Teacher's Pet?

Oh my goodness.  My kids are just blowing me away lately with the way they're just soaking everything in and learning so much!  Andrew comes home every day telling me all kinds of new stuff, and he's just zooming through the little readers they send home.  He started on #1 (duh) in August and now he's in #7.  He always asks to read more and more every night, beyond what they ask him to read for homework.  He loves math and he's VERY good at it (makes his math teacher mama so proud!).  We make up word problems for him a lot and he answers them right every time.  Too cute.  The other night he was rolling around on the floor.  I asked what he was doing and he said, "Look, mommy!  I'm a cylinder!  I roll when I'm on my side!  But mommy, if I were a cube I would slide.  I couldn't roll if I were a cube."  Wow.
His handwriting is still terrible, but he'll figure it out.  He has a Transformers notebook that he likes to write in.  I found some websites where I could make special handwriting worksheets for him, so I printed out a lot of those.  Several people mentioned a program called Handwriting Without Tears as well, and I am looking into it.  Can't afford to buy much right now, so I'm working with the free stuff, but he's fine.  I just LOVE seeing him so excited about learning!  Makes a mama so stinkin' proud.

Hannah?  Oh my goodness.  She is a MESS.  Such a cutie, and such a stinker.  She is talking so clearly now and she's oh-so-girly.  She loves to dress up like a princess (she's obsessed with the Disney princesses), brush her hair, paint her nails, and look at her cute clothes.  She's so cute...If you ask her a yes or no question she answers, "yes uh-huh!" or "ummm...no."  Its adorable.  (Well, probably just adorable to me, but its ok.  I'm allowed to think she's awesome.)  She recognizes all her letters and loves to tell us, "R is for Rapunzel!  T is for Tiana!  C is for Cinderella!" (you get the point) when she sees them on signs or whatever.  LOVE.

I'm a teacher.  I was in school full-time for 20 years straight.  It makes my heart so happy to see my kids developing a love of learning.  Life is good.

Anisometropia

Before you look at the title of this post and wonder if I've started speaking in tongues, let me say that this (anisometropia) is an eye condition.  More specifically, this is Andrew's eye condition.  We went to the pediatric eye specialist today, whose office is more than an hour away (yes, we got up with the chickens and had to WAKE THE KIDS -- a cardinal sin in our house -- leaving the house before 7 am in order to get there for our 8:10 appt) and  he was awesome.  LOVE this doctor.

Andrew was very cooperative and was having fun with all the gadgets the doc had, and we quickly determined that Andrew is colorblind and has a very weak right eye.  In order to see what the deal was with his right eye, we had to dilate his eyes (that was NOT fun) and let the doc do a more intensive eye exam.  Turns out he has this condition, anisometropia. What's that?  You don't know what that is?  Well, here you go!  This is a brief synopsis from the sheet the doc gave us:

...instead of the two eyes each having the same amount of nearsightedness or farsightedness, one eye has a greater amount than the other.  Greater amounts of anisometropia make it very difficult for children to use their eyes together because the eyes are out of balance with each other.  The children will depend on the better eye, and will tend not to want to use the other eye...Sometimes, children with anisometropia will develop amblyopia, or decreased vision, in one eye.  Wearing the glasses helps improve the vision, but often patching the eye with the better vision is needed to help the vision improve in the better eye.

SO.  What I got out of this is that the glasses he will be wearing are corrective...meaning that once his eyes get balanced out, he may not need glasses anymore.  Yay!  On the other hand, if his eyes do not balance out with the use of the glasses, we may need to get a patch for his good eye in order to force him to use the weak eye, making it stronger.  Personally, I am hoping for the former.  As much as I love pirates, I would prefer to not have to make my kiddo wear a patch over his eye for any length of time.

I am very encouraged and feeling so blessed to have access to such amazing medical care and technology.  I can't wait to see Andrew in his glasses...He's gonna be so handsome!  Believe me, there will be pics as soon as I get some!!

Eyes & Ears

So earlier last week I posted about Andrew's difficulties getting past the eye, ear and dental exams required for enrollment in Kindergarten.  He failed two hearing tests, completed a round of antibiotics, and now has an appt for July 13 (4-6 weeks after the antibiotics) to take yet another hearing test.  If he fails this one, we have to get a referral to an ENT to discuss tubes to help improve his hearing.  Sigh.

