Brooke is seriously such a good little girl. She is the type of kid that is totally fine on her own if you have to clean the house or make dinner. She rarely makes large messes and if she does, she is SO concerned about it until it's cleaned up. She is kind to others, generally speaking, and she is so nurturing to her little sister. Most of the time she is completely compliant but that will of hers is what gets her in trouble! Man, that girl is STUBBORN.
Lately Brooke's will has been shining through in the area of using the potty. She is completely potty trained... even for nap time and bedtime and she never, ever has accidents. However, she is playing this new trick on me where she hold her pee for hours on end and REFUSES to go. The other day, for example, she woke up at 8 after 13 hours of sleep of sleep and would not go potty until 11 when I MADE her go. She kicked and screamed the whole way to the potty and when we go there, she sat there for 5 minutes saying, "I won't go!" Finally she gave in and peed like a race horse. All throughout the day she will play this trick on me... Even when she is obviously showing me that she has to go by doing "the potty dance."
This whole situation bother me for many different reason. First of all, it's obviously willful disobedience and defiance, which we totally do NOT find acceptable in our home! Second, I'm concerned about her getting bladder infections. It's so not good for you to hold your pee for that long! The girl drinks A LOT so I know that she is holding in a lot of pee. Yikes! I made many attempts at resolving this problem but to no avail. It's kind of a touchy matter because I don't want her to get so mad at me that she pees her pants. This is a tough one!
My Brookie... I love her so very, very much! The joy she gives me is incredible but these challenges she gives me are insane! Just when I thought I had seen it all... Lol!
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Sunday, December 27, 2009
7 Amazing Months
My littlest princess is 7 months old today! Her life has added such a special dimension to our family and she truly lights up my whole world. It's amazing how much more love I have in my life because of that precious little girl! Here are some pictures of her today...
Friday, December 25, 2009
A Very Merry Christmas!!!
I guess I kind of took an unannounced hiatus from blogging this week. We just had WAY too much going on that sitting behind a computer was not feasible. Here's what's been going on:
*Sick Girls-
Late Monday night the girls randomly woke up with 104 degree fevers (give or take a few points of a degree). Adrienne woke up first at 10:30 and then Brooke woke up around 11. Little did I know that 4 horrible hours of screaming would come from Adrienne. We were up until after 2 when John finally came home during his shift and put her to sleep. It was the night from you-know-where!
The next morning both girls were running high fevers and after the last fever ordeal that occurred in early November, I was NOT waiting to get them seen by a doctor.
Sure enough, both girls checked out fine as far as ears and lungs were concerned and he said that it was probably just their colds that they had mixed with a virus of some sort. Because Adrienne is so little still he wanted to rule out pneumonia and meningitis so he sent her for blood work. I was fortunate to have my dad there to help me but it turned out to be quite the exhausting ordeal... After trekking the girls (car seat, blankets, diaper bag, coats, and all) through the hospital to get to the lab and then back out to the car, the lab called and said that her blood had clotted so they had to redraw it. Not only did the poor baby have to be poked again but we had to lug them back into the hospital. When it was all said and done, we were there for over 3 hours. Me oh my!!
The final result was that Adrienne's blood work looked great (thank God) and the next morning, both girls were completely fine. All three of us have been battling colds but I think that we're finally all starting to feel a little bit better!
*Christmas Eve
Because of how John's days off fell we saved the majority of our shopping for Christmas Eve. Surprisingly, the mall was dead and there were LOTS of amazing deals. We got an early start on it, which I credit much of our success to. John and I went our separate ways so we could finish shopping for one another and I had withdrawn some cash from the ATM. After spending not even half of the two hundred bucks that I took out, we headed out to the car to head to Wal Mart. That's when I realized that I had LOST the remaining money:-( I was crushed and really frustrated and kind of nervous to tell John about what I had done. When I told him he just hugged me and told me that someone else must have needed it worse than us. What a man! I DO NOT deserve him... Not even one bit!
That night we had a beautiful candlelit ceremony at church where we sang Christmas carols and read the Christmas story. It was such an intimate and special time to celebrate our Savior's birthday! Hearing the scriptures that tell the amazing story of Jesus' birth will never, ever grow old to me!
Even though both of our families were having parties that night we decided to go home and enjoy just our small immediate family and have some alone time. We got fun appetizers... Buffalo wings, potato wedges, and mozzarella sticks and watched a Christmas movie while eating them. It was just a wonderful night!
*Christmas Day
We had an amazing day today! Our Christmas day was the same as it has been for the past years... We wake up and have a nice quiet breakfast (that John makes!) and open our gifts and stockings. After a bit we head out to John's grandma's and exchange gifts with John's large extended family. Next, we go to my parents' house for Christmas with that side of the family and we have a big lunch around 3 or so. Lastly, we head to John's parents' house and exchange gifts with his parents and siblings. It really is a crazy day but Christmas wouldn't be the same if we didn't get to spend it with all of the people we love!
