Sometimes I count my many blessings that Sadie is potty trained, and sometimes it's a pain in the rear. On one hand, I'm not spending money on diapers for her anymore, but on the other hand it is a huge inconvenience to drop whatever I'm doing to take her to the bathroom. It's all a part of the process, I know. So, I'm trying to be patient. However, it's just down right irritating when she cries "wolf."
Example #1: I took the kids shopping today. Everyone went potty before we left the house. Things were going just great until we half way through the first store. Adam kept poking Sadie and she kept screaming back at him. I was beginning to regret my shopping trip. I hurried as fast as I could to get the shopping done I needed and hoped I could get out of the store before someone claimed they needed to go potty. Success. I made it out of the store and headed for the second store.
The second store had a large cart that all three children could fit in. So, I loaded them up and headed straight for the aisle I needed to go. I only needed two items. We reached the aisle and I began looking at the items in question. It wasn't long before Adam hit Sadie, then Sadie scratched Adam's face, then Adam hit Sadie again, and Sadie screamed. I had to separate them. I lifted Sadie out of the cart and made her stand next to me. This made her scream even more. She wanted back in the cart. When I told her "no", she suddenly decided she needed to go to the bathroom. So, I put the items in my hand back on the shelf, and we hurried to the restroom. When we got there, I sat Sadie on the potty. After sitting there for a few seconds, she declared she was done. She didn't get anything out. Frustrated, I loaded the kids back in the cart and headed back to the aisle I needed to go. No sooner did I get back to shopping then Sadie got bored and started screaming that she needed to go potty again. Not believing that she needed to go, I responded that she would have to wet her pants, because I was not taking her back to the restroom. I was clearly losing my patience. It was not a good parenting moment. To top that off, all the screaming from Sadie upset Tyler, who started to scream. With multiple kids screaming, I put everything back on the shelf once again and headed for the car. I couldn't concentrate on finding what I was looking for and didn't want to get the wrong thing because I was rushed.
Example #2: Later the same afternoon, Sadie and Adam could not stop fighting. I finally told them that if they couldn't get along, both of them would have to go to time out. My warnings did not work. A short time later, I hauled them both to their rooms. Adam cooperated. Sadie did not. After screaming and pounding on her door for a minute or two, she suddenly started screaming that she needed to go potty. Reluctantly, I unlocked her door and led her to the bathroom. She sat down on the potty, and immediately stood back up and said she was done. She didn't get anything out. I think she knew I would let her out if she cried "wolf" (or "potty" in this case), but what else could I do? A little while later, her and Adam were both back in time out. Sadie immediately started screaming and pounding on her door that she needed to go potty. Trying to outsmart her, I unlocked her door and brought a potty in her room. I sat her on it and told her I would be back in a minute. I returned soon after, and found her potty to be dry as I expected. Either this child is crying "wolf" way too much, or she has serious bladder issues!
Well, tomorrow is another day. Hopefully after a night of rest, I'll be a little more patient. I have to keep reminding myself that I would rather have her cry "wolf" a few times than clean up an accident. :)
Monday, October 29, 2012
Sunday, October 28, 2012
Two down, one to go
When Adam first started school in August, I was a happy girl. It gave me a bit of a break every day, and it kept him busy. Adam tends to stay out of trouble when he's kept busy, so it was a win-win for both of us. I knew, though, that eventually he would go "off track," and I have been dreading it. There is a silver lining, though. I'm not going through gas in my car as fast since I'm not driving to the school twice a day, and I'm not waiting in lines like this to pick him up...
Fast forward to today. We are now two weeks into his three weeks off, and I have to say it hasn't been nearly as bad as I imagined. He has been fighting with Sadie more than usual, but I haven't been pulling my hair out. Either I'm getting used to it, or I finally realized I was being far too dramatic. Here are the highlights of the past two weeks:
Fast forward to today. We are now two weeks into his three weeks off, and I have to say it hasn't been nearly as bad as I imagined. He has been fighting with Sadie more than usual, but I haven't been pulling my hair out. Either I'm getting used to it, or I finally realized I was being far too dramatic. Here are the highlights of the past two weeks:
- Tyler's 1st birthday
- Our weekly trip to the library for storytime
- The Primary Halloween party
- Playing in the leaves
- Building the first snowman of the season
- Adam conquering the final monster on his Super Mario game (this was a big deal at our house)
- Me finally running faster than an 8-minute-mile (this was another big deal)
- I got a new vacuum! It's awesome!
Wednesday, October 17, 2012
Third time's the charm or three strikes and you're out...
One of the things I looked forward to the most about my birthdays growing up was the fancy cake Mom made for me. Whatever I asked for, she came through.....Strawberry Shortcake, Barbies in fancy dresses, pianos, etc. It made every birthday extra special, and I vowed I would do the same thing for my kids. Unfortunately, I have been failing.
