A Mommy Moment to Forget

Just in case someone out there thinks life as a mom is all rosey. Not so. Typical morning this morning. Trying to get out the door for school. Invariably, while I am trying to streamline kids to the car, they decide to do something like grab a toy, grab a granola bar, want to go back for a Gameboy game, etc.

This morning. JM has a little skateboard. We have these little toys all over the house. If we need one because a fight has begun over one, I am not joking, I look down a heating vent, and find three. It is maddening!

JM has the skateboard. BH wants it. BH snatches it. BH learned to snatch from his big brother (pet peeve). JM is upset. I tell JM to go find another one. He can't (pet peeve). I tell him too bad. He then goes and finds one. I also make BH give back the snatched one. He flies into a two year old screaming fit.

So, he is getting loaded into the car screaming in my ear, JM is somewhere finding skateboard whatevers. He comes to the van with no toys. Fine, just get in.

THEN!! He drops the skateboard toy on the floor of the van and moves onto the next whatever.

Mommy buttons are now pushed. If he didn't want to play with it, then why did he not just give the silly thing to his brother! No, instead, he had to win the argument. He had to win the silly toy just so he could discard it. And while this is going, BH is still screaming because he couldn't keep the toy he snatched, which is now on the floor of the van. The nonsensical-ness of absolutely maddening! On so many layers.

I won't tell you what happened next.

Registering for everything!

As summer quickly approaches, I feel like I am registering my kids for everything. My hubbie brought me two registration forms recently.

Here is the list:

BH's preschool for next fall, done.
JM's skate church.
JM's Bible camp this summer, done.
JM's day camp this summer, not done.
JM's Connections Academy school for the fall, not done.
BH's swimming lessons this summer, not done.
JM's free basketball camp this summer, done.

Yes, it seems like JM will be busy this summer. So as we begin the process of homeschooling, I think we can all agree, he won't be a hermit at home with mom.

I need to get smart. All of these ask for doctor's information, insurance information, shot information. And every time, I just go dig it all out. I need to photocopy one of them. Then I have it on one sheet.

Am I the only one who gets sucked into this kind of thinking.....When summer comes, and school is out, we'll have some free time. When summer is over and school starts, we'll have some free time.

I am not feeling it this year. I am feeling my free time just getting squeezed out of me!

It's Skate Church today...

Today is Wednesday, so we can expect my seven year old to be on his best behavior. If he isn't, he doesn't get to go tonight.

Our two year wants to go so bad. Here is how that conversation goes:

BH: Momma, I wanna go to skate chursh (trying to get his enunciation in here).
Me: You can when you are older.
BH: I get to go when I odor?
Me: Yes.
BH: Hey! I going to skate chursh when I odor!

Ten minutes later....

BH: Momma! I odor now!

Walking Down Memory Lane

Seriously, I love looking at pictures of my kids. I was talking to some friends today who were reminiscing about BH's hair when he was a baby. Some people couldn't remember. Deep inside, I thought, how could you forget? So I pulled some pictures out, and thought I'd share some with you.

This one has a thing that is easy to miss. Check out the string of drool between BH's chin and mine. It was hilarious.
This is BH on the Fourth of July 2005. Those are my dad's hands. He was so little. We had only had him a couple of days at this point. Look at that head of hair! He was born with a full head of hair. When you cuddled with him and smelled his head, it wasn't sweet baby smell, it was hair.
This is spring of 2006, and we did cornrows a lot.
This is probably one of the last pictures I took of him before the big buzz. He was almost a year old here. Love the cute half smile!
Here is the winter of 2005. Cornrows and sweet potatoes.

Why did we keep his hair so long that first year? It's an African American tradition, or even advice. The advice is that if you cut their hair in the first year, you are asking for a lifetime of ingrown hairs because of how curly their hair is. We followed that advice. As you can see, it was an adventurous year. I paid someone to teach me how cornrow hair. I also paid her to cornrow BH's hair. This little white bred woman can cornrow hair, and I am quite proud of that.

Anyway, memory lane......I hope you enjoyed it.

When I Was a Kid....

