POST CATEGORY : Parenting

Sister See, Sister Do

Seeing that I am an only child, my view on siblings is pretty much limited to what I saw on “Growing Pains” and all those other 80’s shows that I absolutely loved to watch growing up. Now, as the mother of two little girls, I get a front row seat of siblinghood, 24/7…unfiltered. Sometimes it’s funny, sometimes it’s ugly, sometimes it’s annoying, but it’s always a case of “sister see, sister do.”

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not comparing my kids to monkeys with that analogy…okay, well, maybe sometimes. But, it really is amazing to see how much my younger daughter imitates her older sister. If big sis is done with her breakfast, so is little sis, even if she still has more than half a bowl of cereal left. If big sis grabs a Barbie to play with, little sis drops whatever she has and grabs a Barbie too. Even when big sis goes poop, little sis follows and keeps her company. Awww…how sweet! No, honestly, it’s just gross. Who wants to sit with someone while they poop? Anyone? That’s what I thought, but, I digress.

It’s also funny to see how my younger daughter reacts when her sister has a friend over to play. I can tell you that someone turns a little green with envy. While she plays along at times, she will also take toys from her sister’s playmate and point to her sister and say “mine”. It’s kinda cute, I guess!

While all the cutesy pooh stuff is great times two, the bad behavior is not. I also get a double scoop of couch jumping, ottoman standing, and goldfish crunching on my rug…just to name a few of the Olympic events that go on in my house.This stuff “times two” sucks twice as much in case you were wondering.

Since I never had a sibling I have no idea what the future holds as these girls get older. I can imagine there are going to be plenty of cat fights and plenty of slammed doors. I’m sure there will be plenty of “growing pains” too as our little games of “sister see, sister do” mature with age. I just hope they will remain “besties” and realize how lucky they are to have each other.

Put Down the Phone

Okay, so I am the first person to admit I love my phone. I love checking Facebook and Twitter a few times a day as well as my email. I love to text and google random stuff that comes to my head. Do I do it in front of my kids? Yes, although I try to keep it to a minimum. But, do I do it during story time with my kids or while I’m supposed to be watching them do an activity? No.

As a I grab my step stool to get up on my soap box for a few minutes I would like to thank the parents who inspired this blog post. Thank you to the moms who text and do whatever else on their phones at the library instead of watching their kids during story time. A big shout out to the moms who are sharing photos with each other during story time at Barnes & Noble. Sometimes they get  so chatty I can’t even pay attention to the story. I can just imagine how the kids do it. I don’t want to forget the parents at the beach who are too busy talking on their phones to realize their kids are going a little too close to the water’s edge.

Okay, so now that I’m comfy on my soap box I can tell you why all this stuff bothers me. I know I shouldn’t care, but I feel bad for the kids who are being ignored at the hands of technology. When I was growing up (oh God, I sound like my mom!) I didn’t have to compete with a phone for my parents’ attention. I feel like our kids have to do that sometimes. That makes me sad. Kids get excited over the littlest things. Every letter they learn and every leaf they pick up off the ground is a BIG deal. It’s too bad so many parents are so buried in their phones to even notice.

Don’t get me wrong, there are times when I catch myself doing the same thing. Then I tell myself to put the phone away and just focus on my kids and the “now”. The “later” will be for the phone and all that other junk that takes up too much time already.

Okay, so I think you all get my point here. I wish they had an app to teach some parents how to pay closer attention to their kids! For the time being, let’s just put down the phone peeps…at least for our kids’!

I Love Mommy!

Okay, so there are a few first words and phrases that can get a parent a little misty. “I love (fill in the blank of said parent) is one of them. Last week, my little one said “I love Mommy” for the first time. It would have been fantastic on any given day, but she decided to say it on a day that really sucked for me. I didn’t expect her to say it then because I’ve been trying to get her to say “I love you” for weeks now and get “I…u”. Love just seems to be a hard word for little kids to get out. But, at that particular moment she managed to get it out. She’s only said it one more time since then, but I don’t care. She said it and that’s all that counts.

I’m sharing this not only because it was great, but because I think it’s funny how kids know what you need at just the right time without knowing it. Does that make any sense? See, I was a good mommy all day long on the day I got my first “I love Mommy”, but was highly aggravated under the surface and tried not to let it show. It was just a domino effect of crappy things that made me want to drink a bottle of wine at the end of the day, although I didn’t. So, hearing those three little words really meant the world to me that day. I clapped and cried, of course. My daughter knew she did something good that night because we were all excited, but she still has no idea just how much it meant.

