Today started pretty well with church and the chance to see our wonderful faith family again after a month of (wonderful) holiday in Belgium. The weather was hot, there were no big meltdowns and Michael slept his way through our little lunch at the Chinese restaurant. Joseph behaved very well there and all was well.
Then the day started to go south a bit. I discovered when looking into the car mirror after exiting the chinese restuarant I had a blue smudge on my neck. To my horror my new beautiful natural stone necklace was bleeding colour not just on my skin, but on my beautiful blouse, the one I was wearing for Michael's baptism. Despite putting stain remover on it immediately after coming home, I am not sure if I can fully get it off. Still, I spoke sternly to myself not to make a mountain out of moleshill and shrugged it mostly off, hoping it could be righted.
Then there was the poopoo incident. Potty training is not easy, and Joseph seems rather resistant. We asked him if he was making poopoo and he firmly denied doing so, but was discovered a bit later not to have told the truth. He had so much not told the truth that both pants and shirt needed to go in the laundry immediately and mommy had to put him in the bath tub to scrub him clean. I managed to hold on to patience and used the opportunity to tell him about the difference between telling the truth and lying. And reminded him of the ten rules that Jesus wants us to follow. Well, we have only just started with two of the rules: listening to mommy and daddy and now telling the truth.
It was rather hard to stay angry though, since he strutted around after the bath in his bath shrug with the bunny hood proclaiming how cute he was. Hmmm guess he has heard that somewhere....
The boys did pretty well after that, though Michael for some reason still wants to be carried mostly by mommy instead of dada. After Joseph went to bed, Bill and I had great fun feeding Michael his first bite of solids, and the accompaning pictures turned out so adorable, I forgot any remnants of a bad mood and uploaded them for everybody to see.
Shortly after Joseph's nap ended dadda went to the radiostudio for an interview with Cynthia Hardy of On point and mommy stayed home with her two boys and a music dvd to dance on. Joseph being curious wanted to play with mommy's camera. Now this is a boy who is drinking out of a wedgewood cup without breaking it. While he is as wild as they get, he can definitely be careful. He has played with that camera hundreds of times, though usually within armslength of mommy. Today I let him just play with it and try to take pictures while I nursed Michael. And of course that is when it happened, my wild boy forgot to be careful and.. broke the camera! I am not sure if he dropped it first or managed to get the lens stuck first and then dropped it in frustration, all I know is that I looked up, saw it drop, saw the batteries roll out and when I grabbed Michael under my arm and went to the camera... it was broken.
Joseph kept trying to take the camera and repeating "camera, camera... Joseph has the camera". And I admit I raised my voice when I answered him sharply: "No more camera, Joseph has broken the camera. It is broken!"
He started to cry and I felt even more miserable. Not only was my camera broken, but I had yelled at my son for something that was essentially my fault. After all... I should not have let him play with it. I apologized, and told him that mommy should not have yelled at him but also that she was sad that Joseph had broken her camera and that he should be more careful.
I definitely felt somewhat blue though, the remaining time while I was waiting for Bill to return. After he did, he spoke to Joseph about being more careful as well, and I took a moment for myself. Just a moment to load the little toy I had kept for just such an occasion: A BUBBLE GUN. We took Joseph and Michael outside and while Bill started to water the newly laid sod, I took out the bubblegun and blew hundreds of bubbles. That was fun. THere are very few things in my opinion that work as well against the blues than bubbles. Unless it is... a two and a half year old running like mad through the water of the garden hose. He had such fun... so much better than any water park could be. Then I had a brilliant idea. Joseph is resistant to having his hair washed. I dashed inside for some shampoo, and put it on his hair while he continued to run in and out of the water. There we were on our front lawn, Joseph with foaming hair running up and down like a lunatic. Bill holding the garden hose with one hand and Michael under the other, and I blowing bubbles and laughing till I had tears in my eyes. Especially when Joseph managed to fall down in the sod, get mud all over him and tried to run on even when his pants was falling down to his knees. It was too good an opportunity.
Bill went inside and got out the big canon camera and we snapped up some pictures. Then Joseph took another bath inside and is currently running around in his bunny towel again proclaiming his cuteness.
Ahhhh... life is good!
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Saturday, May 15, 2010
Friday, April 30, 2010
Responsibility chart
Joseph has been a good helper since he was first introduced to the concept of helping mommy by putting small items of clothing in the dryer for her. He does help 'at will' though. And does not always obey mommy and daddy when they ask him to do something. At two and a half, it is time for some training.
This saturday we went to ToysRus where they had a birthday party for Thomas the tank engine. It was not as well organized or elaborate as I had hoped, but one of the main atractions was the chance to play with some of the engines on a train table. Joseph has discovered the joys of Thomas and has become rather enamoured with the idea of owning all eight engines that are mentioned in the Thomas song. Currently he is missing Gordon, Edward and Henry, and at the store he was allowed to play with Gordon and drive him all over the extensive tracks.