I was the stitches kid. I went to the ER on three or four separate occasions for stitches. I can remember one incident in the 8th grade where I should have definitely had stitches but didn't, and the scar to prove it. Why do I bring this up?

We almost had our first ER visit tonight. It would have definitely been stitches if not a concussion. For those of us in our area, spring sprung today and it's shorts weather. We ate outside on the front porch, it's so nice.

My kids and their wheeled toys. My two year old who must keep up with his big brother. And my strict requirement--you must wear a helmet if you are on wheels. Period. That is the only reason we aren't in the ER right now.

My husband and I both saw it happen right before our eyes. I hope I can describe this well. Two year coming screaming down the sidewalk. We have an ever so slight incline on our street. If a kid gets some momentum going, it's pretty fun. He was doing it. The picture below is him doing it a few weeks ago.



So from the picture above of the sidewalk, he came from the left to the right. His foot hit the red car. And he compensated a bit, which knocked him down. His helmet hit those bricks. He rolled to our right and screamed loudly. If he didn't have that helmet on, I am sure he would have had a nice gash, maybe knocked unconscious, for sure getting stitches, and possibly a concussion. He hit hard.

I am a big believer in helmets. I know I came out of childhood fairly unscathed injury wise, but really, many of the times I got stitches, if I had a helmet, I wouldn't have had stitches. Keep in mind, helmets were not even made for kids when I was a kid.

Anyway, BH will have a little shiner. The care we had to administer was hugs, kisses and an ice pack.

Sk8 Church

My kids have always liked to skateboard. JM had his first skateboard at age four. I don't discourage it. It's something he can do without having to sign up and go to a practice three times a week. When the kids want to do it, they just go whizzing up and down our street whenever they want.

As JM has gotten older this last year, I can see he is really starting to work on doing the tricks he sees others doing. He is interested in meeting people who are skateboard dudes. That began to worry me just a bit. He's only seven, and that can be a little bit of a seedy world.

No more! I have known about this ministry since forever, but didn't know they had a Pee Wee session. It's every Wednesday night from 6:30-8:30 pm. Bring your helmet, board, scooter, heelies, whatever on wheels. Parents need to come and sign the consent form in front of staff (no rogue skaters out there forging forms!) the first time. Click here for their website. They have the forms there, so if you want to print them, fill everything else in, then come and sign them in front of staff, that is the fastest way to do it. After that, they issue an ID card for everyone. Why? That is the world of liability we live in. As a parent, I feel pretty good they are keeping track of who is coming and going, making sure parents are consenting to kids being there, and also medical consent forms. They are not just a bunch of skater dudes skating with their friends.

Skate Church has been around our area since I have moved here. I was a student at the Bible college right next door to Skate Church. My husband now teaches at that college. We have always been on the periphery of this church, and heard of the cool things that are happening there. Many of my classmates when I was a student did Skate Church for their ministry, and I just kind of blew it off. Well, after watching the video they have on their website, hearing the statistics on the popularity of skateboarding, the kids who are coming to know Jesus Christ as their Savior, etc. I am going to say it first--I blew it off and I shouldn't have. God is working in Skate Church, and I am impressed. I should have been impressed 10+ years ago. Please take a moment to watch the video on their website.

A student who had seen our JM skating around campus told my hubbie about the Pee Wee (under fifth grade) session on Wednesday nights. JM is hooked. It's an hour of boarding, a Bible study, and then more boarding. What did JM talk about the most when he came home the first night? Bible study. Very cool! Plus, he gets to hear Bible study from the cool dudes he looks up to so much, and I trust them inherently.

These are students at the college doing Skate Church for their student ministry. They are not just strangers off the street who are hanging out. This ministry is directed to that underworld of skaters who just kind of are on the periphery of organized churches. I am so amazed at what God is doing through this little ministry. This is an organized ministry with definite goals and plans.

I am just so pleased that JM has a place where he can do skateboarding, learn those stunts he's been dying to learn, and yet not have to worry about influences. I am so glad he is also seeing the need to talk to others about Christ, bring his friends to Skate Church, etc.

Blast From the Past....Lookie What I Found!

