January 2005 Kiddos ~ Walking and talking...

[marchfamily]

Lori - I'm sure the emotional healing will take some time. I can't imagine. We're here if you need to vent.

What type of therapy will she be getting?


E had private evaluations done for speech and physical therapy. We are going to go through Early Intervention (a state run program) - so, she will be reevaluated and will have a hearing test. In all likelihood, she will need speech therapy at a minimum. Possibly physical and/or occupational therapy.

My little girl turned 2 on Tuesday. I was in Vegas for a business trip. I sang her happy birthday over the phone and she clapped. She's so adorable!

[brio96]

Holy Cow...I'm so behind!! I haven't been getting emails saying there are updates to the thread and checked in because I had a question. That will teach me to neglect our thread, huh? :D

I may only have a few minutes before Megan wakes up (she, who is blissfully STTN most nights of the week!!!) so I'll post my question first and then try to get to an update and some SO's.

What age do you think it's "normal" for our kids to start feeling self-conscious/embarassed?

Last week, we were at the mall with our "nanny" (sounds fancy, but we are participating in an externship program with a local college that has a nanny "degree" and we get someone one day a week for 10 weeks) and we were having lunch. Behind us sat two 20 something guys and Sarah kept turning around to look at them. The nanny said something like "stop flirting with those boys" and Sarah got really quiet and stared at her food for about a minute. She was totally unresponsive and had a sheepish look on her face for so long that I thought she was possibly having another seizure. :eek: She insisted on sitting in my lap for the remainder of lunch and was really not herself.

Yesterday, DH and I were sitting with her at lunch (at home) and she wanted a piece of DH's birthday cake. We told her that she had to finish her sandwich first and she just looked at us and said "no, cake" and we started to laugh because the way she said it was really funny. All of the sudden she got the same look on her face (although she recovered much quicker) and it definitely wasn't a seizure.

After the second incident, it got me thinking that perhaps she was embarassed/self-conscious at the thought of being laughed at and I wasn't sure what to make of it.

Quick update for us....Sarah has decided to start potty training herself and I'm not ready!! Two weeks ago, she started really making more of an effort to tell us beforehand and actually go on the potty. While we still have a lot of room for improvement (we're nowhere near ready to switch to actual underwear) I'm really impressed that she's taken the lead on this and that she'll actually go on the toilet 2-4 times a day. We've gotten her some Pull Ups (calling them big girl pants) because I kept thinking it was sending a weird message to tell her what a big girl she was and then have her lay down to put a diaper on like a baby does (I never quite mastered putting a diaper on her while she was standing up). There are some battles getting her off the potty and out of the bathroom after washing her hands (the girl is obsessed with hand washing) but so far, I'm happy with how it's going.

Megan is doing really well! She was 12 pounds at her two month appointment and 23 inches long. She's already into 3-6 month stuff! She smiles all of the time and just seems content to take it all in. Right around New Year's she started sleeping much longer stretches and can now go (as she is doing right now) up to 13 hours. Granted, she's still sporadically waking at 3am some nights and demanding food, but the few nights she's slept through have been great. I'm definitely feeling a little more rested and able to handle things without freaking out too much. Between the extra sleep and the drugs, my PPD seems to be a little more under control. Some days are still a little hard, but for the most part it's better.

Speaking of my 13 hour sleeper...I hear her on the monitor and should go before she starts to cry and wake Sarah up.

I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday and New Year!!!!! I'll try to post again sooner than later with some SO's.

Amy

[twinnyme]

What age do you think it's "normal" for our kids to start feeling self-conscious/embarassed?

Hmm, I haven't really seen this yet with Becca.... Interesting. Glad that Megan is sleepinig well and that potty training seems to be moving along for Sarah.

