Yawn!

Between my two kids - I am tired! AJU5 has become an early bird most days. I am lucky to get to stay in bed past 6:30. This morning, she arrived at our bed around 5am - before AJU1 got up for the day. And, shortly after he left for work, she demanded I get out of bed too. It wasn't even 6am... Luckily her routine is to watch a show in the morning. So, twice this week I have gotten to snooze while she watches Veggie Tales "with me."

Then, you add AJU6 and his terrible sleeping. At 10 months old, he still wakes 3 times a night to nurse. The first two are on about 2 to 2.5 hour increments. Then, he sleeps for about 4 hours and then until he is woken up (or around 7am if AJU5 is actually quiet). I so wish he would sleep better. But, crying it out doesn't seem to be an option. Sometimes I let him fuss for a few minutes while I try to convince myself it isn't him I hear. But, he just gets louder. And, he throws all of his pacifiers out of his bed. So, his main comfort items are not available if he were to give up and try to go to sleep.

So, last night I thought I would try a little formula. Since the smallest "dosage" you can do with the powder is 2 ounces, that is what I tried. And guess what - he refused it! He took a few sips at his first two feedings, but he only drank 1 ounce total. Some of it may have been that it was cold (since I used the filtered water from the fridge). So, tonight I am going to try again. I am also going to try mixing a little bm in to see if that helps. I tried giving him the bottle, then letting him nurse, then when he was ready to switch sides, I tried the bottle again. But, by the second feeding, he was having none of it. And since he is really nursing, not just seeking comfort, I think he is actually hungry. Ugh! Hopefully by 15 months he will be sleeping through the night...

At least yhey both take decent naps right now so I can get a veg period each day!

Helicopter...

Last night I realized at times I am a helicopter parent. And I am not a huge fan of it.

I am totally not a helicopter parent when we are at home or with close friends. But I am when we are not in our norm. Cubbies is one of those places - and even then it is only in certain situations.

I don't helicopter during play time. I do little to no helicoptering during craft. But, other times I am right there with her making sure she "performs" as she should. Some of it is justified - she is younger than all the others by up to 2+ years (Cubbies is for Pre-K, so a few just turned 5, but most are 3 or 4). She is shy and hasn't had a lot of "social school" time. So, if I am not there, she may not do as asked. If I am not there for a few parts of the night (story, opening, etc), she will scream and cry. So, those are times I need to be there still. Luckily, she is getting used to the way things work, and she is starting to not fight me. But, if they loose her attention, she melts...

Then there is book time when they need to say their verses. I think she is warming up to the leader a little, but he was gone last night. And she is one of two kids using a different Bible version that the rest, so I don't want them to confuse her/think she isn't saying it right. So, I helicopter. My goal, now that I have realized it, is to back away a little and see what happens. I want to wait until she doesn't respond to them to step in and help. Hopefully that will work next week...

And I think some of it is that I want to show people what she can do. She is doing the "extra credit" mainly because she is good at memorizing verses. She still has the one memorized back in August at the front of her brain (and will tell it to us all the time). So, having her recite three "old" verses isn't a problem. The second half of the extra credit is sometimes a challenge because it is putting the week's lesson into action/making it tangible. Some concepts are harder for her, but I think without even trying, she would get less than she does with our sometimes-half-completed attempts.

So, there you go. That is how Cubbies is going. The end...

Searching for an Answer

AJU6 has had some not-so=pretty diapers lately. And now, I am searching for an answer! Is it the yogurt I started feeding him? Is it the cheese he has started eating (and loving)? Is it because he is nursing more lately?

Ugh! It isn't fun. And using cloth diapers is a mixed blessing in this case. I may have not noticed the change in the diapers as much if we were using disposables. It isn't diarrhea, but instead just more like infant poo. With the cloth diapers, I am having to rinse them off instead of just "dropping" the dirty into the toilet like I had been able to. And of course rinsing isn't that much fun.

So, now i have limited AJU6's diet a lot. He is going to eat cheerios, organic animal crackers, banana, and possibly some peas and corn until he is 'back to normal" (with the standard nursing on demand). Hopefully he will be "back to normal" soon. Hopefully it is just too much diary or teething that is causing him to be a little grumpier than normal...

An Update - From AJU5

You might remember that I posted my to-dos for this year way back in January. I thought I would let you know where I am on those:

• Learn my letters and numbers.
  The letters are DONE! I know them all, and I can even say what sound most of them make. Mommy and Daddy also say I am starting to sound out some words. On the number side of things, I am a little slower. I can count things fairly well, but I don't know all of my numbers just yet. I do know some of them though.

