Mother's Day 2016

When you are a kid you think your mother is great. She loves you, she gives you hugs and kisses when you need them and when you don't. Sometimes she even takes you out for ice cream.  However, until you yourself become a mother you don't realize how much your mother gave you.  I'm even 95% convinced even fathers don't truly understand what a mom does (unless there isn't a mom to do them), so let me explain for all you non-mothers or soon to be mothers. 

1. A mom gives up her brain: The amount of time I spend finding everyone else's crap I am truly amazed when I can find anything of mine when I need it.  Granted I loose my car keys, cell phone, glasses, and pens within 30 seconds, all while standing/sitting in one spot, but that's because I just found four shoes that were spread across two stories and in four different rooms, the pjs the kids took off in the most random places while I was trying to shower, a stuffed animal that wandered into the car during dinner, and that random piece of foam you found at the store today and are now convinced it is a piece of pirate treasure that you have to keep within arms reach (except when you went to the bathroom an forgot about it for an hour).

2. A mom gives up sleep: Some mothers give up sleep for a much longer period of time than others, but we all do it. Personally I have lost at least 3 years of sleep in the past 7 years of being a mother.  I had a weird issue while pregnant that I would only sleep for about 2-3 hours a night. Then the sleep sucking babies were born and needed attention throughout the nights.  Apparently those cute adorable babies need to eat, even at night, and someone needs to feed them.  After they are done with night feedings they create new reasons to need you, sickness, bloody nose, bad dreams, they can't find the rock they snuck into bed after you told them "no" seven times to.  Even after they out grow that stage they invent something like sleep talking or walking, you can't sleep for a moment thinking you will wake up with your child sleep standing next to your bed.  I think my personal favorite was when my child started sleep screaming in the middle of the night when my husband wasn't home.  I thought the adrenaline was going to give me a heart attach.

3. A mom gives up warm meals: For all children up through age 4 the best gift they can give their mother is a warm meal. I would even settle for a reheated meal some nights.  I will admit, I'm not a great cook, only because I don't have the time or the patience to cook after a full day of work, but still eating what is supposed to be warm food while it is still warm would be wonderful.  I spend so much time cutting, feeding, serving, grabbing the stuff that I left on the counter that by the time I sit down to eat everyone is done and my husband is putting away the leftovers. Not only is the food cold, but now I'm also alone eating it. 

4. A mom gives up a clean organized house: It's been said before but I will say it again, cleaning a house while you have small children is the definition of insanity. Babies are programmed robots to remove anything and everything from the organization they are placed in (books on shelves, toys in baskets, food in the pantry) they actually follow you around while you're cleaning and undo everything 10 seconds after you do it.  Older children are just messy.  My son and toothpaste are in an epic battle that I have sworn off his bathroom for the next 10 years because I just don't understand how there could be toothpaste in the locations I have found it.  At this point it might be easier to move than clean.

There are many more things mothers do that go unnoticed by their children for many many years, however, once they notice them they have a higher amount of respect for their mothers and are amazed that even in an age without technology, our mothers survived.  Maybe there is still hope for us.  Maybe someday my children will understand what I did for them, maybe they won't, either way, I wouldn't give it up for the world. A belly laugh and a slobber kiss from the baby and a hand colored card from the older kid is compensation enough for all I give up.  

Love you kids, love you mom. 

My Week

This is not my first year of parenthood. I have a 6 and a half year old child. However Allison is giving us a run for our money and having us experience firsts we seemed to skip with Elijah. 

Up until Tuesday, I would have said both of our children were blessed with a strong immune system. In Elijah's first year of life he experienced one illness that required antibiotics and after he turned two had an episode of croup. But other than that, not a big deal. Allison was just about 9 months old and outside a cold or two, she hadn't been sick.  

Last Monday Elijah woke up with a runny nose and some minor congestion. I didn't think anything of it and we went on with our lives.  On Wednesday BJ said he was feeling like he was coming down with something as well.  By Thursday or Friday Allison was starting to show signs of a runny nose too.  We took it easy over the weekend and I continued to go about our life.  By Sunday night, the mild cold started to show its ugly side.  I made a parent/teacher call to keep Allison home becauseshe just looked horrible. Even though her temp was not over 100, I knew that wouldn't last long.  

