Seth went to sleep at 7:45, William around 8:10. Seth woke up at 11:30. I went in his room and gave him his water. The sneaky little guy said, "Poop. Poop." And pointed to his bum. He hasn't been on his regular schedule lately, so I believed him. I picked him up and put him on the changing pad. Of course, no poop. I changed his diaper anyway, put him back in his crib, and said goodnight. He cried, said "rock-rock" over and over, cried a bit more. Then when I started to walk away, he said, "Blanket" and lay down. I covered him, he stopped crying, and I walked out.
William woke up at 6:00 a.m. and came into our room. 6:00 is our magic number, so I let him get in our bed. Seth woke up for the day at 6:30 a.m. I got 6 straight hours of sleep! Life is good!
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Project Get Tough: Day 2 Results
Seth went to sleep at 7:45. William went to sleep at 8:00. Seth woke up at 12:30. I went into his room, handed him his water, gave him a hug, and told him, "no rock-rock, go to sleep." He cried, jumped up and down, protested, but then lay down and I covered him with his blanket.
William woke up at 4:45 a.m. and cried for me from his room. I went in his room, told him to go back to sleep. He wanted me to lie down with him. I said no. He wanted to come into our room. I said no. He went back to sleep.
Seth woke up at 5:30 a.m. I went into his room and told him to go back to sleep. He pitched a fit, I started to walk out, then he said, "Blanket!" and lay down in his crib. I covered him up, he stopped crying, I walked out. Both boys woke up for the day at 6:30.
So, not too bad. My astute friend ME pointed out that me going into their rooms at all is not exactly making them self-soothe, and I am completely aware of that. Also, the fact that I'm giving them a drink is still ultimately making them dependent on me when they wake up. For William, it's not really an issue, because his water sits beside him on the bed. He usually gets out of his bed and comes to us when he wants something, so if he cries in his bed, I usually assume something is wrong, like a pee accident or he's sick. For Seth, I prefer to work in small increments, rather than just go cold turkey and not respond to his crying at all. I thought I'd give him a week of me responding, but not picking him up, and no milk or juice (only water), and see where that gets up. My hope is that he'll stop crying if he knows I won't pick him up and rock him and get him milk or juice. Maybe that's a pipe dream, and I'm prepared to step it up if things don't improve. So we'll see. Stay tuned!
William woke up at 4:45 a.m. and cried for me from his room. I went in his room, told him to go back to sleep. He wanted me to lie down with him. I said no. He wanted to come into our room. I said no. He went back to sleep.
Seth woke up at 5:30 a.m. I went into his room and told him to go back to sleep. He pitched a fit, I started to walk out, then he said, "Blanket!" and lay down in his crib. I covered him up, he stopped crying, I walked out. Both boys woke up for the day at 6:30.
So, not too bad. My astute friend ME pointed out that me going into their rooms at all is not exactly making them self-soothe, and I am completely aware of that. Also, the fact that I'm giving them a drink is still ultimately making them dependent on me when they wake up. For William, it's not really an issue, because his water sits beside him on the bed. He usually gets out of his bed and comes to us when he wants something, so if he cries in his bed, I usually assume something is wrong, like a pee accident or he's sick. For Seth, I prefer to work in small increments, rather than just go cold turkey and not respond to his crying at all. I thought I'd give him a week of me responding, but not picking him up, and no milk or juice (only water), and see where that gets up. My hope is that he'll stop crying if he knows I won't pick him up and rock him and get him milk or juice. Maybe that's a pipe dream, and I'm prepared to step it up if things don't improve. So we'll see. Stay tuned!
Friday, February 26, 2010
Project Get Tough: Day 1 Results
Mixed results. I started thinking last night that I should focus on one child at a time, because William almost always sleeps through the night. His issue is the early-morning wake-up. And I can try to deal with that later. If Seth isn't already awake, and William does crawl into our bed, he will usually fall back asleep and sleep for another hour. So I decided to focus on Seth.
Except Seth didn't wake up last night. William did.
William woke up at 3:30 and climbed into our bed. I picked him up and carried him back into his room. He wanted me to lie down with him. I wasn't really prepared for that. Since Seth had not yet woken up, and I knew he would if William started crying, I decided to lie down with William. We both fell asleep, then I woke up at 4:30 and went back to my room.
Seth woke up at 4:55. This time, I was ready. I went into his room, handed him his sippy cup of water, made sure he had his pacifiers and blanket, and told him he needed to go back to sleep. He cried, jumped up and down, screamed "rock-rock!" I hugged him, but didn't pick him up. Meanwhile, William woke up and started crying. I saw Ed go into to William's room. Seth cried some more, I got him to calm down a little and told him I'd cover him up with his blanket. He cried harder, but then lay down and cried, "blanket!" meaning he wanted me to cover him with the blanket. I did, he stopped crying, and I walked out. The whole thing probably lasted 3 minutes.
Meanwhile, Ed lay down with William in his bed and they went back to sleep. And Seth slept for another hour. He woke up at 6:00 a.m. I got him at that point, since that's when I get up anyway, and brought him into the bathroom with me while I showered.
So all in all, like I said, mixed results. William might end up being the tougher nut to crack. But middle-of-the-night wake-ups are not typical for him anymore, so I'll stick to the Seth plan for now and see where it goes. Of course, this morning, Seth kept saying, "teeth, teeth" and gnawing on his fingers. His eye teeth are popping through, and I know they've been bothering him. But I'm soldiering on. Thanks for all of your support! It's nice knowing you all have my back. :-)
Except Seth didn't wake up last night. William did.
William woke up at 3:30 and climbed into our bed. I picked him up and carried him back into his room. He wanted me to lie down with him. I wasn't really prepared for that. Since Seth had not yet woken up, and I knew he would if William started crying, I decided to lie down with William. We both fell asleep, then I woke up at 4:30 and went back to my room.
