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!