I spent the day Monday giving her fever reducing meds and after the 4 hours went by would see if her temperature would start to rise.  It would, and would be up around 99.8 so I would give more medicine. By 2:00 in the afternoon I made the decision that she wasn't going to be fever free long enough to go to school the next day either. I called BJ and told him that he should plan to take at least a half day for Tuesday so I could make it to several meetings.  Ironically enough, Allison also had her 9 month well visit Tuesday in the late afternoon so I figured anything wrong with her could wait to see the doctor until then, but just on the safe side I would call and see if we could move it to earlier in the day. That way we would have something to do. They were able to get us in by 9:15 and that would put me at ease to have her ears looked at and an overall exam. I didn't think they would push back her shots, but if they did, it would be fine I would just go back next week.  Monday we went to bed with our baby medicated and ready to get up every few hours to remediate. 

By 2 or 3 in the morning Alli was up with a cry of pure misery. That sick baby cry that was only would calm when being held. We took turns having her sleep on our chest each getting an hour or so before we would switch. Around 3:30 I remember making a comment to BJ that she is breathing so fast, she can't take a deep breath. Tuesday I got ready for work and took the boy with me.  I told BJ I would have my phone on me and to let me know if the doc put her on antibiotics. I went into my 8:00 meeting and at around 10:00 I texted BJ because I still hadn't heard from him. By 10:15 I still hadn't heard from him but just thought he was busy with the talking, and shots and all that stuff. I wasn't worried, and I was in my second meeting. At 10:40 BJ let me know Allison he RSV and they were through a breathing treatment. At this point I figured she was home, on our couch. I didn't hear otherwise so I just figured they sent them home with a stop at the pharmacy to pick up some meds. I also started losing focus in my meeting and looking up RSV. Nothing to scary, especially since I thought they were at home. Minutes later, I am told she is on her second treatment and get a picture of her with her mask on. At 11:00 I am done with my meeting and go check on all my kids. I stop and talk with my supervisor and teachers. I head upstairs to pack up, give Elijah's car seat to the person bringing him home and tie up some loose ends. 

At about 11:30 I look down at my phone and see the text "I need you. She is being admitted to the hospital." At this point my heart stops. My baby is at home, why is she going to the hospital? What hospital? What is going on? 

I try to call BJ but he doesn't answer. I grab my bag and my keys and head to Elijah's class. I tell him to go home with the neighbor and I am going to the hospital to be with Alli. I try BJ again and still can't get a hold of him. I am digging through my car looking for my hands free still trying to get a hold of BJ. I finally do and a huge weight comes off my shoulders for about a second. I start throwing questions at BJ. Where is she going, why is she going, what's going on? And that huge weight that was on my shoulders comes back 10 times bigger when he can't form a sentence, and when he does is, "I'll send you a text." 

As I'm driving I get the info I was looking for, they are worried about her oxygen levels and want to monitor her overnight. Then I get a confusing text that makes me believe she was transferred by ambulance. It wasn't until this point that I realize they never left the doctor office. I call him back and need to know who has my baby. Once BJ reassures me he has her I am able to breathe easier. I run home grab some things and head to the hospital. On the way there I call Bj's mom and tell her what's going on, and that BJ might need to talk to her. 

The whole way to the hospital I'm fine, I fly into the parking garage and into the valet parking. I still didn't know where in the massive building my baby was. I walk in and the first thing I see was the information desk. I walk up to it and low and behold the first person I see behind the desk is a member of our church and all I have to say is "BJ and the baby are here, somewhere but I don't know where" she looks through her system and can't find them but sends me to the ER. I finally find them at registration and we get sent to a room. 

This is what we got.

We went into "contamination" mode. We had to wear a smock any time we are in the room, the baby couldn't leave, and some of the staff would wear face masks. Every two hours they would come in and give her a breathtaking treatment which required her to be fully restrained by me while the therapist held the mask on her face while she screamed. At 3 we decided I would stay the night with her and BJ left to get Elijah and stuff for me for the night. The baby torture continued every two hours until she slept. Then they kept doing the treatments through the night. I bairly left the room because it felt weird to leave your 9 month old baby unattended in a weird place. As she slept her oxygen levels would drop low, setting off the alarm, but never needing oxygen. By 1:00 I was able to sleep through the alarm, but not well.