• Learn to use the potty.
  Done! I still wear diapers at night, but I rarely have an accident these days (except at night when I am sleeping). And, if I do have an accident, it is in the bathroom. I even made it to the state fair without an accident!
  
  
• Sleep in my big girl bed all the time.
  Done Again! Well, I occasionally sleep in Mommy and Daddy's bed, especially for naps, but I don't sleep in a baby bed (crib) at all.
  
  
• Take swimming lessons.
  Nope. Didn't happen. Mommy said I am too clingy to try this past summer. But, we did get to swim some, and I liked that. Next summer I will do swim lessons though!
  
  
• Visit Grandpa's farm and Grampy's lake.
  Well, I got to go to Grandpa's farm this summer, but we didn't go to Grampy's lake. Something about a feud between some of Mommy's family, so she didn't want to try to go. But, we will be there before the new year. I just won't get to actually swim in the lake until next summer. But, Grandpa's farm was fun - I got to "ride" on a bunch of tractors and play with water.

So, I am almost there on my to-do list. Maybe I should work on a new one...

9 Years Ago

Nine years ago, I got up just like normal. I started the day just like normal. I walked to school. I taught my first class of the day (as a graduate student). I went to my second class directly from the first class and was greeted with what I thought was a weird question:
"Are we having class today?"

I had no clue what had happened. It all started minutes before my first class. So, none of us in that room had any idea. I had to ask the students to explainw hat had happened, and even then I really didn't complete grasp what had gone on.

We went through the second class fairly quickly, and I let them go early and returned to the building where my office was. I talked to the other grad students with offices near me, and I learned a little more. Then we headed upstairs to the main office for our department and saw some of it on the TV. Then it truly hit me what had happened and what was going on.

I don't think I will ever forget that day. Just like our grandparents probably won't forget Pearl Harbor, many of us have 9/11. But, I wonder how much the events of that day have really changed our country. I wonder how much that day really changed each one of us. For some people, I don't think it changed them at all. For others, it is a huge change. And, there are those like me who were changed some but not too much because it didn't "hit" close to home.

What about you?

Product Review Friday - PlaySet

After MONTHS of searching, and looking, and waiting, and looking, and researching and ... we finally bought a playset for the back yard. We knew we wanted wood with three swing spots, a slide, and a few climbing options. That was the easy part. The hard part was finding what we wanted in stock at a reasonable price. First we considered one brand that turned out to be EXPENSIVE - twice the price for a similar system. That brand is probably the best built, but we didn't think it was worth that price (they have some systems that cost more than an average new SUV...).

Then we found something we liked on Sam's Club's website that was out of stock. They said they would be back in at the beginning of June (or end of May - I don't remember). By the time they were back in stock, we realized it was 2x4 construction - something we didn't like. So, we started looking again. Then we found one we liked at Costco.com. But, by the time we decided to buy it, it was out of stock. We waited, contacted both the manufacturer and Costco, and finally gave up because it didn't look like it would be back in stock this year. So, the search continued. We found two that we liked - one at Home Depot and one at Costco - next. Then we spent some time laying them out in our yard, talking, and finally we were close to a final decision. AJU1 looked at them again online, and the one at Costco was no longer on sale (but still available). The one at Home Depot was now on sale, and it was the one we were leaning to anyways. So, we bought it.

It is a Gorilla playset, and we think it is just fine for our yard. The wood isn't perfect, but we knew that was likely (after reading reviews of every playset in the $1500 price range, we knew what to expect). It went together fairly easily, and the kids like it. AJU5 is happy with it, and AJU6 even likes some parts too.

The biggest hits for AJU5 are the swing, wheel, and telescope. She refuses to slide, but she will try everything else. AJU6 likes to play in the fort part and occasionally likes the slide. We got him a swing (LittleTykes), and he isn't sure about it. But, AJU5 likes it (we can swing her really high in it). Hopefully the playset will grow with them and will be something they can explore ON THEIR OWN before too long :)

Wordless Wednesday - Approved!

Dinner Adventures

Part 1: "Conversation" between AJU6 and I
Me: AJU6, you need to eat your (green) beans before I give you more potato.
AJU6: Picks up beans and "eats" them.
Me; Give him more potato (and chicken).
AJU6: Eats some more, but not everything.

