Wednesday Morning

Today is garbage day. I haven't posted in awhile because I have enjoyed putting that energy toward other things. This morning was cute and inspiring though. After waking up 6 times to use the restroom because someone is oh so active on my bladder, and another little someone decided at three a.m. he needed to crawl into bed with mom and be carried back to his own room for a fitful remaining few hours of sleep… then being woke up early again by the annoying screech and rattle of the garbage truck and a pounce from that same little person who pounced at me at three o'clock….

I'm wondering if I slept at all. But this was a lot of fun this morning! I'm glad I didn't miss it.

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Caution: Contents May Be Hot!

My coffee needed a "Caution: Contents May Be Hot" label on it this morning. I burned my tongue. I never burn my tongue on my own cup of coffee! Then flashbacks of my little fellow standing up by the coffee maker and pulling every button he could find before I caught him came through my mind. Sure enough, when I looked, the temperature knob was turned up as high as it could go.

That reminded me of other random stuff around my house that just stop and make me laugh. Things I know that I know that I know will be missed some day. Like the fireman figure that was waiting on the other side of the window sill to greet me this morning when I opened the blinds to let in the sun.

The motion-activated fire engine that was apparently parked under our arm chair and produced its authentic siren sound when the lady who was attending Bible Study Monday night dared to turn her body. Who knew?

Sunday Review

Thanks to everyone who left funny emails, encouraging comments, and words of insight. This Sunday went a lot smoother! Sundays are just hard days for little guys! You wake up, you be still at church all morning, you come home to eat and nap, and then wake right up again to be scuttled off to church again, then back for more bed. He was a lot less whiney, so that made all the other infractions bearable. I was expecting much worse considering we were out for twelve hours on Saturday doing some fun things I will have to write about later!!! I am going to finish taking the pictures for those posts on Monday! Have a great week!! Thanks for all the comments, emails, and texts! It was very encouraging to my young mother heart!!!

Checking In

That was a pretty dismal post yesterday. Haha. But I just felt like I had to explain why I could not do my normal "daybook" post. Today is a new day… and a gorgeous one too! Since I've been writing Jon it seems like posting and updating here has been easier. So I thought I would just include a snippet of what I just wrote so that yesterday's post isn't left on the top here:

I've got all the windows open and enjoy hearing the summer critters and my wind chimes outside the front door… and there's a wonderful breeze coming in and around the house. Just beautiful! After all that blistering heat we've had THIS kind is just amazing! We played out in the sprinkler today, enjoying some good ol' summer fun, came in, had lunch, read books, brushed teeth and put a certain lad down for a nap. I was prepared for a long fight again. Last night took over an hour and a half until he finally stayed in his bed. It was 11 o'clock before he stayed in and fell asleep… Then this morning I heard little bare feet on the floor at 6:30… and a cautious little head peeking into my room, wondering what to do. Needless to say, after so little sleep, so much fighting, and then playing… he's tired and really needed the nap. Thankfully this time he only climbed out of bed once and then fell asleep within seven minutes! Yes, I was shocked. Not sure how long he'll sleep… I hope a while so he can catch up on some of that sleep he's missing!

Like I told him… I'll sign off for now and do a few other chores around here before I hear those bare-pigs on the floor again!

My Not-So-Simple Daybook

For Today, Sunday, August 15, 2010

The Top Ten Reasons Why Today Will Not End Soon Enough

1. I have been fighting, chasing, arguing, directing, and re-directing an extremely energetic, ever increasingly whiney, obstinate two year old since 7 o'clock this morning. Note to self ten…. Even FIVE… years ago: Mothers do not have Sunday rests, sick days, or rest in general.
   
2. My son has discovered how to easily climb out of his crib, making my naps non-existent from this point on… erasing peace and relaxation while he cries himself to sleep… instead, coming in and haunting my few moments with… "Hi Mom!" and a joyous, victorious, proud, and mischievous smile pasted on his face. Making the simple beginnings of nap time extend to thirty minutes of back and forth lifting and carrying… which is growing increasingly difficult for my own self.
   
3. My super great lunch plans were thwarted by the fact that I should have had the crock-pot on High instead of Low (who knew? That's what I get for trying to make my own recipe).
   
4. It's hot, way hotter than I expected for the day. Making me extremely uncomfortable in the outfit I chose for today… and no one's air conditioning seems to be working… the heat and discomfort are causing my annoyance level to go even higher.
   