We came home with over $400 in gift cards and a car and trunk so full of presents, toys, and clothes that we seriously barely got it all home. It's amazing how many people love us and wanted to shower us with gifts. I am blown away year after year.
Now that this holiday season is coming to a close, I'm sad. I wish that the joys and festivities didn't have to go away and that this season didn't have to end! Life is so wonderful and we have so many awesome things to look forwards to so I guess it's not so bad. Besides, Christmas will be here again before we know it!
I hope that everyone else had as wonderful of a Christmas as my family and I did. God bless you all!
Oh yes, and if you're lucky, pictures will be posted SOON!!!!
*Sick Girls-
Late Monday night the girls randomly woke up with 104 degree fevers (give or take a few points of a degree). Adrienne woke up first at 10:30 and then Brooke woke up around 11. Little did I know that 4 horrible hours of screaming would come from Adrienne. We were up until after 2 when John finally came home during his shift and put her to sleep. It was the night from you-know-where!
The next morning both girls were running high fevers and after the last fever ordeal that occurred in early November, I was NOT waiting to get them seen by a doctor.
Sure enough, both girls checked out fine as far as ears and lungs were concerned and he said that it was probably just their colds that they had mixed with a virus of some sort. Because Adrienne is so little still he wanted to rule out pneumonia and meningitis so he sent her for blood work. I was fortunate to have my dad there to help me but it turned out to be quite the exhausting ordeal... After trekking the girls (car seat, blankets, diaper bag, coats, and all) through the hospital to get to the lab and then back out to the car, the lab called and said that her blood had clotted so they had to redraw it. Not only did the poor baby have to be poked again but we had to lug them back into the hospital. When it was all said and done, we were there for over 3 hours. Me oh my!!
The final result was that Adrienne's blood work looked great (thank God) and the next morning, both girls were completely fine. All three of us have been battling colds but I think that we're finally all starting to feel a little bit better!
*Christmas Eve
Because of how John's days off fell we saved the majority of our shopping for Christmas Eve. Surprisingly, the mall was dead and there were LOTS of amazing deals. We got an early start on it, which I credit much of our success to. John and I went our separate ways so we could finish shopping for one another and I had withdrawn some cash from the ATM. After spending not even half of the two hundred bucks that I took out, we headed out to the car to head to Wal Mart. That's when I realized that I had LOST the remaining money:-( I was crushed and really frustrated and kind of nervous to tell John about what I had done. When I told him he just hugged me and told me that someone else must have needed it worse than us. What a man! I DO NOT deserve him... Not even one bit!
That night we had a beautiful candlelit ceremony at church where we sang Christmas carols and read the Christmas story. It was such an intimate and special time to celebrate our Savior's birthday! Hearing the scriptures that tell the amazing story of Jesus' birth will never, ever grow old to me!
Even though both of our families were having parties that night we decided to go home and enjoy just our small immediate family and have some alone time. We got fun appetizers... Buffalo wings, potato wedges, and mozzarella sticks and watched a Christmas movie while eating them. It was just a wonderful night!
*Christmas Day
We had an amazing day today! Our Christmas day was the same as it has been for the past years... We wake up and have a nice quiet breakfast (that John makes!) and open our gifts and stockings. After a bit we head out to John's grandma's and exchange gifts with John's large extended family. Next, we go to my parents' house for Christmas with that side of the family and we have a big lunch around 3 or so. Lastly, we head to John's parents' house and exchange gifts with his parents and siblings. It really is a crazy day but Christmas wouldn't be the same if we didn't get to spend it with all of the people we love!
We came home with over $400 in gift cards and a car and trunk so full of presents, toys, and clothes that we seriously barely got it all home. It's amazing how many people love us and wanted to shower us with gifts. I am blown away year after year.
Now that this holiday season is coming to a close, I'm sad. I wish that the joys and festivities didn't have to go away and that this season didn't have to end! Life is so wonderful and we have so many awesome things to look forwards to so I guess it's not so bad. Besides, Christmas will be here again before we know it!
I hope that everyone else had as wonderful of a Christmas as my family and I did. God bless you all!
Oh yes, and if you're lucky, pictures will be posted SOON!!!!
Sunday, December 20, 2009
Christmas in Brooke's Eyes
While this is Brooke's third Christmas, in many ways I feel like it's her first. She is finally old enough to take it all in and soak it up to the fullest and there has been no greater joy for me than watching her. She is truly amazed by it all... The lights, the tree, the decorations, the gifts, etc.. But most importantly, she's knows that Christmas is Jesus' birthday and that that's why we really celebrate. I love it!
To go in to our town there's a bridge that has rows of street lights on either side. For Christmas they put big light-up snowflakes and ribbons on them and every single time we see them, Brooke is fascinated. She never gets sick of looking at them. Ever. She says now, "Mommy, look, those are decorations for Jesus' birthday!" It's so adorable!