The kids' eye chart

Today we had our (first) eye appointment.  I was thinking it would be interesting, but no big deal and we'd likely have to get him some glasses and be on our way.  Umm...NO.  Apparently Andrew has very little vision in his right eye.  His left eye is perfect and obviously compensates for his weak right eye.  We realized this when the doc made him cover his left eye and try to read the picture eye chart with only his right eye.  He did GREAT with his right eye covered...he recognized the cowboy, cake, hand, bird, house, etc just fine.  With his left eye covered, however, he could only see the very top picture (a big airplane).  :(

I feel so guilty!  I feel like I somehow should have known that he was having issues seeing out of that eye.  Its ridiculous, really, because how would I have known?  When we read together or look at books/magazines and watch TV, he's not that far away and not really being asked to recite what he's seeing.  I can't help it, though.  I feel like I've let him down.  Same with the hearing!  I guess I should be grateful that our school system makes us get these checkups before starting school, though, because how in the world would I have known?  I shudder to think that these issues could have gotten much worse by simply not knowing they're even there.  At least we can get it taken care of NOW while he's still young.  I would appreciate any prayers or positive thoughts!  This whole ordeal has been stressful and worrisome for both me and Chris!

Hectic

I'm taking a minute here while the kids are occupied and Chris is frantically yelling at his football team through the TV (Seriously?  Is that something ingrained into the Y chromosome?) to...

Sorry about that.  I was interrupted by Cupcake.*
Ooh, I have an idea...Let's play a game.  Every time I get interrupted by Chris, Motormouth, or Cupcake, let's eat a cookie!  Sound good?  OK!

So...where was I?  Oh yes, I was explaining how I was attempting to blog after an incredibly hectic week.  This week was CRAZY.  Several teachers at school were asking if it was a full moon or something.  I knew the answer to that, since I drive to work while it is still dark. I saw the moon every morning this week.  It was a crescent moon (I used to call them "toenail moons.")  So...nope.  No blaming the kids' craziness on a full moon or anything like that.  They were just crazy.

After school, I was busy-busy-busy.  I have picked up a tutoring position for a child receiving hospital/homebound services.  She is actually one of my students, and is very sweet.  She hasn't been to school at all this year (we are 9 weeks in, y'all!) so we have a lot to do to get her caught up.  Its good money, and will help a lot, especially since the furlough days hit us hard this year...

Sorry, Cupcake again!  Hey, another cookie!

So, anyway, as I was saying...I am tutoring one student, and have applied to tutor at a new federally-funded after school program being started at the end of this month here in our county.  I had an interview on Tuesday afternoon and am hoping I get the job because the money is needed.  The drawback is that Chris will have the kids on Tuesdays and Thursdays from dawn 'til dusk so his mood may not be the best.  Hmmm.

But, enough about school.

My kids at home are crazy, silly, and in desperate need of their mommy.  Motormouth is 4 yrs old and still obsessed with Star Wars.  He is a peanut, like me, and today asked me if he could ride in a booster seat instead of his huge 5-point harnessed car seat.  I tried to explain that he is still little and needs to be buckled in "just right" so he's as safe as he can be...but I feel bad for him.  He's the only one in his class at school who is still in a big car seat.  He's at least a head shorter than everyone.  Doesn't seem to bother him, though...His personality is big enough to compensate for his stature.  Everyone (teachers, kids, parents) loves him to death and tells us how smart he is and how sweet.  Makes a momma proud!!

Cupcake is velcro'ed to me yet again.  How many phases of separation anxiety are there?  Whew!  Her newest thing is to climb on my back and ride piggy-back through the house.  This is now the only way I can convince her to go upstairs for a bath, go to her room for night-night, or basically do ANYTHING she wouldn't normally choose to do.  My back is starting to ache, but am I gonna stop?  HECK, NO.  Whatever works...As Chris would say, "There is no pain, there is only the Force."  (Yep, both of my guys are Star Wars fans!)

...And another interruption by Cupcake!  I'm gonna gain 10 lbs if this keeps up...

So anyway, that's what's going on this week.  Motormouth has surprised me by singing songs I didn't know he knew, reciting the months of the year, and just overall being a fantastic kiddo.  He whines and cries when he doesn't get his way, but doesn't everybody?  Cupcake is funny and adorable and just overall a delight.  Life is good.  :)

*I call my sweet baby girl Cupcake after Lydia's daughter (Rants From Mommyland) who tells a fantastic story about her youngest child who, in her words, is "a cupcake...baked by the devil."

It *might* be time for me to go back to work...

Whew!  Its been a rough couple of days.  Chris and I are getting on each other's nerves a bit.  It might be time for me to go back to work.  Good thing today is Friday!

Chris, on our most recent family outing

We didn't travel or anything over this break, but we did quite a bit.  We took the kids to the Georgia Aquarium, had a couple of "lazy days" and a couple of days just running errands with the kids.  Tomorrow we are headed to the zoo, and while it has been fun and the kids have loved having both of us here all day every day, I think it might be just a bit too much togetherness, know what I mean?  Chris told me the other day he was getting on his own nerves.  I just had to laugh. :)

I think the issue is that we have a few parenting differences and it stresses him out.  For example, he is a strict routine guy.  He stays home with the kids while I work so he has them on a nice routine.  They get up, have breakfast, go to preschool (unless its Monday), go home for lunch, go upstairs to brush teeth and wrestle on the bed, then take naps.  Hannah is usually awake by the time I get home from school, and normally Andrew is still napping.  He wakes soon afterwards, though, and we play games, eat dinner, go outside, then go up for baths and bedtime.  It works.