Wednesday the doctor came back and indicated we would probably be staying another night. I knew I would stay with her all that day, but wanted to sleep. At 7:00 we hear she is going home and we have the crash course in how to give the treatments at home. At 8:00 BJ leaves to grab the meds before the pharmacy closes and at 8:30 I get sent home with baby. From that moment on we had to give her treatments every 4 hours, most were fine, except the 3 am one. 

Thursday was more treatments and I went back to work. Friday I stayed home and took Allison to her follow up. 

She was then dropped to every 5-6 hour treatments and to come back Monday to see how she is doing and possibly give her those nine month shots we didn't get one Tuesday. We are starting to sleep better, but still up multiple times through the night. Tonight will be our first night at 6 hours so wish us luck. 

Good Luck

Several weeks ago BJ and I watched a short blurb about parenthood. Specifically, how bed time has changed from before and after children. Before children you say "good night" after you have kids you say "good luck."  This is so true in our house now days.  We could sleep or we could be walk a mile.  It has gotten to a point where I wake up in the morning and can't remember if I was up or not.  I have to check the fitbit. The other night I walked almost 300 steps. In a room that takes about 25 steps to get to and 8 steps to walk from one side to the other, that's a lot of steps.  The fit bit also lets me know how long was awake during the night.  So each night BJ and I crawl into bed look into each other's eyes pick a night from recent past where we almost slept through the night, wish we get that, and say "good luck." We then roll over and go to sleep...for an hour or two. 

It's awesome. I love parenthood.

What can I do?

The words I can't hate more, "What can I do?" I usually hear this after I tell the boy child to turn off the tv and when I tell him technology is not an option.  Gee, I don't know maybe you can play with one of the thousand of toys you have in the play area.  He needs a specific toy to play with and 80% of the time he doesn't like my suggestion. Now in all fairness he has a bunch of games that would require me to play with him and since I have to deal with Allison that doesn't always work out. But he also has a bunch of other things he can do.

Yesterday I heard it again, "what can I do?" Jokingly I replied, " read, feed Alli, change Alli, make breakfast." He chose to feed Allison. I was going to say no, but there was no real justification as to why I should say no.  What's the worst to happen, she look like a hot mess when she is done? That happens anyway. Go for it kid.

I put her in the chair and went off to make her food, when I turned my back he put a big on her and was talking to her to tell her he was going to feed her. This is what happens next. 

These two love each other so much. Allison thinks Elijah is the best thing ever and will scream in joy when she sees him. Elijah thinks Allison is just the best and loves her more than words can express. I am blessed with the relationship they have and hope it stays around a while. 

I did realize that the open mouth to get the kid to open their mouth is instinct, and she was a hot mess when we were all done.

Things you do as a parent that would be socially unacceptable to do to anyone else.

In recent years my life has been spent teaching children who are socially acceptable and unacceptable ways to act.  Most of my kids are black and white thinkers. For example, you can't lie because lying is wrong, so when Susie asks if you like her brand new hat you say, "no, it looks,funny." They don't see the harm or understand that they hurt their feelings. 

Because of this hyper awareness to the gray area of life I find myself with my baby thinking, "wow, if this wasn't an infant or even my own child, this would not be socially acceptable. Here are a few:

Picking their nose

Smelling their butt

Make them stop whatever they are doing to go to the bathroom

Stick your fingers in their mouth

Examine their teeth

Taking off their pants in public

I'm sure the list could go on, but it is late and the baby is teething and has some serious gas keeping her awake, therefore it's off to bed for me. 

Coincidence?

Sometimes there are moments I life that catch me off guard and make me stop.  I had one of those today.

Several months ago my best friend from 4th grade told me she was pregnate, then she told me that her due date was a day after Elijah's due date.  I was super excited, for I think she will be an awesome mom.  Due to the baby refusing to flip around, she had to go in early to get the baby out. In she went on Friday and out came baby!  They, like I, chose to deliver at the hospital slightly far from our house but with an amazing reputation.  So today, 2 days shy of my own son's birthday, I returned to the hospitali delivered in.  As I'm walking through the mother/baby floor I get flashbacks of 5 years ago.  As I enter the final hallway it clicks, there is no flipping way, she is in the same room as I was with Elijah.  You have got to be kidding me. Between the baby, the new parents, and being back in the same room I was in with Elijah I welled up with tears several times.  Even as I got home and was talking to BJ about it I started to cry.  It's stupid, maybe it's because she has been like a sister to me over the past 24 years, or because by the time any of my siblings have kids they will be so far away I won't be able to see them in the hospital, but I am in love with this baby and her mommy and daddy.  