Of course, Brooke already has a materialistic side to her... She knows exactly what she wants for Christmas and she continually reminds us. Right now all she seems to talk about is getting a highchair for her baby dolls. She says, "Mommy, my babies need a highchair so I don't have to uses Rage's (Adrienne) anymore." Lol! That was the first thing we marked off of our shopping list but she has no clue. It is SO MUCH FUN!! We have gotten her several nice things but we have refrained from going hog wild to avoid deviating from the true meaning of the holiday. Also, she has LOTS of family and gets LOTS of gifts. It's insane, actually.
I love watching Christmas in my daughter's eyes because each Christmas carol, every house adorned with lights, and every decked out Christmas tree are noteworthy to her. She has yet to realize the hustle and bustle of the season that so easily steals the joys of Christmas from so many adults. In the few remaining days of this magical season, I am aiming to be more like her and open my eyes to the beauty and wonder that is right before my eyes!
To go in to our town there's a bridge that has rows of street lights on either side. For Christmas they put big light-up snowflakes and ribbons on them and every single time we see them, Brooke is fascinated. She never gets sick of looking at them. Ever. She says now, "Mommy, look, those are decorations for Jesus' birthday!" It's so adorable!
Of course, Brooke already has a materialistic side to her... She knows exactly what she wants for Christmas and she continually reminds us. Right now all she seems to talk about is getting a highchair for her baby dolls. She says, "Mommy, my babies need a highchair so I don't have to uses Rage's (Adrienne) anymore." Lol! That was the first thing we marked off of our shopping list but she has no clue. It is SO MUCH FUN!! We have gotten her several nice things but we have refrained from going hog wild to avoid deviating from the true meaning of the holiday. Also, she has LOTS of family and gets LOTS of gifts. It's insane, actually.
I love watching Christmas in my daughter's eyes because each Christmas carol, every house adorned with lights, and every decked out Christmas tree are noteworthy to her. She has yet to realize the hustle and bustle of the season that so easily steals the joys of Christmas from so many adults. In the few remaining days of this magical season, I am aiming to be more like her and open my eyes to the beauty and wonder that is right before my eyes!
Saturday, December 19, 2009
Bored Senseless
I am so BORED! John is working a school dance tonight from 7-10 and then he has to be at work for his regular shift at 11. I miss him SO BAD but the extra cash around Christmas time is definitely nice. To add to that, Brooke is spending tonight with my parents. She is my little chatterbox and she always keeps me occupied so it's way too quiet without her! I just put Adrienne down for the night and so I'm trying to figure out what the heck I'm going to do with myself for the next 4 hours or so.
It was hilarious because I was wrapping presents tonight and Adrienne kept trying to scoot to get the paper. More times than not she succeeded and ripped the paper and I had to pry it out of her hands before she ate it. That didn't go over too well with her! She hasn't quite mastered the army crawl yet but she kind of kicks and inches forward a little bit. She's only semi-mobile at this point and that is just fine with me!
I feel so behind on Christmas preparations this year. I have yet to get Adrienne or John a single thing and Brooke's stocking still isn't even started. I love to shower my family with gifts, but to be honest, the commercialism of Christmas really bums me out. I hate feeling stressed about the money that we're spending and I would rather just be able to celebrate the season without the added pressure of gifts. I don't know about you, but that sounds like a much more peaceful and relaxing way to celebrate Jesus' birthday!
Nothing else is new around here with us. We've been so busy over the last couple of days because John was off. Tonight is his first night back which stink but we're REALLY happy because he has Christmas Eve off and then doesn't have to go to work until 11 on Christmas night. We got pretty lucky, didn't we?
Well, I'm going to go do some work out of the house and try to find a movie to watch. I'm out!
It was hilarious because I was wrapping presents tonight and Adrienne kept trying to scoot to get the paper. More times than not she succeeded and ripped the paper and I had to pry it out of her hands before she ate it. That didn't go over too well with her! She hasn't quite mastered the army crawl yet but she kind of kicks and inches forward a little bit. She's only semi-mobile at this point and that is just fine with me!
I feel so behind on Christmas preparations this year. I have yet to get Adrienne or John a single thing and Brooke's stocking still isn't even started. I love to shower my family with gifts, but to be honest, the commercialism of Christmas really bums me out. I hate feeling stressed about the money that we're spending and I would rather just be able to celebrate the season without the added pressure of gifts. I don't know about you, but that sounds like a much more peaceful and relaxing way to celebrate Jesus' birthday!
Nothing else is new around here with us. We've been so busy over the last couple of days because John was off. Tonight is his first night back which stink but we're REALLY happy because he has Christmas Eve off and then doesn't have to go to work until 11 on Christmas night. We got pretty lucky, didn't we?