We had Becca's birthday party on Sunday and everything went well. My family was here for the weekend, and my parents only left yesterday morning, so it's been busy. Only one more birthday to get through - DH's next week - and then Christmas/birthday season is pretty much over for us for another year. We have lots of birthdays through the year but none we really have to do much for, so that's nice. My father joked that we should start celebrating Becca's half-birthday in July instead, because so far both of her birthdays have been awful weather, and they all travel from NYC.

Anyway, it was very nice, and Becca made out like a bandit. Lots of cool gifts. Gift list and photos are on LJ. I think I'm going to put some of the gifts away for a while and take them out a little at a time. Our goal this weekend is to reorganize her room and move most of the toys from the living room up there. The following weekend, DH starts mandatory Saturdays (working) for tax season, so I really want to get this done this weekend. We'll see.

[marchfamily]

A bit late....but a very happy birthday to Becca!

[lorbo]

me too! Happy Birthday Becca!

[twinnyme]

Thanks, Amanda and Lori!

[twinnyme]

Happy birthday, James!!

[Lizzie Beth]

Lori - I love the picture of Brooke on the phone in the car w/her little brother. Little people. Am thinking about you and hope the days are getting better.

Lara - Life here has been good, work has gotten crazy busy in the last week, and we've closed on 5 leases in less than 4 days (abnormal for winter) though our DM would have liked to see 7...ah well, win some lose some! And if you had closed on seven, he would have liked to see nine, etc., etc. Whatever. I think that's awesome for this time of year.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BECCA!!! Melissa, I'm going to need tips on how to manage lots of baby hair. As you well know, this wasn't an issue with Susannah, but Katie has a full head of platinum blonde, very fine hair. Every so often I'm finding these little twisted up and impossible to untangle "baby dredlocks" in the back of Katie's hair from all the laying down and squirming. I don't know what else to do other than trim them off..

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JAMES! You sure have come a long way, guy!

Oooooohhhh, Brio, potty training. I'm intrigued. Please keep us posted. I'm about to buy a potty training thing for the regular toilet that includes a few steps so she can get up there by herself and have a footrest.

[twinnyme]

Melissa, I'm going to need tips on how to manage lots of baby hair. As you well know, this wasn't an issue with Susannah, but Katie has a full head of platinum blonde, very fine hair. Every so often I'm finding these little twisted up and impossible to untangle "baby dredlocks" in the back of Katie's hair from all the laying down and squirming. I don't know what else to do other than trim them off..

Oh, I don't know, Lizzie. I'm not sure I can give any tips - I think I still need them, LOL. No, I think things HAVE gotten better in terms of hairwashing and hair brushing, but she still doesn't love it. I don't recall lots of tangles, though, when she was little and on her back all the time. Hmmm, there is detangling spray though, that we use.

http://a1468.g.akamai.net/f/1468/580/1d/pics.drugstore.com/prodimg/139374/200.jpg

[marchfamily]

Happy Birthday James!

[lorbo]

thank you all for the well wishes and birthday wishes for my sweet baby boy. it was kind of a cranky day for the birthday boy! very little sleep from the night before due to coughing and overstimulation i think. i had to yell at him because of him throwing a tantrum, then trying to smack me in the face a few times and then he pulled my glasses out of my hand and tried to pull them in two...so we were off to a fantastic start by 11:30am. Brookie told her class her brother was two and he got bday wishes from one of the teachers. he got his birthday picture at picture people-though we haven't seen those pictures yet because of running around and going to GWL. we arrived at the lodge at around 6pm, ate dinner and went to the water park...don't have those pics yet (i almost had a fit when DH told me the disposable camera wasn't in the canvas bag and he didn't know where it was). after a few hours in the water, we went back to the room, got his cake ready, sang happy birthday and he opened one of his presents-a remote control car-though we didn't have the batteries for the car...but the remote was enough to entertain dear James. lots more water park today, though i didn't enjoy it thoroughly because i have a bad cough...and it was really bad today. and...we're home...off to sort out laundry and get kiddies to bed!!