I think I might go back tomorrow too.  BJ wants to come too.  He will love her too, I just know it.

Shoes and their laces

We have all heard them. Those short comments that make such a huge impact they stick with you forever. I think any comment that questions your parenting no matter what kind of parent you are hurts 10 times more than anything else.  

Well known fact, I'm a pediatric Speech Language Pathologist and developmental milestones are a huge perseveration/ hobby of mine.  I like to know a majority of the gross motor stages, (rolling, sitting, crawling, walking) and of course the speech/language ones (totally not enough time), and fine motor (grap patterns, sensory, writing and other stuff).  When it came to these milestones I was, well, hypersensitive to these things.  Watching, observing, not pushing too soon but knowing to push a bit more as we came close to the end of "typically" developing range.  I pride myself on the fact that Elijah has hit almost all skills within age range and never too early. I didn't push potty training until 2.5 years even though he probably could have done it closer to 2. Stair climbing/both feet leaving the ground, not his strong point, but he can play on the playground fine and I don't have fears of broken bones in my future.  We're all good.  I do confess though, I did bring him in for a speech screening because I'll be damned if my child shows up at school and needed speech services!!

That comment I was hinting at? Oh you know, when I knew the independence of my 2-3 year old was more important than skills that are too advanced for them and allowed Elijah to have Velcro shoes/boots/sandals.  Here's the comment, are you ready? 

"All these kids with these Velcro shoes these days, no one ever takes the time to reach them how to tie.  Kids and parents are just so lazy now days."

It would be one thing if I over heard this in a store, but I didn't.  It was in my home, made about my son's shoes.  I kid you not, it took every ounce of strength to not turn around wave my developmental milestone knowledge in their face.  It hurt.  I did though sit on this until 7 days before my son turned 5. We have started shoe tying.  It's a hard thing to learn and teach. The number of steps, the fine motor, it's a lot for a little kid.  

To make matters worse for the poor boy, everyone is teaching him a different way.  Giving him their extra two cents on "how this will make it easier."  We only started yesterday, my goal is for him to get the shoe lace cross, under and pull tight.  STOP. That's it.  The loops need to be done on longer laces than what he has on his shoes, but he doesn't stop trying.

Tonight ended in tears out of frustration. But he is so motivated. Probably because he can't wear his superman shoes to school, until he can tie them myself. We will keep trying, we will get this and he can wear those shoes on the first day of kindergarten.

Kids are Funny

I love kids and I think that is ultimately why I love my job.  One of the biggest reasons I love kids is because it is the best way to explore how we learn about the world.  Now that I am old I take a lot of my knowledge for granted.  Like learning jokes, I don't remember actually "learning" jokes, yet some how I know them.  Elijah today as we were driving pipes up from the back, "Mom, did you know chickens can cross the road?" Real sure that was supposed to behow a why does the chicken cross the road but that was the best he could do because he already knew his answer was to be run over by a car.  

I also enjoy listening to children trying to figure out pregnancy.  Like when I was pregnate, there were many questions about the baby and how it would get out..."Will it hurt? Will there be blood? Does it come out your belly button? How did it get in there?" But the best one came today while we were looking at a picture of a mother in a hospital bed next to a baby and the new dad.  My little friend told me, "the dad is happy because the mom just burped the baby out of her stomach." I was laughing so hard I kept the white board and the picture and shared it with all my co-workers.  If only it was as simple as a burp.  I would have 3 or 4 now for sure. 

Apps

It is no secret that I am not the most tech savy person but ever since the bond between my tablet and therapy was made I love finding ways to make it useful.  I have a handful of apps that I use for teaching but I also have a ton of apps as reinforcers.  In a 15/ 20/ 30/ 45 minutes session having quick reinforcer is nice.  Back in the olden days, you know, before tablets, bubbles were the number one choice of most therapists, board games were a second, and piece earning were the third.  All of them worked the same way... You do X number of sentences/sounds/target behaviors you get bubbles/ a turn/ pieces of the puzzle or track.  

Since moving to then school my session times are shorter but the need for reinforcement is greater.  Therefore, finding an app that will give me a quick brake for my friends is needed.  I now have a few favorites here they are:

Most Toca Boca apps make my list but specifically Toca monsters or Toca kitchen.  Simple start point pick food, cook food, cut food. Followed by a simple end point food has been eaten by the monster or the person.  To make it even better, most of my friends think the monsters look like Monsters Inc monsters.  