When I am home for school breaks, however, I get up with the kids and it totally throws them off.  Hannah wants me to sit and hold her, while Andrew wants me to play video games with him.  He doesn't normally play the XBOX in the mornings unless I am home.  This drives Chris crazy.  There are other annoying routine-crashers that drive him nuts, but let's not get into that.

Maybe its my "working mom" guilt or maybe I'm just too permissive and just don't care.  I don't know...I will obviously stop them from hurting themselves or others, and I will make sure they eat and brush their teeth, but other than that, as long as we are having fun together...I just don't worry about the details.  I know its wrong and I should stick to the routine.  I'm trying, really...I promise I am.  I just don't want it to get in the way of enjoying my kids on the few days here and there that I get to be with them.


Sigh...Andrew just came over and gave me an unsolicited and VERY sweet hug and kiss, and told me I was his favorite. :)  Who cares if its only because he's playing the XBOX...I treasure this stuff.

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Oh!  I almost forgot!  I posted a review of Immanuel's Veins (by Ted Dekker) a few days ago.  Thomas Nelson, to thank me, has offered to send a lucky blog reader a free t-shirt to promote the book.  According to random.org, the winner is Sarah Thompson!  Sarah, if you are reading this, congrats!!  Shoot me an email to let me know your address and shirt size, and I will pass along the info to Thomas Nelson!  Thanks for reading!!

Fall Break

Ahh, the joys of being a teacher.  I am lucky enough to live in a county in Georgia that runs on the "modified year round" calendar, in which we get a week off after every six weeks of school, two weeks at Christmas, and eight weeks in the summer.  This means we get a Fall Break, a Thanksgiving Break (the whole week), two weeks at Christmas, a mid-winter break (week off in February), a Spring Break (a week off in April), and then summer vacation.  Nice.  Yes, we have to go back the first Monday in August, but to be honest?  I am ready to go back by that point.  Two or three weeks before then.

So anyway, here I am on Fall Break.  This is the first year in quite a while that I haven't been desperate for a break from school.  I am loving my job so much this year that I honestly could have kept going.  Other people I know were very stressed and needing a break, so I am glad we have it.  I love seeing the kids' faces when I wake up with them.  Hannah just giggles and bounces because she is so happy to see me, and Andrew says, "Mommy?  Is that you?  Are you staying with me ALL DAY???"  I love it.  I absolutely love that they are happy to have me home with them.  We aren't traveling, but we're doing plenty of fun stuff around here. Isn't that called a "stay-cation?"

Checking out the Beluga Whales

We went to the Georgia Aquarium yesterday and had a really good time.  We're really glad we had coupons though ($50 for all four of us and free parking, too!), because NO WAY would it have been worth the $90 (give or take some) it would have cost normally.  Sheesh.  Don't get me wrong...the kids had a BLAST and we made some great memories (and got some great pictures), but I'm good with going once every couple of years or so.  We have a couple of free animal refuge type places around here, so I think the zoo isn't as big a deal, since we see animals all the time.  We do not, however, get to see  fish so the aquarium is a much bigger deal to them.  The Tennessee Aquarium in Chattanooga, however, is the best one to visit.  Just my opinion.

Hannah trying to kiss the fish

Look mom!  A giant crab!

Andrew and Hannah had a ball seeing all the "crazy fish" and trying to catch them/kiss them/hold them, and I had a ball watching them see and learn and do new things.  Their joy and passion for life amazes me.  I wish I still had some of their innocence...

Later on this week we will likely go visit Dauset Trails (a park/animal refuge nearby) and then get some use out of our season passes to Zoo Atlanta this weekend.  We also have some home improvement type projects going on around the house.  All in all, this week should be a good one, and hopefully I will be able to return to my teaching job on Monday a refreshed and relaxed mommy. :)

Labor Days

Today is Labor Day.  Its been more than a week since I last posted, I think, but ohmygosh this week flew by!  I can't even remember what happened or why I was so busy, but here it is, Monday again, and there's so much bouncing around in my brain.

I have the day off today (yahoo!) and have spent a bit of time catching up on blogs and Facebook and this post from SRRM (If you don't read her blog, you SHOULD.  Go there. NOW.) got me all inspired to tell about my own personal Labor Days.

I am the proud mommy of two children here on earth, and two little angels in heaven.  Yes, I will always remember those two little ones and count them among my babies.  Maybe not out loud (not everyone wants to hear sad stories), but always in my heart.  My first Labor Day (October 1, 2004) came far too soon...only a week after discovering I was pregnant, actually...so it was fairly painless (physically) and lasted only a few short hours.  The significant emotional pain lasted well over a year, and even now rears its ugly head here and there.

I'm feeling MUCH better after an epi!

