)
The scream/cry/shriek factor was big here today and I will confess that I fantasized more than once (mostly because it made me laugh to think of it) about using the same technique on the boys that I use on my dogs when they are barking. Yep... the dreaded squirt bottle. It's worked so well with the dogs that they've turned into self-scolders. Now when they bark they will sometimes shake their head as if they're shaking off water. And of course I congratulate myself profusely every time for my stellar skills at dog behavior guidance. To do this (congratulate myself) I have to ignore the fact that in the last hour alone, Molly has eaten poop in the backyard and Katie has stepped on my heels twice because she's overly attached.
Many of you know that Kyle has had some let's just say 'biting issues'. I realized today that most of his attempted bites are more like attempted licks. He got mad at me today when it was time to leave the play area at the mall and he cocked his head towards my arm repeatedly with his mouth wide open and tongue stuck out. His intent wasn't to actually bite me (or lick me for that matter) but it was to let me know he was mad.
Now, some people don't want to scold their kid in public because they want to spank their kid but are afraid that other people will be horrified or comment or whatever. Me, I don't want to scold my boys in public because I don't want other people to critique me or do a play by play; I had two mothers watching exactly how I handled things today and I didn't like it. Kind of like John Madden and Troy Aikman calling a football game and offering plenty of editorial.
Madden: Oh Troy that was a bad call
Aikman: Yeah, John, I really think she fumbled that one. Did you see how those boys did an end run around her when she got ready to leave? Did Kyle just try to bite her?
Madden: I think it was more of a lick, Troy.
Aikman: Oh I wonder how she's going to handle this one.
Madden: Oooohhh I'm really shaking now! She put her hands on his cheeks and told him that teeth are not for biting. Whippee.
Well, I'd better go enjoy my peace and quiet. Enjoy the weekend!
Mary Jo
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