Seth woke up at 4:55. This time, I was ready. I went into his room, handed him his sippy cup of water, made sure he had his pacifiers and blanket, and told him he needed to go back to sleep. He cried, jumped up and down, screamed "rock-rock!" I hugged him, but didn't pick him up. Meanwhile, William woke up and started crying. I saw Ed go into to William's room. Seth cried some more, I got him to calm down a little and told him I'd cover him up with his blanket. He cried harder, but then lay down and cried, "blanket!" meaning he wanted me to cover him with the blanket. I did, he stopped crying, and I walked out. The whole thing probably lasted 3 minutes.
Meanwhile, Ed lay down with William in his bed and they went back to sleep. And Seth slept for another hour. He woke up at 6:00 a.m. I got him at that point, since that's when I get up anyway, and brought him into the bathroom with me while I showered.
So all in all, like I said, mixed results. William might end up being the tougher nut to crack. But middle-of-the-night wake-ups are not typical for him anymore, so I'll stick to the Seth plan for now and see where it goes. Of course, this morning, Seth kept saying, "teeth, teeth" and gnawing on his fingers. His eye teeth are popping through, and I know they've been bothering him. But I'm soldiering on. Thanks for all of your support! It's nice knowing you all have my back. :-)
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Can I Do It?
Tonight I need to get tough. I need to make my boys sleep. Seth has been waking up between 5:00 and 5:30 a.m., and not going back to sleep (after having woken up once or twice or even more during the night, insisting on milk or juice and "rock-rock.") William has been coming into our bed at 5:30 a.m., and not going back to sleep. It's no secret that I SUCK at letting my kids CIO. I never did it for William. I haven't done it to date with Seth. I've made half-hearted attempts over the years, but I've never been consistent. I've always fallen back on my doubts, my fears, my inability to get over the hump that will get us all to sounder sleep.
So now it's time. Even as I sit here, psyching myself out to be strong, to keep my eyes on the prize (more sleep for everyone, which is sooo important for so many reasons), to stay logical, the little voice in my head is saying, "Seth's just in a wake-up-early phase, it won't last forever," "William doesn't like sleeping alone, and who can blame him. He'd go back to sleep if Seth was still sleeping," "Seth's teething." "They're getting sick." Blah blah blah. There are always excuses, always justifications, always doubts. But I'm really worried that the boys aren't getting enough sleep. It's virtually impossible to get them to bed before 7:30. And 8:00 and 8:30 are much more realistic. And I think 8:30 would be okay if they boys would sleep straight through to 6:30 a.m..
So tonight, if Seth wakes up (more like when he wakes up), I will check on him, make sure he's okay, and then I will walk out of his room, and I will let him cry. And if William wakes up, I will deal with it. They both usually want something to drink when they wake up, so I will have water at their bedsides. They both prefer milk or apple juice, but that's another bad habit we need to break, so I might as well just plow on through. I'll try really really hard not to cave. And I've told Ed that he needs to HELP me. He needs to "talk me down" so to speak, and not just mumble at me and not just tell me to "let him cry." 'Cause that doesn't really help. In the end, we'll all be better off. So wish me luck, send me strength, and stay tuned.
So now it's time. Even as I sit here, psyching myself out to be strong, to keep my eyes on the prize (more sleep for everyone, which is sooo important for so many reasons), to stay logical, the little voice in my head is saying, "Seth's just in a wake-up-early phase, it won't last forever," "William doesn't like sleeping alone, and who can blame him. He'd go back to sleep if Seth was still sleeping," "Seth's teething." "They're getting sick." Blah blah blah. There are always excuses, always justifications, always doubts. But I'm really worried that the boys aren't getting enough sleep. It's virtually impossible to get them to bed before 7:30. And 8:00 and 8:30 are much more realistic. And I think 8:30 would be okay if they boys would sleep straight through to 6:30 a.m..
So tonight, if Seth wakes up (more like when he wakes up), I will check on him, make sure he's okay, and then I will walk out of his room, and I will let him cry. And if William wakes up, I will deal with it. They both usually want something to drink when they wake up, so I will have water at their bedsides. They both prefer milk or apple juice, but that's another bad habit we need to break, so I might as well just plow on through. I'll try really really hard not to cave. And I've told Ed that he needs to HELP me. He needs to "talk me down" so to speak, and not just mumble at me and not just tell me to "let him cry." 'Cause that doesn't really help. In the end, we'll all be better off. So wish me luck, send me strength, and stay tuned.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
The Inquisition
William and I spent our entire 45-minute drive into work this morning "discussing" the movie Wall-E. By "discussing," I mean that William asked question after question after question about the movie, and I answered question after question after question. I can't even remember all of his questions, they were so inane. Seth had a glazed look on his face for the whole ride and then fell asleep during the last 10 minutes, from sheer boredom, no doubt.
Some of the questions included: Why did Wall-E have tracks? What were the red lights doing on Eve? Why were Wall-E and Eve in space? Why did Wall-E follow Eve? Why did Eve try to shoot Wall-E? Why was Eve's spaceship so big? What was Wall-E doing? What was Eve doing? Why did Wall-E like Eve? How did Wall-E get to the top of the trash? What was inside the trash? But what was inside the trash? What was the spaceship doing? What did Wall-E do in the little space ship? What was the little bug doing? Why did Wall-E like to watch movies? Did he skip the scary parts? Why did he like the dancing? And on, and on and on.