5. Guess who did not have wipes for someone's poopy diaper in church?
   
6. How many times must I drop food on myself, drop silverware and dishes on the floor… in ever increasing regularity? How many stains and soakings will all my clothes have to endure? How can I feel so incompetent?
   
7. Why do I have to be so emotional and want to cry, cry, cry, at everything today?
   
8. Hearing my son say "No!" to every single…. EVERY. SINGLE. THING. I. SAY.
   
9. Whining… constant whining… I dared to leave following Daddy home from church so he could see the fire engines like usual coming home from church. Drama: "Daddy's gone! No, no, no! Daddy's gone." Pulling up in the driveway and SEEING Daddy: More drama: "No, no, no… Reed's house! A go Reed's house." To which I could only pull his kicking feet and wiggling body out of the car, lest he be overcome with heat being left in the car (beware winter, Young Lad) and plopped him in our lawn, leaving him to put on a great show for the neighbors. Sweet tea and (yet to be discovered un-finished) lunch were waiting inside.
   
10. I have to go back to church, pack this kid in the car and do the above for another six hours. I could go crazy. Don't talk to me or ask me how I'm doing. I will melt into a bundle of tears, huddle on the floor and rock slowly back and forth.
    

A Quote to Remember

We made yummy muffins for breakfast this morning, and because he made them I guess, Isaac was really enjoying them. He ate very well and then was more than happy to get down to play. Normally he will sit in his chair after we take his tray off and wait for Stephen to take him to the sink to wash up. This time he slithered down while the tray was still in mid-air, going to find a resting place on the table nearby. Stephen said, Isaac, let me wash you off, bud. And Isaac chimed up from the living room… No… (Looking himself over) I keen. Just as matter of factly as anything, like crumbs and dry food were not a mess at all. He did come in to show dad eventually what he was talking about… but it was really funny at the time. No… I keen.

Dog Days

Well, the rest of the week has proven to be exceptionally hot, even hotter with each passing day. Isaac and I did not venture out to the store or any type of play places by ourselves since earlier in the week. We went out early in the morning, when the heat was less oppressive; however, morning temperatures of 80 to 85 are not that low really. The first morning out I put the sprinkler on low, I thought this may be successful now that he is a pro at the water splash pad at the zoo. And it did work. He had a lot of fun. I took a video, but am having trouble downloading it. I will have to wait until Stephen can show me how to get it onto my computer from my phone (surely that's possible!). We also filled up his pool. What would we do without our little (big) swimming pool? Isaac would not be a happy camper because there is no way his own mother would sit outside without that nice pool! I have deep gratitude and amazement at everyone who works outside on days like this. How can though do it? I can literally feel my skin burning! We frequently (minute by minute) keep dousing ourselves in water to keep from melting. Melting would be a bad thing…

Playing Around

I thought I heard mouse in there!

Climber

He knows he isn't supposed to be up there, right? So what does he say, "Mom! Cam-uh!" Cheese!

A Quote to Remember

An original sentence… by Isaac. (Unwilling to put pants back on after a diaper change. Rather, enjoying the comfortable feel of being undressed.)

Day is Done

It has been a really, really long day. But it is over now…almost. As soon as I can finish writing and wind down a little bit. But I so happy to report that I can now flush the toilet without fear! I can (one day, when all the backwashed grime is gone) take a long, long shower. (Exactly how many scrubbings will it take to get the bathtub clean again?) And Isaac is good for one more year before having another maintenance check-up. Today's was long (I said that, right?)… very long. I am so thankful for a husband who went through this entire day's trials with us. A large sacrifice of time on his part, hours and hours…including taking care of Isaac while I had Bible study to night. I think right now I hear him getting back into the ticking groove on his keyboard.

Isaac is 37 and a half inches tall, and 25 pounds. Extremely skinny for his age, and exceptionally tall. The doctor did not consider the bruises a testimony to any type of child abuse thankfully; even casually overlooking the bruised bump that conveniently found itself on his forehead right before we had to go in today of course! By the dirt collected under his finger nails and between his fingers from admiring the plumber's rotating machine in the front lawn today for over an hour and by the popsicle stain running down his arm… she came to the conclusion that he was active. But little did she know that drama leading up to the appointment. I overcame the feeling of being belittled because… there is just really nothing you can do when the housing plumbing is beyond your control. Thankfully she didn't see the stains on my own shirt from those same popsicle-hands and muddy fingers, that were much dirty before I was able to get them somewhat clean before we got in the car. I just don't even notice things about my own self when I am trying to get my own child looking decent. There are days I get to our destination and wonder if I put my shoes on, or did I even look in the mirror to fix my hair? Or… what am I wearing?

