Get in There!

Just a reminder to get in the shot sometimes.  Sure, you may not have combed your hair after you washed it.  You may not have a lick of makeup on.  You may be 30 pounds heavier than you wish you were.  But your kids won't care when they look back at photos in 5, 10, 20,  or 30 years.  They'll just be happy to have pictures of their mom. 

So get in the photo!

Sometimes, no news is good news

Even the first born milestones take a back seat if they don't make a big show about it...

Joseph got all of his molars!  I did notice several months ago that one was starting to come in, but after that I'd only sort of half-heartedly look for them (it's not that easy to peek that far back in a toddler's mouth - and I'd hate to waste the cooperative time without a toothbrush in there!).  Well, tonight I asked Daddy to count, and he has all 20 teeth!  Either they came in easy, or we attributed the problems to something else.  I do remember him having a fever once (maybe right after Nora was born?)... but that's about it!

We're done with baby teeth for a month or so, and then we can start the process again! Ha!

There is nothing funnier

Than getting cheered on when you're sitting on the toilet by your almost 3-year old. 

Joseph gets just as excited when "I make it" as when he does.  Haha!  He's my little cheerleader.

We're giving potty training (for Joseph) a real try this weekend.  Wish us luck!

Toddler Theory of Relativity

"Every action has an equal and opposite reaction"

It's not just physics, apparently.  As wonderful as Joseph's morning was, I sat through 15 solid minutes of sobbing - by BOTH children - on the way home. 

Nora regularly cries a bit in the car.  It's NORMAL.  Sometimes, Joseph could care less.  Sometimes, he cries, too.  Today, he had a full-blown meltdown.  She stopped crying, he kept crying.  So then she'd cry more, and then he'd cry louder and longer - as if it were a competition.  On it went for the entire car ride, unloading, diaper changes, etc...  I sent him to his room to calm down, which sort of worked, but it took nearly the whole time I was getting Nora changed and settled.

Advice on this behavior?  In the past I try to empathize to get him to stop (mostly so it'll allow Nora a chance to calm down).  Today I opted for silence vs. screaming at him to shut the ^*#& up, since that's not the parent I want to be, and would have been unlikely to work anyway. 

He tells me that he "feels sad" and I try to suggest things that will cheer him up, but mostly I think he "feels sad" because it's likely to get an empathetic response.  I don't want to be mean and unresponsive and teach him that it's not ok to share his feelings, but I would like to help him get out of these funks more quickly.

Did I mention that I'm sick, too?  My fuse is a little on the short side today.

The Great Diaper De-Stash

After nearly 3 years of cloth diapering, I'm ready to streamline my stash for ease of use.  That means getting rid of a LOT of diapers that we've either outgrown or just don't reach for in the pile.  All of my diapers have had a purpose, and I've liked almost every one at one time or another, but now that I'm diapering two kids, I just want my diapers to feel "decluttered".

So, I'm getting rid of everything but my pockets.  Whoa!

Before I post them on diaperswappers.com (great place to buy used diapers, by the way), I figured I'd post them here in case anyone is interested.  I will probably try and sun them before I take photos... but I don't know when we might get a sunny day next here in the great (muddy) North.

Here's my list, if you'd like more info on them, email me jenmonn at gmail dot com and I'll take pics and such.  Prices include shipping so long as you're getting at least $20 worth of diapers.

There's a tear, in my... sippy cup

Oh, the tears.  Before Nora was born, I worried that her cries would upset Joseph.  They do every once in a while, especially in the car.  The much more likely scenario, lately, has been Nora crying because Joseph is!

Is there a more helpless feeling than a mom trying to comfort 2 small children? :P  Yes, I'm sure there are many, but good grief - that is not an easy task.  The tried and true boob-in-mouth technique for an infant is much harder to pull off when you are trying to snuggle an almost 3-year-old at the same time!

Given Joseph's new penchant for being "sad" and on the brink of tears with anything ranging from being awake to having to walk out the door, I'm sure I'll get used to this new challenge, too!

A Full Day

Today we went down to the Carnegie Science Center.  It was really fun, and we only go through a few exhibits so we'll have lots to enjoy with our new membership (thanks J&P)

Joseph LOVED the train exhibit, and we did, too, to be honest.  It was enormous and amazing.  Check out the pics I took.

The evening has been full of tasks - cooking, cleaning, organizing, and hair cutting (you'll see Joseph's new 'do the next time I take his pic!).  Nothing extraordinary to report, but boy we feel worn out!

Nora does, too.  She's been asleep since 5:30pm.  Last night she slept from 6:30pm-7:30am, and that was just when Joseph got up so she did, too.  The poor girl doesn't get much sleep during the daytime, though.  Not like her big brother, when Mama could just sit and rock him all day long!

Nora is really starting to become a little person - lots of cooing and chatting, likes to play with her toys, and loves to watch her big brother!  She's a feisty little thing and doesn't take no for an answer (just like her Mama).

