Can a leftie be made? When Alex was learning to eat, I would sit opposite him to feed him. So my right-handed spoon was often stolen by his closest hand-the left.
Can't explain the left footed kicking though.......
Friday, 27 April 2012
A Leftie...?
How, in a family FULL of right-handed people, did we get a 'leftie"? Definately left handed, writng and now kicking the footy.
Can a leftie be made? When Alex was learning to eat, I would sit opposite him to feed him. So my right-handed spoon was often stolen by his closest hand-the left.
Can't explain the left footed kicking though.......
Can a leftie be made? When Alex was learning to eat, I would sit opposite him to feed him. So my right-handed spoon was often stolen by his closest hand-the left.
Can't explain the left footed kicking though.......
Thursday, 26 April 2012
Almost...maybe...could be...!
Don't want to jinx myself, but I think we might be getting there...almost, maybe, could be...!
Megan has been doing #1s in the toilet with few accidents for almost a year now. Sadly, #2s were not so easily learned.
We tried everything, every strategy we could find, every suggestion we heard about. We made reward charts, promised lollies, made her clean her undies, laughed at accidents, ignored accidents, made her sit for ages, let her have nuddy time, wrote a 'Poo Story', got the potty out, hid the potty...you name it, we tried it.
We growled in frustration a lot (not proud of that one), but after a year of cleaning pooey undies, it was hard not to! She got frustrated too, she cried sometimes and often hid or said she hadn't had an accident when she had. She would even hold it in.
It's not like we forced it on her- she wanted to be a big girl and do poo in the toilet...she just didnt get it. We were so worried, especially after the health nurse said that she could lose the sensation of needing to go if she kept it up. Pleasant topic I know!!!
But I think the penny may have dropped. She is happy to toddle off now and so proud when she can tell us (and yes, even show us) when she has gone. She isn't 100% yet, but there have only been 1-2 minor accidents in about a month. What was the trigger, the key.....no idea! Time, I guess. And if you had told me that 12 months ago, I would have laughed...and possbily thrown you off a tall building.
Upon reflection, she clearly wasn't ready for doing poo in the toilet but since she was definately ready for weeing, how do you manage one and not the other? And worse still...do I want to go through it all again with Alex??? He's about the age Megan was when she first started and he is certainly interested in it all. But I think we can hold him off for a bit. Surely he can survive in nappies for a while longer..!
Megan has been doing #1s in the toilet with few accidents for almost a year now. Sadly, #2s were not so easily learned.
We tried everything, every strategy we could find, every suggestion we heard about. We made reward charts, promised lollies, made her clean her undies, laughed at accidents, ignored accidents, made her sit for ages, let her have nuddy time, wrote a 'Poo Story', got the potty out, hid the potty...you name it, we tried it.
We growled in frustration a lot (not proud of that one), but after a year of cleaning pooey undies, it was hard not to! She got frustrated too, she cried sometimes and often hid or said she hadn't had an accident when she had. She would even hold it in.
It's not like we forced it on her- she wanted to be a big girl and do poo in the toilet...she just didnt get it. We were so worried, especially after the health nurse said that she could lose the sensation of needing to go if she kept it up. Pleasant topic I know!!!
But I think the penny may have dropped. She is happy to toddle off now and so proud when she can tell us (and yes, even show us) when she has gone. She isn't 100% yet, but there have only been 1-2 minor accidents in about a month. What was the trigger, the key.....no idea! Time, I guess. And if you had told me that 12 months ago, I would have laughed...and possbily thrown you off a tall building.
Upon reflection, she clearly wasn't ready for doing poo in the toilet but since she was definately ready for weeing, how do you manage one and not the other? And worse still...do I want to go through it all again with Alex??? He's about the age Megan was when she first started and he is certainly interested in it all. But I think we can hold him off for a bit. Surely he can survive in nappies for a while longer..!
Sunday, 22 April 2012
He's a real boy...!
This is gonna sound really dumb, but I've started to notice that Alex is a real boy now! Not in the Pinnoccio sense, but no longer a baby, not even a toddler any more. He's a little boy.
He still throws toddler tantrums and asked for his dummy yesterday, but apart from that, almost all sense of toddler-dom have gone.
He speaks so well and so clearly that I have to remind myself that he's only 2. And he is such a little character, that you can't help notice his boy-ness.
I LOVE this little boy stage. Fun, energetic, rough, cheeky, charming, stubborn, lovable :)
The 'baby' ride is over. The 'boy' journey is beginning!
Thursday, 19 April 2012
It's nice to be needed...
No parent likes it when their child is sick. The not knowing what is wrong, and worse still, the not being able to do much to make them feel better.
Once panadol (or other medicine) is administered, our role becomes that of comforter. Wiping away tears of pain, rubbing sore tummies, stroking foreheads until sleep comes.
It's lovely, that in a bad situation, I am able to offer reassurance simply being giving a cuddle or a snuggle. I often hold and cuddle for longer than is necessary, long after the sickie has drifted off to much needed sleep. This is purely because it's nice to feel needed and be able to help alleviate even the smallest amount of pain just through being there.