I appprove of Thomas since it's a simple, wooden train set which stimulates fantasy, the lessons from the books and episodes on tv are nice and the trains work with the generic brand tracks. Still, that does not mean that Joseph should get every train he wants just because he wants it, right?
Ever since last saturday though, Joseph keeps asking for Gordon, insisting we go in the car and go to the store for Gordon. I keep explaining to him that things in the store cost money and that daddy works very hard for that money and we should not want everything we see. But of course, that is a lot to understand.
So.. I decided to let Joseph earn Gordon with his very own chore chart. A quick google search gave me this website which has a responsibility chart for young children: http://www.freeprintablebehaviorcharts.com/daily%20routines.htm.
Joseph needs to help mommy dress him, go down nicely for nap and bedtime, pick up his toys and be nice to his brother (I changed that last one from the chart since he doesn't have much oportunity to share his toys yet).
So, after printing the chart I tried to explain Joseph the goal. The chart is on the fridge and each time he does something right, he can earn a sticker on which mommy draws a smiley face. At first he seemed more interested in the stickers than anything else. When he had been helping mommy to dress him and mommy drew the first sticker, Joseph asked for the sticker to be put on his arm. I obliged and drew another one for on the calendar. Then with much fanfare the first sticker was put on the calendar.
Half an hour later, while eating some blueberries, Joseph asked for Gordon again. I told him he would have to earn Gordon and explained the system once more of the chart. This time a light went on.... because the next thing Joseph did was taking the sticker off his arm, going to the chart and very precisely put that sticker next to the previously earned one...
Should I be proud of his inventivity? OR afraid he will grow up trying to cheat any system. Oh help... he might become a politician!
This saturday we went to ToysRus where they had a birthday party for Thomas the tank engine. It was not as well organized or elaborate as I had hoped, but one of the main atractions was the chance to play with some of the engines on a train table. Joseph has discovered the joys of Thomas and has become rather enamoured with the idea of owning all eight engines that are mentioned in the Thomas song. Currently he is missing Gordon, Edward and Henry, and at the store he was allowed to play with Gordon and drive him all over the extensive tracks.
I appprove of Thomas since it's a simple, wooden train set which stimulates fantasy, the lessons from the books and episodes on tv are nice and the trains work with the generic brand tracks. Still, that does not mean that Joseph should get every train he wants just because he wants it, right?
Ever since last saturday though, Joseph keeps asking for Gordon, insisting we go in the car and go to the store for Gordon. I keep explaining to him that things in the store cost money and that daddy works very hard for that money and we should not want everything we see. But of course, that is a lot to understand.
So.. I decided to let Joseph earn Gordon with his very own chore chart. A quick google search gave me this website which has a responsibility chart for young children: http://www.freeprintablebehaviorcharts.com/daily%20routines.htm.
Joseph needs to help mommy dress him, go down nicely for nap and bedtime, pick up his toys and be nice to his brother (I changed that last one from the chart since he doesn't have much oportunity to share his toys yet).
So, after printing the chart I tried to explain Joseph the goal. The chart is on the fridge and each time he does something right, he can earn a sticker on which mommy draws a smiley face. At first he seemed more interested in the stickers than anything else. When he had been helping mommy to dress him and mommy drew the first sticker, Joseph asked for the sticker to be put on his arm. I obliged and drew another one for on the calendar. Then with much fanfare the first sticker was put on the calendar.
Half an hour later, while eating some blueberries, Joseph asked for Gordon again. I told him he would have to earn Gordon and explained the system once more of the chart. This time a light went on.... because the next thing Joseph did was taking the sticker off his arm, going to the chart and very precisely put that sticker next to the previously earned one...
Should I be proud of his inventivity? OR afraid he will grow up trying to cheat any system. Oh help... he might become a politician!
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Craft basket wednesday..
I do not have a picture available, unfortunately, but in the short period that Michael's colick seemed to have abated, I did manage a mini embroidery project: I finished a trefoil (three cornered celtic knot that symbolizes the trinity) on a napkin. I still want to additional stitches. At first I thought some shamrocks.. but now I want something more easter like, or maybe just a border.
The next project that I am lining up in my mind (as my hands and arms are otherwise occupied these days) is a small embroidery on a sheet for the baby's bed. I am considering a redwork style embroidery (though not in actual red) but I am not yet certain of what the subject will be. And I would love to make some redwork embroidery for Joseph as well, preferably of a train...
The next project that I am lining up in my mind (as my hands and arms are otherwise occupied these days) is a small embroidery on a sheet for the baby's bed. I am considering a redwork style embroidery (though not in actual red) but I am not yet certain of what the subject will be. And I would love to make some redwork embroidery for Joseph as well, preferably of a train...
