Hour in Review

7:30-8:30 a.m.

"NOOOOOO!"

"He took that from me!"

"Mooommmm!"

"You can't have that!"

"I don't want to eat!"

"I don't want to get dressed!"

"Don't hide my toy!"

"NOOOOOO!"

"It's not your turn!"

"Get down here!"

"He hit me!"

"He's not sharing!"


8:35 a.m.

One gets picked up for preschool and one asks to watch Thomas. Ahhhh.....

It's Only A Matter of Time...and Food

I've made an effort not to blog much about food, dieting, weight loss, etc. This is such a personal issue, one that everyone has a different opinion about, feelings about, and experiences of great depression or joy about. But, today, I'm throwing that effort out the window.

Weight has always been an issue for me. I was skinny and a fast runner when I was young - and then I hit fourth grade. I don't know what happened, but whatever it was caused me to take on a new shape -- round. I hated it. I put weight on, I took it off, it found me again, I took it off again. And so the cycle went.

I know every human being who has lost weight and then put it back on knows "the feeling." Whether you went from a size 30 down to a 20 and back up or a size 10 down to a 2 and back up, that feeling has to be the same. That feeling that you are losing ground on everything you worked so hard for. The feeling that the scale is starting to creep back up and you feel powerless to stop it. The feeling that the willpower and control that you had for so many months (or years) are starting to pack up and move to a new address.

That feeling has been haunting me lately. I told my husband last night that maybe I should join Weight Watchers online again, that's what worked for me last time. He thought that was a little bit crazy considering I know all the info I need to know and have access to find out the points to about any food I could consume. He was right, but I was feeling a little bit desperate as the pounds have been creeping back on.

So, I told my husband he is going to have to help me be accountable. He always cringes a little bit when I ask him to do this, but he agreed. His first question was, "what is your consequence if you don't stay within your WW points each week?" That's easy, I gain weight.

I told him I thought I would do better if I had a reward if I stayed within my points, instead of a consequence if I didn't. After a short discussion about the fact that we don't have lots of extra money for a reward that would be motivating, he asked me what I would want if I could have a reward. Another easy one, I want a laptop.

He gave me a disgusted laugh and shook his head at first, but then formulated a plan. It's logical and practical (which is SO my husband!) and is going to take a LONG time, but it may actually work. Here's the deal: For every week that I stay within my WW points, we will put $25 in the pot toward a laptop. For every week that I don't, I have to give $25 back. It's that simple.

Simple...not the term I usually associate with dieting. But I do REALLY want that laptop. And it's my fault. I'm the one who asked him to help me.

So...I will get to go get my precious computer in....uhhh...2010? I wonder if there is an expiration date on this plan.

"I Wanna See The Tractors!"

The other day we were all outside enjoying one of the great days we've had this week. My husband, our 5 year old, and I were playing soccer. The 2 year old was playing on the slide. Pretty soon I hear the 2 year old say, "I wanna go to the tractors!"

I looked at my husband and asked, "Did he just tell us he was going to the tractors?"

He said, "Yeah, that's what he said, but he meant the tractors in the sandbox. That's the same thing he said last night when we were out here."

"OK." And we turned back to our soccer game.

A moment later I looked at the sandbox. No child.

Uh....nope. He didn't mean the sandbox.


And so we did what any good parent would have done. We sent big brother to get him.

I'm Buried!

If you happen to be looking for me, you will find me buried under piles and piles of paper, curriculum guides, flash drives, cds, office supplies, notebooks, sticky notes, folders, excel spreadsheets, and powerpoint presentations. And I'm lovin' it!

Obviously there's no need for you to guess the results of having my head examined yesterday: I'm just plain weird.

I'll be coming up for air after in-service is over on Friday!

One of Those Days

This morning I was insanely jealous of my husband. Jealous that he got to leave and go to work and I had to stay home. Jealous that he would return home for lunch, not having to worry about what food will appear on the table. Jealous that he would then get to leave and head back to work. Jealous that he would arrive home in the evening for dinner, again not having to think about or prepare the meal. Jealous that he would leave one more time for firefighter training. All this while I stayed at home. And didn't get to work. And stayed with kids all day.

I know deep down beyond this jealousy there lies thankfulness. I am thankful that we have the choice of whether or not I should work. I am thankful for my children, whom we prayed and prayed for for many years. I am thankful that I get to be with them more than a childcare provider gets to be with them. I am thankful that I don't miss the moments that I would be sad to miss. And I am thankful I don't pay someone else to watch those moments.

But there are days, like today, I struggle to push the jealousy down and pull the thankfulness up. Days like today, when the door shuts behind my husband, I have to fight back the tears. Days like today when an office, dressy clothes, and high heels sound heavenly.

I must be crazy. I'm sitting at my computer in my favorite sweats in the middle of the day. I'll go have my head examined now and fill you in on the results later.

He Keeps Us Laughing

To retain my sanity, I have to find the humor in the midst of breaking up fights, folding laundry, officiating time-out, cooking meals, and pretending to clean.