My second Labor Day (Feb. 24. 2006) brought Andrew into my life.  That day was a result of a lot of prayer, two months of Clomid (ah, fertility pills) and 12 weeks worth of Prometrium which magnified every possible pregnancy symptom I had.  I had gestational diabetes and developed gall stones, therefore had a very limited diet during that pregnancy.  I started to suffer from high blood pressure (not preeclampsia, just hypertension) and had to go on strict bedrest.  The day I gave birth, I weighed only 3 lbs above my pre-pregnancy weight.  I went into labor around 2:30 am when I got up to pee and thought maybe I had wet myself.  Nope...that was my water breaking.  Chris took a nap, I started laundry, and around 6:30 am, we headed to the hospital.  (I have no idea why we waited so long, but oh well...we had a loooooong time yet to go, so I'm glad there was no hurry.)  Anyway, after 14 hrs (so @ 4:30 pm), I was finally ready to push.  I pushed.  And pushed.  And pushed.  And pushed.  For two hours and 17 minutes.

Andrew Lane, miracle #1!

Andrew got stuck in the birth canal for two reasons -- he had (still has) a very large head and was coming out face up.  We had to get out the vaccuum and suction the poor kid out at 6:47 pm. He had a conehead for a few days because of this.  He also had to go to the NICU for a couple of hours to monitor his blood sugar (because of my GD) and regulate his breathing.  We thought his newborn cry (more like a grunt) was the most adorable thing, but apparently that grunting is a signal of breathing difficulties, so he had to have oxygen for a little bit.  He has no problem with a conehead or breathing difficulties now (motormouth that he is!) so he is truly a little miracle.  I, on the other hand, felt like I'd been ripped to shreds.  I had to have multiple stitches due to tearing and couldn't sit comfortably for about a month.  Forget peeing...I would have a panic attack when I would feel the urge to pee because I knew how much that was gonna hurt.  Yikes.  Anyone who feels like they missed out on something special by not having a vaginal delivery can just put their minds at ease now.  Its not the amazing experience you might think.  Yes, having a baby in your arms is incredible, but holding your baby is awesome no matter how it happened.


My third Labor Day (January 16, 2007) had the same outcome as my first, but came about in a far different manner.  When Andrew was about 9 months old, I discovered I was pregnant.  I had been on "the patch" as a means of birth control, and obviously it had not been effective.  I was shocked and actually, quite sad, to realize I was expecting again.  We had no maternity insurance and had no idea where the money to pay for this pregnancy would come from.  We were new to the area so I had no OB/GYN yet and, while I knew that the only reason I stayed pregnant with Andrew was because of the Prometrium, no new OB was going to accept my word at face value, so there was no medical assistance there.  I had no spotting or bleeding and was actually feeling optimistic, as if my body really could get and stay pregnant on its own!  I finally settled on an OB, and went for my first ultrasound at 10 weeks 6 days.  I'd seen one tiny spot of blood the day before, but when it didn't continue, I pushed it out of my mind.  When we got settled and ready to see the baby, though, things changed.  There was a tiny baby, for sure...fingers, toes, everything plainly visible...but so perfectly still.  No heartbeat.  It was torture.  I sobbed and sobbed.  Chris was crying and asking God, "why???"  Since we had no insurance,  we opted to wait and see if I would miscarry naturally at home.  After a week, though, I was at my limit and couldn't take it anymore.  I couldn't emotionally handle carrying around a dead baby in my broken womb.  I got in to the doc's for a quick visit and another ultrasound (yes ma'am, your baby is still dead) and scheduled the D&C for the next morning.  A D&C (dilation and curretage) is an inpatient procedure where the doctor dilates your cervix and scrapes any foreign tissue out of the uterus.  Its a procedure used for many reasons, but in this instance, the doctor scraped my dead baby out of my body.  The emotional and physical pain was beyond anything I'd felt, and I'd already been through one miscarriage and one very difficult birth.


My fourth Labor Day came on June 28, 2008.  I was due to give birth to Hannah on July 6, 2008.  Andrew was born at 37 weeks 6 days, and at this point I was 38 weeks 6 days and thinking this girl would have to be induced to come out.  I had no GD or high blood pressure or any other complications, other than the constant morning sickness (gained 5 whole lbs this time!), thank God.  I did take Prometrium for 12 weeks, but maybe I would have been fine without it.  Who knows.  Anyway, it was summer break so I was out of school.  Andrew was 2 yrs 4 months old and wanting to play outside, but mommy was way too fat and tired for that.  It was about midnight when the first contractions came.  I thought they were more Braxton Hicks, since I'd been having those for quite a while, but they kept getting closer and stronger, so I told Chris to get ready.  We called our neighbor to come over and stay with Andrew while we drove to the hospital.  By the time we arrived I was already 4-5 cm dilated.  Woohoo!  I could get an epidural!  Ha.  I had to have a whole bag of IV fluids first, and that took for.ev.er.  By the time the anesthesiologist arrived I was about to rip my own head off.  Contractions suck.

Yep, that's my girl!

