The Kid

I know I don't write a lot of stuff about this guy, but he is certainly become waaayy cute these days. He is loving his tummy time as you can see in the pictures. He smiles and coos and loves being part of the family action. He went down for a nap today right around the time of the thunder storm. He did not want to miss out and cried everytime the thunder boomed. I just lovev this baby time and sure will miss it when it's gone. Also pictures of his cool room. I worked hard on it while pregnant and my dad came out and put down a beautiful hardwood floor. Lots of love went into this baby's space!

random stuff o' the day

So I think it is really funny when th Capt. learns something from one of his shows. The other day he was having a snack and says, "look I'm eating with my beaver teeth!" Today we went to the zoo and rented a wagon. He has been wanting to get one of the zoo wagons every time we go. I finally decided we could do it. He hoped right in and , of course, buckled up! He proceeded to buckle and unbuckle at every stop. He didn't run off once! I was shocked. What a goofball! He has started going through a scared phase though and maybe that had something to do with it. Lately he's been afraid of the blender, scary music, um, yeah how does he know what scary music is? and today he ran off when I turned on the vacuum. Whose kid is this? Today he also went pee by himself. We have kind of gone back to pull ups full time temporarily, but today when i took his pants off I suggested (as usual) that he use the toilet. He agreed and ran off before I could get there and was peeing in the toilet all my himself...standing up. We showed him how to do this and we usually have to help (if you know what I mean) anyway, I don't recommend this if they do not go big potty on the toilet regularly. This has caused our set back. The novelty of standing up has made it so he doesn't want to sit down. Not so good! Anyway, good for him for having great aim today...last time he tried by himself he made it to the garbage can! I wish you all could listen to the Capt's rendition of the ABC song. Not sure how I can get it on this blog. If anyone knows, please email me! The Cap't "new" room. Same room just newly decorated.

Hands Off

So I am learning a few things about myself and my kids while reading "How to Raise a Spirited Child" handbook. I am an extrovert who is perceptive and who can be persistent. I am married to an introvert who is very persistent. The Cap't is also an extrovert who is many things, but is very persistent and perceptive. I am learning new ways to get along and also new ways to get the Capt to do what I want (Mwah-ha-ha!) I discovered very early on that "no" is not a word that the Capt can hear. Within his extensive toddler vocabulary, this word does not exist. Someday, I am told, this will be good when he is an adult. It means he will not be a quitter.
Right now it is not helpful. So I started using the word "stop." This worked for awhile and then the Capt built up an immunity to it. "Don't touch" only works when he's done touching the thing. My new miracle phrase is "hands off". It is to the point. He knows what his hands are and he knows what off means. I also started saying things that sound more like a drill sargent or a cave man would say (not in tone, just in words.) Like today after Kindermusik. It was very rainy and we had to cross the parking lot to get to the car. I normally would say, "Okay, hold Mama's hand in the parking lot." Somehow toddlers instead hear "okay parking lot RUN!" Instead I tried saying "hold hands street". It worked!! I gave myself some internal high fives and tried again in the car. The Capt is learning to climb into the car and get into his seat by "Jack's self." Before getting there though he usually he finds toys, old goldfish crackers and stickers stuck to the floor and I end up getting him in by "mom's self". Today I told him "carseat sit down" He actually did it!! Not sure how long these new experiments, I mean, tricks, I mean ideas will last but I took myself to Starbuck's on the way home for a mom treat anyway.

addicted to blogging

I admit it.  I am addicted to blogging.  This for 2 reasons.  1. I enjoy writing and telling my story.

2. I can also peek into other peoples lives and see that  A) wow, I don't have it so bad after all. or B) I am in waaayy over my head.  Plus I am also addicted to reality TV.  I watch everything from Survior to Search for the next Elvira!  So blogging fits right into to my voyeristic tendencies!  The truth is that being a mom is the hardest job you will ever love.  I love my mom friends and miss them when they move away.  I want to stay connected to them and share my life.  I also want other moms out there to know they are not alone when their kid tells the whole restaurant that he farted or worse.  And that some days mom needs a time out so she doesn't just lose it.  I also want to brag and share all the great, brilliant and funny stuff my kids do.  Having a toddler is like being on a really fast, fun, scary roller coaster.  Some days you want to go again and again.  Other days you're begging to get off!  