Old pictures! This is JM when he was about one or so. He's wearing shorts, so he must be like 15-18 months old. He's trying on my shoes. What is so funny, when we showed this to BH this morning the conversation went like this:

Dad: BH, who is that?
BH: That is me.
Dad: No, that is JM.
BH: No, that is me.
Dad: No, that is JM.
BH: No, that is me.
Dad: No, that is JM.
BH: No, that is me.

You get the point.

Who are those young people? Hubbie and I about choked when he found this. We showed it to the kids, here is how that went with JM:

Dad: JM, who is that?
JM: That is you and Mom.
Dad: That was a long time ago (specifically 1991 for our readers out there).
JM: Daddy, that was before you had a mustache on your chin.

Parenting Upstream

Easter morning. More plastic filled eggs than in a third world country. Some of the eggs were filled with egg shaped candy that normally are jelly beans. For some reason, some were gum. I perked up and said we need to grab those from the two year old, he's not ready for gum.

The consensus? "Oh! He's chewed gum before." "We'll watch him." "Don't worry!" That little voice inside.......

I am watching the two year old chew, and he's chewing....suddenly, he's not chewing. He's not choking. He is running around and playing, but he's not chewing.

Me: BH, where is your gum?
BH: I 'wallowed it!

Okay, now I say, "No more gum for the two year old."

The consensus? "Who would make egg candy like that into gum?" "That worried me too." "We need to watch out for those and maybe give him the jelly beans."

Relax Dude!

I just now walked into the living room. BH has his foot propped up on the "new" desk. Munching on craisins. Watching Mickey Mouse Clubhouse.

Relaxing Saturday morning for a two year old.

Fortuitous?

Last spring, JM worked his tail end off for a Gameboy. I knew I needed to get educated on them quickly. So I went to the local Game Crazy, and said to the guy, "Look at me. I am not a gamer obviously. Give me the scoop on Gameboys, and all that."

He gave me the scoop, which I will give you. Gameboys are not being made by Nintendo anymore. BUT! Because they were around for so long (10+ years, which is eternity in game world), there are thousands of games out there. Nintendo is doing more of a phase out than just plain quitting making them. Gameboy games are definitely child friendly, and many many can be found that are not violent, somewhat educational, etc.

Nintendo is replacing the Gameboy with the Nintendo DS. It has a stylus to it, will play all Gameboy games, and has an appeal to the adult market for two reasons. The children's games are much harder to find in the DS's. Also, recall the commercials where the guy is exercising his brain by playing Brain Age. They are word/math games that studies have shown keep us sharp. I have a side note to that at the end of this post.

Anyway, I chose to let JM get a Gameboy because that seemed more age appropriate. He worked a lot of chores, washed cars, took out garbage, and worked. He got it last May. Little brother BH was jealous, and a friend gave us a very old version that seems to work okay for him.

As JM's birthday came closer last fall, and especially his reading skills were going through the roof, I found a deal on a Nintendo DS, bought it, and hid it until the time seemed right. Well, this last Thursday, on JM's birthday, guess what little turkey (BH) got mad at a game, and threw his brother's hard earned Gameboy on the floor? You can see the results in the above picture. Cracked screen. Also makes a funny squeaking sound when games are in it. Well, the time seemed right to give the DS, that kind of answered that question.

Luckily, JM was a little out of it on his birthday. He was bummed, but also feverish. On a healthy day, he would have been mad (rightfully so!) and cried.

Later that afternoon.....I had BH hand JM a Nintendo DS game for his birthday.

JM immediately says, "But MOM!! I don't have a DS!"

Me: "Really? You sure?" I hold up the DS box.

Score! Suddenly the busted Gameboy went away fast.

I have been looking on ebay for a used Gameboy just because we have a good supply of games for them, BH definitely plays with them, the older one we have is hard to see the screen, etc. From what I have seen, I can probably get a Gameboy, with a handful of games, for half the price of a new one. I'll keep you posted!

Side note:
When I stopped working and stayed home with the kids, I noticed something that kind of freaked me out. I was suddenly not sharp anymore. I forgot things easily, lose things, and just have a general hazy intelligence feeling. Freaked me out! I am normally a fairly sharp tack.