Anyway, he put in the epi but didn't turn it up enough because ohmygosh I could still feel the pain.  It was awful.  I finally convinced the nurse to get him back in there, and he turned it up enough for me to rest a bit.  I finally was 10 cm @ 12 hrs later (so around noon on the 28th), and started to push. And push.  And push some more.  Hannah didn't get stuck, but she refused to descend.  Every time I would push she would come down a little bit, but when I would take a breath, she would go back up.  Drama queen.  She started to show signs of distress and I was a wreck because when they broke my water there was meconium in it, and I knew how many complications that could cause...So when the doc mentioned a c-section I said "do it!"  I signed the consent at 1:55, we got in the OR (right across the hall) and Hannah was out at 2:01 pm, screaming her little head off.  She was healthy and beautiful.

Dude, I don't care.  Let me sleep.

We couldn't wait for Andrew to meet his little sister.  He was not impressed.  I do have to say, though, that in my experience, the c-section is the way to go!  I could sit, walk, and pee easily...It was amazing.  The only drawback was that I couldn't pick Andrew up for FOUR WEEKS, and he did not understand why I could hold "that thing" (as he called her) but not him. 

I don't think I've ever written all of this down before, and it feels kind of good...cathartic, in a way.  I have had four very different Labor Days in my lifetime, and I feel blessed for every one.  I have learned and changed through every situation, good or bad, and I have learned to appreciate the many, many blessings I do have in my life.  God has been so good to me.

The precious fruits of my Labor...

Preschool Time!

The kids started preschool this week!  Andrew started yesterday and Hannah started today.  He will go Tuesday through Friday and she will go Wednesdays & Thursdays (they both go from 9am-12noon).  They have both had a great time and no problems adjusting to getting back in the preschool routine.  I know Chris is happy having six hours a week all alone.  Its a lot of work parenting a 4-yr old and a 2-yr old, as everyone knows.   Andrew doesn't share a lot about school, but he did tell Chris that he got in trouble for talking.  I'm shocked.  Really.  Never thought my little motormouth might actually need to be asked to be quiet while the teacher is talking.  I mean, the kid never shuts up loves to tell everyone all about everything he is or ever has been interested in.  The teacher said he had a fabulous day, so I don't think he actually got "in trouble" but I totally believe they had to ask him to be quiet. 
Hannah had a ball, of course.  The girl has fun anywhere, as long as she is getting to do something she deems to be fun and is getting lots of attention.  Both of these criteria are met at preschool.  I mean, honestly, we could have tried to sign up Andrew for the state-funded preschool, but this little Methodist church has the BEST teachers and the BEST program.  Andrew can count to 20 in English and Spanish, and knows all his colors in English and Spanish as well...Hannah loves the kids, the teachers, the whole thing...Its just an ideal place for them.  We are big believers in their preschool program.
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P.S.  Day 3 of Kelly's jury duty.  OHMYGOODNESS.  Had to email/call about 7 parents, I think.  Hopefully that will help the craziness.  Two more days until the week is over.  I think I can, I think I can...

Close One!

We had quite the thunderstorm tonight.  Andrew slept really long today (3.5 hr nap) so we told him he could stay up a little while and play video games (Lego Star Wars) after she went to bed.  We got them in the bath and got her to bed, then the storm hit.  Hannah was trying to sleep and Andrew was preparing to play.  The kid was so excited he was starting to twitch.  All of a sudden....

POP!

I froze.  Oh dear Lord...what just happened?  The XBOX360 starts flashing the "red ring of death" and Chris is freaking out.  See, when Andrew was 6 months old we were napping one day (I was a SAHM back then) and sleeping well because it was raining.  All I know is I suddenly heard what I thought was the house splitting in two, Andrew screaming his little baby head off, and Chris bolting upstairs.  I thought lightning had hit the house and his room was on fire.  Fortunately he was just fine, but lightning did indeed hit the house.  We lost two TV's, a DVD player, two cordless phones, and a DirecTV satellite.  We called our insurance company and discovered that our deductible was ridiculous ($1,000) so even though we kept receipts when replacing everything, we ended up spending around $900, which was CRAY-ZEE, but too low to get any kind of reimbursement.  Awesome.

Wait, where was I?  Oh yeah, red ring of death on the XBOX.  So I am sitting here at the computer frozen for what seems like forever, but is probably only 2.2 seconds.  Chris is freaking out, thinking the XBOX has died. (I mean, seriously...Andrew "video game time" is a sacred part of our day.  It totally keeps the kids from killing each other.) Andrew starts screaming and bawling because he believes his daddy and mimics the panic because he honestly believes his beloved games are gone forever.  I try to calm him down while frantically unplugging everything else electronic (computer first!) and after a bit, I hear the thunder get quieter.  I assume this means the storm is passing over us.  Andrew is so worried and keeps asking if the XBOX will be okay.  I decide to plug it back in just long enough to see if it is working or not.  Miraculously, it comes on.  No red ring of death, no problems.  All the equipment upstairs is just fine, and the desktop computer as well.  Thank you Lord!