I think kids have a sixth sense on these type of things because it’s not the first time this has happened. There’s been other times when my older daughter has said or done something just when I needed it. Of course she didn’t know it at the time. That’s what  made it all the more special. We always hear about a mother’s intuition, but I truly think kids have it too. I can’t wait to see what they come up with next!

Potty Pride

As a mom, so many little things are big things. First steps, first words, and of course, first pee pee in the potty. But, it’s also hard to be there for each and every milestone because kids always tend to do things when we are not around. It’s just the way it is. With my first daughter, I caught the first step (at least as far as I know). I think I was around for the first word…of course it was “Daddy”. But, I remember missing the first potty encounter.

She did it at mother-in-law’s house. I remember my husband calling me at work and telling me. I also remember being upset that I missed it. Imagine, being upset over pee in a potty! Just paint a big “L” on my forehead. These are the things that happen when you become a mother, I guess. I actually got a little misty as I told a co-worker. He giggled a little, but said he understood. I felt so horrible that I missed a milestone! She could care less, I’m sure. But, to me it was a big deal.

Fast forward a couple of years…I’m making eggs in the kitchen, the girls are playing in the living room. My little one strips down to her birthday suit…her sister makes sure I know about it. She runs around naked. I’m trying to finish cooking the damn eggs so I can put a diaper on her. The eggs are done. She’s standing in the hallway…naked.

“Let’s get a diaper on you,” I say. “Pee, pee,” she says. I immediately look down at the floor, assuming I now have a puddle to clean up. Nope, dry floor. “Pee, pee!” she tells me again. So, I carry her and put her on the potty. I figure it’s worth a try. Trickle, Trickle…score! We have our first pee pee in the potty! I clapped for her and made a big deal like we just hit the lotto. She was happy too, clapping and smiling on the toilet. Her older sister came in and was clapping for her too. I was there for this one. Score one for mom!

Like I said, this may sound silly to some, but I was so happy I was around for this milestone. As a stay-at-home/work-at-home mom, you sometimes only have a bag of dirty diapers and a perfectly colored picture of Elmo to show at the end of the day. You often ask yourself what you did all day. The house is still a mess, the same amount of money is in the bank. You feel like you have nothing to show for the day, although deep down you know you did a hell of a lot. So, days like this when I can be around to catch a milestone, mean a lot. I’ll take this one to the memory bank.

Father’s Day Dilemma

So, Father’s Day is just a couple of days away and I have yet to buy anything for my husband (sorry honey!). Don’t get me wrong, I have asked him if there’s anything in particular he may want. He said nothing. But, I’m not sure if it’s a “nothing” nothing or a “nothing” something if you know what I mean. I usually say nothing and mean it, but always get something anyway. I don’t want Sunday to roll around and have him look for something that isn’t around. Ugh. Sigh.

What do you buy Dad for Father’s Day? All the ads tell me Dad wants some new tools, a tie, and some cologne. Those are such snoozer gifts and so predictable. I usually like to think out of the box, but I just can’t come up with anything really good this year. It’s so annoying. Ugh. Sigh.

We don’t even know what we’re doing that day. I asked if he wanted to go anywhere special or have me make anything special. He said he wants to play it by ear. Hmmm. That doesn’t leave me much to go on. Ugh. Sigh.

I know some guys who actually take Father’s Day to go golfing or fishing…alone. Doesn’t that defeat the purpose of Father’s Day? You wouldn’t get to celebrate the day if you didn’t have a kid, so shouldn’t you at least spend it with the family? Maybe it’s just me. Although, I know my husband is probably going to ask the kids to let him just relax. Too bad the chances of that happening are about as likely as us winning the lottery. Ugh. Sigh.

Seeing that we are just a few days out, I think I may just see where the wind takes us.
Although I haven’t bought anything yet and don’t have any dinner reservations, I know that whatever we do will end up being perfect. He already has the three best ladies in the world, right? That’s gotta be better than some ugly tie or power drill, right? I’ve gotta think so. To all the Dads out there, Happy Father’s Day! To all the ladies out there, what are you doing? Maybe I can piggyback an idea from you!

Oh, How Times Change!

Let’s rewind five years, pre-pregnancies and pre-kids, shall we? A Friday night used to consist of a night out…maybe a movie with the hubs, or if we were lucky some drinks and apps with friends. If we were really feeling crazy, a little trip to “da club” and some dancing.