My second favorite is the Lego game.  I actually think it is just called Lego and to make it even better it was just upgraded.  The old version let you drive you car over the landscape, collecting coins to earn different choices, until you get the end where you "build" a 3 part trophy.  In the upgrade they made it more 3D but still fun.  Elijah could play this game for hours if allowed, but again it has a nice start and a nice end.  Love it.z

What Does Your Mom Do?

In the past few years I have made some changes in my job.  I went from working in the private setting getting most of my clients with private insurance between the ages of 3 and 7, to working in the homes with clients between birth (realistically 18 months) to 3 years, to working in the public school setting with the Autism program.  During all that one thing still was the same I am still a speech path.  In my current job I work with visual cues, visual schedules, and visual everything.

As a mom, my little child has grown to an almost 5 year old and is a great child.  Don't get me wrong I love my child but let's face it. He is an only child and being so most of our lives revolve around him. If we say let's play a game, he gets to pick the game. If we ask for suggestions for dinner and he gives us a good one, we cook it. However, now he has figured it out and will whine/cry/be utterly obnoxious.  I was at my wits end, lots of yelling at my child and sending him away because I was so frustrated with him asking and asking and asking the same question with the answer not changing.

What did I do you ask? Oh you know, I meshed my first occupation with my second occupation and created this: 

Seeing as most of our issues revolve around technology that's what we are working for.  He has to earn 10 "stickers" for iPad and 20 "stickers" for extra tv time.  Some ways to earn stickers are independent tasks like the getting dressed, brushing teeth, and feeding the dog. Where others are adult directed like working on our reading, and cleaning up. Yet there are still others that are randomly given such as no whining, and no timeouts.  

This chart was a simple make (other than the laminator not working), I also found the stickers that have been sent to us in the mail, I laminated it all and put velcro one the board.  I also attached the side strip with velcro so that can change as he gets better at these and gets older.  We will see how it goes tomorrow, but I already know it will work.  

I confess...

I said I wasn't going to do it but here it is! 

Yeah you see that right feels like -42. I have, however, come to the conclusion that after -5 it all feels the same, COLD!  I walked the dog both yesterday and today and yeah cold is cold, painful, and breath taking.  I am very thankful for my warm home and faithful heater.

I also have to confess that on this semi snow day I sent my child to daycare so I could actually get work done.  That being said I should probably stop blogging and start working!

I also let my dog poop in the street and didn't clean it up, I'm not planning on showering today, and I'm loving my peace and quiet!

Stay warm!

Joys of potty training

**Warning gross content to come**

Elijah has been doing really well with potty training.  We have the majority of our accidents while sleeping which is expected when a child is having to go potty every 2-4 hours sleeps 12 at night.  The other day I was up earlier than normal and getting ready so for once, I would not look like my head was on fire as we were running out the door.  Well, as life typically goes, as you try to get a head of one thing your thrown a curve ball. 

BJ was also going to leave early but poked his head in Elijah's room to see if he was awake.  Not even 3 minutes later he is back in our bathroom saying we have an accident and he needs help.  Alright I'm good with that, two bodies are better than one.  Then he informs me it's a poopy accident.  Really?  I don't want to deal with that, but I'm already committed.  I think Elijah went several days with out pooping and that's what let to this issue but he had so much poop in his pants I was floored.  Now I don't know about you but I don't have a lot of practice for getting poopy pants off a toddler.  As I tried to remove his undies keeping as much of the poop contained as possible I failed miserably and PLOP right on the floor.  I though it was a lot of poop in his pants but I then thought it was a whole lot more now that it was on the bathroom floor.  Then to make matters even worse Elijah successfully stepped in it.  EWWWWWWWWWWW BJ then gave him a shower while I cleaned up the floor.  We thought we were good floor clean, boy clean, boy dressed, bedding and clothing in the washer and I was back getting ready.  BJ then came into say goodbye for the 5th time and he realized he had poop on his pants so he had to change too.  I mean really we were covered in poop.  I was just glad the poop hit the floor and not the fan, I probably would still be up there cleaning it up.  Yuck.

