Mama Bear and Her Cubs: January 2011

Sunday, January 30, 2011

Friday, January 28, 2011

7-8 months ago Alyssa was very interested in potty training. She would go on her little frog potty once or twice a day and we'd celebrate. She'd get an M&M. Life was good. I thought this was going to be easy.

Well, then along came her baby brother. Soon we had a diaper factory assembly line. Diaper #1. Diaper #2. Wipe #1. Wipe #2. Clean diaper #1. Clean diaper #2. She loved it! It was fun and she loved being an example to James. Oops...maybe it was too much fun. But some regression is normal with a new sibling, right?

Then, Ally had her tonsils and adenoids removed. She was so brave. I wasn't about to enforce potty rules when she had an IV in one foot and a monitor on the other. We recovered at home and I was more interested in her getting her medicine down and eating. Getting out of diapers was the least of my worries.

Then, came the holidays and another excuse for us to wait just a little bit longer.

Now, it is time. I know she can physically do it because she'll wear panties all day long and never tee tee in them. She doesn't tee tee in the potty either. She just holds it until nap time when she knows she's going to get a diaper. She's never really been a good pooper in the potty yet. With the help of iGoPotty app on "Dada's iPod" we get a reminder call every 30 minutes (we can change the settings if we want) and a star on a chart for going in the potty. 9 stars will unlock a game. Since she loves Dada's iPod she really loves to hold it during the potty song. It's a good tool for us.

The prizes are in sight, but out of reach. M&M for tee tee. Prize for poo poo.

Poo Poo Potty Prize Box

Prizes include new panties, sticker book, Slinky, pencils, straw, eraser, nail polish, stamps,or bubbles.

We'll see how this goes.

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

My Biggest Baby

There is no doubt that Jonny is a great father. I know my children are not only safe with him, but also entertained by him. He is a very hands on father.

In my experience, actual care taking especially illnesses come much more naturally to me. I think it's a mom thing.

One of my favorite brand new baby James stories is when James was just a few days old. Jonny was changing his diaper and like a lot of little boys James starts peeing...everywhere. He's peeing on his own face, on his sister's face, on Jonny. All Jonny can do is freeze and say, "You pissed in your eye, Little Dude!" He never once tries to cover it or anything. A lot of pee went everywhere! It was so funny. In fact, I was laughing so hard my c-section incision was hurting.

When Jonny doesn't feel well he is my biggest baby. Starting Monday afternoon Jonny complained that his throat was a little scratchy. Yesterday he was having some sinus pressure, but his throat was feeling better. Today, he said his throat doesn't hurt at all, but his nose is stuffy and running like crazy. He hasn't had a fever or any other symptoms this entire time. A couple of weeks ago I had the same crud and I believe it was something in the air. Baby James has had a runny nose all day. Makes me believe even more it's allergy/weather related. Jonny tells me he's going to stop by the pharmacy on his way home from work. Great! I think he'll get some nose spray and decongestant. Nope! He comes home with cough drops and NyQuil. He took some NyQuil after lunch and has been asleep ever since. It's 10:15 pm. Looks like he's going to sleep all the way through until his alarm goes off. Granted, his alarm goes off at 2 am. At least I don't have to hear him complain that he doesn't feel well. And in all fairness, he admits he's a big grump when he's sick.

Monday, January 24, 2011

Toddler "School"

My bff, Jenny, and I were discussing the newest interests of our young children. For example, Ally will sing her ABCs, color, or swing all day long. Ian will play cars/trains or play outside all day any day. Alyssa recognizes the alphabet (upper case only), but is just now starting to count and only knows the quantities of one and two. All other numbers could be any amount. Ian knows way more numbers and quantities, but only recognizes a few letters.

We got together and had a wonderful idea! Once a week we would alternate houses and teach our kiddos a letter or a number, etc. They play incredibly well together (we joke they're boyfriend/girlfriend). It would be an opportunity for them to learn. And (best of all) it'd give us a free morning every other week when the kiddos are at the other person's house.

Ms. Jenny went first with the letter A. They made alligators and colored apples. Ally was having a moment when I tried to drop her off so, I ended up staying. The kids played and Jenny and I chatted. It was great!

The next week, Ian and Evan came to our house. I had great B activities planned. We were going to read books about bees, give bears baths, make a bumblebee out of the letter b. I was so excited. They wanted nothing to do with it. Ian and Ally wanted to take turns playing in the cozy coupe and Evan wanted to gather anything soft and cuddly.

Oh well. We'll keep trying. I made Ally do the craft the next morning anyway :) Here is her Bumblebee B and her Alligator A.

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Just The Way You Are

I have issues. I always have and I most likely always will. I have low self esteem/self worth, whatever you want to call it. Most of my life was spent trying desperately to look and be cute. I remember my mom dieting and exercising...a lot. I was told ways to do my hair, make up, how to dress, etc. so "boys would like me." Appearance was very very important in order to get a boy to like you. And having a boy like you was also very important. None of this behavior or criticism was malicious. It really was out of kindness. It just kinda messed me up. Well, that plus growing up in the ballerina world of eating disorders and being sexually assaulted in college kinda messed me up. I went to counseling and have been treated for depression and anxiety ever since. I'm a work in progress.

There is a place in my children's baby books for a "Letter from Mom and Dad." I've thought a lot about the perfect letter to my children. What do I want for them? Of course I want them to be healthy. I want them to be successful. But how one measures success may not be the same way I do. Is being successful having a high paying job? I get paid in hugs and kisses and I consider myself very successful. I've decided the thing I want most for my children is the thing I've struggled with the most. Be happy. Make yourself happy. Never depend on others for your own happiness.

There is a song out right now by Bruno Mars called "Just The Way You Are." It reminds me of Alyssa. Well, not the 'sexy' part, but the rest of it does. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LjhCEhWiKXk

There is nothing I would change about her.

From her misshaped head

To the scar on her cheek from stitches

To the way she eats her food

To the way she dabbles in sidewalk chalk

To her keen fashion sense.

She is perfect. She is amazing. Just the way she is.

The Heart Remembers

I remember my Granny as the warmest, most accepting woman I know. She had the world's biggest open door policy. She told everyone, even people she'd just met, that the back door was always open (and unlocked!) and they were always welcome. The thing about Granny is, she meant it. She was always happy to host people. There was always room at her dinner table for one more. She also always told me that everything would be okay. And something in her voice was always reassuring that it really would be okay. I remember getting ready for my reception and my hair wasn't quite ready and I was already running behind. She told me not to worry about it and if I needed to I could always pull it up into a bun and it would be beautiful. Instant calm. That's my Granny.

Sadly, she is suffering from advanced Alzheimers. Now days, she rarely opens her eyes all the way. She often doesn't know how to do simple tasks such as feed herself. She definitely doesn't know who I am...much less who my children are. Still, it was extremely important that she meet James. I know she doesn't know how exactly these babies are connected to her, but she knows that these babies are hers.