Holy mother of God--where the heck did all those questions come from? I had NO idea that he was so intimately aware of every second of that movie. We haven't even watched that movie in weeks and weeks. My brain was mush by the time I got to work. Why didn't I just put Backyardigans on the iPhone and hand it to William? Does the Inquisition count as quality time spent together? Minus the brain-sucking questions, it was actually a nice commute to work. No whining, no yelling, no crying. I don't know, though. I think, maybe, I'd rather have the whining, yelling, and crying.
Some of the questions included: Why did Wall-E have tracks? What were the red lights doing on Eve? Why were Wall-E and Eve in space? Why did Wall-E follow Eve? Why did Eve try to shoot Wall-E? Why was Eve's spaceship so big? What was Wall-E doing? What was Eve doing? Why did Wall-E like Eve? How did Wall-E get to the top of the trash? What was inside the trash? But what was inside the trash? What was the spaceship doing? What did Wall-E do in the little space ship? What was the little bug doing? Why did Wall-E like to watch movies? Did he skip the scary parts? Why did he like the dancing? And on, and on and on.
Holy mother of God--where the heck did all those questions come from? I had NO idea that he was so intimately aware of every second of that movie. We haven't even watched that movie in weeks and weeks. My brain was mush by the time I got to work. Why didn't I just put Backyardigans on the iPhone and hand it to William? Does the Inquisition count as quality time spent together? Minus the brain-sucking questions, it was actually a nice commute to work. No whining, no yelling, no crying. I don't know, though. I think, maybe, I'd rather have the whining, yelling, and crying.
Monday, February 22, 2010
Menu Plan Monday -- February 22
I think part of what made last week such a rotten week is that I didn't have a menu plan. Ed was out or worked late almost every night, and the boys' limited palate is starting to get to me. But I'm making an effort to get back on track, and to keep introducing and preparing different foods for the boys. One day they'll start liking more things, right?
Sunday: Angel pork chops with green beans and boiled new potatoes
(Note: this was a freeze ahead meal that I wanted to try out. Against my better judgment, I went ahead and made 3 extra pork chops to freeze for another meal. Definitely should have tried it first, as now I've wasted 3 perfectly good pork chops! The recipe isn't online, but it was basically browned pork chops topped with a butter/milk/flour roux mixed with parmesan cheese and onions, and then baked. What was I thinking?)
Monday: Garlic lime chicken thighs, asparagus, dinner rolls
(I marinated boneless, skinless chicken thighs in lime juice, lime zest, soy sauce, olive oil, and garlic. I was trying to remember the recipe, but mixed it up with some other recipes I saw. Hopefully it will still be good!)
Tuesday: Parmesan fish sticks, asparagus, garlic bread
(I'm making these with cod instead of salmon, though)
Wednesday: Tacos
(I'll make the meat on Tuesday night, so all I'll have to do on Wednesday is heat it up and serve. William doesn't really like tacos, though, so he'll probably just eat a tortilla.)
Thursday: Schnitzel, broccoli or salad, dinner rolls
Friday: Sirloin steak, roasted potatoes, veggie TBD
Saturday: Tofu Stir fry
I bough tofu at the store this weekend, and a bag of frozen stir fry veggies. I thought I'd try this recipe and see if the boys would like it. I need to work on some new green veggies, and I'd like to have more vegetarian options in our menu. So we'll see how it goes. There will be plenty of leftovers to serve in case it's a big flop, so what's the worst that can happen.
Visit OrgJunkie.com for more Menu Plan ideas!
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Not Feeling It
I think our transition back to "normal" has been more difficult for me than it has been for the boys. I've been so tired and so completely unmotivated to do anything. Last week at work seemed sooo long, and I was far from productive.
Our weekend was pretty good--we had no plans or obligations--but I didn't get very much done. Ed took William ice skating yesterday. I took both boys to the bookstore today. I did laundry, the grocery shopping, and did a bit of plan-ahead cooking. Ed vacuumed the house. We went on a short walk this afternoon (where William jumped and sloshed through every single puddle on the road--the incessant puddles resulting from all of the melting snow). Nothing to write home about, but a good weekend in the grand scheme of things. At the bookstore, I bought a DK book on the human body, and William is so into it. Both Ed and I had to "read" it to him at bedtime. The "reading" involves mostly looking at the pictures and trying to explain what they are. (Ever try to explain a synapse or a microphage to a 3 year old?) Seth, meanwhile, is the same as ever. Exasperating and adorable at the same time. He thought it was hysterical to take off running in the bookstore. The more I shouted at him, the faster he ran and the harder he laughed. Good thing I have only one crazy child.
Anyway, I wish I could say my bad mood has lifted and my motivation has returned, but time wasted tonight on a freeze-ahead dinner that didn't turn out very well set me off again. So now I'm going to read for a bit (something I haven't done in a long while!) and then go to bed and hope that I can get it together tomorrow. It's rare that I actually look forward to a Monday!
Our weekend was pretty good--we had no plans or obligations--but I didn't get very much done. Ed took William ice skating yesterday. I took both boys to the bookstore today. I did laundry, the grocery shopping, and did a bit of plan-ahead cooking. Ed vacuumed the house. We went on a short walk this afternoon (where William jumped and sloshed through every single puddle on the road--the incessant puddles resulting from all of the melting snow). Nothing to write home about, but a good weekend in the grand scheme of things. At the bookstore, I bought a DK book on the human body, and William is so into it. Both Ed and I had to "read" it to him at bedtime. The "reading" involves mostly looking at the pictures and trying to explain what they are. (Ever try to explain a synapse or a microphage to a 3 year old?) Seth, meanwhile, is the same as ever. Exasperating and adorable at the same time. He thought it was hysterical to take off running in the bookstore. The more I shouted at him, the faster he ran and the harder he laughed. Good thing I have only one crazy child.