[Jenzen01]

I'm here. I wrote a long post yesterday and lost it. I'll be back later after I get my hungry 2-year-old fed. He's eating more than a football player lately. Seriously. He's going on his third piece of French toast this morning.

Jen

[AusAshMommy]

Lizzie ~ I have closed on 7 as of now...but yeah they always want more..oh well...

Happy Be-Lated B-Day James! *Sorry Lori, first time I've checked in in awhile...* Sounds like it was a bang-up night!

Same old same old here, the kids are growing by leaps and bounds. I had a meeting with Austin's teacher today and he's doing VERY well in his new classroom (he was moved into the Green room with the older 3's and younger 4's). After the move he has made a complete 180 turnaround, he's better behaved, and he's begun learning more and more everyday! His teacher told me that he should be ready for kindergarten in the fall, OMG!!! She said it was obvious that we'd been working together at home with him and he's learned so much thus far...I can't believe it!

Ashley is just about the same...she's becoming such a big girl! She sits on the potty several times a day and has even peed on the potty once, YAY!!! It was completely by accident and she didn't even realize what had happened...this was 2 weeks ago and she hasn't had a repeat performance yet. However, we did buy her some pull-ups! Her B-Day was a smash along with the weekend with my parents. Mom and I took my friends Loretta & Sybil to lunch then we went shopping, then we went to dinner downtown and the kids LOVED the restaurant...there wasn't much to it but it was someplace different...

Ah well...enough from me...

Hope everyone is well!

[marchfamily]

quick note to tell y'all - I just found out.........

.........I'm pg with #3!

Due in late September to early October. We must be on the crazy train!

[lorbo]

congrats marchfamily!

my doctor called yesterday and left a message on my cell-which was in my work bag...that he had the results and to call him. so i called today and when he called me back, he told me the testing showed nothing was wrong...probably just some bad luck. i also found out we would've had another little boy...so i'm still digesting this information.

[twinnyme]

Wow, congratulations, Amanda! How exciting!

Lori - I'm glad you got some information, although I guess not very much that really helps you, huh?

Lara - Glad all is going well with the kids!

[Jenzen01]

Amanda!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You're nuts! :) Congratulations! I'm going to PM you. :)

Jen

[AusAshMommy]

Amanda ~ CONGRATS!!!!!!!!!!! Enjoy your pregnancy!!!!

Lorbo ~ So sorry to hear... :-(

And Thanks! All is going well on our end...for once...

[twinnyme]

I know no one's really been posting the stats from the 2 y.o. WBV but I wanted to! :D We had Becca's appointment today and she is 33 inches (grew 2 inches since July) and 25 lb. (up 3 lb.). The doctor was pleased. Still about 25-50% on both. I was glad to see this because although she does eat much much better now than she ever has, sometimes she eats too many Goldfish for my taste and I was worried it might make her gain too much weight. But that doesn't seem to be an issue for the little girl who has always gained slowly! :p

He asked us to make an appointment with a pediatric urologist in April - to check on her urinary reflux, and then in May we'll do the testing again to see how it's going. (By then, it'll be a year that she's been on the antibiotics.) He wants us to see the urologist first to see what his thoughts are on how to manage it and what the best test to evaluate it in May will be. (Apparently there's a new test now.)

We didn't stay for the fingerprick/lab because by the time we left the doctor's and went to the lab, we waited 15 minutes to register for the lab and by then it was 12:30 and I knew it wouldn't go well (she was getting antsy) if I kept her there for the actual wait for the lab and then the pinprick. Plus, I have an editing conference call today at 3 and I wanted to get her home for her nap without her falling asleep in the car! I may go tomorrow - oil change and doctor's - should be a fun Saturday morning! :-) (DH starts his mandatory work Saturdays tomorrow for tax season.)

Hope everyone has a good weekend!

[marchfamily]

Melissa - I posted in your LJ, but thought I would share...