Mama and Nora after Joseph ditched us to go watch Thomas chuff by

Daddy and Joseph learning about air compression

And here's a gratuitous tummy time photo of Nora... isn't she just gorgeous???

Quick Notes

I'm feeling overwhelmed by how backlogged I am, so I'm just gonna try and move forward.  That might mean just a little info about what is happening in our lives for now, rather than well thought out posts.  As it is, I'm typing this at 12:30am with a baby crooked in my arm nursing!

Highlights of the last few days:

- Joseph went to school the last 2 days w/o tears!
- Nora (inadvertently) rolled from her belly to her back today.  It was a complete accident on her part, but it was really cool!  She was unfazed.  Joseph thought it was HILARIOUS and couldn't stop laughing. I was amused and grabbed the video camera in case it happened again (no such luck)
- Joseph is singing a ton (Santa Clause is Coming to Town is his fav, but he's learning and repeating new songs from school, as well as the Thomas intro).  Nora is babbling and cooing a lot now.  So sweet!

In a hand-knit from Tante Teresa, who she cannot WAIT to meet in person!

This look?  I DIE

Joseph looking older and more in need of a haircut every.single.day.

Tales from the Potty

Joseph has learned to pee if we sit him on the potty.  Thi is good - very good.  But he doesn't tell you in advance yet.  The other day, he did a #2.  This is even better.  I'd change pee diapers forever, but I almost threw up last week.  I'M ready, even if he's not.

Today, I changed him after his nap - he had a heavy diaper.  He used the potty then, too.  Then he was very insistant that he wanted to put on Thomas underwear.  I say OK, since he must be pee'd out anyway, right?  He picked the red ones - James the Red Engine.

We literally got down to the kitchen and he's yelling "I pooped on James!"

Haha.  No, but he did pee on him.  how he had more in him?  I don't know.  Oh well.

If I'm lucky he'll be in underwear by summer.  I'm not even saying his birthday... that's only a month and a half away!

He likes it, he really likes it!

Well, Joseph started preschool this week.  ::Tear::

Rabidly Excited for School

or: "Mom, could you not even get it together enough to get me a haircut?"

We enrolled him in a local Montessori school, and he's going Wednesday through Friday from 9-11.  Not too long, but long enough to be away from Mama and get some learnin' done.  And hopefully long enough for Mama to run some errands and get groceries! 

For posterity, here is the play by play:

Wednesday: They start the day by hanging up their coats (Montessori is big on real life type work), and they had to coax pretty hard to get him to take it off - they ended up doing it for him (all of this i just saw through the one-way mirror window at the door).  Then he went and played w/ the farm because there were two tractors for about 45 min, before they were able to get him to try something else (he did some stickers on paper).  Then he went on his own to do play dough, and after that back to the tractors before circle time.  He seemed happy to go to circle time, probably because we'd been coaching him that after circle time I'd be waiting for him).  Then it was time to get his coat and go!  I think he had fun, though he did have some near-tears sad faces during the first hour.  I just stayed in the hall for the whole time, since by the time I felt OK to leave I'd have had about 15 min at home before turning around to go back.

Thursday: In the hallway he knew what was coming, and he did not want to go in.  I encouraged him and he did go, but he started bawling when they took his coat off.  ::sob::  I felt so terrible.  I wanted to race in there and hug him, but of course I couldn't (no really, the door is locked on the outside!  Hahaha).  So I just watched and cried, too.  I waited until he was OK and playing with the tractors (of course) and then went home.  I got laundry in the wash and some dishes done.  Haha.  Preschool is so much fun for moms!  Yeah right!  I went back early to peak in, but they were already in circle time in the back of the room.  I did hear him crying :(  but it turned out that he just bumped heads with another little girl and that set him off.  He was happy when he came out, but upset that he did not get to wash his hands (they have a hand-washing station to use before eating a snack - he'd been refusing the snack).  He talked about the "accident" for a while, but said he liked school.

Friday: Today was the worst drop off yet for him, but best for me.  He started crying in the hall with me, which was much easier for me than when he was "alone" in the class.  The teacher had to carry him in, poor guy.  A few moms invited me out to breakfast with them (they go every Friday) so I went with them.  I only had a tiny moment of guilt!  I had a good time, and it turned out that Joseph did, too!  He came out of class laughing and smiling today!  We went outside and he ran around with his classmates for a few minutes before we headed home.

I think he's REALLY going to enjoy school.  And I think I'll like it, too.  It's kind of hard to do grocery shopping with both Joseph and Nora (especially when it's snowy or rainy - trying to get them both in and out quickly, get Joseph in the cart with wet/muddy boots while wearing Nora, etc...).  So school will be a good time to do that and other errands - or get a cup of tea on Fridays with the ladies!

Relaxing at home with Nora - Holding hands was his idea!

Mama happy to be with Joseph and Nora

or: "Joseph, Mama can't even comb her hair and put on makeup, a haircut is too much to ask"

or: "Jen, close up that lens, and then you won't have these self-portrait focus issues, 

though that is a lovely shot of your pillow"