A day in the life...

Wednesday's are soccer day.  Now the Capt, really likes soccer day for 2 reasons.  It is garbage day and he gets to wear his cool soccer jersey.  If you live with a toddler, you also know that i doesn't always follow that order and that he may change his mind without any forewarning.  Today the cap't wanted to wear his light blue sleeper pj's with the lions on it.  This, of course, is not okay.  People do not wear their pajamas outside the house.  The cap't doesn't care.  The fight to get dressed began.  Somehow, as with everyday, we made it out of the door on time in somewhat of a presentable manner and on time.   Nowadays during soccer, the soccer monster and I have made peace with each other.  As long as the cap't follows 30-50% of directions, the soccer monster can run wild when necessary.  What I discovered is that by doing this, the cap't gives himself his own timeouts!  By the end of our 12 weeks I think we may have 100% participation...but I'm always willing to change my expectations!  Fun was had by all and according to Addie, the Captain's official girlfirned, the 2 of them were just being "goofballs".  After lunch with Dada, we made it home and began rest time.  After several attempts of asking about going big potty on the toilet or in a pull up, the cap't instead defied me once again and just pooped his pants.  I'm not sure why this still suprises me, but.  It does.  At it was not pretty.  Giving a toddler a hose down in the shower in the middle of the afternoon is not what I call a "rest time" and I do not salvage underwear at this stage.  I only have so much patience.  It goes in the garbage.   Now I'm left to figure out how to entertain the child the rest of the day.  I decide to try the park with a friend.  Almost there I hear a funny noise in the backseat and I think, "what is he doing back there?"  I look around and he's asleep.  Snoring.  So off to Starbucks I go spend some quiet time to myself, feed the Kid, and head back home.  Dada will be home soon and I pull up to the house.  The Cap't wakes up and asks if we are going to the park.  Um, no buddy you went to sleep.  This was not okay for the cap't and he burst into tears.  So we took a quick trip to the park and the cap't sat in the middle of the tennis courts and watched 2 random guys play tennis.  This is what I love about the guy.  

Easter Fun

Not much to report on the Easter front.  Fun was had by all and then we got colds.  The Easter Bunny left baby carrotsd from the baskets to the front door and the Cap't deemed this a "mess" and proceeded to eat them up.  These pictures are what it looks like when a toddler has partied too much!  Today we laid low and I guess you know you've let your toddler watch too much tv when he is singing "Comcast to the rescue!"  Oh, and hey! Thank you to everyone's feedback on my blog.  I love hearing from everyone so please leave your comments.  Most importantly I love sharing my adventures with you all! Enjoy!

I have to Pee!

I know you think this post is going to be about the Captain. (Duh! who else is it about!) Well it is actually about me and how I realized today that it is just as important for me to go potty before leaving the house as it is the Cap't.  It is extremely difficult to get from point A to point B with a toddler, let alone a spirited one.  Well this afternoon we went to the park and while we were at the pond (go figure) I thought, hm I have to pee. Well not usually a big deal right? Right!  Until you WANT to leave the park and the toddler does NOT want to leave the park.  So I said, "come on let's run" bad idea for me and the pee. Cap't saw right through me.  Instead he wanted to go fishing.  Then I tried bribes.  "Let's go have sips from the drinking fountain" a novelty that usually is a big hit.  The Cap't must have sensed my desperation.  He had to stop and step on a crunchy leaf.  Meanwhile I prayed that after giving birth to two hefty babies I could cross my legs and "hold it" long enough to get home.  "Let's go home and have easter jello AND cookies!"  I had to pull out the big guns.  The Kid was starting to get irritated and I defiantely would lose it if that happened.   You would have thought this park was the yellow brick road or something, and after stopping to pet a puppy, point at some old gum, evaluate "peoples" playing tennis, we at least made it to the car! I can't believe I have not peed my pants yet.  The Cap't finally climbed into the car and away we went.  I think I was sweating, but, yes, I made it home and got a couple of high fives from a two year old for going "a big, giant pee"  

Stayed tuned for our Easter adventures, but until then the pictures here are from a day with friends.  Coloring eggs, doing some easter art and the usual toddler chaos! 