Anyway, I wish I could say my bad mood has lifted and my motivation has returned, but time wasted tonight on a freeze-ahead dinner that didn't turn out very well set me off again. So now I'm going to read for a bit (something I haven't done in a long while!) and then go to bed and hope that I can get it together tomorrow. It's rare that I actually look forward to a Monday!
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Getting Back to Normal
Whatever "normal" is, we're trying to get back to it. Yesterday (Monday) was a holiday, and I don't think I've ever been so UN-excited about a 3-day weekend. Today, the boys' school is closed for teacher training, but Ed is staying home with them so I can get back to work. I hope the transition back to our normal routine won't be too difficult for the boys. William has been a bit difficult the last few days, but I think that's because we're off of our regular routine. At any rate, it will be a while before we have any 3-day weekends, again, so regular routine is on its way!
Our weekend was pretty good, though. On Saturday morning we went out to breakfast and then to Target. After lunch, I took the boys to a birthday party at Little Gym. Both boys had a blast. Then we went over to Ed's parents, and Ed and I got to go out to dinner and see a movie We ate Thai food and saw Up in the Air. The food was great, I loved the movie, and the date was long overdue and very much needed! We spent the night there and hung out at his parents' for most of the day on Sunday, and then got home Sunday late afternoon.
Monday was not so great. I spent a little too much time yelling. I said, "Dammit, Seth" in the grocery store loud enough for people around me to hear me. (He deleted my CC info from the swipey-thing twice when I was trying to check out! But I was mortified.) I was not productive at all, and let William watch TV for most of Seth's nap. And when I was trying to make dinner, William and Seth were playing and goofing around, and for some reason, William grabbed onto my legs and bit me. To say I freaked may be a bit of an understatement. I was so startled and taken aback, and I just started yelling and carried him upstairs to his room. Poor William. He has never been a biter, but every once in a while when he gets over-excited and is horsing around, he'll do it. He always gets a "time-out" and a reprimand, etc. But wow--my reaction was so completely over the top. I immediately felt awful, and I stayed in his room with him and tried to talk about it. He was crying and yelling and I finally got him to calm down. I apologized for yelling and overreacting. And then I left him alone and told him he could come downstairs when he wanted to. But clearly he was still mad at me. Ed came home just then and he talked to William some more and then William came downstairs to talk to me.
The thing that bums me out, though, was that when he came downstairs, he didn't feel bad that he had bitten me. My reaction had made the situation all about me, and not about his behavior. I completely messed up a "teachable moment." Maybe not, maybe he got the message. And hopefully I can use the experience to work on staying calm and not overreacting when trying to discipline the kids.
After days like yesterday, it's easy to think that I'm not cut out to be a stay-at-home mom. I'd go crazy if I had to stay home all day, every day. I'd be a terrible mother. I'm a much better mother when I work. My mother-in-law asked me the question--has it been nice staying home with the boys? Or are you ready to go back to work? And it annoyed the crap out of me. Yes--it's been very nice to have a lot of time with the boys, but it's also been hard and unpleasant at times. It's not our normal, and that's never easy for anyone. It's fun for a while, but you can't compare a week off of work and school to what it would be like to be a stay-at-home mom. I love my job--my career--and I like earning money and having benefits and having financial security and I love that my kids go to school every day and have a curriculum and are taught by trained professionals who are as loving and dedicated as they could possibly be. And I actually don't feel guilty about working full time. I don't feel like I'm missing out on moments with my kids.
But I also know that if I stayed home, I'd love it, too. We'd have a normal--a routine filled with preschool, play dates, errands, classes. And also with TV, a lot of getting nothing done, and lots and lots of messes. But the point is, one choice isn't necessarily better than the other. It's just the choice that works better for me and for our family. I wish that my employer offered more flexibility, of course, and maybe one day it will. And I know that everyone reading this completely agrees. I am not envious of stay-at-home moms. But I admire their ability to handle their "normal." And I'm sure my "normal" seems challenging for stay-at-home moms. But that's why we're all where we are. And it's so awesome to have the choice. And if it wasn't/isn't a choice, it's probably what's best for your family. So there should be a lot of pride in making it work.
So here's to "normal," whatever your normal may be. We all make it work. And we also know that life is ever-changing, so today's normal might be nothing like next year's normal, or even next month's normal. This crazy snow storm and all the time off has reaffirmed my choice, but has also given me lots of "free days" at home, and even if I wasn't always at my best, and even if the kids weren't at their best, we made the most of it. And that's what counts.
Our weekend was pretty good, though. On Saturday morning we went out to breakfast and then to Target. After lunch, I took the boys to a birthday party at Little Gym. Both boys had a blast. Then we went over to Ed's parents, and Ed and I got to go out to dinner and see a movie We ate Thai food and saw Up in the Air. The food was great, I loved the movie, and the date was long overdue and very much needed! We spent the night there and hung out at his parents' for most of the day on Sunday, and then got home Sunday late afternoon.
Monday was not so great. I spent a little too much time yelling. I said, "Dammit, Seth" in the grocery store loud enough for people around me to hear me. (He deleted my CC info from the swipey-thing twice when I was trying to check out! But I was mortified.) I was not productive at all, and let William watch TV for most of Seth's nap. And when I was trying to make dinner, William and Seth were playing and goofing around, and for some reason, William grabbed onto my legs and bit me. To say I freaked may be a bit of an understatement. I was so startled and taken aback, and I just started yelling and carried him upstairs to his room. Poor William. He has never been a biter, but every once in a while when he gets over-excited and is horsing around, he'll do it. He always gets a "time-out" and a reprimand, etc. But wow--my reaction was so completely over the top. I immediately felt awful, and I stayed in his room with him and tried to talk about it. He was crying and yelling and I finally got him to calm down. I apologized for yelling and overreacting. And then I left him alone and told him he could come downstairs when he wanted to. But clearly he was still mad at me. Ed came home just then and he talked to William some more and then William came downstairs to talk to me.