The Zoo

Two or three weekends ago we headed to the zoo, again.  I love the zoo but I hate big crowds so any day I can work in a place that people don't want to go because of  this that or the other thing, I'm in.  Well it was a 32 degree Saturday in February and I dragged my boys to the zoo.  We wrapped Elijah up in blankets and off we went.  I think there were maybe, 100 people at the zoo that day. We ran between the houses because during the summer we never would go into the houses.  I don't like leaving the stroller unattended while in the houses with so may people all over, and it kills me to spend time in doors when it's so nice outside.  So lots of reptiles, lots of warm climate animals.  In the 5 or so different houses we went in there were snakes in at least 3 of them.  So Elijah got to learn all about snakes.  I don't like snakes, I don't have a phobia of them like I do of spiders, but I am appropriately scared of them because there are all kinds of poisonous ones and I don't know enough about them to tell you which ones are or are not safe.  Now that we are home Elijah himself has turned into a snake.  Let me tell you as a parent to get your child to go anywhere while they are trying to "slither" like a snake takes HOURS! Luckily he still likes to be a dog or lion too and when he gets to far behind will turn into one of those animals to catch up.  He also wants to do this in public and I absolutely refuse to let him lay on the ground in a store.  Gross! So now I need to get him back to the zoo so we can find a new, faster animal to imitate. 

Make it stop

Being a Speech Pathologist I listen to what my child says and how he says it.  Do I think it's funny that Elijah says Farfing mand for marching band?  Yes.  Do I think It's cute when we tell him to get his drill and he heads to the grill to grab the corn because he things they are the same thing?  Absolutely.  Do I worry that he has minimal p's and b's in his speech?  Yup.  However, over the past 2 days I have heard some things I am not to happy with.  What is it do you say?  Mom and Dad.  Not mommy, daddy, but mom, dad.  In the several times I heard it, it took all of my power to not correct him to say, "no I'm mommy not mom."  And at that moment a small part of me shed a small tear knowing that my baby is almost a big kid.  But that's okay, I want my boy to grow up, I want to miss these things.  Then when I decide to have another child these will be the things I look forward too and love while they last.  But I have a feeling mommy and daddy will be moving out soon and mom and dad will be moving in.  ***sigh***

Why boys are fun.

Let me tell you how my day started.

Elijah: Mommy! Mommy!
Me: (Go in to get Elijah out of his bed and find him under ALL his blankets.)
Elijah: You can't see me. (Followed by him jumping out of the blankets)

Elijah then proceeds to wake up every animal in his bed, hug them then tell me they are crying and need to go back to sleep.  He then lays them down and covers them up.  I then decide that it has been over 12 hours since his last bathroom visit so I take him in to the bathroom.  I set him on the potty but since he was wearing his pj's he is practically naked.  I leave him there for I swear 4 minutes at MOST.  In that time I was able to get a shirt, pants that match, socks, and an undershirt.  I then hear "Mommy I done."  I walk into the bathroom and find pee EVERYWHERE.  Not just a little here or there but EVERYWHERE.  We have tiles that are 1 x 1 foot.  He managed to get pee 3 feet to the left, in an area of 2 feet by 3 feet.  He had pee on his hand, all down both legs, around the seat of the toddler seat and normal seat, and the best one...on his chest and FACE.  How in the world did the child get all that pee on his body, in the room and still a bunch in the toilet.  I thought boys don't start putting pee everywhere until they were like 6 or something.  Never thought I would find all that after 3 minutes. 

Tales from a potty training mother

Here is another one of those moments when before you have children you don't know the whole story, even after you have a child you still don't truly understand what you get your self into or how to handle it.  Now I have entered the stage of parenthood called potty training.  Anyone you ever talk to who has kids tells you this about potty training. "Oh well when Jr. was little he was potty trained in 5 days.  I just let him/her run around for a while without pants."  What they don't tell you.  In those 5 days you spend every waking moment listening for dripping water, your eyes are glued to your child's crotch making sure their undies are not getting wet and all you can think about is when the last time they peed, when they need to pee next, and how much laundry you will have to do.  They also fail to mention that during that time you can't do anything because of the above statement.  But at the same time what they don't tell you is during your waking hours with your child because you have to be within arms reach of them at all times to run them to the potty in case they start going is you have some great bonding time.  Yeah the anxiety of pee makes you forget about the rest of life and focus 100% on your little child.  The last time I was able to do this was during maternity leave but then I was sleepy, crabby, and frustrated the child didn't do much but sleep, cry, eat, and poop. 