Later, I go to clean his chair,and I find the beans, uneaten, at the bottom. I hope this is not a sign of things to come...

Part 2: AJU5
I hear AJU5 mumble something, so I turn to look at her (she is sitting next to me), and I notice she is turning around in her chair. I think she is getting down, but then I look closer - her eyes are shut! She is asleep at the dinner table for the first time ever. And it wasn't even 6 (she normally goes to bed around 8). I was able to carry her to bed, put a diaper on her, and tuck her in without waking up. She later cried a little, but she was still asleep. Hopefully morning won't come too early...

Cubbie!

AJU5 is now a Cubbie in Awana. Awana is a Christian scout-type program that focuses on Scripture memory, and begins with 2-year olds. We decided to skip the 2 year old class (Puggles) with AJU5, and move her to the preschool class (Cubbies) because we plan on starting kindergarten with her when she is 4.5. Last night, the Cubbies who completed the first two weeks got their vests and books. AJU5 had to memorize three (shortened) verses and the Cubbies motto. I am surprised at how easily she learned the verses. I just had to repeat them a bunch of times during the week, and before too long she could repeat them to me. Plus, it is helping me learn verses too :)

She still isn't used to the format of Awana though. The group she is in starts with play time while everyone arrives. Then, they do a big group time with a puppet story, Bible story, and song. After that,t hey rotate through three stations - book/snack, craft, and game. The hardest thing for AJU5 is she doesn't always want to leave one activity - especially the play time with the play kitchen. Also, it ends right beofre her bedtime, so the closing time at the very end can be a struggle too. But, I think she is getting more and more comfortable with it. And, it doesn't hurt that her best friend is also in the class with her (and we make sure they are in the same rotation group). She was a little sad when her friends little brother (a very close second on the best friend status) didn't get to go with them this week. He is a Puggle, and he had to go to his class!

This morning the first thing she asked AJU1 for was her book and vest. She asked for them before juice, milk, and morning snack even. So, hopefully next Thursday will run even smoother for her!

Verses:
1 John 4:10 - God lvoed us and sent His Son.
Romans 3:23 - All have sinned.
Romans 5;8 - While we were sinners, Christ died for us.

Cubbies Motto; Jesus loves me.

Wow!

Let's just say AJU5 surprised me this morning - and last night.

First, she went to bed without a fight - something we had been dealing with for a week or two. Then she stayed in bed even though her door wasn't shut and just played until she fell asleep. We heard her singing the Awana Cubbie song at one point.

Then, I heard her this morning playing in her room. Then I heard AJU6 whine a little bit. The next thing I knew I heard them both laughing. She had gone to his room and was playing with him. It was a lot better way to wake than two screaming kids!

Next, once she came to get me, I noticed she had on different pants than she went to bed with. She had taken her pants off with the diaper inside (I knew she COULD do that), and then put on undies and different pants. Normally I have to ask her to change in the morning after her shows.

This little girl is growing up, and part of me is happy. But, then I miss my baby at times too...

I guess someone made a mistake

AJU6 is now 9 months old, and he is as active as can be. He can stand on his own, and just this weekend figured out how to push a toy around while standing. I wouldn't not be surprised if he was truly walking before a year.

At his check-up, he weighed 15 lbs 11.25 oz and was 27 inches long. I didn't look at the growth chart too quickly, but whoever plotted it must have been wrong. Our pediatrician said he was 25th percentile in weight and 10th in height. But, he weighs less than his sister did at 9 months, and she was 10th percentile in weight! I checked online, and it shows him less than 5th percentile. Part of me wonders if the number they wrote on our paper is wrong, as he doesn't look that skinny. It actually looks like he is a little chubbier than he was at 6 months. But I don't know. He is healthy and that is all that matters.

He isn't a talker just yet, but either was his sister. Neither of them waved, but I think it is more because we aren't wavers around here. I often wonder why that is always one of the milestones they ask about - I bet kids in other parts of the world don't wave either. But again I know he understands us and he is communicating in his own way. You should see how he reacts when he sees his crackers! He is definitely telling us that is what he wants.

Enough of the rambling. It is just one of those kind of days. First day of the Fall term, stayed up too late last night, and have been busy all day... But, all is good :)

Wordless Wednesday - Friday Evening "Activity"

Puddles, and More Puddles

Yesterday AJU5 decided she wanted to wear undies like Mommy. I took this as a sign she was ready to try potty training again, especially since she fought putting on a diaper for a good 30 minutes. So, she got undies for about 2 hours yesterday before we had to leave to go somewhere. And, there were accidents of course. Luckily AJU1 "caught" the big accident and cleaned it up.

