Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Coordinating Check-Ups

A long time ago I decided that this blog would take the place of any baby books or journals that I might keep of the kids' developments and accomplishments and wrote the occasional entry to update on what (then only Katie) was up to. Now there are two of them and that means even less time for typing, so forget two updates. We now must share. Because sharing is caring.

37 Month & 10 Month Checkups

Dear Katie and Mickey,

Yesterday I really did coordinate checkups and you both went to the doctor. This was in an effort to save time but we were there for THREE LONG HOURS. We found out that Katie is 38 pounds and 41 inches tall (a height that is "off the charts") and Mick is 28 inches and nearly 20lbs - 19lbs, 14 oz to be exact.

All this growing has not been without it's growing pains. I readily admit that I am to blame for most of the angst. While I love being a mom to Katie and I love being a mom to Mickey, I'm really not enjoying being a parent to two kids at the same time. I feel like I can't give the right amount of attention to either of them and my frustration escalates any situation brought about by kids being kids. Having a second child did nothing for my patience level. Having a preschooler has done nothing for my maturity level and having two children that can throw simultaneous temper tantrums has done nothing to stop me from throwing a fit or two of my own.

It's been more difficult now that Katie is out of 'school' for the summer and there is just no break. I go to work to relax.

God bless poor Katie... She has been through so much this last year (at an age where they recommend no big changes) We, like, moved across the world, she got a brother, started a new school and I went back to work. Then in March the doctor told us because of fluid in her ears it was time to cut out the bedtime bottle of milk and binkies. And she did it, cold turkey. Now after 4 long weeks of spraying saline up her nose three times a day, the fluid is gone. hooray. Add to the list of stressful things, she is has been completely potty trained. Oh creeps! She got evicted from her crib too - the big girl bed made its debut shortly after the new year. When you look at it this way, she's got some good excuses for bad behavior.

Sometimes I forget she is three.

I take it as a personal affront to my authority when she doesn't listen. So I get angry, and shout and grab her by the arm and put my face into hers so she knows I mean business. And she laughs. She laughs and I lose my shit.

They say distraction and redirection are the best ways to work with a young child and get them to do what you want. I want them to do it simply BECAUSE I'M THE BOSS, THAT'S WHY! I'm not saying I want her to genuflect when I enter the room, but a military salute would show some respect.

I forget she is three because she is so smart. She remembers things. She knows her alphabet. She knows what sounds the letters make and she can tell you what letter a word starts with. She can write a few letters, mostly they all come out looking like Hs.. Her vocabulary is outrageous- and you know when she has picked up a new word because she tests it out in all different scenarios. The other day she used 'certainly' 34 times before lunch. And she asks a lot of questions. A LOT OF QUESTIONS. why? why? how? why?

She is timid and shy at times too. She likes to watch the other kids playing instead of running to join them. She gets frustrated easily with tasks and gets mad and gives up. Sometimes she gets upset about something and it just keeps escalating and she can't calm herself down. I see myself in her at times and I get sad. How can I teach her things that I can't do myself?

Katie loves anything princess. She loves to dress up and wear high heels, she loves her babies and feeds them and changes them and puts them all down for naps on blankets all over the house. She is very systematic - all the babies are wrapped and laying the same way. She loves making towers and stacking and lining things up. And she REALLY loves the tv. Cinderella is enabling me to write this now. I'll admit that Ive taken to using tv to give me some quiet time. Or cooking time or doing laundry time or toilet scrubbing time. But cuddle time is the best use of tv. Katie said to me this morning, "Mom, let's go home and Mickey can take his nap and we can sit on the couch and cuddle together. And watch tv." Total manipulation, but I'm a sucker for it every time.

And then there is the Mick. Gawd I love that boy! Whereas some days poor Katie can do no right, Mickey can do no wrong. I'll admit to thinking he wasn't the most beautiful baby as a newborn, but now he could melt butter with his big baby blue eyes. He has long eyelashes and blondish/strawberry blond hair is growing in. Slowly, but with a remarkably perfect hairline. A light birthmark that for weeks I mistook for a bruise is developing over his left eye and after months and months of chewing and drooling like a St Bernard, his four front teeth burst through. Like Katie, it was nine months with none, then 4 within a week.

He's taken to crawling the same way. Months of nothing, barely getting on all-fours, then two weeks ago he took his first step and never looked back. He is sitting and crawling but still not rolling over. The doctor wasn't happy with that and wants us to take him to physical therapy. I guess it will do no harm. I think it's because we swaddled him to sleep for so long. He's probably only 3 months out of the swaddle and I'll still use it from time to time to calm him down when he doesn't want to nap. Now that it's summer and hot, hot, hot in his front bedroom, its almost cruel to swaddle him. That boy sweats like no other. Well, he sweats like me - and that means he will wake in a puddle. A 10 inch halo of wetness surrounding his little angel head. Michael sleeps through the night and will usually take two naps during the day. The morning one is nice and long 10:30-12:30, the afternoon one is a little trickier. But he does not go to sleep easily. There is a lot of rocking, jiggling, shushing and general cajoling-

Ah, speak of the devil, I hear Mick in the monitor. I guess breaktime is over. Time to head back to work.

My dear sweet children. I love you with every ounce of my being. Please forgive me if someday you find yourselves in therapy.

Mom

Monday, June 7, 2010

Why Im not blogging more lately...

Most days include some variation of such display:

It is possible that I may have compounded things with the camera in her face...
This all started because she wasn't allowed back in the bathroom to "wash her hands", which of course means smear liquid soap all over the vanity, walls, floor...