Quote's of the day

I am always amazed at the stuff this child comes up with!  Today he was doing puzzles and says, "oh no! Double Drats!"  What?! Supposedly, from what he tells me, he heard this while watching Super Why (one of our fav. morning shows) Later, when the Cap't was playing with Dada he starts climbing the stairs and says, "I like sweet, buttery corn"  Stops and makes you think, did I hear that right?  Where that one came from, I have no idea.  

Willie the Kid

So I talk about the captain a lot and I figure I should get the Kid in here once in awhile.  Now that he is 2 months old, he is starting to get his own little personality.   He smiles and coos.  Sleeps through the night (yippee!) and is generally very pleasant and happy.  He does however have a crusty side!  He is very vocal and opinionated.  He may end up being like the Captain, only with different traits of the spirited spectrum.  For example.  The Kid does not like to be left out of anything.  If he doesn't like something, he tells you right away.  Doesn't want to be in the swing, cries immediately.  I think I went through a dozen types of binkies before I found the kind he "approved" of.  If he's overly tired he cries until he's asleep.  The other day we played outside and the Kid was in the front carrier. He did not want to face toward me...and cried about.  As soon as he faced out...calm as could be, except, it was to bright in his eyes and the wind was too breezy.  I swear he is destined to be one of those kids who can't stand tags on his clothes because they will be too itchy!  Other than these, um, slight idiosyncracies he is pretty darn cute and will chat your ear off with goos and gaaas.  If he's in the mood!  The picture is from our St. Patty's day pictures.  I'm sure he's thinking we're crazy and that he does not appreciate being stupidly dressed up.  Good thing I'm still in control of this one!

Spirited Child

So many of you that read my posts know the Captain and know he is a lot of, well, everything.  I'm sure you've all thought, "she's got her hands full!" At least that's what you said on a good day!  Well let me give you a summary of life with the Captain.  At birth the first things said about him were...he's pink and he's chubby.  From the moment he was laid on my stomach his big eyes were looking around.  I don't think he's closed them since.  He crawled and pulled up at 6 months, walked at 9 months and was talking at 12 months which was at the grocery store on his birthday and on the way out pointed to a balloon and said "Elmo".  He hasn't stopped talking, walking, crawling, running, jumping, or any other activity since!  This is just the beginning.  If you truly want to know what I am talking about, please read "How to Raise Your Spirited Child" I cried when I read it because it meant I wasn't alone.  There were "others" out therre like him.  I wasn't doing anything wrong and he wasn't a freak.  On really bad days I remember to tell myself that I will not be given more than I can handle.  Then I put on my invisible superman cape, take a deep breath, and jump in.  All the while counting the time between now and night-night time.  So to all you momma's out there, having a spirited child means I have tried every solution to almost every problem that can arise in a world with a toddler.  From the positive to the negative to the creative.  Go ahead and try me!  Oh and this picture?  Was what the Captain looked like after a morning of eating oatmeal!

My little Lepruchauns

Happy St. Patrick's Day from the Irish Pirates!  By the end of the day the Cap't was wishing everyone a happy St. Patrick's Day, the Kid was especially smiley and the Cap't talked about everything being green before bed.  Now, back to the big potty issue.  If I don't tell this story now, my toddler brain will take over and it will have been forgotten until it happens again.  Some days I feel like a goldfish.  Namely Elmo's goldfish, Dorothy.  Lord help me!  Okay so the Captain was in the bath this morning.  He did not go big potty yesterday so I knew today was "the day".  I asked him if he had to go all morning and finally he says "no mom!" well, while in the tub he kept getting quiet, finally I got him out and he did it.  Super good big potty on the toilet.  He got to play with his special toy from the shelf, we had high fives, and called everyone who would care.  (Did you ever think it would get to this?) If I took the word "big potty" out of this entry, you might have thought we'd won a lottery.  Anyway, so the Cap't is in playing with his cool toy and I step out to change the Kid's diaper.  I come back and what do I see? a big potty pile on the Cap't carpet!  The toy went right back to the shelf and the Cap't. burst into tears.  What did he think was going to happen.  I think it's just a battle of wills....why do I blog about this?   For those of you out there who think crazy things only happen to you.  Come on in and peek into my world!

