Toddler Antics ... part deux

I am sorry I have been absent for so long.  My husband was hurt and home for a week recuperating, so I was quite focused on that.

I have had a bit of a long day ...

Max is starting to talk more and more.  He said his first swear the other night.  My fault.  I admit it.  Let me explain myself.  I was changing Charlie's diaper, full of poop, after changing Max's, full of poop.  Before catching myself I let the "d" word fly.  What comes out of Max's mouth immediately ... Damn.  Figures.  Unfortunately my husband was there as well, so he was witness.  I admit it.  My fault.

Max is saying more, yet he replaces some letter sounds with other letter sounds.  For example ... he cannot say the s sound.  When he tells our patient dog to "sit" he actually calls her a female body part.  When I go to put on his "socks" he calls them a male body part.  This has only happened in the house so far.

Max has started to pee on the potty.  He also likes to empty the little collection bucket underneath by himself.  I have luckily saved our carpet from any spills.  I can only laugh when he says buh-bye to the pee as we flush it down the toilet.  He waves too.

Max lifts a cheek.  That's right.  He leans from fully sitting on his behind to half sitting on his behind and a little toot escapes.  I can tell you 100% firm that I am not responsible for this new action.  He likes to pull my husband's finger as well.  Boys.

Max chose broccoli over macaroni and cheese the other night.

He thinks he is too old for naps.  Grrreeeaaatttttt!

When we leave a room, he says "turn on turn on turn on" but he really means "turn off."  He shakes his hand at the light switch at the same time.

After making a mess, he will clean it up.  He will normally not leave a room unless everything has been put away.

He has discovered Elmo on Sesame Street.

This message has been brought to you by the number 11 and the letter Y.

October 31st, 2011

Holy tantrum batman.

I thought Max was going to lose his voice today.

Jealousy is coming out, terrible two's are coming out, NO, hitting, kicking, he actually pulled my hair.

Needless to say I thought a glass of wine was in need tonight.

My little boy is changing, and even though I love him with everything I can give, I am not sure I like the changes.  He pushes me away when I try to help him down the stairs, he now tells me what he wants for lunch instead of me simply making him what I feel like he should have, he has pee'd in the potty a few times (this change is OK).  Mostly it is him not getting exactly what he wants, when he wants, as he wants it.  This is when the aforementioned actions begin.  Normally a simply said "Do you want a time out?" brings him back to reality and behaving appropriately, but not today.

I must say I am getting very skilled with the time outs and he is slowly getting it as well.  My poor little Charlie has been placed down on the floor, in his crib, in his swing too many times so I can progress into an exchange of Max screaming, sit in time out, explain problem, pops up, more screaming, sit back down, pops up, more screaming, sit back down ... you get the idea.

The hardest part of all this is when he tries to hug me between each time he pops back up and I sit him back down.  I can't hug him - he has to sit for two minutes.  I can see he is sorry.  I can see he knows he has done wrong.  But I have to stick with it.  It just sucks.  Then I remember he kicked me in the     boobs ... and I am nursing.

Sit there.

October 21st, 2011

Home

Don't you hate it when you come back from vacation.  There are two things I think about when I come home:

1.  I get to sleep in my own bed - THE BEST BED IN THE ENTIRE WORLD.
2.  I get my dog back - little Annie.  She made herself right at home today by falling asleep in Charlie's bouncy chair.  Charlie took the floor.

Otherwise I miss vacation.  Vacation was wonderful - a true family vacation.  We discussed politics over coffee, told jokes, played checkers, ate in, drank late, bought souvenir sweatshirts, bonded, and planned for next year.  I have so many great pictures, especially of the uncles and Papa.

The best for me was having my family unit with me - Michael, Max, Charlie, and me.  The boys love Michael so much.  He misses so much and it breaks my heart ... but it allows me to be home with them, care for them, and this is what he wants for them and me.  I am so lucky.

I turned 33.

October 17th, 2011

PS - Max had a cold at the beach and used my face as a tissue.  Guess who has a cold now?

If we all had a beach in our basement ...

We are on family vacation with my in-laws at Avalon, New Jersey.  We are having a ball, especially Max and Charlie.  They always have attention.  Why wouldn't they with 7 adults around?  Every person will have The Very Hungry Caterpillar memorized by the end of the week after reading it a billion times to Max and Charlie has slept on everyone at the beach.

Max runs everywhere - there is no stopping him.  He is fearless.  He goes straight for the water.  He is so warn out but believes he can hang with the big guys.

Tomorrow he'll start surfing ...

October 10th, 2011

PS - By the way, we got a flat tire on the way to the beach while Charlie screamed that he was hungry and Max was not about being strapped down anymore.  Good times!

Innocence ...

I know there is innocence in children.  So pure.  So golden.  So precious.  However, I believe there is a certain degree of innocence in grandparents.  Little children bring out the best in them.  I have been lucky to see my parents and in-laws more lately than years before.  I know it is entirely due to the fact that I now have two very sweet little boys, yet there is a difference in them.  A sweetness.  A patience.  A glimmer that I have never seen before.    My mother-in-law, who is generally very organized and collected, allows her expensive clothes to be spit up on or poo'd on and her house to be torn apart.  My very reserved and quiet father gets down on the floor to read my son books about a hungry caterpillar and play with his train track.  It is so refreshing and reminds me that life is short.  If I have a bad day, then tomorrow is a new start.  I love grandparents!

October 1st, 2011

2 years old ... look out world!

Two years ago right now ... I was in labor while watching Saturday football.  PSU was a night game - Iowa - all us Nittany Lions know how that ended up.  However it was a delight as just after 9pm my little man was born!

It is amazing how time has flown.  I know, so cliche, yet it is true.  I see my 4 month old going through stages and all I can do is think back to when it happened to MAX.

We are luckily all able to spend it together.  Bounce U to play, McDonald's happy meal for lunch, and macaroni and cheese for all tonight!

I love you Max ... to the moon ... and back!

September 26th, 2011

Call me Mary Poppins or Supernanny ...

but my 2 year old, or almost two year old(11 days) loves to do house chores.  I am not making him get out the dusters or the vacuum or the mop, he does it on his own.  I am creating a bit of a Martha Stewart, but I know he is the way he is simply by watching his obsessive compulsive mum constantly pick up and clean.  I must say I have become a bit less obsessive - we pick up the toys one time only in the evening - but they do get picked up each day.  Max loves putting his books away, showing me where his "blankie" and "doggie" go on his bed, putting the clothes in the laundry basket, and driving the red fire engine truck into its place in the closet.  Our children are all our little mimics or mini-me's - they will do what you do; even scratch your ass or pick your nose!
Thursday is cleaning day for me and I start as soon as I get up and after a few sips of coffee.  On a normal day, Max is already up and follows me around with his duster reaching where he can reach which is where I hate to reach so its a win-win situation.  The vacuum is definitely his favorite.  I must admit, I used to have to do the bathrooms during nap time since he always liked to play in the toilet, but now I can distract him enough with the bath taps.  We take our time, stop to eat, I hold Charlie as I vacuum.  I get a clean house while playing with my boys and they learn some valuable lessons.  Have pride in what you have, take care of it!
You can never start too young with these simple things as far as I am concerned.  My sons will earn their pocket money.  It's called a "son's do list" instead of a "honey do list!"  Daddy and I will be watching the Steelers game!

Max found the swiffer mop and wipes in the cupboard and started to put it together for me!

September 15th, 2011