Ist it Summer Yet?

Worth It

Today Anayah must have been feeling better because she wanted to eat. And when she was done, she asked again, "eat." She told me "potty" once she had a large squishy BM in her panties. Later I tried to set her on the potty and she threw a flinging flopping fit. Five minutes later, standing right next to me, she peed on the floor and did not inform me, as she had been in the habit of doing, that she had pottied. Later, she told me "potty," so we rushed to the potty and sat there for 30 minutes while Judah was throwing a fit, dinner needed cooking, and she insisted on "books." She did not pee in the potty. At the example of her exemplary older brother, she dumped her Cheerios on the table. She threw her milk. She left a half-chewed piece of potato on the stairs. She insited on ketchup and salad dressing for dinner and gave her dad the evil eye when she was told, "No."

Today Judah threw a blithering blabbing snotty sobbing fit for 2 hours straight because I would not turn on "Farm," "Leah's Farm, his new favorite Signing Time video. He threw his milk on the floor and did it again. He dumped his Cheerios on the table and showed Anayah how to dump hers too. He insisted on going outside (to see the nanaboos) when it was dark and snowing out. He whined at the library. He whined at the table. He whined when he needed help putting the boots he had pulled off again, back on. He grabbed things from his sister, making her cry. He threw trains. He threw the shaker at Storytime, three times. He stuck a pen in the questionable toilet bowl and then stuck the pen in his mouth. He peed on the floor and rubbed his toothbrush in it.

Today I ran into one of the Side by Side girls at the Library story time. I didn't know it until she reminded me that we were in the Bible Study together. I still don't know her name or remember meeting her. I do this all the time. While at the Library I explained to Erin over the phone that we didn't go to Preschool Playzone at the gym because Anayah hadn't been on her antibiotics a full 24 hours. The mother helping my kids on the rocking toy decided it was time to leave. A Jeep nearly backed into the stroller that Anayah was still sitting in while I wrangled squirming Judah into his carseat. Me and another woman screamed and shouted and it stopped. I didn't get to my to-do list, because I was going to create it at the library. Instead I was retrieving shakers, trains, tracking down toddlers, and talking to Erin. Bills didn't get paid. Phone calls didn't get made. I didn't tackle my box of mail.  Laundry still has to be folded.

But tonight, when I said to Judah, "mmmmmmmmmmmmonkey!"

He replied, "mmmmmmmmmmmmoney!"

And it was all worth it.

Not Me Monday

I was not desperate enough about my poor miserable Anayah to take Judah's paper prescription for Keflex (that had already been called in and filled) to start treating Anayah a day before the strep culture is bound to come back positive. And then when the pharmacy called to inform me the insurance will not cover it because the medication is being refilled too soon, I would never explain that yes, it spilled, so we needed to refill it. (FYI I abandoned my unethical behavior at that point and just called the doctor who is bound to do nothing because the Rapid Strep swab was negative yesterday).

I definitely didn't take the kids to Wendy's again while we were waiting for the prescription. Wendy's every week is not a healthy diet for growing children.

I would never leave the house a mess so that Charles would have to help me clean it when he got home from work even though I had been at home on call all day!

And I would certainly not sit around on computer while the kids were napping when I had better things to be doing!

Update on the food dumping and potty training: I was feeling rather guilty when Judah was diagnosed with Strep and I'd been punishing him for dumping his food. But still this morning, after several days on antibiotics he still turned the Cheerios over on the table and threw the milk. So while we seem to not be making much progress, I don't feel so bad about persisting.

Potty training is not going so hot as Anayah isn't feeling like drinking or hanging out on the potty. And I bought some of those "Cool Sensations" Pull-Ups for the daycare so they don't have to mess with the training pants. It might be the last package of those we can afford, so hopefully she will catch on quickly!

And today, Wendy's

And today, Wendy's.

And afterward some puddle stomping with the nanaboos. Anayah kept her "panties" dry all morning, and peed in the potty when she got home. We got the blessing from daycare to pursue Operation Diaper Freedom there as well!

I'm simultaneously executing Operation Don't Throw Your Food with Judah. Its out of control, and he knows he's not supposed to, so no more second chances. If he dumps the meal, its gone and he can wait until next meal. The milk with breakfast, thrown into the kitchen. Gone. The Kix, overturned on the table. Gone. He cried and asked to eat. I explained that he was all done now. When I asked him to not hit Anayah anymore at Wendy's he got upset and dumped his food onto the seat. Gone. Heartbreaking for a child whose favorite food is fries. I'm confident he'll figure this out before he starves to death.

Proverbs 1:31 So they shall eat of the fruit of their own way And be satiated with their own devices.

I've been learning how to let the kids learn through the natural consequences of their actions rather than necessarily punishing them. The idea is that you give your children the respect to be responsible for their own behavior to the extend that they are developmentally able. You can walk holding my hand or I will need to carry you. You throw the crayons on the floor, then please clean them up. I believe it will help them learn to make good choices. After all, I've been given the freedom to make my own, whether they are good or bad. Choices like, oh I don't know, say, taking my kids to the Chinese buffet unassisted. Hopefully they can learn now while there's less at stake than when they are 30-something.

Beijing Buffet

Today I had an idea. It probably wasn't a good idea, but was one that came from the desperation of having an out-of sync morning with two toddlers on a relatively warm January morning. We had to get out of the house, one way or another. I'd called Charles three times to see if we could meet him for lunch, but I didn't hear back so I decided to venture out without him, not really sure where we'd be going. We could go to Wendy's, but I might spend just as much at the Chinese buffet, and get a vegetable other than ketchup.

I asked our waitress if we could sit here, at this table, right next to the buffet, so I could keep an eye on the kids while I got our food. That wasn't her original plan, but she complied and brought me two high chairs. I rearranged their furniture while Anayah waited quietly and Judah tried to dart off toward the buffet. I spent the next 10 minutes trying to mash him into the highchair which led to a frenzy of sobs, squalling, and snot on Judah's part, and desperate intercession on mine. His fit was positively impossible to ignore. A party left. I was sweating. Should I leave? I felt committed and confident he would settle down eventually. He did as I snuggled him and he smeared the snot all over my jacket. Anayah placidly ate her sweet and sour chicken and chow mein noodles. After refusing his food initially (he does this at nearly every meal) Judah eventually ate well so I did a lot of dashing back and forth to keep their plates stocked. Once I arrived back to him drinking out of the ketchup squirt bottle like a sippy cup. When he was full, Judah wanted to snuggle. He does this most meals too. Its like he gets insecure for some reason and needs some hugs. He was stroking my hair, patting my back, and embracing me with the greasiest seasame chicken hands you ever did see. As we finished up, the stony-faced waitress brought the check to our table where chow mein noodles lay in mounds all over the floor. $5.50! I could smell the smoke beginning to pour her nostrils. I explained that Judah was three, and I would be paying for him too. As I left, I apoligised and thanked her for tolerating us. She stared at me and said nothing. Not sure we'll be heading back to the Beijing Buffet anytime soon, not without a babysitter anyway.
I was resolute not to miss out on the weather, so though nap time had come and gone, we headed to the park and tried not to think about the woman cleaning up our table.

Why don't I wipe my son's nose? I do- on the sleeve of my jacket that was already caked in snot and Chinese food.

OUTing

Why are Judah and Anayah so happy? Because they're outside! It was nearly 50 degrees, and a far cry from the 12 and 20 degree weather we've been having for the past few weeks. So we took a nanaboo trip and saw some newborn calfs, fed carrots to horses, and generally romped around. It was good for a toddler's soul. And a happy toddler makes for a happy momma.