Example 1: Adam
For Adam's first birthday, I made an airplane. It was okay, but it didn't have the wow factor and definitely wasn't up to par of what I would have gotten as a child. Every birthday since, we have been on vacation. So, Adam has settled for a cake or cupcake from Walmart.
Example 2: Sadie
I was determined to correct my failure with Adam, and I set to work on a cake for Sadie's first birthday...a teddy bear in a ballet outfit. Everything was going great until it came out of the oven. It broke into pieces when I tried to remove it from the pan. :( I almost broke down into tears, but I pulled myself together and ran to the store to get whatever was already made. Walmart saved the day. Sadie ended up with a princess cake complete with a tiara. On her second birthday, I didn't even attempt a homemade cake. We went to Walmart and pre-ordered a Dora the Explorer cake. She was thrilled.
So, now we come to Tyler's first birthday. I debated about whether to take the easy way out and go to Walmart or try the homemade route again. I chose to go homemade. Honestly, Tyler could care less. I mean, c'mon...he's only 12 months old. This was all about my chance for redemption. I set to work making plans for a 2-tier Mickey Mouse cake with a Nutella buttercream filling and hoped I wasn't trying to bite off more than I could chew.
The cake turned out okay. This was my first time working with fondant. Not bad for a first try, but I didn't roll it as thin as I should have. The best part of the cake was definitely the Nutella buttercream filling. Yum! Next time, forget the fondant and smother the whole cake with that buttercream filling!!!
So, what's the verdict? Is it three stikes and I'm out, or is it third time is the charm? Here's the real test.... Sadie's birthday is only a few short weeks away. If she asks her mommy to make her a cake, I'll consider it a win. If she asks for a trip to the Walmart bakery, it's a loss. It will sting a little bit if she chooses Walmart over me, but it will be less headache for me. So, I'll be happy with whatever she decides.
Example 1: Adam
For Adam's first birthday, I made an airplane. It was okay, but it didn't have the wow factor and definitely wasn't up to par of what I would have gotten as a child. Every birthday since, we have been on vacation. So, Adam has settled for a cake or cupcake from Walmart.
Example 2: Sadie
I was determined to correct my failure with Adam, and I set to work on a cake for Sadie's first birthday...a teddy bear in a ballet outfit. Everything was going great until it came out of the oven. It broke into pieces when I tried to remove it from the pan. :( I almost broke down into tears, but I pulled myself together and ran to the store to get whatever was already made. Walmart saved the day. Sadie ended up with a princess cake complete with a tiara. On her second birthday, I didn't even attempt a homemade cake. We went to Walmart and pre-ordered a Dora the Explorer cake. She was thrilled.
So, now we come to Tyler's first birthday. I debated about whether to take the easy way out and go to Walmart or try the homemade route again. I chose to go homemade. Honestly, Tyler could care less. I mean, c'mon...he's only 12 months old. This was all about my chance for redemption. I set to work making plans for a 2-tier Mickey Mouse cake with a Nutella buttercream filling and hoped I wasn't trying to bite off more than I could chew.
The cake turned out okay. This was my first time working with fondant. Not bad for a first try, but I didn't roll it as thin as I should have. The best part of the cake was definitely the Nutella buttercream filling. Yum! Next time, forget the fondant and smother the whole cake with that buttercream filling!!!
So, what's the verdict? Is it three stikes and I'm out, or is it third time is the charm? Here's the real test.... Sadie's birthday is only a few short weeks away. If she asks her mommy to make her a cake, I'll consider it a win. If she asks for a trip to the Walmart bakery, it's a loss. It will sting a little bit if she chooses Walmart over me, but it will be less headache for me. So, I'll be happy with whatever she decides.
Thursday, October 11, 2012
Three major events at our house
This past week has been full of big events at our house.
1. I attended my first Parent Teacher Conference. These are a little different than they used to be. Now, you are encouraged to bring your child with you. Since Cory wanted to attend also, we packed up the whole family and went. I sat down with Adam and the teacher to talk about his performance over the past 2 months. It went great. Every time the teacher mentioned how well Adam was doing, I looked over at him. He was just beaming. It was a proud parent moment. He is doing really well in school and loves it.
2. I took Adam and Sadie for their annual flu shot, and neither child cried. This was a big deal. Of course, it helps when they get the flu mist instead of the actual shot. It also helps when they get to pick out a Dum-Dum for being brave. :) I got my shot too, but I got the actual shot...not the mist. My arm was a little tender for a day or so, but I'm fine now. I got a Dum-Dum too.
3. Tyler finished off his last jar of formula and switched over to cow's milk. The transition went great. He is growing up! He has been a little stubborn about food lately. He has suddenly decided that he doesn't like baby food and insists on eating something else...yogurt, sandwiches, muffins, or anything else that doesn't look like baby food.