Willie the Kid

Today I had several hours alone with the Kid.  He is starting to lose some of his crusty personality.  He is just super cute and super smiley.  And at 8 weeks old he is sleeping through the night!  Like 10-12 hours!  Of course because I am typing this he will probably be up every 3 hours tonight.  At least I know I am on my way to "normal" sleep.  This post was really just going to be about the Kid, but I have to just add that the Captain finally went "big potty" on the toilet! Yippee!!  His motivation was a cool toy that was up on a shlf in his room until he went.  We got to play with it tonight before bed.  Then up on the shelf it went.  If he can continue through the weekend we might just add it to the group of regular toys.  I pray he keeps this up!!

Adventures

My husband and the capt have been going on "adventures" on Saturdays.  I was able to go on a small adventure with them this last weekend.  The Kid hung out in the front pack and gave minimal complaint. (He's a serious one) Last Saturday was when I discovered I had "toddler brain" but also realized how much I could get accomplished in 5 hours without the Captain's input.  It was a lot!  I still missed my little guy, so I asked to tag along on Sunday.  Here are my boys in action!

Toddler Brain

This is what I realized I had today.  What is this affliction you ask?  Well this is what happens when you spend 7 days a week with your toddler.  You don't know you have toddler brain until you spend a day with out the toddler.  Then you suddenly see that you can concentrate again.  You are able to put things in oder without having to pause.  Ahhh non-toddler brains are good....

what happened boat??

This is what I heard all afternoon from the capt.  This is the ferry he plays on at the mall.  The same boat with the porthole he got his head stuck in not too long ago.  Well today we got there and it is being renovated.  So even though my response was always the same.  "It's broken and they are fixing it" His question was also always the same.  "what happened boat?" and "where'd the boat go?"  Without the boat, we made instead, an unplanned trip to the park.  This was better than expected.  And guess what?  The capt took a NAP! A 2 hour one at that! woohoo! Poor little guy just couldn't fight it.  So today was a really good day.  the Kid is starting to become predictable and he was asleep at the same time.  The predictability is elping give me some good one on one time with the Capt.  We did lots of puzzles today.  He's getting really good at them and we have fun doing them together.  We are starting to have good times together with the Kid too.  He's starting to smile and giggle.  He can hold the Capt's hand and it's just so darn cute!  I just love my boys....

The ABC's

The Capt is learning his ABC's.  He can sing the whole song and is getting pretty good at pointing out the different letters.  Today at lunch he took the 'W' and the 'M' magnets from the frig and truned the 'M' upside down to make a 'W'.  When I told him it was an 'M' he cried.  I had to admit that I taunted him a bit about this because of course the M and the W can be turned around.  The fact that he was so upset about it was kind of funny.  Today was also soccer.  I was a bit nervous that things may not go well again, but they were definately better.  I have to just remind myself that it sometimes takes the Capt a few sessions of something before it is ready to fully participate.  Then he does it full force.  This is just part of his intensity.  While he is busy making his mom look like she doesn't know what she's doing, he is secretly absorbing everything (and I mean everything) around him.  Then "bam" he'll be in class one day and suddenly become the model student!  My saving grace is that almost everyone who meets the Capt can't help but like his huge personality.

Adventures!

The Kid was especially fussy today but the Cap't actually was a pretty good guy all day.  I have to say that I really miss my one on one time with the squirt.  I didn't realize how connected we were until the Kid came along.  The good thing about it is that the Cap't and his dad are having some great adventures on the weekends.  It's really great to see them out and about with each other.  I know my blog is quite plain compared to some.  I promise to try and add more pictures.  Right now my focus is just making it through the day in some sort of sane way.  When you have a very spirited 2 year old who doesn't take naps, it's hard to find that "me" time.  My newest search is to find a toddler yoga class.  For those of you familiar with the Sprout channel, you know Nina does some yoga streches throughout the day.  The Cap't LOVES doing them with her!  He'll stop playing just to stretch!  It's pretty dang cute.  As busy as that little guy is, I wouldn't change his big personality for the world!