At that time I read an article that said many people feel that when they are over 30 (hush!) and that an easy way to combat that is to play handheld word/math games. I just so happen to love hand held games and had/have a Boggle and a Scrabble game. I play one of them for a few minutes before I go to bed now. Guess what? Basically, I don't feel so stupid anymore. It does work. I really recommend this if you feel this way. Do you need to go buy a $100 Nintendo DS and a $30 Brain Age game? No. Just find a little $10 game at the back wall of the Target toy section. Pick one you like.

Going to Work

BH:Momma! I am going to work! Lookie!

He then puts on his brother's oversized shoes and slings a rubber snake over his shoulder ready to go.

I have so many questions and so few answers.

While the Cat is Away, the Mice are at Play

Have you ever wondered what happens when the babysitter is with your kids? I have never been paranoid and gotten a web cam or anything like that, but I have wondered.

Wonder no more! Just leave the digital camera laying around, and this is what you will find. Think about this picture for a moment...

JM is doing the rabbit ears thing he knows he's not supposed to do. And who is messin' with the camera? The two year old, BH.

And fun was had by all.

Concentration!

BH is concentrating really hard on the potty. No he isn't in pain, but I can see how you might think that.




























And here we are laughing about it.

Never Been Told That Before

Potty training is in full swing. Except for at night, we're pretty much done. Just keeping awareness high, and focusing on "no accidents". The following story may be a bit TMI, but it cracks me up still, so I must share.

Whenever we have to use a "big boy" toilet, I hold onto BH. He is such a tiny peanut, he could very easily fall into a toilet, and well, that is just icky. So I hold him by his waist and usually lean on my knees so we are face to face.

So the other day, I am having a moment in the bathroom to myself. If you have small kids, you know that is a joke. Privacy?? Anyway, he comes up to me and grabs my arms and says, "I hold you Momma!" Like it's a risk my round hiney is going to fall into the toilet.

Then he says, "Point your penis down!"

Okie dokie!

It's What for Breakfast

This morning, school is a delayed start because it's icy out there. JM is playing on the computer, and BH and I are snuggling on the couch. He is a very cuddly kid.

As I am kissing his neck and tickling him, he suddenly says,

"Stop it! I not for breakfast!"

Potty Update

The good news! We are about 90% potty trained now. BH has consistently initiated going by himself, tells you when he needs to go, can handle pants going up and down, etc. We have had a few minor accidents, but those are always to be expected.

Today the battle of the wills was if he was going to take a nap. I also noticed this is the first time he used "I need to go potty" as a way to get out of bed. He had an accident anyway. He knew it would get him out of bed. Little stinker!

He wears regular underwear about 80% of the time. Unless he is sleeping, or we are going in the car for a distance, he is in the big boy stuff.

This is the one thing I hate about potty training. I have taken a friend's advice and have a potty in the car. But for some reason, at this point in this whole process, suddenly I realize I have working knowledge of where every clean, public restroom is in my vicinity. Starbucks, grocery store, McDonalds, Petco (used that one today), a friend's house, church, etc.

We are almost done!

Gettin' on the potty train!

My little two and a half year old. He has been ready to get on the potty for a couple of months now. I was waiting until Christmas break to really get focused on it and really get into a regime doing it. We've have had a lot of success over this Christmas break and are about 60% potty trained. Nice!

Now for all of you non-parents out there. I am sorry. You might just skip this post. But I will do my darndest to put humor into it.

Here is what I know about potty training having potty trained one kid and working on the next:

* Every kid is different! What works for one kid will backfire on another kid. I like hearing ideas from other moms what has worked for them. Because a lot of them are creative and positive. I shut down when I hear, "This works every time, you have to do this.....xyz....." With all due respect, I disagree.

* I don't care what the parenting books and experts say--bribery/reward of some kind works. This is the one exception to the above rule. You have to know your kid. My little guy loves just getting a big hug and a kiss for a success. If he does a really good thing, then he gets one gummy worm. Whatever! I know lots of people are cringing out there, but I think a little form of reward goes a long way.

* I am not an expert on this at all. I am an expert on my kids. I know what makes them tick and I use that to my advantage. When I potty trained my oldest, yes, I bought books and sought advice, then I took the book knowledge and applied it to how I know his brain ticks. That is the best way to motivate the desire to try. It also took me about seven months to fully potty train him. Remember, I am not an expert. Plus, he dug his heels in to rebel against the process, and that is the bottom of the rope in potty training.