Here are some of our latest laughing moments...all involving our 2 year old's speech and language development.



While walking down the stairs "like a big boy"...


"No. Don't hold my hand. I had a Thomas birthday cake. I'm old now."





While touching his ear like he does when it hurts (oh great):


Me: What are you doing with your ear?"

Him: "Taking it off."





After he screamed at the top of his lungs:


Him: (stops and looks at me first) "Hey boys. Stop screaming. That's what mama says."



And just this afternoon:

"Mama. My tongue hurts. Take it out!"

Yet Another Example

...that God definitely created male and female brains completely different from each other.

The stage is set. The "Cars" race track mats are all laid out on the floor. The cars have been selected and placed in their proper positions. The race is about to begin with Lightening, Chick, King, and every other car that appears in the movie. But what is the reward for winning the race?

5 year old boy: I know! If the good guys win, they can kill the bad guys. But if the bad guys win, they get to kill the good guys.

5 year old girl: No, wait...I know...How about whoever wins gets to go on a date with Sally?

I was innocently washing dishes (with my back to my children) this morning while the boys were eating breakfast.

2 year old: "Dooonnnn'tttt!"

5 year old says nothing.

2 year old: "Dooonnnn'ttt!"

Me (to the 5 year old): "What are you doing?"

5 year old: "Nothing."

Me: "You are obviously doing something. Why is he screaming?"

5 year old: "I'm not doing anything wrong."

Me: "Were you kicking him?"

5 year old: "No, I was just putting my foot on his."

Me: "Why?"

5 year old: "Because he did it to me first."

Me: "Please keep your feet away from each other."

5 year old: "But mom, I just learned those Bible words that say 'Do to others what you want them to do to you!' so he must want me to put my feet on him."

Me: "Uh...................................."

The Perfect Day

Sometimes you just have to take a break from all the stress and busyness of life and view the day through the eyes of a two year old.

This is what made today great...

• Playing in the sandbox with trucks and trailers at grandma's house.
• Seeing 12 baby chicks.
• Seeing 3 horses eating hay.
• Riding in little kids' battery powered cars - a mustang, a jeep, and a John Deere tractor.
• Playing for an hour on the swings and slides.
• Playing with a dog and a cat.
• A lollipop from the co-op.
• Getting to see the firemen take all the trucks with lights and sirens to a big fire.
• Having the choo-choo train come through town right when we are pulling up to the tracks.
• Supper at Applebee's with grandma and grandpa.

It's a wonderful life.

First Soccer...ummm...."Experience"

Tonight was our son's first soccer game...no...practice...no.....let's see....hmmm....hour. Yeah, that's it - soccer hour. It's soccer for 3, 4, and 5 year olds academy style. The local college soccer team comes in and works with these kiddos on ball handling and basic soccer skills and games. I was amazed at how well these college soccer guys held the interest and attention of multitudes of little boys running all around in a frenzy.

In 40 degree temperatures. And 20 mph winds. In April. What's not to love about living in the Midwest?

I was convinced the entire freezing hour that my child would beg me to not make him come back to soccer anymore. He is typically a side-liner kind of kid. I was just shocked he stuck with it the whole time this evening. On the way to the van I was telling him how it will be much more fun next time when it is warmer. He said, "but can we do it just one time?" Great. Here comes the battle of whether or not we finish what we start, money down the drain, etc., etc. As I started on my lengthy monologue about how he needs to give it another try, blah, blah, blah, he turns and looks at me and says, "I was talking about that slide over there, mom. Can I go down it just one time?"

Maybe there is hope after all.

Potty Training Revisited

Every time I buy diapers I get inspired to start potty training. Well, inspired may not be quite the right word, more like feeling guilty that I haven't tried very hard and being irritated at all the money I am sinking into diapers.

So I check the readiness signs:

Between 18 months and 2 1/2 years of age? Yep.
Verbal ability to say when he needs to go? Uh huh.
Interest in using the potty chair? Yeah, some.
Interest in copying his big brother when he goes? Yes.
Stays dry for 2 hours at a time? I think so.
Stays dry through naps? Umm...occasionally.
Has a fairly predictable pooping routine? Yes.
Able to pull his pants up and down? Working on it.
Asks to wear big boy underwear? Sometimes.

And this morning was one of those times. Okay, I thought, I have a few days with not too much planned, I can do this. He's showing a lot of signs to be ready to do this. So, I pulled out the big boy underwear and dove in to a day of potty training.

Ten minutes later I catch my son walking to my closet. A sure sign that something odorous is about to happen or has already happened. I raced to my closet, picked him up, and ran for the bathroom, thankful that no smell had yet attacked my senses. As I was pulling down his pants to get him on the chair, I felt something wet.

What?? It had only been ten minutes.

I raced for the diapers like a drug addict races for his next hit.

I forgot to ask the most important readiness question. Is mom ready?

Nope.