Scene: The BK's mom arrives at the airport and is greeted by her progeny.
LG: Hi Grandma. Did you turn into the Old Grandma?
Me: (Speechless, eyes wide and wishing I were deaf)
Grandma: Uh, no LG. I'm just Grandma.
LG: Don't worry though. You don't look dead, you just look like the Old Grandma.
Me: Laughing hysterically, and not nearly as embarrassed as I should be.
Grandma: Not laughing nearly as much as she should be.
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Lovely Locks
No, I'm not talking about the TP. I'm sure she'll get there, but in the meantime, the LG has some LOVELY hair, and when I decided to cut it (note to self, don't use clippers if you only intend to trim), tears started to well as I stared horrified at the amount of hair falling to the floor. I got over it.
Once the transformation was complete, I was reminded of how much the LG resembles the BK. When his hair is long and shaggy I think he looks like me, but with military do in force, he definitely looks like his daddy. The haircut also induced the Samson effect and for a few days, the LG was a docile little lamb. Seriously, there can be no other explanation. It didn't last long enough though, the Hulk has returned.
Once the transformation was complete, I was reminded of how much the LG resembles the BK. When his hair is long and shaggy I think he looks like me, but with military do in force, he definitely looks like his daddy. The haircut also induced the Samson effect and for a few days, the LG was a docile little lamb. Seriously, there can be no other explanation. It didn't last long enough though, the Hulk has returned.
Saturday, April 10, 2010
Goodbye Saturdays, Hello Soccer
As we were walking to the field for the LG's first soccer game, the BK said, "Well, this is it. The first Saturday of the the next 20 or so years." We have entered the soccer/basketball/baseball/ballet/who-knows-what-else mom/dad days that come with kids. The LG was ready. Fully decked out in his soccer gear - new cleats, shin guards, and matching shirt, shorts and socks, he was better dressed than ANY of my pictures from similar eras.
I have been coaching him at home through many lectures on the NUMBER 1 RULE in SOCCER - No Hands. Only Feet. The BK was kind enough to question my advice on the drive over, admonishing that actually the only rule was no hands. Thanks. I figured that providing the LG with a specific focus for his energy (feet) was the best approach at this point. Perhaps practice on Wednesday helped to lower my expectations (it was so bad I was actually in tears), but I thought the game actually went really well for his first time. The picture below would make you think that he was engaged. The truth is a bit closer to the pictures that follow, but he did make mincemeat of a few plants and bugs on the field, and ran with great speed off the field, through a fence and over a bridge. He did kick the ball, on the field once, and managed to stay on the field most of the time when he was in. It was a pretty good start.
As you can see from the picture below, we have a few things to work on, but thankfully, his coach is AMAZING, and we are so grateful for his energy, enthusiasm and understanding. I'm not sure many coaches would get down on hands and knees in the middle of a game to find out what a child is looking at. Thanks Coach Matt!
His number one fan.
I have been coaching him at home through many lectures on the NUMBER 1 RULE in SOCCER - No Hands. Only Feet. The BK was kind enough to question my advice on the drive over, admonishing that actually the only rule was no hands. Thanks. I figured that providing the LG with a specific focus for his energy (feet) was the best approach at this point. Perhaps practice on Wednesday helped to lower my expectations (it was so bad I was actually in tears), but I thought the game actually went really well for his first time. The picture below would make you think that he was engaged. The truth is a bit closer to the pictures that follow, but he did make mincemeat of a few plants and bugs on the field, and ran with great speed off the field, through a fence and over a bridge. He did kick the ball, on the field once, and managed to stay on the field most of the time when he was in. It was a pretty good start.
As you can see from the picture below, we have a few things to work on, but thankfully, his coach is AMAZING, and we are so grateful for his energy, enthusiasm and understanding. I'm not sure many coaches would get down on hands and knees in the middle of a game to find out what a child is looking at. Thanks Coach Matt!
His number one fan.
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
TrainerMomma & Good Days
One of the great things about moving is that you get to meet new, fabulous, and inspiring people. I have met such a person, and she has inspired me to make more of an effort to get in shape, eat well, and keep a smile on my face. She is marvelous and I completely love her blog (TrainerMomma), and find her enthusiasm really refreshing. She just makes me feel like it isn't hopeless or impossible. I am also unashamed to admit that she is having a giveaway that I would really like to win.
Randomly, but along the lines of meeting new people, these are the LG's new girlfriends. They are adorable and I could eat them up. Their mother is from Spain, father from Russia, and the girls are already trilingual. And so cute.
We have also been having a hard time recently with the LG. We have frequently been talking about his high energy while waving our rabbit ear fingers. The little devil has been making many more appearance than the little angel.
After a few breakdowns over the phone with my mom, in desperation she sent me a book called The Power of Positive Parenting by Glenn Latham. I read the first 3 chapters last night and decided I would start today with testing the effectiveness of its principles. Wow. What a difference a day makes.
This is not to say that annoying, obnoxious and downright stinky behavior didn't occur, but I stuck to his advice to ignore most of it. I ignored Mater as he was driven repeatedly into the glass patio door, ignored with crossed fingers and high anxiety as the LG carried the TP around the house teaching her to "walk", ignored his jumping from one item of furniture to the next, and ignored his spitting on the TP. I also made an effort to praise every possible positive behavior which included tenderly kissing the TP, cooperatively getting into his car seat, taking his shoes off at the door when we arrived home, leaving from the park without a tantrum, and making it though dinner out at Chipotle without one single outburst or reprimand. It really was an incredible day. And it makes me depressed. Depressed because it makes me realize that it really is all my fault. I know that as parents we like to stick together and tell each other we are doing a great job, but just one day of refusing to be bothered has made all the difference. Yowza. Anyway. For anyone interested in how this progresses, I plan to chronicle my study of this book and ensuing behavior modifications or lack thereof on my educational blog (the BigEd Project) that I haven't touched in months.