Whew, for a minute there, I thought we might have to, you know, actually sit and talk to each other.  I mean, can you imagine?  No TV?  No internet?  No TIVO?  No Netflix?*  No Lego Star Wars????  Weird.

*By the way, we have realized that the VCR/DVD combo machine is what "popped."  Its not coming on.  Our most recent Netflix movie is currently inside.  Anyone know how to get a DVD out of a dead DVD player?

My Little Motormouth

This is what is now on Andrew's wall...
Life size and totally cool.

Andrew is quite a kid.  He is 4 yrs old and obsessed with Star Wars.  Has been for 2 yrs now, actually.  When I arrived home yesterday, Chris told me that Andrew's Darth Vader fathead (its like a HUGE sticker for the wall...very realistic looking) had arrived.  We saw them online, on sale ($20 as opposed to $100+), and had ordered one for Andrew, intending to keep it until Christmas.  We completely forgot about the Christmas intention and when he got up from his nap we showed it to him.  Of course he immediately had to have us put it on his wall.  This thing is 6'5" tall and a-w-e-s-o-m-e.  He was so stinkin' excited about it.  Could not stop talking about it.

We finally got the kids out of his room and back downstairs.  After Hannah went to bed we watched Night At The Museum 2.  Since Andrew napped so long, we let him stay up to watch.  He loved it, but you could tell when he started getting excited because he would stand up on the couch or run right up the TV or come over and start climbing all over me.  I love this kid.  We would have to "pause it!" when he had to go potty, of course, and he'd talk to us all the way from the den to the potty and back so we knew exactly what was going on the entire time he was out of our sight. 

After the movie we took him up to bed and that's when he saw Darth Vader again.  Oh my.  So excited.  Chris says he told him that Darth Vader was like God, watching out for him while he slept and protecting him and his "babies" (his 127 stuffed animals that he insists on sleeping with).  Since we have to close his door at night (we have a cat that loves to roam the house meowing LOUDLY), we use a monitor and I heard him talking nonstop to Darth until at least 11:00 pm.  I fell asleep around then, so I'm not sure if the one-sided conversation continued beyond that point or not.

It is so funny to hear Andrew talk about anything and everything.  This kid talks all.the.time. Most of the time it's really cute, and sometimes I just wish he would be quiet, but my goodness, he says the funniest things.  Some of the funnier things he's said:

"Mommy, sometimes I feel like a big boy, and sometimes I feel like a baby boy.  But no matter how I feel, I can still beat you up!"  Well, thanks, son.  Nice to know.

"Mommy, I need to be careful!  If I fall, I might bonk my head!  Or maybe my wee-wee!" (said while climbing on the couch)  Hey, at least he has his priorities in order...Protect the head first, then the wee-wee.

"Mommy, my hiney is a hamburger!" At least he didn't compare a certain other part to a hot dog...

I could go on and on, but you get the point.  My little motormouth...He certainly keep us on our toes and laughing all day long.

A Day That Will Live In Infamy

So today was my last day of summer vacation.  Tomorrow begins teacher pre-planning and the first day of school for students is on Monday.  I am actually looking forward to the beginning of a new year.  I love seeing the school supplies on display in the stores...I love the thought of a fresh start, new beginnings, new students...Its all very exciting to me and a lot of the reason I became a teacher.  Also, I love that I have summers off, along with a week-long break at the end of every six-week grading period at school.  Most days I can be home between 4:30 and 5 pm, so I get a few hours of quality  with the kiddos every day before they go to bed.  I love it.
Anyway, so tomorrow I head back to school.  Being that today was my last day of summer vacation, we decided to go to the zoo.  We have season passes and actually haven't gone at all this summer because we've either been out of town or its been too stinkin' hot.  We headed out the door @ 9 am and were looking forward to an awesome day.  Kids were in a good mood, we were in good moods, we were armed with sunscreen and bug spray (and plenty of snacks!)...all was well. 
We had a lot of fun at the zoo until we got to the World of Reptiles.  This is when Hannah decided she was tired of riding (she had walked a bit at first, then got in the stroller to ride awhile).  Well, when she saw things that interested her, she wanted to go check them out, of course.  One item on interest was a large statue of a komodo dragon that was in front of the World Of Reptiles.  Her interest in the komodo dragon statue wasn't a big deal, but the fact that she had to climb a few steps (with no railing) was a bigger deal.  She is quite stubborn, and decided she was going to master these stairs with no help from mommy.  Chris and Andrew were ready to go see the orangutans, but Hannah was more interested in these steps.  Instead of letting her practice for awhile, I decided we needed to move on.  MY BAD. 

She threw a hissy fit that would rival any I'd ever heard before. 