The thing that bums me out, though, was that when he came downstairs, he didn't feel bad that he had bitten me. My reaction had made the situation all about me, and not about his behavior. I completely messed up a "teachable moment." Maybe not, maybe he got the message. And hopefully I can use the experience to work on staying calm and not overreacting when trying to discipline the kids.
After days like yesterday, it's easy to think that I'm not cut out to be a stay-at-home mom. I'd go crazy if I had to stay home all day, every day. I'd be a terrible mother. I'm a much better mother when I work. My mother-in-law asked me the question--has it been nice staying home with the boys? Or are you ready to go back to work? And it annoyed the crap out of me. Yes--it's been very nice to have a lot of time with the boys, but it's also been hard and unpleasant at times. It's not our normal, and that's never easy for anyone. It's fun for a while, but you can't compare a week off of work and school to what it would be like to be a stay-at-home mom. I love my job--my career--and I like earning money and having benefits and having financial security and I love that my kids go to school every day and have a curriculum and are taught by trained professionals who are as loving and dedicated as they could possibly be. And I actually don't feel guilty about working full time. I don't feel like I'm missing out on moments with my kids.
But I also know that if I stayed home, I'd love it, too. We'd have a normal--a routine filled with preschool, play dates, errands, classes. And also with TV, a lot of getting nothing done, and lots and lots of messes. But the point is, one choice isn't necessarily better than the other. It's just the choice that works better for me and for our family. I wish that my employer offered more flexibility, of course, and maybe one day it will. And I know that everyone reading this completely agrees. I am not envious of stay-at-home moms. But I admire their ability to handle their "normal." And I'm sure my "normal" seems challenging for stay-at-home moms. But that's why we're all where we are. And it's so awesome to have the choice. And if it wasn't/isn't a choice, it's probably what's best for your family. So there should be a lot of pride in making it work.
So here's to "normal," whatever your normal may be. We all make it work. And we also know that life is ever-changing, so today's normal might be nothing like next year's normal, or even next month's normal. This crazy snow storm and all the time off has reaffirmed my choice, but has also given me lots of "free days" at home, and even if I wasn't always at my best, and even if the kids weren't at their best, we made the most of it. And that's what counts.
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Now THAT'S a Blizzard
Holy wind. We got about 10-12 inches of snow overnight and during the day today, but the wind was just crazy! We stayed inside all morning and early afternoon, and I exhausted my repertoire of indoor activities. We watched TV in the early morning, ate breakfast, played with shaving cream on the kitchen counter (thanks Julie! William loved it, Seth--not so much after he decided to taste the shaving cream), played in the basement, built a fort, played Candyland Castle game, played Zingo, played with Colorforms, and made a carpet ramp on the sofa and raced every.single.one. of our cars and trucks down it.
Finally, this afternoon, the wind seemed to die down a bit, so we ventured outside to start shoveling the snow. It wasn't too bad for a little while, but then the wind started picking up a bit. William didn't care. He "helped" me shovel for a while and then worked on climbing the mountains of snow all around us. Fortunately, a skid steer loader was shoveling snow on our street, and my next door neighbor and I got the driver to shovel our empty parking spaces. (Her husband works the morning shift at our local Safeway, so he leaves at around 3:30 in the morning.) That was a major score! I didn't get very far with the car, though, before the wind got so bad that I had to drag the kids inside. Every time a huge gust of wind would blow in Seth's face, he'd start crying. But the minute I suggested going inside, he'd cry louder. I finally had to drag him kicking and screaming into the house. What a crazy kid.
No pictures of the snow today, but you can visit the Washington Post's photo gallery for some cool pictures. Here's a picture of William right after we came inside. He bundled up under blankets and zoned out in front of the TV. Can't say I blame him!
Both boys were dead asleep by 7:45 tonight. Hopefully we can spend more time outside tomorrow, as long as the wind dies down. I've got a lot more shoveling to do! And Ed will be home tomorrow evening. Needless to say, we have yet another day home tomorrow. Daycare and the Federal Government are closed, although I'm not sure yet if my office is closed. The Senate is going into session in the afternoon, but they might only have essential staff come in. I guess with all things considered, a paid Staycation isn't really a bad thing. Although William did say today, "Mommy, I miss school." Me too, buddy. Me, too.
Finally, this afternoon, the wind seemed to die down a bit, so we ventured outside to start shoveling the snow. It wasn't too bad for a little while, but then the wind started picking up a bit. William didn't care. He "helped" me shovel for a while and then worked on climbing the mountains of snow all around us. Fortunately, a skid steer loader was shoveling snow on our street, and my next door neighbor and I got the driver to shovel our empty parking spaces. (Her husband works the morning shift at our local Safeway, so he leaves at around 3:30 in the morning.) That was a major score! I didn't get very far with the car, though, before the wind got so bad that I had to drag the kids inside. Every time a huge gust of wind would blow in Seth's face, he'd start crying. But the minute I suggested going inside, he'd cry louder. I finally had to drag him kicking and screaming into the house. What a crazy kid.
No pictures of the snow today, but you can visit the Washington Post's photo gallery for some cool pictures. Here's a picture of William right after we came inside. He bundled up under blankets and zoned out in front of the TV. Can't say I blame him!
Tuesday, February 09, 2010
Menu Plan Monday and OMG, More Snow!