E's 2 Year WBV
Height: 33.5
Weight: 26

Her sister is going to catch her soon! (at 6M - she's in the 97th for weight and over 100 for height)

[lorbo]

James
34 1/4 inches- 2 1/4 inches since August

26 1/4 pounds-3 1/4 pounds since August

sorry, my ped doesn't go for the percentiles and with his preemie status...the doc just shows me the growth curve and keeps saying the percentiles don't matter, just that he's all boy.

[AusAshMommy]

Hey All ~ Here's Ashley's stats:

Weight: 24lbs
Height: 32"

[lorbo]

a few pics from Great Wolf Lodge...still sick almost two weeks later, i was diagnosed last thursday with bronchitis...last night was rough and i'm hoping that it's not going to progress to pneumonia...that would suck!

[twinnyme]

Cool pictures, Lori! Looks like everyone had fun! Sorry you have bronchitis, though; hope you feel better soon!

Did anyone else notice that they've now split the "Pregnancy & Beyond Groups" and that we're now in the "Toddler Groups"? Oh, yeah, we have toddlers - toddlers who are growing in leaps and bounds, and showing their independence every day. I LOVE this age! Becca sincerely amazes me every single day....

[AusAshMommy]

Lori ~ Feel better :(

Melissa ~ No I didn't notice...OMG when did they become toddlers?!?! LOL!!! It is amazing isn't it???

[lorbo]

my chest xray showed my lungs are all clear:D i think the mucinex was making me feel crappy in a way. James is still coughing...though less frequently and we're almost finished the amoxi and we get to see the ped on friday. i need to remind myself to ask the ped if i have to take James to the ped eye doctor...being that i've never seen the psuedostrabismus he "thought" he saw last year. so i have to keep that in mind. James is a talking freak now. he's still making this growling sound...as a joke...but i'd love to get it on tape. Brooke mentioned that she wanted a little sister...then changed her mind and said she'd just love a little baby (sibling)my word, not hers...and a puppy-goofball. we're not TTC right now...due to the due date if something happened and i'm still recovering mentally...had to tell the xray tech yesterday that it was highly unlikely that i was pregnant, due to the surgery last month and AF was just here...and we've not been too intimate since then. looking forward to this cough leaving soon...as well as the days finally getting longer.

[twinnyme]

Happy birthday, Jilly!!

[Lizzie Beth]

Happy Birthday, Jilly!!


Congratulations, Amanda! I had been trying to keep up with you, but I just can't. :p

Susie's 2 yo visit - Weighs 32 lbs, I totally forget how tall. Ped says she's keeping up w/ her percentiles, so I wouldn't say she's a butterball. She's proportionate. For a three-year-old.

I am totally sick at heart - my stepdad died last Monday. He was really a father to me, so this really feels like my dad died. When my mom called, I went straight to her place, three hours away, (kids were already asleep) and stayed for five days. DH brought Katie (DD#2) up to me on the second day, since I'm still BF'ing, and she's about the only thing that brought some joy to my Mom in such an awful time. But Susannah's at that age where she's just bouncing off the walls, so I elected to leave her w/ Alex's parents - she's done tons of weekends there, and she alternated between there and being w/ Alex. I feel like a terrible mother, leaving her like that w/ no explanation for five days, but it was something I needed to do. Every since I've gotten back she has been way clingier than ever before...not that she's ever been clingy much at all. And middle-of-the-night wakings are at an all-time-high. And what's more, I have to do this again next week. My stepdad gave his body to science, so we didn't know when we'd have his ashes back.. Now there's a memorial next Saturday, so I have to leave Thurs., drive 3 hours to Mom's, then Friday we'll drive 6 hours to where he wanted to be interred, Saturday is the memorial, then Sunday we'll drive 6 hours back and Monday I'll drive the three hours home. All w/ Katie.

And then Katie's christening is the next weekend. All I can say is that it's a good thing I'm on maternity leave. :rolleyes:

This really sucks.