The next week will be another big one for us. Adam goes off track, we celebrate Tyler's first birthday, and we take his bottles away. Stay tuned!
1. I attended my first Parent Teacher Conference. These are a little different than they used to be. Now, you are encouraged to bring your child with you. Since Cory wanted to attend also, we packed up the whole family and went. I sat down with Adam and the teacher to talk about his performance over the past 2 months. It went great. Every time the teacher mentioned how well Adam was doing, I looked over at him. He was just beaming. It was a proud parent moment. He is doing really well in school and loves it.
2. I took Adam and Sadie for their annual flu shot, and neither child cried. This was a big deal. Of course, it helps when they get the flu mist instead of the actual shot. It also helps when they get to pick out a Dum-Dum for being brave. :) I got my shot too, but I got the actual shot...not the mist. My arm was a little tender for a day or so, but I'm fine now. I got a Dum-Dum too.
3. Tyler finished off his last jar of formula and switched over to cow's milk. The transition went great. He is growing up! He has been a little stubborn about food lately. He has suddenly decided that he doesn't like baby food and insists on eating something else...yogurt, sandwiches, muffins, or anything else that doesn't look like baby food.
The next week will be another big one for us. Adam goes off track, we celebrate Tyler's first birthday, and we take his bottles away. Stay tuned!
Monday, October 8, 2012
St. George Marathon: the good, the bad, and the aftermath
When I ran the St. George Marathon 2 years ago, I wasn't sure I would ever run another one. It was my first marathon, and my time was 5:24. It was hard. It was hot. It was painful. Yes, it was satisfying to finish and receive a medal for my efforts, but I didn't think I wanted to put body through that again. As time went on, though, I started to change my mind. Running a marathon is a lot like child-birth. You forget how painful it was, and you're willing to do it again. In my case, my attitude changed a few weeks later as I watched the New York City marathon on television. As I watched people cross the finish line, I told myself I would do it again...only next time I would do it better.
I began running again and signed up for my next marathon. A short time after signing up, I discovered I was pregnant with child #3. I was still determined to run another marathon, but I knew it wouldn't happen this time around. So, I contacted the marathon people and transferred my registration to the following year. I continued to run about half way through my pregnancy. After my little bundle arrived, I began training again.
In April 2012, I ran the North Shore Hawaii Marathon (4:42). In May, I ran the Ogden Marathon (4:24). Then in June, I ran the Utah Valley Marathon (4:43). For fun, I also ran the Layton Half Marathon (1:58) where I placed second in my division! Somewhere inbetween all this running, I signed up for the St. George Marathon again...very determined to smash my first time.
This past weekend I returned to the scene of the crime: St. George, Utah. Here I am with Cory before the race...
Several weeks ago, we made an agreement that the winner out of the two of us, would receive $1 for every second they beat the other person. Believing in my heart that Cory would win by at least 10 minutes, I made the deal to motivate him to do his best and get some money for his airplane fund. I figured it would also motivate me to do my best so he wouldn't beat me too badly.
When the starting gun went off, we jumped in line and started running. Cory took off like a little bunny rabbit, and I didn't think I would see him again until the finish line. The first few miles flew by. I even made a friend along the way and chatted for a few miles. Before I knew it, Veyo hill was in sight. Just before I started up the hill near mile 7, I heard someone calling to me. Imagine my surprise when I looked over my shoulder and saw Cory coming up behind me. When did I pass him???? We chatted for a minute, then I slowed down to conserve my energy up the hill and he took off like a bunny rabbit once again.
Three quarters of the way up Veyo hill, I could feel a little nausea coming on. So, I slowed to a walk, pulled out a chunk of Clif Bar to eat, washed it down with some water, and started jogging again. The nausea went away, but the next few miles were really hard. After 4 miles of incline, I was worn out. By mile 13, I felt like I was back on track, but the 4-hour-pace runner passed me. At that point, I knew I wouldn't finish under 4 hours, but I was still determined to do my best. At mile 16, a big crowd of supporters were cheering the runners on. It gave me quite a boost. My speed picked up, and I began to enjoy myself again. At mile 20, I got the surprise of my life. I looked ahead and saw....Cory. I knew he had to be hurting if I was about to pass him again. We chatted briefly, and this time it was me who took off like a bunny rabbit. A few minutes later, I felt guilty about leaving him, and I stopped to wait for him to see if he wanted to finish the race together. When he caught up to me, his answer was: Do your best.
With Cory's green light, I took off and finished the race in 4:16, my best yet. About 10 minutes later, he crossed the finish line.
Now, it's two days post marathon. My body is sore, but I'll be back to normal in another day or two. The question is: Where do I go from here? Will I run another marathon? The answer: most definitely. You may wonder why I put myself through this. I have a hard time putting it into words, but here is why...