We are expecting another 12-18 inches of snow today and into tomorrow. I lucked out last weekend in that Ed was able to come home. But this time, my luck is out. Poor Ed has to stay in a hotel tonight and probably tomorrow night (can you see me rolling my eyes?) which means I'm on my own with the boys and the shoveling and the trying-not-to-go-crazy. Needless to say, William is getting to watch LOTS of videos. We made a Target run this morning and I bought him a Matchbox aircraft carrier with a Blue Angels type fighter jet. That should keep him occupied for at least 30 minutes. Wish us luck!
In the meantime, here's the menu plan for the week (starting from Sunday). I don't have all the details worked out yet, but this will do for now:
Sunday: Beef and Butternut Chili and cornbread
Monday: Fried shrimp (SeaPak brand--really good!), asparagus, dinner rolls
Tuesday: Spinach and cheese tortellini, salad (broccoli for the boys, but I'll try them with salad first), garlic bread
Wednesday: Parmesan chicken, parsnips (never made them from last week), bread (may be pulling out the bread machine)
Thursday: Tilapia (don't know how I'll make them yet), sweet potatoes
Friday: Steak, broccoli, dinner rolls
Saturday: Hopefully, dinner out, since we haven't been out to eat in AGES. I don't care if we just go to Wendy's, as long as it's OUT
In the meantime, here's the menu plan for the week (starting from Sunday). I don't have all the details worked out yet, but this will do for now:
Sunday: Beef and Butternut Chili and cornbread
Monday: Fried shrimp (SeaPak brand--really good!), asparagus, dinner rolls
Tuesday: Spinach and cheese tortellini, salad (broccoli for the boys, but I'll try them with salad first), garlic bread
Wednesday: Parmesan chicken, parsnips (never made them from last week), bread (may be pulling out the bread machine)
Thursday: Tilapia (don't know how I'll make them yet), sweet potatoes
Friday: Steak, broccoli, dinner rolls
Saturday: Hopefully, dinner out, since we haven't been out to eat in AGES. I don't care if we just go to Wendy's, as long as it's OUT
Sunday, February 07, 2010
Snow Days
Tomorrow (Monday) will be another stay-home day. No doubt we'll spend more time in the snow. We were out this morning until about noon. And then back out late this afternoon until dark. Sledding isn't great yet--the snow isn't packed down enough. And someone stole our sled from our back patio. (Maybe I'll spot the culprit sledding tomorrow!) But that's okay. The boys mostly just dig and climb and play anyway. Ed dug out a snow cave, which William especially loved.
We did manage to make chocolate chip cookies today. Well, Seth and I did while William and Ed played outside.
And I finally got the kitchen floor mopped. Ed even managed to get to the grocery store. I'd say it was quite a day!
We did manage to make chocolate chip cookies today. Well, Seth and I did while William and Ed played outside.
Saturday, February 06, 2010
Snowmageddon
The local news stations and the paper LOVE to hype up a good storm. I'm sure it's the same way everywhere, so it will come as no surprise that this winter, they (whoever "they" are) have taken to naming our snow storms. The one right before Christmas was "Snowpocalypse" and this one is now known as "Snowmageddon." A little dramatic, but just a little. At our house, we got about 26 inches of snow. Other parts of our area got 34 inches! The official measurement comes from National Airport, which only got 17.8 inches, but that was probably the lowest total in the area. This is the view from our front door, looking down the steps and to the sidewalk. I don't know if you get the full effect of the cliffs of snow on either side. They're taller than Seth!
We didn't get outside to play until the very end of the day, when the snow finally stopped. Ed was out for hours today, shoveling and digging out the cars. He spent about 2-3 hours this morning, and then another 3-4 this afternoon. The snow was coming down hard for most of the day, and the winds were really blowing, so we kept the boys inside. But when they finally went out, they had a blast. They stayed out until dark, digging in the snow and climbing the snow mountains and "helping" clean off the cars.
My original plan for the day was to bake cookies and banana bread, but neither of those things happened. Instead, I spent a long time this morning going through the storage room unsuccessfully looking for William's snow mittens. (He has fleece ones for now that tend to get soggy pretty fast.) I was going to clean the kitchen really well and mop the floor, but that didn't happen, either. Instead, I let the boys play in our bathtub with the bath crayons that Santa put in their stocking. They had a blast, and played for over an hour. The crayons were great, but what they really loved were the squirt bottles I gave them and the washcloths that they used to wipe off the crayons. They both got soaked, and of course, Seth had to start climbing on the edge and being a daredevil. So it ended with Seth falling and biting his lip. But he was fine.
In the afternoon, Seth took a monster nap--3 hours and 45 minutes--and William watched the Jetsons and played with his toys. I tried to nap, but ended up folding laundry and sorting out clothes that no longer fit the boys. When Seth finally woke up, the snow stopped and we went outside.
After dinner and bath, Ed went to sleep and I did the books/rock-rock routine with Seth. William usually waits in his room and reads books while I put Seth to sleep. But tonight, when I finished with Seth, William wasn't in his room. I found him in our bed, next to Ed, fast asleep. I think I'll leave him there!
We didn't get outside to play until the very end of the day, when the snow finally stopped. Ed was out for hours today, shoveling and digging out the cars. He spent about 2-3 hours this morning, and then another 3-4 this afternoon. The snow was coming down hard for most of the day, and the winds were really blowing, so we kept the boys inside. But when they finally went out, they had a blast. They stayed out until dark, digging in the snow and climbing the snow mountains and "helping" clean off the cars.
My original plan for the day was to bake cookies and banana bread, but neither of those things happened. Instead, I spent a long time this morning going through the storage room unsuccessfully looking for William's snow mittens. (He has fleece ones for now that tend to get soggy pretty fast.) I was going to clean the kitchen really well and mop the floor, but that didn't happen, either. Instead, I let the boys play in our bathtub with the bath crayons that Santa put in their stocking. They had a blast, and played for over an hour. The crayons were great, but what they really loved were the squirt bottles I gave them and the washcloths that they used to wipe off the crayons. They both got soaked, and of course, Seth had to start climbing on the edge and being a daredevil. So it ended with Seth falling and biting his lip. But he was fine.