It's been a long… LONG day!

Birthday Dollars

Isaac thinks he is a "fye-mun." Everyone is a "fye-mun": the police officer, the construction worker, the mailman. All helpers and workers get lumped into his all time favorite job: fireman! So how convenient that the week after his birthday he is able to spend some birthday dollars in the Dollar Aisle and buy a fireman hat and jacket? A dream come true I tell you!

Big Boy

On Friday, Isaac and I took a trip to our local Salvation Army Thrift store. I was tired of trying to squeeze t-shirts over his head and hear his hilarious sound effects as he struggled to get free. Our last trip to the thrift store ended as soon as we walked in the door, so I was not too excited about this trip, thinking the same thing would probably happen. But it actually didn't. He had fun pushing hangers around, eating his snack, drinking juice, and sitting in the back of the cart since the front was broken. We enjoyed finding a couple toys also for him to play with as well as a brand new Elmo game I will keep undercover until Christmas comes around.

We found some nice church pants for forty cents… and got a couple pairs. So Sunday morning he was quite tickled, after our fun trip to get "big boy stuff" to wear his "big boy pants" to church for the first time. The picture doesn't fully capture his fun attitude, but the church shoes, the bow tie… all Isaac's doing. He had fun.

Glad

This is day number five. And I am wishing I had taken his pacifier away sooner! It is so freeing! And makes him such an independent boy! I noticed already on day three he was starting to know when he was tired and laying himself down on the carpet. Well, yesterday when we were out with friends, he climbed up in my lap and put his head down. And if he had not been handed an ice cream bar… I am sure he would have fallen asleep. And then today!...

Me: (seeing Isaac leave our water play fun and lay down on the hot dark asphalt of our driveway… on his back, face up, eyes closed… sorry, no camera!!!) Isaac, are you tired?

Isaac: Naw.

Hahaha. Needless to say, he was scooped up, dried off, and eagerly closed his eyes as soon as he could wrap his arms around Tigger. I like no pacies!!

Sing-Along

Song: Who built the ark?

Isaac: "Knome-uh! Knome-uh!"

Song: Who built the ark?

Isaac: (Brother) Knome-uh (built the ark).

Transitions

Now that our young guy is officially two years old, it's time to transition off the pacifier. We had narrowed it down to just bedtimes successfully since last Winter or Spring. And just the past couple days we have cut it out altogether.

My first plan of action was to snip some of the end off it. He still got his pacifier's presence and comfort, but it wasn't doing the old job for him. One night of that was enough for me, we needed a clean break. So the next day he and I made a special Big Boy Day, road the train at the mall, played in the playground and went off to find a much coveted Pooh Bear he had wanted at a gas station stop but was denied. So we went off to find Pooh to replace "pacie." We were excited to find him on extreme clearance at the Disney Store and were able to get Tigger (his other favorite) on sale too! Both much less for the price I was expecting to pay for just one. Last night went so smoothly! I was surprised. He woke up bright and chipper talking to Pooh and Tiger, brought them out and snuggled down on the living room carpet to finish waking up. (A normal tradition now that we have a new carpet he very much adores.)

But naptime… this is not going as smoothly. Which I have heard does not go as well. Understandable. It's the middle of the day, and learning to soothe one's self to actually stop and go to sleep could be hard for an active little guy. He's just saying, "Mum, cum. Mum, cum." But I have noticed his little voice is just singing now, must be talking to Pooh or Tigger, and it's getting softer… softer… softer. I have a feeling that after being in there for almost an hour now, he'll fall asleep.

We do have a routine before naptimes, which has helped so much. I noticed today though, since he's been trying to put himself to sleep a couple days now, that the closer we got to our "normal" naptime, the quieter he got. He actually laid down on the floor and rolled his trains around. I could tell he was able to start feeling that he was getting tired, which he has never had to do before. So I scooped him up and he cheerfully waved bye to his train, "She yuh!" (See ya.) We did a bathroom run and while putting on his pants again he saw Pooh waiting in his bed for him. He told Pooh he was coming, and started snoring. He was ready. He was so ready I thought for sure he would be asleep by now! I know I could be. But when I personally take naps, my days just get so behind. Maybe once I finally here zero noise from his room I can drift off for a quick pick-me-up.

You know… do you ever have one of those days where you wish you were blogging and posting your pictures from your most recent trip to Hawaii. That thought just struck me… huh! Nice. Aloha!