Anyone who knows us knows that when Hannah throws a hissy fit, Chris throws a hissy fit.  Andrew gets upset and starts crying because she is so upset and getting all the attention, Having this happen in the middle of the zoo was just.freakin.awesome, let me tell you.  Chris tried to get her to calm down but after several minutes was getting more and more frustrated, so I grabbed her and she immediately settled down.  We managed to get through the rest of the zoo without further tantrums from anyone.
We got in the car and headed home.  Hannah promptly fell asleep and Andrew was playing happily in the backseat asking his 4,286 "why" questions.  We stopped at Burger King because Andrew was saying he was so hungry.  All was well, we were almost home...Hannah was napping, Andrew was going to nap when we got home.  It was not over.  Not at all, my friends.

We pulled into the driveway at home, got all our things out of the car, and I had to ask..."Where are the babies?"  You see, the "babies" are Andrew's stuffed giraffe (I think it came from Kohl's once upon a time) and a little blue blankie with a bear's head attached.  Their names are Bobo (the blankie) and Burr (the giraffe).  And no, I do not know why those are their names.  Ask him.  Anyway, they are his prized possessions, his loveys that he has had since he was born...the items that MUST go everywhere with us no.matter.what. because they are his "precious" (as Gollum would say). 

Chris gives me this look that says, "OH.SCHMIDT.  You mean we don't have the babies???"  (No, he didn't say it, but the look said it all.)  Andrew looks between us and just knows.  The babies are not in the car.  They got left behind.  He starts bawling...his poor little heart is broken and I am hurting for him because he is so very upset.  I can't believe he didn't notice their absence during the entire.car.ride.home. and Chris is fuming because life is going to SUCK if the babies are not found.  We are just traumatized but Chris has the good sense to call the zoo just to see if, by chance, anyone found them and turned them in.  Well, God must really love us, because they.had.the.babies.  I immediately grabbed my keys, buckled Andrew in the car (because there was NO WAY he was gonna take a nap when his babies were out there all alone in the world) and headed back to the zoo.  It was so worth it.  All the way there he was so concerned.  His little face was so worried, and he kept telling me how much he missed them and was so glad they were found.

When he saw them again, his face lit up like the sun and he started running in circles out of pure joy.  I tried to get a picture, but he wouldn't sit still.  He kept telling me how scared he'd been and how very happy he was that Bobo and Burr were safe in his arms again.  Oh, that boy...I love him so much.  No matter how much he begs, though, those babies will NEVER leave the car. 

And now, because I know you must know what these precious babies look like...here is a picture that Andrew himself took of them (and a couple of other beloved "babies") long ago when they were much newer and not as "loved."  Bobo is the blue blankie thing in the middle and Burr is the larger giraffe on the left.

Because I Said So!

Its been a day full of questions...Andrew (4 yrs old) is what you might call a motormouth.  From the time he wakes up to the moment he falls asleep at night, there's nothing but NONSTOP talking, questioning, commentating coming from him...exhausting!  I mean, yes, it is very cute sometimes but sometimes, after hearing the question, "WHY?" about 50 times, I am ready to just say "because I said so!"

For example, tonight he was playing a video game with his daddy (Chronicles of Narnia) and was excited about it.  As we were rocking and singing, getting him ready for bed, he asks me why the White Witch is a "bad girl."  The conversation goes a little like this:

Andrew:  Why is the bad witch so bad?
Me:  I don't know baby.
A:  Why is she bad, mommy?
Me:  I guess she just likes doing bad things.
A:  Why does she like doing bad things?
Me:  I guess she hung out with the wrong crowd when she was younger.
A:  Huh?  Why did she do that?
Me:  Well, I guess she doesn't know Jesus because if she knew Him and how much He loves her she would want to do good things and be nice to people because it makes Him so happy!
A:  Yep, I think she just needs Jesus.

It took everything I had not to cry from the sweet innocence of it all.  Obviously not all of our "why, mommy, why?" conversations go like this, but instead of saying, "because I said so!"  and wishing it away, I want to make more of an effort to help him satisfy his curiousity, sit down and figure something out with him, maybe go look it up on the computer or in a book...I want to enjoy every minute of this stage, not just blow it off for something less important like dishes, laundry, or Facebook.  He is way too important, and one of these days he won't care what mom thinks and he'll just KNOW that he knows more/better than me, so for now, I'm just going to enjoy my little man who still loves me and thinks I'm "the best girl in the world."

Food Fight

Let me preface this whole entry by saying this:  Andrew is a sweet, tenderhearted boy who is such a pleasure to be around.  He is so funny, so smart, and amazes me daily with the things he thinks about and talks about with me.  I love being his mommy.

The ONE area in which Andrew is not such a pleasure to parent is the issue of eating.  He is the pickiest eater I've ever personally known.  I was a picky eater as a kid, so I sympathize, but I eat WAY more than he does.  The kid would live on peanut butter crackers if we'd let him.  He refuses to eat many "kid foods" like pizza, PB&J sandwiches, grilled cheese, macaroni and cheese...It is so bizarre to me.