Well, I'm going to go do some work out of the house and try to find a movie to watch. I'm out!
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Teaching Humility
The other day my brother-in-law, Luke, told Brooke that she was beautiful. She looked at him and said, "Yes I am!" No matter what compliment that you give my daughter, she agrees with you... Even if you're a complete stranger. The other day the cashier at the grocery store told her how pretty she was and she mumbled, "Yes I'm pretty." Lol
While I want my daughter to be confident and know that she is beautiful, special, talented, etc... I do NOT want her to be too confident. I want her to be humble and to know that she isn't perfect and that she does lack in certain areas. Sad but true!
I had been telling Brooke over and over again that when someone compliments her that you're not really supposed to say, "Yes I am." She just laughed and joked with me about it. I finally sat down with her and explained to her that it's much nicer to say, "Thank you! That's a nice compliment," whenever someone says something nice about her. Now she walks around saying. "Thank you! That's a good compliment!" It's so hilarious listening to her say it, too! It's so funny because now we all shower her with compliments over and over to see if she'll say it and I think she's got it down pat!
It's such a massive responsibility to raise a little lady (or 2!), isn't it? While at Brooke's age it might be cute for her to agree with the compliments she receives, it's not teaching her a thing about humility. Whenever she latches on to one of my lessons on life, I am so encouraged! I'm trying to mold her into a woman of God and each step in that direction makes me smile! :-)
While I want my daughter to be confident and know that she is beautiful, special, talented, etc... I do NOT want her to be too confident. I want her to be humble and to know that she isn't perfect and that she does lack in certain areas. Sad but true!
I had been telling Brooke over and over again that when someone compliments her that you're not really supposed to say, "Yes I am." She just laughed and joked with me about it. I finally sat down with her and explained to her that it's much nicer to say, "Thank you! That's a nice compliment," whenever someone says something nice about her. Now she walks around saying. "Thank you! That's a good compliment!" It's so hilarious listening to her say it, too! It's so funny because now we all shower her with compliments over and over to see if she'll say it and I think she's got it down pat!
It's such a massive responsibility to raise a little lady (or 2!), isn't it? While at Brooke's age it might be cute for her to agree with the compliments she receives, it's not teaching her a thing about humility. Whenever she latches on to one of my lessons on life, I am so encouraged! I'm trying to mold her into a woman of God and each step in that direction makes me smile! :-)
Monday, December 14, 2009
"Family Tree"
John and I were on a long car ride the other day so we were listening to some music. We came across the song, "Family Tree," by Darryl Worley and it made me laugh! We talk about having another baby a lot and the lyrics seemed to fit our recent conversations. It's a country song and it's a little more twangy than I like but the funny words more than make up for it! I hope they make you laugh as hard as we did.
Dancin' in the living room cuttin' up a rug
Dancin' with a baby looks more like a hug
Livin' in a house made of saw mill wood
"Roll over Beethoven" never sounded so good
Come on baby, baby let's go
Where we get the money honey I don't know
One more baby's alright by me
We'll just add another limb to the family tree
Well raising up babies is our new sport
You're one day late and I'm a dollar short
Now maybe it was planned maybe it was a goof
But a cat just has to dance on a hot tin roof
Come on baby, baby let's go
Where we get the money honey I don't know
One more baby's alright by me
We'll just add another limb to the family tree
Well the lawnmower's broken, the tax is due
And if I find another tick I'm gonna come unglued
We got hand me down clothes, hand me down shoes
We got the big belly momma here we go again blues
Come on baby, baby let's go
Where we get the money honey I don't know
One more baby's alright by me
We'll just add another limb to the family tree
Baby, whoa, whoa let's go
Where we get the money I don't know
One more baby alright's by me
It's alright, it's alright now baby
We'll just add another limb to the family tree
Oh we'll just add another limb to the family tree
We'll just add another limb to the family tree
Hmmm.. Suddenly I'm much more inspired to "add another limb to our family tree." Are you???
Dancin' in the living room cuttin' up a rug
Dancin' with a baby looks more like a hug
Livin' in a house made of saw mill wood
"Roll over Beethoven" never sounded so good
Come on baby, baby let's go
Where we get the money honey I don't know
One more baby's alright by me
We'll just add another limb to the family tree
Well raising up babies is our new sport
You're one day late and I'm a dollar short
Now maybe it was planned maybe it was a goof
But a cat just has to dance on a hot tin roof
Come on baby, baby let's go
Where we get the money honey I don't know
One more baby's alright by me
We'll just add another limb to the family tree
Well the lawnmower's broken, the tax is due
And if I find another tick I'm gonna come unglued
We got hand me down clothes, hand me down shoes
We got the big belly momma here we go again blues
Come on baby, baby let's go
Where we get the money honey I don't know
One more baby's alright by me
We'll just add another limb to the family tree
Baby, whoa, whoa let's go
Where we get the money I don't know
One more baby alright's by me
It's alright, it's alright now baby
We'll just add another limb to the family tree
Oh we'll just add another limb to the family tree
We'll just add another limb to the family tree
Hmmm.. Suddenly I'm much more inspired to "add another limb to our family tree." Are you???