* I have met a few parents who tell me their kids just hated diapers and potty training was a breeze. Mainly because it was "If I go in this white thing, I don't have to wear them anymore? Done!" Most of us bang our heads for a few months getting the right neurons in the toddler's brain to click in how all this new gadgetry works. We have to be careful not to hate parents like this.

* Myth, once they are potty trained, you have no worries. Wrong! Kids get lazy, and suddenly you find little messes in the bathroom, toilets not flushed, etc. I also do spot checks on hands occasionally after bathroom usage only because handwashing can become lax as well. It continues until your child develops a little bit of an "icky" factor. That is the whole germaphobe thing. They need to get grossed out by the thought of something (ie unseen germs on hands after bathroom use), not just the gross thing in front of them (ie squished bug in front of a toddler makes them say "icky!").

* Once you have a success of some kind, don't go back! This Christmas break, BH has been doing number one in his potty very regularly. It is not an option to suddenly go back. It has been made clear--this is now the expectation because he is a big boy!

* I do totally recommend a new product out there. Clorox all surface cleaner. It kills 99% of disease causing germs. It is also not toxic. If you have seen the commercials, the child is eating on a high chair and mom suddenly squirts the tray she's eating off of with this stuff--practically in the child's face. It is safe around food, pets and kids. Why do you need a good germ killing substance like this?? I promise, you will be cleaning up messes that you never thought you would. I am not a germaphobe but human waste gets zapped with some pretty hefty germ killer in my household. Trust me, you'll need a good cleaner--where there are great successes in potty training, there are some pretty nasty failures.

* You need a sense of humor. I never thought in a million years I would be standing over a plastic potty chair, jumping like a cheerleader at what is in it, hoping the neighbors don't hear/see me, and also quite glad at what is in the potty. You just need to laugh.

* Practically speaking, I am looking forward to not buying expensive diapers/pullups, I am looking forward to this summer when BH can attend Vacation Bible School, in the fall he will be potty trained long enough accidents should be a minimum at preschool, and I no longer have to think twice about what is under my fingers nails.

I wonder if CSI is ever going to do an episode where they scrape a victims finger nails and realize she just changed a diaper.....

Girlfriends! Post some of your ideas, embarrassing moments, etc!

UPDATE: Two hours after posting this post. BH ran to the potty and tried to go a few times. I watched a little mystified. On the third run, he did a number two!! WooHOO! Number two seems to be the hardest to accomplish, and he did it! Number two took a full seven months for BH's older brother. As I type this, he is wearing Thomas the Tank Engine underwear. I'll keep you posted! I am so ecstatic, you have no idea! For Child of God, we also have Spiderman as well.

Bathtub Liftoff

Okay, you ever wondered what that devilish eye is that all us parents talk about?? The first part of the above video, he's oblivious I am filming. Then he looks up, smiles, nods, and tosses the water. They he lays in the water and kicks enough water to splash me and the camera.




And this is how noisy two year olds can be. It is also fun to listen to the counting. I am taking votes if he is saying "lift off" or "blast off". Post your response when you have a minute.

Bananas

Many times in the rush to get out the door in the morning to take JM to school, I hand BH a banana to eat in the car. He is such a picky eater, sometimes he eats, most times he doesn't, many times he hands me half of a banana. I am glad when he gets something in him that is as nutritionally packed as a banana.

Yesterday, we are on our way to JM's school. Suddenly this conversation happens.

BH: Momma!
ME: Yes?

BH: Where da banana?
ME: I don't know. (Translation in my head--when we get home, we'll need to get the upholstery cleaner out and wipe up banana.)

BH: Momma!
ME: Yes?
BH: Here id is!

I look into the rear view window and the picture above of BH is the picture I see in my rear view mirror.

Noisy sleep

JM sleeps on the top bunk. BH sleeps on the bottom bunk. Many times daddy falls asleep with BH on the bottom bunk. Tonight, I can hear Daddy snoring loudly.

BH: Daddy.....DADDY! You're being noisy!