Update
I wish I could say that the fact I am posting here now and again means that we are over the worst of the colic, but unfortunately it doesn't. However Michael's schedule has somewhat changed and he only falls asleep for his nap during the last half hour of his brothers nap. Which means that it really doesn't pay for me to actually lay down, because by the time I fall asleep.. I need to get up again. Luckily, in general (not counting last night) I get enough sleep during the night to make this lack of a nap not pleasant, but doable. An it gives me half an hour of computer time.
I still ask for your prayers for strength, physical strength too, because Michael who was born at 8 pounds 13 ounces, needs to be carried all day and my muscles are starting to cramp. I use a carrier part of the time, but that doesn't work when he is cramping, then only one position (up against the shoulder). I have another doctor's appointment tomorrow. I have not had any dairy (aside from one slip up) in about 5 weeks. There was a brief period in which things seemed to go better, but the last week has been harder on my poor boy again. The cold that his older brother brought home probably didn't help...
I still ask for your prayers for strength, physical strength too, because Michael who was born at 8 pounds 13 ounces, needs to be carried all day and my muscles are starting to cramp. I use a carrier part of the time, but that doesn't work when he is cramping, then only one position (up against the shoulder). I have another doctor's appointment tomorrow. I have not had any dairy (aside from one slip up) in about 5 weeks. There was a brief period in which things seemed to go better, but the last week has been harder on my poor boy again. The cold that his older brother brought home probably didn't help...
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Memories....
Some time ago.. months.. maybe even a year, I read a blogpost in which somebody recommended an author. The blogpost specifically said that if you liked Frances Hodgson Burnett, this was the author for you! As Burnett is one of my favorite authors I took note, but... did not write down the name. And.. did not bookmark the post aparently. Now I have NO idea which blog, who it was.. and I am still curious to try out this mystery author.
Since I often read blogposts from people who read my own blog... *L* Does anybody remember writing this, or making this recommendation? Or.. since we often share the same interests and I am certain part of the blogs we read overlap... does anybody remember in which blog I could have read this?
Since I often read blogposts from people who read my own blog... *L* Does anybody remember writing this, or making this recommendation? Or.. since we often share the same interests and I am certain part of the blogs we read overlap... does anybody remember in which blog I could have read this?
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Update
Michael is five weeks old tomorrow. He still is a better sleeper most nights than Joseph is, for which I am profoundly grateful. Unfortunately Michael has digestive troubles. No matter what I eat or do not eat, despite baby zantac, gasdrops, gripe water, slings, baby massage, baths, moving legs up and down and so on... Michael screams. He screams a lot. He screams several hours a day.
By now, all the good advice from friends who have been there and done that has come to... 'You just have to wait it out, he WILL grow out of it eventually'. I will readily admit that I wish 'eventually' came with a date. This would be so much more manageable if you knew: ok... it will only last x more weeks... or months... then it is over. Even if x was a number larger than you wanted it to be, you would have an end goal in sight. Instead, we just have to wait and pray.
In the mean time, I can only walk him, try to calm Joseph when he yells "stop screaming, Michael" and ask him to say "Bless you, little brother" instead. Joseph has eagerly adopted the new phrase, though he hasn't given up the "stop screaming!!!!" preferably yelled at the top of his lungs, adding to the already deafening noise. Sometimes I feel like yelling it myself, especially after midnight when I am walking the floor with him. Instead I train myself to say "Bless your little heart, Michael" whenever I want to tell him myself to stop screaming.
While I am still looking for a solution, I have sort of accepted that this is our new reality until he does grow out of it. I just pray for the patience to deal with every day in it's turn and I hope that the number of weeks till he grows out of whatever prompts this crying will be small.
By now, all the good advice from friends who have been there and done that has come to... 'You just have to wait it out, he WILL grow out of it eventually'. I will readily admit that I wish 'eventually' came with a date. This would be so much more manageable if you knew: ok... it will only last x more weeks... or months... then it is over. Even if x was a number larger than you wanted it to be, you would have an end goal in sight. Instead, we just have to wait and pray.
In the mean time, I can only walk him, try to calm Joseph when he yells "stop screaming, Michael" and ask him to say "Bless you, little brother" instead. Joseph has eagerly adopted the new phrase, though he hasn't given up the "stop screaming!!!!" preferably yelled at the top of his lungs, adding to the already deafening noise. Sometimes I feel like yelling it myself, especially after midnight when I am walking the floor with him. Instead I train myself to say "Bless your little heart, Michael" whenever I want to tell him myself to stop screaming.
While I am still looking for a solution, I have sort of accepted that this is our new reality until he does grow out of it. I just pray for the patience to deal with every day in it's turn and I hope that the number of weeks till he grows out of whatever prompts this crying will be small.
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