[twinnyme]

Lizzie Beth - I'm so sorry to hear of your loss. I hope all the traveling goes as well as can be expected. I'm sure Susie will have fun with daddy and her grandparents, and that by the end of it you'll be an expert traveler with Katie! Will someone be able to drive with you on the 6-hour stretch? That may help. Btw, that's great that your stepdad gave his body to science; what a contribution I'm sure that was!

"...not that she's ever been clingy much at all." - lucky you! I often think I've had one of the clingiest kids on the face of the earth. But it's slowly improving, which is good, and I'm almost starting to miss it. Something funny to cheer you up:

At daycare now, they've been giving Becca her rabbit lovey for naps - Becca insists on bringing it in but they can usually persuade her to keep it in her cubby except for nap (and one day she didn't even use it for nap; they give it to her if she requests it). Well, last night, when I picked her up, the first thing she said to me was not hello, not hi mommy, no hug, no kiss, just "Where's rabbit?" :-) As my coworker said this morning, I've been replaced by a rabbit. :p (I have to say it did hurt just a bit, but I'm glad she has something else she is so attached to, too.)

Hope everyone else is doing well!

[Lizzie Beth]

Btw, that's great that your stepdad gave his body to science; what a contribution I'm sure that was!

You're not kidding. He claimed he had smoked since he was 7 (it was the middle of the Depression, he worked on the farm and his dad had killed himself when Dave was 6...at first I thought he must have been kidding about smoking that young...guess not) he's had heart attacks, strokes, pins in his ankles from a fall from a ladder, several surgeries, diabetes and emphysema - but never cancer...how he managed that I'll never know - what finally came calling was an aeortic aneuyrism. We've known that he had it for five years, but he wasn't a good candidate for surgery. And that was how he wanted to go anyway, because when an aneuyrism blows, it kills you almost instantly. But at any rate, his body would be of great use in any number of studies. He treated his body like hell because both of his brothers died suddenly in their thirties, (now I imagine they possibly had aneuyrisms, too) and he figured there was no use in staying particularly healthy...

My mom and I will be driving the six-hour stretch, so we can take turns and I imagine we'll stop in the middle and have a good lunch...

Sorry to hear you've been replaced by a rabbit, I accepted the same fate long ago. She was giving love and hugs to her bunny-bear LONG before it occurred to her to give hugs or kisses to the rest of us. I remember her clutching her bunny bear and DH's dad saying he couldn't wait until he could get a hug like that.

[twinnyme]

Sorry to hear you've been replaced by a rabbit, I accepted the same fate long ago.

LOL! Yeah, I'm accepting my fate.... :D

[marchfamily]

Sorry to hear you've been replaced by a rabbit, I accepted the same fate long ago.

When I read this at the top of the thread page....my mind went elsewhere.... Glad I went back and read the context ;)!

[twinnyme]

When I read this at the top of the thread page....my mind went elsewhere.... Glad I went back and read the context ;)!

Ha ha. Well, that could be the case these days over here, too! :p

Actually, we're all sick here, which has not been fun this weekend! I hate being cooped up. And poor Becca is SO congested. She had a 101.7 fever on Saturday; that seems to be down but she definitely has a cold. And I do, too, which does not make for a good combination. This really threw me for a loop, as she hasn't been sick in SOOOO long; I guess I'm just lucky she hasn't been, because it sure isn't fun, is it?

Hope everyone's doing well.

[AusAshMommy]

Melissa ~ Sorry ya'll aren't feeling well :( Get better soon...

Ashley spent all day yesterday throwing up...started about 5am and stopped finally around 4pm...poor thing...

[Jenzen01]

Ugh. Sorry to hear all the downer news in here. Lizzie Beth, I'm sorry to hear about your stepdad. Take care, and drive safely.

Everyone else, I hope the flu bugs pass quickly.