Let’s fast forward five years, post-pregnancies and current kids, shall we? A Friday night consists of watching some cartoons, usually some Caillou and Pajanimals, followed by some playing, and then putting the kiddos to bed. Once that’s all said and done, it’s time to get crazy. Are you ready? Oh yeah, time to clean a bathroom that I haven’t had time to clean in awhile. Don’t feel sorry for me because the smell of bleach and Lysol wipes is actually refreshing. I’ll admit I actually enjoy cleaning. Plus, it was on this week’s “to-do” list and there’s only one more day to get it done before the week is up.

Once everything is scrubbed and swiffered, it’s time to really have some fun. I know, cleaning the bathroom should have been fun enough. But now, I can relax, turn on my DVR and catch up on my 14 episodes of “Young & the Restless” while I sit here and write (something else on my “to-do” list). Through a few Oreos and a glass of milk into the mix and I am one happy momma.

Okay, before you paint a big “L” on my forehead, I’m actually okay with all of this. If you told me way back when that this would actually make me happy, I would have told you to go smoke another one. But, times change, and people change with them, myself included.

Trust me, I still love to go out and hang out with the hubs or some friends, but sometimes (okay most of the time), I’m cool with staying in and doing things I need to do and really can’t do while taking care of the kids all day long. When I don’t get to do exciting things like clean, just sitting on the couch and hanging with the hubs is pure bliss. Just having quiet time, not filling sippy cups and cleaning poop, is refreshing. Now, time to cross another episode off the DVR…perhaps I can get down to 13!

The Write Stuff

As a parent, we all have a few things…okay maybe tons of things we like to brag about when it comes to our kids. I’ll admit, I’m no different. These days, I’ve really been trying to get my 3 1/2 year old to write letters and spell stuff. Why? Well, it’s pretty obvious. I want her to be smart, enough said.
Sure she’s in preschool, but they haven’t done too much yet when it comes down to writing. So, that’s where I step in.

You would think getting someone to write a letter or two would be pretty easy. Well, I’m here to tell you it’s not. So, when it happens, it’s kinda like hitting the lotto.

I decided to start with the letters in my daughter’s name because it’s obviously important to be able to write your own name. It took a few days and countless tries, but we eventually got our “M”. When we did, I was almost as happy as when I gave birth. I’ll admit I even got a little misty. So, what did I do? Took a picture of our “M” masterpiece and posted it on Facebook, of course. It really was an accomplishment because before we started, she really had no idea what she was doing. I was so proud of her once she got it! What was even better was that she was just as proud of herself too.

Let me tell you, it didn’t stop there. We’ve now mastered the “A”, “I”, “O”, and “T”, and sometimes “Y”. While we haven’t been able to spell her entire name, she is making progress, and that’s all that matters. We’ve inserted our letter practice into our routine almost on a daily basis. In the beginning it was kinda like a chore, but now my daughter actually looks forward to it. Go figure!

In the words of New Kids on the Block, my daughter definetly has the “write” stuff. I can’t wait until the day she can actually write out her entire name. Don’t worry, you’ll definitely hear about here!

Late to Bed, Early to Rise…Ugh!

I know, I know, I talk a lot about sleep on here. But, if you’re a parent, you know that besides food and poop, sleep is right up there when it comes to popular kids’ topics. Sleep is also one of the many things you sacrifice when you join the parenting clique…that along with not getting to pee and get dressed by yourself.

Using any form of logic, it would make sense that if you went to bed later than usual, you would get up later. Right? I mean, I know that’s what used to happen to me before I got my 5, and 7 a.m. wake-up calls. But, when it comes to kids, you can throw logic out the window. Don’t try to think you’ve got them and their quirky ways figured out because they’ll just throw you curve ball after curve ball, especially when dealing with sleeping patterns.

We had some special occasions lately which meant the girls went to bed later than normal. I thought, oh thank you sweet baby Jesus! They will sleep later and if I get up a little earlier, I’ll have some silent “me” time along with my cup of Joe. Honestly, that was just downright dumb. Shame on me. They actually got up about an hour or so earlier and woke me up from my Adam Levine and Jon Bon Jovi dream. Both hotties were asking me out for a date. Just as I was about to choose, I hear “Mom, Mom…Momeeee!”. Adam? Jon? Then I hear another “Mommy”. No, neither dude because the slight scream was followed by the dash of little feet. As I opened my eyes, still waiting to hear who I picked for a date, I saw my little three-year-old angel. I could still here her little sister waiting for her one way ticket out of the crib! No date for me. I still wonder who was going to ask me out, but I digress.