Sunday, December 13, 2009
Christmas Festivites
John has been off all weekend and we've been having so much fun together! Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end and I just sent him out to work:-( Bummer!
We went to a Christmas party at John's dad's work on Saturday and here are some pictures of my precious family...
My sweet Adrienne
The girls with John's parents
Adrienne and me
Our family minus Brooke
Brooke got this guitar at the party
John and Adrienne at church this morning
My beautiful Brooke
We went to a Christmas party at John's dad's work on Saturday and here are some pictures of my precious family...
My sweet Adrienne
The girls with John's parents
Adrienne and me
Our family minus Brooke
Brooke got this guitar at the party
John and Adrienne at church this morning
My beautiful Brooke
Thursday, December 10, 2009
A True Lover of Food
We just recently started Adrienne on baby foods and I'm amazed at how much she loves to eat! Brooke was a HORRIBLE eater and still is but you can just shovel it in Adrienne's mouth. Dinner time has kind of become a little more stressful now that she eats because she cries in between bites. You can't feed the girl fast enough! Lol
She was only only cereal for 2 weeks... First rice cereal and then oatmeal. Just a week ago I started her on sweet potatoes, which are a big hit. I'm thinking tomorrow that we'll move on to carrots and I'm excited for her reaction. Feeding a baby solids is not so fresh on my brain from Brooke's babyhood so it's kind of hard to remember what to give her and when. It's amazing how much stuff you throw out of your brain when you don't use it!
We have started to give Adrienne a few Cheerios in the morning during our breakfast because I'm not quite so sure if she should have two feedings a day yet and she FREAKS when you eat without her. She loves them and it keeps her extremely happy! She can't quite put them in her mouth yet but she's getting pretty good at picking them up!
So, if all things continue to go at this pace, hopefully I'll have a daughter that will eat more than macaroni and cheese, chicken nuggets, cereal, and beans. Lol! One can hope, right??
For fun, here are some recent pictures of my beauties...
My dad put her in the sink. What are grandpas for??
Brooke insisted on wearing her sunglasses to lunch the other day. She is ALL girl!
Adrienne's first Cheerio:
She was only only cereal for 2 weeks... First rice cereal and then oatmeal. Just a week ago I started her on sweet potatoes, which are a big hit. I'm thinking tomorrow that we'll move on to carrots and I'm excited for her reaction. Feeding a baby solids is not so fresh on my brain from Brooke's babyhood so it's kind of hard to remember what to give her and when. It's amazing how much stuff you throw out of your brain when you don't use it!
We have started to give Adrienne a few Cheerios in the morning during our breakfast because I'm not quite so sure if she should have two feedings a day yet and she FREAKS when you eat without her. She loves them and it keeps her extremely happy! She can't quite put them in her mouth yet but she's getting pretty good at picking them up!
So, if all things continue to go at this pace, hopefully I'll have a daughter that will eat more than macaroni and cheese, chicken nuggets, cereal, and beans. Lol! One can hope, right??
For fun, here are some recent pictures of my beauties...
My dad put her in the sink. What are grandpas for??
Brooke insisted on wearing her sunglasses to lunch the other day. She is ALL girl!
Adrienne's first Cheerio:
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Happy Birthday, Babe!