In the afternoon, Seth took a monster nap--3 hours and 45 minutes--and William watched the Jetsons and played with his toys. I tried to nap, but ended up folding laundry and sorting out clothes that no longer fit the boys. When Seth finally woke up, the snow stopped and we went outside.
After dinner and bath, Ed went to sleep and I did the books/rock-rock routine with Seth. William usually waits in his room and reads books while I put Seth to sleep. But tonight, when I finished with Seth, William wasn't in his room. I found him in our bed, next to Ed, fast asleep. I think I'll leave him there!
Thursday, February 04, 2010
Two Possible Reasons Why Seth Isn't Sleeping Well
Seth was whiny and fussy all morning at daycare both yesterday and today, so I made a doctor's appointment for him this afternoon. The good news is his respiratory infection has cleared up for the most part and he's no longer wheezing. The bad news is he has a double ear infection. Poor guy! So we went to CVS and got Amoxicillin and children's Tylenol (I think Tylenol works better for Seth than Motrin), and hopefully over the next two or three days, he'll start feeling much better.
He couldn't have been cuter in the doctor's office, though. He was talking up a storm and being super cooperative. It was one of those, "Gee, he doesn't seem sick to me" kind of moments. But the ears don't lie.
In other news, we're hunkering down for the huge snowstorm that is supposed to hit tomorrow and into Saturday. Our office and the daycare currently plan to open on time in the morning, though, so we'll be heading in. The snow is supposed to start falling mid-morning, so I expect that they'll close early. And then everyone will have to make their way home. I guess it will be an adventure if nothing else. Ed will have to stay at work all day because he is working the late shift, and someone has to be there as long as the market is open. So there's a chance he won't make it home and will have to stay in a hotel over the weekend, right by his office. That will totally and completely suck. Who's going to shovel the sidewalk?
He couldn't have been cuter in the doctor's office, though. He was talking up a storm and being super cooperative. It was one of those, "Gee, he doesn't seem sick to me" kind of moments. But the ears don't lie.
In other news, we're hunkering down for the huge snowstorm that is supposed to hit tomorrow and into Saturday. Our office and the daycare currently plan to open on time in the morning, though, so we'll be heading in. The snow is supposed to start falling mid-morning, so I expect that they'll close early. And then everyone will have to make their way home. I guess it will be an adventure if nothing else. Ed will have to stay at work all day because he is working the late shift, and someone has to be there as long as the market is open. So there's a chance he won't make it home and will have to stay in a hotel over the weekend, right by his office. That will totally and completely suck. Who's going to shovel the sidewalk?
Wednesday, February 03, 2010
Am I Doomed?
When William was a baby and would.not.sleep, I agonized over what I was doing wrong, what I should be doing, whether or not it was just his personality or if something might be wrong. I kept asking, "How do you know?" How can you follow an instinct that isn't giving you any clear direction?
Although I definitely feel more confident this second time around, I have to admit that I am still often plagued with doubts about my instincts and my decisions. Seth is having a rough time right now. And I just don't know what's going on with him. Is he sick? Ear infection? Teething? Is he just stubborn? A light sleeper? Is he hungry? Over tired? Getting enough sleep? He has been waking up 2, 3, sometimes 4 times a night for weeks now. He wants milk. He wants me to "rock-rock." Sometimes I can rock him for a minute or two and he goes right back to sleep in his crib. Other times, he cries and cries if I try to put him down. And he takes forever to get drowsy enough to go back to sleep in his crib.
I've tried bringing him in our bed a few times, but none of us get much sleep when I do that. It's better to stay in the glider in his room. I haven't tried full-on CIO, for so many reasons (mostly just justifications for the fact that I'm a softie)--I don't want William to wake up, Seth has been sick, he's teething, he falls asleep fine without me so it must mean that he needs something, he didn't eat dinner so he's probably hungry, etc. etc. etc. Then I read that ages 17 mos. to 21 mos. is a bad time to do CIO because of some kind of emotional developmental stage. Blah blah blah. My instinct as a mom says don't let them CIO, but am I dooming my kids to a lifetime of poor sleeping habits? Is this why they only sleep 9-10 hours a night? Is this why they often wake during the night?
In my defense, William, for the most part, sleeps through the night now. That started when he was about 3 years old. But his "night "is from about 8:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m. Then he wakes up and comes into our room and gets in bed with us. On weekends, he can fall back asleep and sleep until 7:00 sometimes. But weekdays, he often never falls back asleep fully before it's time for us to get up and get going. He rarely sleeps in his bed until 6:00 a.m .or later. I've tried the alarm clock thing where he can't leave his bed until the music plays blah-blah-blah. But that doesn't stop him. As a baby, he NEVER woke up and played in his crib quietly for a while. Seth is the same way. When they wake up, they want out immediately. Seth cries to get out of his crib. William comes into our room.
Soooo, all of this is to say that despite my "experience," I'm still at a loss when it comes to some parenting stuff. For the most part, Seth is fine--cute, funny, talking more every day and using more and more words and phrases. But he is stubborn and loud and insistent and pitches a fit every time I say no to him or I don't let him do something he wants to do. He doesn't fall for redirecting, he doesn't care about other things that he can do. He wants what he wants when he wants it. And it seems like he has been showing more of this negative behavior lately, which makes me wonder, is it his personality? The half-syndrome rearing it's ugly head? (Where 1.5, 2.5, 3.5 are tough times, as opposed to 1, 2, and 3) Or is he sick and tired and his behavior reflects those conditions? Don't get me wrong--he is so freakin' adorable that I can't stand it sometimes. He's bright and funny and affectionate and sweet. But he's also a royal PITA.