This morning she wanted undies again (she actually had to be forced into a diaper to leave yesterday and at bedtime). So, I went with it. After four puddles and no success (and one heavily used diaper at nap time), I was about to give up. I posted on Facebook asking for ideas. AJU5 knew when she had to go. She would just dribble a tiny bit on her undies and let me know. We would sit on the potty, and nothing would happen. Repeat one more time, and then there would be ahuge puddle about 15 minutes after the second attempt. Clearly the problem was actually using the potty - not knowing that she needed to go. One friend suggested trying to have her sit on the potty while watching a show and drinking Gatorade. I gave it a try. After about an hour, she went. Then, about 45 minutes later, there was another puddle - luckily that one was outside in the grass so I didn't have to clean it up.

So, we will try again tomorrow. We will start with the potty/drink/show combo first thing in the morning. Then, we will probably try another suggestion - coloring while sitting on the potty - later. We have tried books with no results, but it might be that I am just not patient enough (20-30 minutes of reading kids books can wear me out, especially when AJU6 wants to play). Hopefully she figure it out. She really wants her trike - the current carrot for potty training.

Product Review Friday - Personal Financial Software

We started using MS Money shortly after we got married. In almost 8 years, it became very easy to use, and it was user friendly (as long as you are used to Microsoft at least). Then, about a year or so ago, they stopped selling it. My husband tried to adjust something on the version we had, it we lost the ability to download our transactions from our banking companies - about a year before this would have happened otherwise. So, we had to switch. Basically, the only option out there is Quicken, so he ordered that.

We aren't huge fans of it. It is harder to reconcile the transactions. You can't easily see the number of transactions needing to be reconciled per account. It does download the transactions "well," and it tracks our spending like we want. We don't have a set budget, so that isn't important to us. Maybe if we had a strict budget it would be a better program...

*We are fortunate at this point to have surplus each month after paying our bills, groceries, tithe, and depositing a set amount in savings. That remainder then is currently being used mostly for the backyard "remodeling" which is making our credit card bleed (well, until we pay it off each month). So, in a sense we have a budget, but because we have the surplus, we don't have to stress over it or even worry about it at all.


** I know have another blog for my cloth diapering journey. If you want the url, let me know. I am using my name there (but not the kids), so I won't link to it here.

Glad That is Over

Last February I found a lump in my right breast. It felt like a cyst - and I thought there was a very good chance it was just acne (I have had ones similar a little closer to the surface before). A week or so later, AJU6 was conceived. Then, I found out I was pregnant, and it felt like it was getting bigger. So, I mentioned it to my OB/Gyn at my first appointment, and she sent me to get a breast ultrasound. She said it felt like a fibroid, but she wanted to make sure. I then of course Google fibroid and determined it was likely. The ultrasound again showed it was likely a fibroid, but it wasn't 100% certain. So, they said to come back in 3 months. Well, fibroids tend to grow with hormones related to pregnancy. So, 3 months later it was larger. That was a year ago. They decided to have me come back in 6 months - after AJU6 was born - to see what it had done. By then it was slightly smaller than it had been last August, but it was still there and fairly large. So, I got to go back this month. It is still there, but it is drastically smaller. So, that is enough evidence for them that it is just a fibroid (breastfeeding = enough hormones to allow it to still live). That means I don't have to go back to that place for 8 years (when I turn 40 for my first mammogram) or if I feel it growing again.

I didn't share it with many people because at first I wasn't ready to share the pregnancy. So, I couldn't really share the fibroid since it was most likely related. Then, I just didn't. But, before every ultrasound I would get slightly nervous. Luckily it is over. I am glad that fear is gone...

Let the Whining... I Mean Weaning Begin

I decided to "force" the pacifier weaning on Saturday. AJU5 has gotten WAY too whiny about her pacifiers, so I knew it was time. With VBS over, I was ready to take the "plunge." We had friends suggest (via my husband) cutting the tip off of the pacifier a little bit at a time until they didn't want it any more. So I tried it Saturday night before she went to bed. Well, I guess I cut too much off. She has not wanted that pacifier since that night...