Today is my wonderful husband's birthday!! I love him so much and any day that celebrates him is just fine with me:-)
I said this last week on my birthday, but I hate how "adult" birthday work out! Lol! The poor guy worked all night last night and got home an hour late because there was a nasty snow storm that hit. I felt so sad thinking of him in that cold, dark patrol car all alone for 8 hours ON HIS BIRTHDAY but he assures me that he really was okay. I worry about silly things! :-) After eating a huge breakfast that I made him, he got about 6 hours of sleep. When he woke up we did presents and I made him the dinner of his choice... Bacon cheeseburgers and french fries. Nothing fancy but that's what my man wanted so that's exactly what he got! We then had to rush out of the house and head to church for the Wednesday night service. John helps teach a class so it's not like we really could have stayed home if we had wanted to. Now, he's headed back to work. I tried so hard to make his day special for him but I really didn't have much time with him to do so. :-(
There are not words to describe just how very much I John. He is seriously everything that I need in a husband! He is the calm when I'm the storm and he keeps me in check. I'm kind of the crazy, impulsive, scatter-brained one in this relationship and I so depend on his level head and sound mind. I have the utmost respect for my husband and I know that he would do anything in the universe for me. On top of being an incredible husband to me, he's the best daddy you'll ever find and our girls are crazy about him. He is an overall faithful, Godly man and I am so thankful that he picked ME! I don't think I could love him more if I tried! :-)
I said this last week on my birthday, but I hate how "adult" birthday work out! Lol! The poor guy worked all night last night and got home an hour late because there was a nasty snow storm that hit. I felt so sad thinking of him in that cold, dark patrol car all alone for 8 hours ON HIS BIRTHDAY but he assures me that he really was okay. I worry about silly things! :-) After eating a huge breakfast that I made him, he got about 6 hours of sleep. When he woke up we did presents and I made him the dinner of his choice... Bacon cheeseburgers and french fries. Nothing fancy but that's what my man wanted so that's exactly what he got! We then had to rush out of the house and head to church for the Wednesday night service. John helps teach a class so it's not like we really could have stayed home if we had wanted to. Now, he's headed back to work. I tried so hard to make his day special for him but I really didn't have much time with him to do so. :-(
There are not words to describe just how very much I John. He is seriously everything that I need in a husband! He is the calm when I'm the storm and he keeps me in check. I'm kind of the crazy, impulsive, scatter-brained one in this relationship and I so depend on his level head and sound mind. I have the utmost respect for my husband and I know that he would do anything in the universe for me. On top of being an incredible husband to me, he's the best daddy you'll ever find and our girls are crazy about him. He is an overall faithful, Godly man and I am so thankful that he picked ME! I don't think I could love him more if I tried! :-)
Monday, December 7, 2009
Struggling with the Struggle
I have been feeling perpetually discouraged and exhaustion over Brooke lately, to be completely honest. She and I go head to head on just about everything and it seriously wears me down after a while. It's increasingly more difficult for me when I see her giving John NO attitude and obeying him completely. He's a great dad and I'm happy over their amazing relationship but it sometimes makes me feel sad that she's not that same kid for me.
Brooke's a great kid. Really. She's kind hearted and loving. She's amazing with her sister and it's obvious that she adores her. She's helpful (MOST of the time). In this short time, she has gone from being not potty trained to being 100 perfect potty trained.. Even staying dry at night and for naps. She is compliant when it comes to most things and I often hear from others how sweet she is. Yes, my Brookie is all of the above things. However, she gives me an attitude about everything.
Just this morning she had a fit because I told her it was time to leave the house. She freaked out, said she wouldn't go, and then started screaming. This would be manageable if it was an isolated incident but these types of things happen ALL DAY LONG. Her latest thing is telling me, "No, cuz I'm gonna be afraid," whenever she's asked to do something. Another popular excuse is, "No thanks. Not now cuz my X hurts." (Insert any imaginable body part for X, by the way)
I'm also struggling because when other people are around, it's like I don't exist. We were at my in-law's house for another joint birthday part for John and me and once she saw her relatives, it's like I was seriously not there. Anytime I would try to talk to her or get her to do something (like put her PJ's on before leaving) she would either ignore me or flip out. I know that she sees me so often and that I shouldn't take it personally, but it's hard to have your child treat you like that when you live and breathe for them.
I'm not sure why she's resisting ME so much lately. Is it simply her age and only a short phase that will pass as quickly as it started? Is it her adjusting to Adrienne's permanence now that she's starting to be awake more and more interactive? Or is it what I fear the most... That Brooke and I will just clash for the rest of our lives? I know that I'm probably going to be the stern parent while John will be the fun, easy-going parent, which is fine. I'm just concerned that she and I will butt heads on everything. Some parents mesh differently with different kids. One thing that I have to realize is that I'm not here to be Brooke's friend and I'm not here to seek her approval.. I'm here to be her mom and whether she appreciates it or not, that's my number 1 purpose in her life.
I have tried so hard to focus more special attention on Brooke lately. We have done countless activities together during Adrienne's nap or after she's down for the night. Despite my efforts, I have not noticed any change in her behavior towards me and it just stinks! Hopefully she'll snap out of this soon?
I knew that parenting was a difficult job but I didn't realize just HOW difficult it was until Brooke started this recent phase. I fear that it only gets harder?? They sure are worth it, though... Despite it all!
Brooke's a great kid. Really. She's kind hearted and loving. She's amazing with her sister and it's obvious that she adores her. She's helpful (MOST of the time). In this short time, she has gone from being not potty trained to being 100 perfect potty trained.. Even staying dry at night and for naps. She is compliant when it comes to most things and I often hear from others how sweet she is. Yes, my Brookie is all of the above things. However, she gives me an attitude about everything.