For those of you with headstrong kids, don't laugh at me. (I'm hearing Nelson from the Simpsons say, "Ha ha!") My instinct is telling me I have a "spirited" child on my hands, and I'm going to have to figure out how to deal with it. I'm not very headstrong myself, so it takes a lot for me to stand up to him, if that makes any sense. It's funny how Ed's personality is geared more for handling a kid like Seth, and mine is much more in line with a personality like William. In a way that's good. But it's hard to make those adjustments. In the meantime, I'll keep hoping it's just temporary, and once his teeth come in and he stops getting sick all the time, everything will be fine! And if I ever get a full night's sleep (I'd settle for 6 straight hours at this point), you'll be the first to know!
Although I definitely feel more confident this second time around, I have to admit that I am still often plagued with doubts about my instincts and my decisions. Seth is having a rough time right now. And I just don't know what's going on with him. Is he sick? Ear infection? Teething? Is he just stubborn? A light sleeper? Is he hungry? Over tired? Getting enough sleep? He has been waking up 2, 3, sometimes 4 times a night for weeks now. He wants milk. He wants me to "rock-rock." Sometimes I can rock him for a minute or two and he goes right back to sleep in his crib. Other times, he cries and cries if I try to put him down. And he takes forever to get drowsy enough to go back to sleep in his crib.
I've tried bringing him in our bed a few times, but none of us get much sleep when I do that. It's better to stay in the glider in his room. I haven't tried full-on CIO, for so many reasons (mostly just justifications for the fact that I'm a softie)--I don't want William to wake up, Seth has been sick, he's teething, he falls asleep fine without me so it must mean that he needs something, he didn't eat dinner so he's probably hungry, etc. etc. etc. Then I read that ages 17 mos. to 21 mos. is a bad time to do CIO because of some kind of emotional developmental stage. Blah blah blah. My instinct as a mom says don't let them CIO, but am I dooming my kids to a lifetime of poor sleeping habits? Is this why they only sleep 9-10 hours a night? Is this why they often wake during the night?
In my defense, William, for the most part, sleeps through the night now. That started when he was about 3 years old. But his "night "is from about 8:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m. Then he wakes up and comes into our room and gets in bed with us. On weekends, he can fall back asleep and sleep until 7:00 sometimes. But weekdays, he often never falls back asleep fully before it's time for us to get up and get going. He rarely sleeps in his bed until 6:00 a.m .or later. I've tried the alarm clock thing where he can't leave his bed until the music plays blah-blah-blah. But that doesn't stop him. As a baby, he NEVER woke up and played in his crib quietly for a while. Seth is the same way. When they wake up, they want out immediately. Seth cries to get out of his crib. William comes into our room.
Soooo, all of this is to say that despite my "experience," I'm still at a loss when it comes to some parenting stuff. For the most part, Seth is fine--cute, funny, talking more every day and using more and more words and phrases. But he is stubborn and loud and insistent and pitches a fit every time I say no to him or I don't let him do something he wants to do. He doesn't fall for redirecting, he doesn't care about other things that he can do. He wants what he wants when he wants it. And it seems like he has been showing more of this negative behavior lately, which makes me wonder, is it his personality? The half-syndrome rearing it's ugly head? (Where 1.5, 2.5, 3.5 are tough times, as opposed to 1, 2, and 3) Or is he sick and tired and his behavior reflects those conditions? Don't get me wrong--he is so freakin' adorable that I can't stand it sometimes. He's bright and funny and affectionate and sweet. But he's also a royal PITA.
For those of you with headstrong kids, don't laugh at me. (I'm hearing Nelson from the Simpsons say, "Ha ha!") My instinct is telling me I have a "spirited" child on my hands, and I'm going to have to figure out how to deal with it. I'm not very headstrong myself, so it takes a lot for me to stand up to him, if that makes any sense. It's funny how Ed's personality is geared more for handling a kid like Seth, and mine is much more in line with a personality like William. In a way that's good. But it's hard to make those adjustments. In the meantime, I'll keep hoping it's just temporary, and once his teeth come in and he stops getting sick all the time, everything will be fine! And if I ever get a full night's sleep (I'd settle for 6 straight hours at this point), you'll be the first to know!
Monday, February 01, 2010
Menu Plan Monday -- February 1
Sunday: Tilapia and lemon sauce, broccoli, dinner rolls
Monday: Leftover steak, wagon wheel pasta, asparagus (maybe mac-n-cheese for the boys)
Tuesday: Cider-brined pork chops with sauteed apples, green beans, biscuits (I plan on making the pork chops a little thin so they'll cook faster. I'll prepare the marinade tonight, and then put them in the marinade on Tuesday morning before we leave. I'd also like to try to make freezer biscuits tonight, too, if I can get my act together and I'm not too tired after the boys go to bed.)
Wednesday: Salisbury steaks, broccoli/salad, rice (The plan is to make the steaks on Tuesday night so they'll be ready to go on Wednesday after work. I also don't have mushrooms or cognac, so I'll try to make the gravy without the mushrooms, and with beef broth instead.)
Thursday: Pork fajitas (hopefully William will eat plain pork, a tortilla, and I'll make corn for him)
Friday: Lemon mustard chicken tenders, green beans/salad, roasted parsnips (I joined a local produce delivery service--woo-hoo!--and one of this week's offerings is parsnips. I've never tried them, so we'll see how this turns out.)
Saturday: Ed and I are supposed to go out for dinner, so the boys might have something easy, like mac-n-cheese or pasta. There might be more heavy snow, though, so we'll have to play it by ear!
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