And I'll keep doing it for as long as I am needed....
Once panadol (or other medicine) is administered, our role becomes that of comforter. Wiping away tears of pain, rubbing sore tummies, stroking foreheads until sleep comes.
It's lovely, that in a bad situation, I am able to offer reassurance simply being giving a cuddle or a snuggle. I often hold and cuddle for longer than is necessary, long after the sickie has drifted off to much needed sleep. This is purely because it's nice to feel needed and be able to help alleviate even the smallest amount of pain just through being there.
And I'll keep doing it for as long as I am needed....
Friday, 13 April 2012
Fairy Garden...
We have a fairy garden...and we are a bit excited!!
Our day's entertainment for the last day of the Easter holidays was to visit a favourite park of ours. With beautiful big oak(?) trees to wander around, we collected a huge supply of bits and pieces to do 'something' with.
When we arrived home, we surprisingly found some fairies had moved into our side garden. How co-incidental!! So we supplied them with our finds from our walk and I think that are quite happy with their set-up (not really sure though....they stop talking when we show up!)
Our day's entertainment for the last day of the Easter holidays was to visit a favourite park of ours. With beautiful big oak(?) trees to wander around, we collected a huge supply of bits and pieces to do 'something' with.
When we arrived home, we surprisingly found some fairies had moved into our side garden. How co-incidental!! So we supplied them with our finds from our walk and I think that are quite happy with their set-up (not really sure though....they stop talking when we show up!)
Nothing is free...!
The best things in life are free...that's bull***t!!!!!!!!
Nothing is free- especially when it comes to entertaining kids.
It is the end of the Easter school holidays and we thought it'd be nice to do a family activity to finish things off. Money is tight at the moment, so we were leaning from the cheap activity towards the free side of things.
...but...as I said...nothing is free... unless you stay home.
Our options were either 'pay' or 'go'...
PAY= entry fee somewhere. 2adults +2kids is usually a good deal but still hikes up quickly (even if we took our own lunch)
GO= going somewhere free like a great park or the beach but still paying for petrol (which is as astronomical as an entry fee at the moment!!)
No wonder parents cringe at school holidays. Plonking the kids in front of the TV doesn't seem so bad anymore!
Nothing is free- especially when it comes to entertaining kids.
It is the end of the Easter school holidays and we thought it'd be nice to do a family activity to finish things off. Money is tight at the moment, so we were leaning from the cheap activity towards the free side of things.
...but...as I said...nothing is free... unless you stay home.
Our options were either 'pay' or 'go'...
PAY= entry fee somewhere. 2adults +2kids is usually a good deal but still hikes up quickly (even if we took our own lunch)
GO= going somewhere free like a great park or the beach but still paying for petrol (which is as astronomical as an entry fee at the moment!!)
No wonder parents cringe at school holidays. Plonking the kids in front of the TV doesn't seem so bad anymore!
In love...
Have I said how much I love my kids??? Surely it has come up at some stage! I mean, really, who couldn't? They are just so AWESOME!
Granted, they can be the devil-incarnate at some points but mainly I just melt at the sight of them and turn into a "Megan and Alex Groupie"!
Bit sad, I know, but I'm a mum, I'm allowed to be :)
Granted, they can be the devil-incarnate at some points but mainly I just melt at the sight of them and turn into a "Megan and Alex Groupie"!
Bit sad, I know, but I'm a mum, I'm allowed to be :)
Wednesday, 11 April 2012
Learning opportunities through a pets' death...
Last Sunday, my mum's dog, Riley, had to be put down. After a collapse and subsequent ultrasounds, he was found to have cancer all through his body, despite appearing healthy.
This was an incredibly sad time for my parents and myself. Riley had been a beautiful dog and was wonderful with all the grandkids.
But it was also a great opportunity for learning for the kids. They could see that Mum and Nana were upset and so they were able to talk about feelings and emotions and ways to confort those around you.
Most important of all (I think), was that they had their first brush with death. Much better for this first experience with death to occur in a pet and one that did not live with them. I remember hearing Dr. Chris Brown, the TV vet, discussing this very issue and saying that it is best to be honest with kids so that they can start to understand the very complex concept of dying.
Megan seemed to have some idea of death. When asked if she knew what "dead" meant, she said she couldn't play with Riley anymore. Her creche were discussing pets at the time, so perhaps this had been brought up then.
When we went to visit Nana and Grandpa, Grandpa said Riley was "gone" and so Alex though he had run away and we needed to look for him. Grandpa took the kids to see where Riley was buried, but Alex still didn't understand. Megan knew he was under all the dirt but Alex wanted to see him and tried to look under the clumps of soil.
I think it will take some time for Alex (and Megan to some degree) to understand the idea of death, and possibly lots of visits to the back of Nana and Grandpa's garden to visit Riley's grave. And hopefully the topic won't come up again for any reason for quite some time.