Now, back to reality where once again, logic would have you assume the kids would wake up cranky and overtired. Well, you know what happens when you assume. These chicks had more energy then someone on a Red Bull I-V. I. Just. Don’t Get. It.

So, what have we learned here? There is no logic when dealing with kids. Some kids don’t need extra sleep (lucky me). Oh, and yeah, I guess it is all worth it because I know they will be teenagers one day sooner than I would like and I’ll be dragging their butts out of bed with plenty of attitude thrown at me. So, sweet dreams!

Sleep Training Bootcamp: The Sequel

When it comes to movies, the sequels are never usually ever as good as the originals. In my case, that’s not true. In my house “Sleep Training Bootcamp, Part II” well surpasses part one. If you follow my posts, you remember back in October when I talked about trying to get my youngest daughter to sleep through the night. At that point she was just one year old and had pretty much woke up at least two to three times every night of her little life. To avoid waking up her big sister, my husband or I (really, mostly me) would go in her room to try to get the little beast, I mean angel, to go back to sleep. That meant mommy was one cranky beast herself.

Of course the pediatrician advised to let her cry it out. I unwillingly went along with the plan. I felt like such a bad mommy not coming to her rescue. To my surprise it worked…for awhile. I really thought we were on the road to sweet dreams. But really, it was just a tease. Her shenanigans started up again pretty quickly due to a monster called Hurricane Sandy. That female dog ruined any little pattern I tried to get off the ground. We lost power for a few days and had to stay elsewhere. Try getting a kid to adapt to a routine in an unfamiliar place! Once we were back home, she got a cold. What kind of monster mom would I be if I let her howl while she was sick? So, I did what any pushover mom would do, I started picking her up again…and again…and again…for the next three months.

Now, we’re at her fifteen month check-up and I’m at my wits end. Once again, I had the same talk with the pediatrician. She pretty much told me I was screwed if I didn’t let her cry it out. So I did. The first couple of nights she did just that…cry it out…for more than one hour. But then, something magical happened, she laid back down and went back to sleep…on her own. The next night, same thing, but the symphony lasted a mere 45 minutes. Holy mother of Pampers I think we’re on to something! Fast forward a few more nights and her greatest hits were down to about ten minutes. I could almost predict the pattern..same time, same place, same routine, but better. She actually falls asleep on her own now consistently without me having to get up!

Granted, there are still those nights when I do need to get up because she’s woken up her sister, or the whole neighborhood (just kidding), but for the most part this is working so much better the second time around. No more waking up three or four times a night! Thank goodness because the bags under my eyes were getting too heavy! Sweet dreams, night night:)

A $24,000 Playhouse for Suri…What?

   I was driving the other day when I heard on the radio that Katie Holmes was buying her daughter, Suri Cruise, a $24,000 playhouse for Christmas. I thought I was hearing things, so I had to come home and google it. Well, not only did I hear correctly, but I found out this “Suri dreamhouse” is equipped with running water, electricity, a sun room and eat-in kitchen. Not only is she getting this ridiculous house, but she is also getting a kids’ version of a Mercedes that is worth nearly 10 large, as well as an iPad mini and a Chloe fur coat.

   After my eyes went back into my head, I had a WTF moment. With all that is going on in the world today, this really irked me (so, of course, I had to write about it). There are still Hurricane Sandy victims waiting to get running water and electricity. Heck, there so many homeless who would love to live in Suri’s new play gigs. There are twenty children in Newtown, CT, just around her age who will not have a Christmas because they went to school one day and never came home. Their classmates who survived the mass shooting are surely going to be scarred for life. I’m sure a $24,000 playhouse is so far off their radar right now. I’m sure some of them will just settle for a good night’s sleep without any bad dreams.

   I know Suri is not the only celeb kid that will be spoiled this Christmas, but since this is the only one I’ve heard about, I’m picking on her. Sorry, Suri. Maybe it’s me, but I don’t think all this stuff is necessary for a six-year-old girl. Come on, does she really need this? No. Does she want all this? Who knows. But, when you lay out this spread for this Christmas, how do you follow up next year? A Barbie penthouse, complete with a life size robot Barbie? I just don’t know.

   I’m getting off my soapbox now, but I’m still fired up. When I hear things like this, my mind is boggled and I actually get kind of sad to think that kids need to be spoiled this way. This Christmas my kids are obviously not getting any houses they could actually rent to their friends, nor are they getting a better play car than my real car. I’m okay with that. They’ll be happy with what they get. They’ll be happy they have me. I’ll be happy I have them. These days, that’s all that matters.