Mom's #1 Christmas Rule

Actually, this rule is not just for Christmas - but it most recently came up during some post-holiday shopping, so I thought I would give our biggest gifting season the credit. The rule is not actually for children - it's a rule for adults. And it's aimed at gift-givers and post-holiday impulse-shoppers alike. The rule is:

If it's more breakable than children, there is not a place for it in my house.

Not that I try to break my children - but they are, in fact, quite sturdy. As most moms out there have learned, it's not the actual child breaking that you worry about, it is what the child CAN break (which is most everything). Yes, this comes from the mouth (keyboard...) of a mom who is eternally baby-proofed. A mom who doesn't have a mantle upon which to perch the delicate, decorative set-abouts that most adults who have a home use to decorate (besides, my kids have already conquered the 3rd dimension). A mom who has no place in her home that the children are not allowed (that's how it was when I was growing up, so that's how it is in my home). "Where," you ask, "do you hide all of the Christmas gifts?" I'd answer that for you, but then my kids would figure out that I picked the least-interesting place in the house, and then it would suddenly become the most interesting, so I'm not telling you. And it worked beautifully this year, so I'm not sharing the secret. Not today, not next week, but maybe in 18 years... or whenever they figure it out.... In the meantime, I'll be teaching my kids the meaning of gentle, breakable, delicate, and PUT THAT DOWN RIGHT NOW!!!!

Stuffy noses, goopy eyes, ear infections - whine, whine, whine!

Yep - you guessed it, illness has taken over our household. In a BIG way. I was sick for 10 days upon our return from Disney World. A week into that, Daddy got sick. I felt better for about 3 days when my second wave began, and my daughter joined in the fun. So, I took myself to the doctor and my daughter to her pediatrician. The three of us are now on prescription medication. Lest you think my son got out of this unscathed, he's been on over-the-counter medicine, and also threw up in the car on Friday night (thankfully, that was the only episode). My daughter was back at the pediatrician's office on Saturday morning because she was worse, not better. I think that things are finally turning around- and hopefully we'll all feel better in just a few more days. I'm dreaming of it now ....
"Merry Christmas to All, there's not a tissue in sight!"

Patience Pays Off

This is a cut-and-paste from an email sent back in March of 2006. Why so far back? Well, it's just a classic story of our day-to-day, and I was reminded of it as our daughter asked for "gook" a few days ago....

OK - big milestone moment today - and I just had to share.

For as long as he could ask for milk, our son has been calling it "noos." My husband and I have been very patient, knowing that ONE DAY, our son would figure out how to say "milk."

As we were sitting down to dinner this evening, I heard our son ask for something using a new word. I asked him to repeat what he just said, and he asked for "nil-k" (big accent on the final K sound). I was so stunned, I laughed and cried and made him say it again for my husband (who was also stunned). Of course, he got his "nilk" - and got asked to repeat the new word over and over again - never going back to "noos." We laughed and celebrated this new milestone in a huge way - probably as big a deal for us as his first steps (and I'm not exaggerating!).

I also overheard him - while he was outside with Daddy this morning - say, "Oh, Abby. Where are you?" Of course, the enunciation isn't perfect, but I'm so impressed with how his verbal skills are expanding on a daily basis! (By the way, Abby is one of our cats)

But - back to the whole noos/nilk story - our patience has finally been rewarded, in a big way (at least to us), and I'm the proud Mama that just wanted to share :)

The Streak

(More appropriately titled, "Why Children Should Nap Fully Clothed")

OK - it's been awhile.... It's the holiday season (it stretches from Halloween through the New Year...) and I've been distracted with vacation and birthday plans as well. My oldest just turned 4 - what a milestone! He's looking forward to getting a twin bed soon (after "the holidays") and our ever-more-monkey-like, almost 18-month-old daughter will soon transition to the toddler bed. Early, I know, but her death-defying antics lead me to believe this is the lesser of two evils (more on that in another blog). However, it is this tall, slim, adorable ball of fire that inspires me today....

I have always thought that there should be some sort of small transition at naptime so it feels like a shorter version of bedtime (which, in fact, it is). So, rather than reading and singing, I usually get my kids down to shirt and underwear/diaper, tuck them in, turn on their bedtime music, and leave the room. They almost always stay in bed. They almost always go to sleep. They almost always awake in the same manner of dress that I left them. Except for "the Streak."

My darling daughter has now, twice, been diaper-free upon waking from her nap. And I don't mean diaper-free in the "hey-look-I'm-potty-trained" way. I mean diaper-free in the "hey-look-isn't-this-neat-I-learned-about-Velcro-today" way. I won't go into the details from there, but suffice it to say that I've had to wash bedclothes.

Admittedly, it's quite amusing (otherwise I wouldn't have posted this). And, yes, there's an easy solution - put her in one-piece tops instead of shirts - but onesies aren't always the cutest thing out there for your nearly-18-month-old, my-new-haircut-makes-me-look-
rather-like-Posh-Spice, monkey-like, daredevil daughter. And yes, she already flashes her belly button to anyone who's interested. Perhaps a unionsuit is the best option for the girl - and the parents. But still, not so attractive. I'll find a solution - I will! - and I'll tell you when I do.

One point of honor in all of this - I gave her the haircut!