So we took these Easter pics of the kids for posterity, and as any of you with children know, it was not easy. There were a few gems, however, including this one that captures the enormity of the TP's mouth. It's enormous. She can easily stick her own fist in there, and unfortunately, we have also learned that the LG's foot fits in there as well ; )
Additionally, thanks to the BK and his idea to give them toys (I was adamantly opposed - I mean, come on, can't they just sit still like porcelain dolls for 5 minutes with beautiful smiles on their faces without being coerced?). Of course it worked like a gem. Love these two sweeties. So glad that they are mine. So glad they tolerate me as their mother. Just so glad generally.
Randomly, but along the lines of meeting new people, these are the LG's new girlfriends. They are adorable and I could eat them up. Their mother is from Spain, father from Russia, and the girls are already trilingual. And so cute.
We have also been having a hard time recently with the LG. We have frequently been talking about his high energy while waving our rabbit ear fingers. The little devil has been making many more appearance than the little angel.
After a few breakdowns over the phone with my mom, in desperation she sent me a book called The Power of Positive Parenting by Glenn Latham. I read the first 3 chapters last night and decided I would start today with testing the effectiveness of its principles. Wow. What a difference a day makes.
This is not to say that annoying, obnoxious and downright stinky behavior didn't occur, but I stuck to his advice to ignore most of it. I ignored Mater as he was driven repeatedly into the glass patio door, ignored with crossed fingers and high anxiety as the LG carried the TP around the house teaching her to "walk", ignored his jumping from one item of furniture to the next, and ignored his spitting on the TP. I also made an effort to praise every possible positive behavior which included tenderly kissing the TP, cooperatively getting into his car seat, taking his shoes off at the door when we arrived home, leaving from the park without a tantrum, and making it though dinner out at Chipotle without one single outburst or reprimand. It really was an incredible day. And it makes me depressed. Depressed because it makes me realize that it really is all my fault. I know that as parents we like to stick together and tell each other we are doing a great job, but just one day of refusing to be bothered has made all the difference. Yowza. Anyway. For anyone interested in how this progresses, I plan to chronicle my study of this book and ensuing behavior modifications or lack thereof on my educational blog (the BigEd Project) that I haven't touched in months.
So we took these Easter pics of the kids for posterity, and as any of you with children know, it was not easy. There were a few gems, however, including this one that captures the enormity of the TP's mouth. It's enormous. She can easily stick her own fist in there, and unfortunately, we have also learned that the LG's foot fits in there as well ; )
Additionally, thanks to the BK and his idea to give them toys (I was adamantly opposed - I mean, come on, can't they just sit still like porcelain dolls for 5 minutes with beautiful smiles on their faces without being coerced?). Of course it worked like a gem. Love these two sweeties. So glad that they are mine. So glad they tolerate me as their mother. Just so glad generally.
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Out of the Loop
Have you ever felt like you missed the mommy seminar that would address a particular behavior or issue? I generally consider myself fairly well educated, unless it comes to my kids. On that front, I'm pretty sure I missed more than one or two semesters. And often, I feel like I am the only one left completely in the dark. A few examples:
1 - Grocery shopping with more than one small child. The first and last time I tried this was a couple of weeks ago. TP in the baby Bjorn, LG in the cart. There was eye poking (LG), hair pulling (TP), screaming (both), pulling items off the shelf (LG), and standing up in the cart (LG). I've seen people there with more than one kid. I know it can be done. I just can't do it.
2 - Making dinner. This may seem a little broad, and you may just think I should at least be able to put some hotdogs in a bun or something (yuck). It's not so much the dinner, it's the keeping the kids out of the kitchen long enough to keep things from burning, boiling over, or simply not making it to the frying pan to begin with. This is why I need money - lots of it - to hire a cook. And someone to do my laundry. And clean poopy diapers.
3 - Taking a shower after 7am. If I wanted to wake up early, and I just might convince myself this is reason enough to get out of bed, I could shower. Unless the TP is napping and I turn on the electronic babysitter (TV), there is simply no time. Hello? It's a shower. People shower right?
I often feel like I am the only mother on earth who has been at this mommy thing for 3+ years and just feels less and less clued in. I'm looking for some validation that there are classes that other people have missed. Help me out. Please.
In the meantime, here are a few pics of my brood.
1 - Grocery shopping with more than one small child. The first and last time I tried this was a couple of weeks ago. TP in the baby Bjorn, LG in the cart. There was eye poking (LG), hair pulling (TP), screaming (both), pulling items off the shelf (LG), and standing up in the cart (LG). I've seen people there with more than one kid. I know it can be done. I just can't do it.
2 - Making dinner. This may seem a little broad, and you may just think I should at least be able to put some hotdogs in a bun or something (yuck). It's not so much the dinner, it's the keeping the kids out of the kitchen long enough to keep things from burning, boiling over, or simply not making it to the frying pan to begin with. This is why I need money - lots of it - to hire a cook. And someone to do my laundry. And clean poopy diapers.
3 - Taking a shower after 7am. If I wanted to wake up early, and I just might convince myself this is reason enough to get out of bed, I could shower. Unless the TP is napping and I turn on the electronic babysitter (TV), there is simply no time. Hello? It's a shower. People shower right?
I often feel like I am the only mother on earth who has been at this mommy thing for 3+ years and just feels less and less clued in. I'm looking for some validation that there are classes that other people have missed. Help me out. Please.
In the meantime, here are a few pics of my brood.
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