Just this morning she had a fit because I told her it was time to leave the house. She freaked out, said she wouldn't go, and then started screaming. This would be manageable if it was an isolated incident but these types of things happen ALL DAY LONG. Her latest thing is telling me, "No, cuz I'm gonna be afraid," whenever she's asked to do something. Another popular excuse is, "No thanks. Not now cuz my X hurts." (Insert any imaginable body part for X, by the way)
I'm also struggling because when other people are around, it's like I don't exist. We were at my in-law's house for another joint birthday part for John and me and once she saw her relatives, it's like I was seriously not there. Anytime I would try to talk to her or get her to do something (like put her PJ's on before leaving) she would either ignore me or flip out. I know that she sees me so often and that I shouldn't take it personally, but it's hard to have your child treat you like that when you live and breathe for them.
I'm not sure why she's resisting ME so much lately. Is it simply her age and only a short phase that will pass as quickly as it started? Is it her adjusting to Adrienne's permanence now that she's starting to be awake more and more interactive? Or is it what I fear the most... That Brooke and I will just clash for the rest of our lives? I know that I'm probably going to be the stern parent while John will be the fun, easy-going parent, which is fine. I'm just concerned that she and I will butt heads on everything. Some parents mesh differently with different kids. One thing that I have to realize is that I'm not here to be Brooke's friend and I'm not here to seek her approval.. I'm here to be her mom and whether she appreciates it or not, that's my number 1 purpose in her life.
I have tried so hard to focus more special attention on Brooke lately. We have done countless activities together during Adrienne's nap or after she's down for the night. Despite my efforts, I have not noticed any change in her behavior towards me and it just stinks! Hopefully she'll snap out of this soon?
I knew that parenting was a difficult job but I didn't realize just HOW difficult it was until Brooke started this recent phase. I fear that it only gets harder?? They sure are worth it, though... Despite it all!
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Birthday Details
Yesterday was my birthday and my family made sure that I had a special day! Although, I must admit, once you're a mom, birthdays aren't quite the same as they were prior to motherhood. You learn that life actually still goes on on your birthday... Diapers need to be changed, beds needs to be made, children need to be fed, etc...
My mom and my sister took me out for my birthday lunch yesterday. Al and I have 4 kids aged 3 and under between the 2 of us so it was hectic but it was lots of fun! We have awesome, awesome kids so that always helps.
I cannot believe how my husband spoiled me for my birthday. Oh my word! While I was at lunch he ran out and bought me a dozen red roses. They are so beautiful and they are the perfect centerpiece for my dining room table! Later in the afternoon, after Brooke woke up from her nap, we opened gifts. He gave me two precious cards (one from the girls and one from him) and then I had one gift to open. It was a picture frame that I had been wanting and I was really happy to get it! John then went on to apologize that I didn't have much to open and he told me that dinner and the movie were my main gift. I was totally fine with that because I don't need a lot of gifts to feel loved! Then he started to prod me about what I would be wearing for dinner and how I should dress up. I was a little confused because we were just going to the Olive Garden... not a 5 star restaurant! Then he pulled the most amazing diamond stud earrings out of his pocket and said, "Well, you're going to need something to match these!" I was shocked and completely blown away by his thoughtfulness and generosity! I seriously have the best husband ever!! :-)
Our date last night was HEAVEN. Dinner was so relaxed and we enjoyed the uninterrupted conversation so much. It was so wonderful to be able to focus on one another 100 percent. After dinner, we went to see Blind Side, which is definitely a must see for you all! The best part? Our girls did great!!!! Adrienne took her milk just fine out of her sippy cup, which was a major relief! I had pumped almost 20 ounces for her and she drank 5. Lol! I'm such a Jew!! :-) Both girls were asleep when we got in and they didn't wake up until after 9 this morning. I'm really encouraged to know that we can do dates just fine without Adrienne going hungry. It's kind of liberating!
All in all, my birthday was wonderful! On Sunday John's family is having a joint birthday party for both of us so I sill have that to look forward to on top of everything else. I have the best family!!
My mom and my sister took me out for my birthday lunch yesterday. Al and I have 4 kids aged 3 and under between the 2 of us so it was hectic but it was lots of fun! We have awesome, awesome kids so that always helps.
I cannot believe how my husband spoiled me for my birthday. Oh my word! While I was at lunch he ran out and bought me a dozen red roses. They are so beautiful and they are the perfect centerpiece for my dining room table! Later in the afternoon, after Brooke woke up from her nap, we opened gifts. He gave me two precious cards (one from the girls and one from him) and then I had one gift to open. It was a picture frame that I had been wanting and I was really happy to get it! John then went on to apologize that I didn't have much to open and he told me that dinner and the movie were my main gift. I was totally fine with that because I don't need a lot of gifts to feel loved! Then he started to prod me about what I would be wearing for dinner and how I should dress up. I was a little confused because we were just going to the Olive Garden... not a 5 star restaurant! Then he pulled the most amazing diamond stud earrings out of his pocket and said, "Well, you're going to need something to match these!" I was shocked and completely blown away by his thoughtfulness and generosity! I seriously have the best husband ever!! :-)
Our date last night was HEAVEN. Dinner was so relaxed and we enjoyed the uninterrupted conversation so much. It was so wonderful to be able to focus on one another 100 percent. After dinner, we went to see Blind Side, which is definitely a must see for you all! The best part? Our girls did great!!!! Adrienne took her milk just fine out of her sippy cup, which was a major relief! I had pumped almost 20 ounces for her and she drank 5. Lol! I'm such a Jew!! :-) Both girls were asleep when we got in and they didn't wake up until after 9 this morning. I'm really encouraged to know that we can do dates just fine without Adrienne going hungry. It's kind of liberating!