She woke a few times Saturday night/Sunday morning, and finally around 5:30, I gave her a different pacifier so I could get a little more sleep. Sunday at church, I offered her the cut one, and she refused it. She fell asleep in the pew without it - snuggled up next to me. Sunday night, she told me it was broken, and when I gave it to her, she threw it. I had to lay down with her in the middle of the night to get her back to sleep, but she didn't want a pacifier.

Yesterday's nap was a challenge. She refused to go down at her normal time. Then, around 3pm, while I was busy folding clothes, she fell asleep in our bed. There were more cries out of her during her nap than normal, but she was completely pacifier free. Last night she didn't even ask for her "other" pacifiers like she did at the failed nap time. She wanted me to lay with her for a while, but eventually she went to sleep on her own. AND!!! she didn't wake us up last night with her crying. So, I think the weaning (for her) is over.

I also started keeping AJU6's pacifier in his bed unless we are leaving the house. He seems okay with this. We do occasionally have to get it out about an hour before bed time, but that is it. We have tried putting him down an hour earlier, and he refuses. He wants to snuggle and be held before bed, and he wants his pacifier then too. And, I am okay with that. Hopefully he will be easier to break of the bedtime habit than AJU5. But, only time will tell...

Is It Nap Time Yet?

This week is killing me! VBS is a lot of work. We are averaging 34 kids with under 10 adult helpers and under 10 teen helpers. Oh, and I am not counting AJU6 in those 34 kids...

Add to that a teething infant who is waking every few hours at night, and you have one tired mommy. (The boy has cute 3 teeth in less than a month, and a fourth one is coming soon)

Luckily VBS is going well. We had a great family night yesterday at church, and the kids are enjoying the whole experience. Games have been hit or miss, but that is mainly due to heat (middle group - too hot and tired to play much by their turn) and age (youngest group). Lunch has been a huge hit, and the crafts have gone well. I haven't seen much of the lesson (since there are secluded for maximum attention), but supposedly that has been going well too.

One more day... I can make it...

Famous.. Sort Of...

I had a blog post "published" on a bigger site!
http://www.theclothdiaperwhisperer.com/2010/08/ready-for-anything.html
This is the site run by the owner of the cloth diaper store I have bought from (twice). Checked it out if you would like!

Splish Splash

How is it that months ago both my kids hated baths and now they yearn for them? And how did my daughter who would SCREAM when I turned the shower head on (even if she wasn't in the tub) become a girl who ASKED to take a shower with me?

AJU6 got upset one night because he didn't get a bath. He was asleep through most of AJU5s bath before church Wednesday night, so I just rinsed him off (there was a little frozen yogurt incident at Costco - both kids were a little sticky). He let me know he wanted into the tub to play too. He cried until we were out of the bathroom and on our way out the door.

AJU5 now asks for a bath at least once a day. If AJU6 is awake, she asks for him to take a bath with her. But, she also enjoys the alone bath time because then she can "paint" the tub with an old tooth brush and body wash.

Our outdoor little pool isn't getting as much use though - I think because it is so hot outside most days. I know I would rather be inside than out! And I am not crazy enough to try to take the kids to the real pool these days (alone). So, the bath has to do...

Getting Ready

Next week is our church's VBS. So, I am working on getting the kids on a good schedule for that - and it hasn't been easy. Sunday went great - AJU5 took a late nap and we had no issues. Monday was okay - a little fight to get her to actually nap after 1pm once I had pushed her passed the normal 11 or 12 - but it worked.

Then came Tuesday...

AJU1 is on a different work schedule this week because of a class he is taking at work. He now leaves just before 7am and gets home around 6pm. Well, AJU5 started to fuss at 5:30am, and he let her out of bed. So, at 6:30 when she normally gets up, she had already had her two morning shows - the shows I count on to wake up, get a shower, and check my work things (plus Facebook and Google Reader of course). To top it off, she bawled when he left because she thought he would be home all day (like the weekend). She fell asleep on our walk - in an uncomfortable position at that - long before her normal nap. She did take a nap later in the day, but it still wasn't fun.

That night she didn't sleep well. I finally realized it was because she was cold at 5am - and I had already had to comfort her twice before then. She did sleep until almost 7 - just early enough to see daddy and bawl when he left. Luckily she napped well around 12:30.

Today has been okay. Nap at 1ish, etc. Luckily AJU6 FINALLY got with the picture and napped some while she napped. The lack of simul-nap was killing me! That, and having to deal with the kids for 1-2 more waking hours by myself... at the cranky/needy hours...

Lets see if this works for next week...