Foods he will eat willingly are grapes, blueberries, bananas, apples, baby carrots, crackers, chicken nuggets, french fries, and any kind of sweet treat (ice cream, cookies, cake, brownies, etc).  We limit the more unhealthy items to special treats once in awhile, but let him eat unlimited amounts of the fruits and carrots. 

We have tried bribing him with action figures (have I mentioned how the boy is OBSESSED with Star Wars?) and/or candy.  We have tried begging.  We have tried being patient...We are at our wit's end.  I am thinking its time to just let the boy starve.  I am so tired of standing in front of the fridge listing everything in it, hoping he will say he'll eat ONE thing in there.  I don't want to be a short order cook.  I'd like to be able to make one meal and everyone eat some of it.  (Hannah will eat anything that's not nailed down and then some!) 

I can't help but feel this is somehow all my fault.  We started Andrew on solid foods early (@ 4 months) because his reflux was HORRIBLE and solid/thicker pureed baby foods stayed down so much better and he did so well with the spoon.  However, when we tried to transition to real solids (i.e. an actual pea instead of pureed peas), he stopped eating his veggies.  At that point, I should have laid down the law and given him no options.  I was too paranoid about him not eating to let myself do that.  Now, I know better.

I am only 4'10" and Andrew is short, like me.  He is in the 5th percentile for his height, but he comes by it honestly.  Chris thinks he will grow if he eats more, but I think he will eat more as he hits growth spurts.  Not sure which one it is, but our pediatrician seems to agree with me.  He is not concerned and says Andrew is as healthy as can be, and that when children are not growing at as quick of a rate (but still moving at the speed of light), they crave quick energy (carbs - like crackers!) to help them keep going, but they don't necessarily require the fat and protein we might think they need.  I certainly don't want him to be obese, and I remember the trauma of being FORCED to eat certain foods, so I certainly don't want to do that to him...but I am worried and in need of advice.  Any words of wisdom for me?

Perspective

Hannah LOVED the sprinklers
along the sides of the mat!

Last night, around 6 pm (because that's when the heat starts to subside a bit), we decided to go outside and play on the Slip-n-Slide we got last week at Toys R Us.  (It was on clearance for $5!  Woohoo!)
Hannah had been clingy and was starting to get a little cranky, so I was considering taking her up for her bath and getting her ready for bed a little earier than normal, but I am so glad I didn't.  We had so much fun playing outside.  Hannah loved the water, Andrew loved running around...Chris tried to show them how to run and slide on the mat, but they just enjoyed splashing around and getting wet. 

Andrew was running so fast I almost
couldn't get a picture!

Its times like these that make me realize how blessed I am.  Even when I am so stressed out and burned out and the kids are driving me crazy, there are moments like these that always make me "check myself" & realize just how good we have it. 

So, no more "Mommie Dearest."  From now on I want to be the best mommy I can be.  When the stress of tantrums or clinginess starts to get to me, maybe I'll just pull up these pictures and remind myself that its all worth it, and these days will be gone far too soon. 

Mommy Guilt

I must confess, I've been a bad mommy...at least, in my opinion.  Last night was awful.  I was so D.O.N.E. with Hannah's clinginess.  Not only does she have to be completely naked to use the potty (see this post for more details on that issue), but she has to be on my lap, in my arms, or within 12 inches and in possession of my complete, 100% devoted attention or else she will rage like nothing you've ever seen.  This is why I am ready for the school year to begin! 

So, anyway, Hannah was in my lap (naked) at dinner.  We attempted to watch Marley and Me while we ate. (Don't judge; seriously, dogs are Hannah's favorite things and I thought MAYBE it would give me a minute to eat in peace.  No chance.)  She eats her food and at least half of mine, and is grabbing my face, my hair, everything.  I have had enough, and it is bedtime anyway, so I take her upstairs.  We do the whole routine:  brush teeth, read the Spot books, rock...then the screaming begins.  I can't understand what she's asking for, but she's pointing to her crib, so I put her in it so she can either lie down or find what she wants so badly.  This makes her scream LOUDER.  This is where I turn into Joan Crawford (remember Mommie Dearest?).  I feel awful.  I raised my voice to her ("What on earth do you WANT?"), I gave up and stormed out of her room, slamming the door...I was horrible. 

Chris came up to see what was going on and he ended up rocking her.  She kept asking for me, though, and that made me feel even worse!  I didn't hit her or anything (and I never would) but oh.my.gosh.  The frustration was ridiculous.  I guess I just reached my limit.  Thank God I have a wonderful husband who always steps in just when I need him most.  I can't imagine having NO support, no rescue...

So, yeah.  That's my confession.  In the light of a new day, I realize she was just as frustrated as I was.  She obviously wanted/needed something and when I couldn't understand what she was saying, she lost it.  Then I lost it because SHE was losing it.  Bad, bad, bad.

Has anyone been there?  Please share your "mommie dearest" moments...Am I the only one who loses my cool with their kids now and then?