All in all, my birthday was wonderful! On Sunday John's family is having a joint birthday party for both of us so I sill have that to look forward to on top of everything else. I have the best family!!
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
A Recap...
The last couple of days have been absolutely wonderful! John has been off since Sunday night and we have used the time to get ready for Christmas. I have loved all of this quality family time so much!
On Sunday night Brooke and John went on a date to do some shopping for my birthday present. It was nice for those two to have some time alone and I also enjoyed some one-on-one time with my Adrienne. It was a nice quiet night for me here at home and I actually got a lot of work done. Adrienne stayed by my side while I cleaned out her closet and she was great company!
Later that night John and I made a gingerbread house with Brooke and we had a blast together! It was really nice because Adrienne was already in bed for the night and we were able to give Brookie some extra-special attention. I think that it's really good for her to be the center of attention every once in a while. It was so much fun watching Brooke decorate her house and cram lots of candy in her mouth. She's hilarious!
Yesterday the girls had a doctor appointments. Brooke's was to re-check her ears after that awful infection and thankfully it's all cleared up now! The doctor said that there was just a tiny bit of residual fluid but that's normal. Adrienne's appointment was for her 6-month well visit. She weighed in at 17 pounds, 7 ounces and she was 26.5 inches long. She's getting so big! For comparison's sake, Brooke was 17 pounds, 9 ounces at that age so they are very close in size.
Last night we went to Alison's (my sister) house and had an awesome time over there with her sweet little family. It was a blast! When we got home we put on some Christmas shows and then decorated our house and tree (that we had gotten earlier that day). Adrienne slept through that, as well, so we had some more special time with Brooke. It was such a fun night and our house is looking very festive now!
Tonight we had a joint birthday party for John and me at my parents' house. My birthday is tomorrow and John's is a week from tomorrow so we just had one big party. It was a great night with my family and we walked away with some generous and thoughtful gifts. I love my family!! :-)
Tomorrow is the BIG NIGHT!! I'm so excited for my night out with John. I'm a little nervous to leave Adrienne for the first time but I think she'll do okay. I have tons and tons of frozen breast milk and a sippy cup that she takes well so I know that she shouldn't go hungry. I'm also leaving her in capable hands!
Alrighty, I'm off to go pump some more milk for tomorrow night and hopefully get some rest!
On Sunday night Brooke and John went on a date to do some shopping for my birthday present. It was nice for those two to have some time alone and I also enjoyed some one-on-one time with my Adrienne. It was a nice quiet night for me here at home and I actually got a lot of work done. Adrienne stayed by my side while I cleaned out her closet and she was great company!
Later that night John and I made a gingerbread house with Brooke and we had a blast together! It was really nice because Adrienne was already in bed for the night and we were able to give Brookie some extra-special attention. I think that it's really good for her to be the center of attention every once in a while. It was so much fun watching Brooke decorate her house and cram lots of candy in her mouth. She's hilarious!
Yesterday the girls had a doctor appointments. Brooke's was to re-check her ears after that awful infection and thankfully it's all cleared up now! The doctor said that there was just a tiny bit of residual fluid but that's normal. Adrienne's appointment was for her 6-month well visit. She weighed in at 17 pounds, 7 ounces and she was 26.5 inches long. She's getting so big! For comparison's sake, Brooke was 17 pounds, 9 ounces at that age so they are very close in size.
Last night we went to Alison's (my sister) house and had an awesome time over there with her sweet little family. It was a blast! When we got home we put on some Christmas shows and then decorated our house and tree (that we had gotten earlier that day). Adrienne slept through that, as well, so we had some more special time with Brooke. It was such a fun night and our house is looking very festive now!
Tonight we had a joint birthday party for John and me at my parents' house. My birthday is tomorrow and John's is a week from tomorrow so we just had one big party. It was a great night with my family and we walked away with some generous and thoughtful gifts. I love my family!! :-)
Tomorrow is the BIG NIGHT!! I'm so excited for my night out with John. I'm a little nervous to leave Adrienne for the first time but I think she'll do okay. I have tons and tons of frozen breast milk and a sippy cup that she takes well so I know that she shouldn't go hungry. I'm also leaving her in capable hands!
Alrighty, I'm off to go pump some more milk for tomorrow night and hopefully get some rest!
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