This was an incredibly sad time for my parents and myself. Riley had been a beautiful dog and was wonderful with all the grandkids.
But it was also a great opportunity for learning for the kids. They could see that Mum and Nana were upset and so they were able to talk about feelings and emotions and ways to confort those around you.
Most important of all (I think), was that they had their first brush with death. Much better for this first experience with death to occur in a pet and one that did not live with them. I remember hearing Dr. Chris Brown, the TV vet, discussing this very issue and saying that it is best to be honest with kids so that they can start to understand the very complex concept of dying.
Megan seemed to have some idea of death. When asked if she knew what "dead" meant, she said she couldn't play with Riley anymore. Her creche were discussing pets at the time, so perhaps this had been brought up then.
When we went to visit Nana and Grandpa, Grandpa said Riley was "gone" and so Alex though he had run away and we needed to look for him. Grandpa took the kids to see where Riley was buried, but Alex still didn't understand. Megan knew he was under all the dirt but Alex wanted to see him and tried to look under the clumps of soil.
I think it will take some time for Alex (and Megan to some degree) to understand the idea of death, and possibly lots of visits to the back of Nana and Grandpa's garden to visit Riley's grave. And hopefully the topic won't come up again for any reason for quite some time.
Quiet Time
We have introduced a new thing at home...something that comes at the most stressfull, ratty, noisy time of the day. We have begun having "quiet time". I know that this is not a new concept in the world, but it is new to us and it is heaven!
At around 4:30-5:30pm, when the kids are tired, grumpy, fighting and hungry is usually the time when the TV is on for chill out time. However, for me, watching the same cartoons over and over again while trying to get dinner ready can get on my nerves, despite my secret crush on Jimmy Giggle!
So that's where quiet time comes in. 30-ish minutes of stay in your own room and do something quiet. Genius!! While Alex is still getting the hang of staying in his room, Megan has taken Quiet Time on wholeheartedly. She will often sit and read through her mountains of books without interruption. She will check on her dolls to make sure they are sleeping and eating properly.
They are our of my hair and, best of all, out of each other's hair so there is quiet and no fights!!
At around 4:30-5:30pm, when the kids are tired, grumpy, fighting and hungry is usually the time when the TV is on for chill out time. However, for me, watching the same cartoons over and over again while trying to get dinner ready can get on my nerves, despite my secret crush on Jimmy Giggle!
So that's where quiet time comes in. 30-ish minutes of stay in your own room and do something quiet. Genius!! While Alex is still getting the hang of staying in his room, Megan has taken Quiet Time on wholeheartedly. She will often sit and read through her mountains of books without interruption. She will check on her dolls to make sure they are sleeping and eating properly.
They are our of my hair and, best of all, out of each other's hair so there is quiet and no fights!!
But where was I?
Megan understands quite a lot. More than I give her credit for, actually. She remembers even more. Random conversations or observations are brought up weeks and months after the fact and are completely accurate.
One thing she hasn't got a grasp of yet is understanding that she wasn't always here. I can clearly remember the time before kids...more time, more money, less mess...! But if hubby and I are talking about an event that was before she was born, we often get the question from Megan..."where was I?".
"You weren't born yet." we reply.
"But where was I?" she counters.
She just can't comprehend a time before she was around. The world still, and always has, reveolved around her...or so she thinks!!
One thing she hasn't got a grasp of yet is understanding that she wasn't always here. I can clearly remember the time before kids...more time, more money, less mess...! But if hubby and I are talking about an event that was before she was born, we often get the question from Megan..."where was I?".
"You weren't born yet." we reply.
"But where was I?" she counters.
She just can't comprehend a time before she was around. The world still, and always has, reveolved around her...or so she thinks!!
Sunday, 1 April 2012
Choose your attitude...
A few years back, my workplace had a bit of a low staff morale issue. To try and combat this, the "powers that be" came up with the motto "CHOOSE YOUR ATTITUDE". A bit corny, but essentially- you have the choice to look at something negatively or positively.
Today, Alex upended all the magnetic letters and other magnets all over the floor and had fun walking through them, kicking bits everywhere. I gave him the "did you really need to do that?" face and then somehow "CHOOSE YOUR ATTITUDE" popped into my head. I had 2 choices:
I dont like being the grumpy mum, but being a bit OCD about toys all over the floor, crazy-yelling-mean-mum comes out quite often. Today, she didn't make an appearance and I'm glad!
Today, Alex upended all the magnetic letters and other magnets all over the floor and had fun walking through them, kicking bits everywhere. I gave him the "did you really need to do that?" face and then somehow "CHOOSE YOUR ATTITUDE" popped into my head. I had 2 choices:
- I could growl at him, make him feel ashamed for exploring gravity, noises and just being a little kid.
- or I could say "Why don't we clean up this mess now" and use it as a chance to show that making a mess can be ok as long as it gets cleaned up afterwards.
I dont like being the grumpy mum, but being a bit OCD about toys all over the floor, crazy-yelling-mean-mum comes out quite often. Today, she didn't make an appearance and I'm glad!
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