What I have learned though was that PMS and potty training should not go together. 

If the shoe fits, wear it.

If it doesn't fit wear it anyway.  That would be what I have been telling Elijah for the past, um, 3 months.  So Elijah apparently has needed new shoes for the past 3 months and I have been jamming his feet into his size 5 shoe.  Grandma and Grandpa bought him new shoes today and they would be a size 7.  Yeah that's right, Parent of the year awards right HERE.  We are awesome and didn't get the hint that the reason Elijah learned to take off his shoes was probably because they hurt his feet.  Poor kid.  Never fear though, thanks to Grandparents, Elijah will have shoes that fit. 

Thanks Grandma and Grandpa. 

I goch you mommy!

As the weather turns colder getting out of my nice warm bed gets harder and harder.  Actually, the weather is just a new excuse for me to not get out of bed in the morning.  I have the same trouble all year long.  But that's beside the point.  Today was another one of those days and I was running a tid bit behind.  BJ was not running as behind as I was and after getting dressed told me he was going down stairs to eat and leave.  He did then came back up as I was about to go get Elijah.  We both got our crabby kid up and today must have been sponsored by the word "NO."  Any question asked was answered with our favorite word.  "Elijah, do you want to wear this shirt today?" NOOOOOO.  "Do you want to wear these pants or these pants? Naaooooo. It was everything.  At that point BJ exited stage Left.  That was fine with me.  I had the patients for this today.  I finally convinced Elijah that since he did not want to wear socks today he needed to take off his footie pajamas.  It was a deal.  I have basically mastered the stand up diaper change so as long as I had the PJ's off I was good.  I just pulled down his PJ's but did not take them off his feet.  I needed leverage if he broke down later.  I took off his diaper and it was FULL.  The kid must have had a gallon of water to drink before he went to bed last night. 

As I took off his diaper I wrapped it up...and then it happened.  It took me a while to realize what "it" was but "it" was pee, and "it" was on me.  I freaked.  Ahh, pee.  What do I do to stop it?  I don't know, grab something, THE DIAPER.  As I put the diaper up to catch the pee I realize I had the water proof side catching the pee which means it was just spraying all over me.  I then yell at Elijah to "STOP"  I think I frightened him so he did.  Then I tried to gain my composure and figure out what to do next.  Thought to long more pee.  This time I decided to hold my hand out so it wouldn't spray on me.  Great idea.  Now I had a hand full of pee.  Now what genius?  I finally just pick him up and carry him to the bathroom.  He was done peeing by that time.  I wash my hand, call BJ who was only a couple of blocks away and he came back home.  I then had to change my pants and clean up pee while BJ got Elijah dressed.  From the bedroom I hear Elijah say, "I pee Mommy"  BJ laughs and Elijah follows it up with, "I goch you Mommy."

Another First

Wanna know what I did for the first time tonight?  Cut Elijah's toe nails.  Yeah I know you're all shocked.  You all are sitting around talking to each other saying, "how did she make if over 2 years and not cut her son's toe nails?"  Well BJ was a huge help for most of it.  But when Elijah was real little I went to cut his super claw finger nails and I cut his fingers instead.  At that point I gave up and told BJ that that was his job for the rest of Elijah's life.  Well now we have been super busy lately and Elijah was looking like he was a wild child.  So I did it.  And I didn't cut his toes this time.  But don't hold your breath for this being a regular activity for me.  Still BJ's job.

Skip to the next song please

Remember back in the day when 9 million chain e-mails would go around?  One of them would ask you to answer a bunch of questions about your life, one would ask you to send to 100 people and make a wish.  You know the ones I'm talking about.  Well I have decided that I do not currently like the soundtrack to my life.  Who ever the composer is, I am really not digging these few tracks on the soundtrack.  I love the parts with the wheels-on-the-buss, and Old MacDonald.  I even enjoy the throw back 80's and early 90's music that plays while I drive.  The screaming, tired, crabby baby noise though.  That is the one I could do without.  Not sure what is causing my soundtrack to skip and keep replaying the same darn song a.m. to p.m. but I am getting really annoyed.  The only thing I am finding to solve the issue is unplugging the stereo, AKA putting the baby to bed.  So here is to hoping my soundtrack gets better in the next few days or else I might be looking for a good Gypsy family to help me out here. 

(you do all know I am kidding about the Gypsies right?)