#1. Because I can. Running marathons has taught me that I can do hard things. It brings me a lot of satisfaction to accomplish something I never pictured myself doing.
#2. To inspire my kids to lead an active life. Too many kids today are overweight and not active. By setting a good example, I hope my kids will want to be active too.
#3. I enjoy it. Crazy as it sounds, it's true.
I began running again and signed up for my next marathon. A short time after signing up, I discovered I was pregnant with child #3. I was still determined to run another marathon, but I knew it wouldn't happen this time around. So, I contacted the marathon people and transferred my registration to the following year. I continued to run about half way through my pregnancy. After my little bundle arrived, I began training again.
In April 2012, I ran the North Shore Hawaii Marathon (4:42). In May, I ran the Ogden Marathon (4:24). Then in June, I ran the Utah Valley Marathon (4:43). For fun, I also ran the Layton Half Marathon (1:58) where I placed second in my division! Somewhere inbetween all this running, I signed up for the St. George Marathon again...very determined to smash my first time.
This past weekend I returned to the scene of the crime: St. George, Utah. Here I am with Cory before the race...
Several weeks ago, we made an agreement that the winner out of the two of us, would receive $1 for every second they beat the other person. Believing in my heart that Cory would win by at least 10 minutes, I made the deal to motivate him to do his best and get some money for his airplane fund. I figured it would also motivate me to do my best so he wouldn't beat me too badly.
When the starting gun went off, we jumped in line and started running. Cory took off like a little bunny rabbit, and I didn't think I would see him again until the finish line. The first few miles flew by. I even made a friend along the way and chatted for a few miles. Before I knew it, Veyo hill was in sight. Just before I started up the hill near mile 7, I heard someone calling to me. Imagine my surprise when I looked over my shoulder and saw Cory coming up behind me. When did I pass him???? We chatted for a minute, then I slowed down to conserve my energy up the hill and he took off like a bunny rabbit once again.
Three quarters of the way up Veyo hill, I could feel a little nausea coming on. So, I slowed to a walk, pulled out a chunk of Clif Bar to eat, washed it down with some water, and started jogging again. The nausea went away, but the next few miles were really hard. After 4 miles of incline, I was worn out. By mile 13, I felt like I was back on track, but the 4-hour-pace runner passed me. At that point, I knew I wouldn't finish under 4 hours, but I was still determined to do my best. At mile 16, a big crowd of supporters were cheering the runners on. It gave me quite a boost. My speed picked up, and I began to enjoy myself again. At mile 20, I got the surprise of my life. I looked ahead and saw....Cory. I knew he had to be hurting if I was about to pass him again. We chatted briefly, and this time it was me who took off like a bunny rabbit. A few minutes later, I felt guilty about leaving him, and I stopped to wait for him to see if he wanted to finish the race together. When he caught up to me, his answer was: Do your best.
With Cory's green light, I took off and finished the race in 4:16, my best yet. About 10 minutes later, he crossed the finish line.
Now, it's two days post marathon. My body is sore, but I'll be back to normal in another day or two. The question is: Where do I go from here? Will I run another marathon? The answer: most definitely. You may wonder why I put myself through this. I have a hard time putting it into words, but here is why...
#1. Because I can. Running marathons has taught me that I can do hard things. It brings me a lot of satisfaction to accomplish something I never pictured myself doing.
#2. To inspire my kids to lead an active life. Too many kids today are overweight and not active. By setting a good example, I hope my kids will want to be active too.
#3. I enjoy it. Crazy as it sounds, it's true.
Monday, October 1, 2012
Sprocket's birthday party
Do I get extra brownie points in heaven for helping my little boy celebrate his stuffed puppy's birthday? Last Thursday was the big event at our house. Five years ago, my co-workers threw me a going away party as I quit my job to stay home with my new baby. As part of a baby gift, they gave us a stuffed puppy. That puppy has become part of our family. He goes to church with us. He goes on vacation with us. He goes grocery shopping with us. I don't think there's anything we do without that dog present. So, it was only appropriate that we celebrate his special day.
No birthday celebration is complete without a cake. So, as silly as it may seem, we made a cake for this stuffed dog. Cupcakes, actually, with sprinkles and chocolate frosting. To make matters even sillier, we sang happy birthday to it as Adam blew out the candle. Then, we all headed to the bowling to finish the celebration.
A very silly day, indeed. However, one thing I'm learning as a parent is that if it is important to them (the kids), it's important to me. I'm sure Sprocket's birthday celebration will be an annual event from here on out.
No birthday celebration is complete without a cake. So, as silly as it may seem, we made a cake for this stuffed dog. Cupcakes, actually, with sprinkles and chocolate frosting. To make matters even sillier, we sang happy birthday to it as Adam blew out the candle. Then, we all headed to the bowling to finish the celebration.
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