Oh, and to add to the lovey conversation ... I was long ago replaced by the sheep blanket. Gabe insists on taking it into time-outs (which I should stop permitting). The other night, he said his leg hurt. So, he lifts up his pants leg and puts his blankie on his leg to make it feel better. He's so goofy.

We've got full-fledge sentences here. I'm amazed at the conversations we've had with Gabe lately.

Gabe: I need medicine.
Me: No, you're fine.
Gabe: I have a cough.

Last night, we made Valentine cupcakes. Gabe said, "I lick the spoon." And then, "This is good. I like this."

Ada is growing like a weed. She figured out how to spit the other day, and it's been nonstop since. I suspect she's going to get some teeth soon, as the mood swings have been rather unpredictable.

ttfn,
Jen

[twinnyme]

http://storylife.com/photos/e/2/e/7/7/78a8cebdPV.jpg?4a00

[Jenzen01]

Ah, twinnyme, very cute pic!

Last night, we drove home from work under a beautiful sunset. Halfway home, Gabe said, "Look at those lights," and pointed to the sky. I asked him what colors he saw, and he said, "Purple, pink and blue." It was neat to see it through his eyes and watch him notice his surroundings.

He's been asking to see the moon at night. We had to tell him it was sleeping last night because it wasn't out yet. :)

I can't wait for spring so he can help in the garden. I want him to learn about flowers and bugs and trees and puddles. This year is going to be fun.

Just think of all the experiences ahead, ladies ... blowing bubbles, flying kites, drawing pictures with sidewalk chalk. Catching butterflies and fireflies. Dancing in the sprinkler. Watching the clouds float by. Picnics under the tree in our backyard. First roasted marshmallows and backyard fires. The fun is just starting. :)

[twinnyme]

Just think of all the experiences ahead, ladies ... blowing bubbles, flying kites, drawing pictures with sidewalk chalk. Catching butterflies and fireflies. Dancing in the sprinkler. Watching the clouds float by. Picnics under the tree in our backyard. First roasted marshmallows and backyard fires. The fun is just starting. :)

Oh, so sweet, Jen- and so true! The glimpses these days of what's to come is just a teaser. Every day is a new adventure lately. And let's not forget sledding and building snowmen (and women!), as I stare out my window at a sleeting/blowing/snowy crazy-weather day! Becca LOVES the moon these days, too - it's so neat (what I don't understand, though, is why she then doesn't like the book GOODNIGHT MOON anymore....) :)

We're all doing better here, health-wise. Hope Ashley's feeling better, too, Lara!

Becca brought her rabbit blanket to a playdate today (we have a snow day). Her friend kept giving it to her, which was so sweet, but once while he had it, she threw a fit and screamed "MY RABBIT" and tried to grab it out of his hands. Yeah, very attached. :rolleyes: Luckily, the other mother is very tolerant of those things - as we must be with 2 y.o.'s, right?! (and of course, I reprimanded Becca). I tried not to bring it into the house but she wanted it. Oh, well.

Oh, here's another photo of her "sledding" (HA HA) today:

http://www.dropshots.com/photos/7468/20070214/121748.jpg

[lorbo]

a few days late:o

[lorbo]

and closeups of the valentine kids

[SaphirimalMei]

hey chickies.
long time no post.
work is keeping me very busy and i find i rarely come over to CC anymore although i have been posting a bit in my oft neglected LJ. i can't believe our babies are 2. i guess i am officially no longer a member of the 2 under 2 club!

jilly in her beloved camo pants...she usually picks out her black patent leather shoes to wear with them...go fig.
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/124/393589736_00286d0336.jpg?v=0

mr finn. he's 9.5mo old and he's only 2 inches shorter than jilly!!!:eek:
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/152/393589727_7b647e3d13.jpg?v=0

[Jenzen01]

Gorgeous pics, everyone! I'll have to get a new one up here one of these days.

And, Finn's onesie just cracked me up. :)

Last night, we all went out to eat, and both kids behaved ... we hadn't been out since before Ada was born. When we got home, it was already dark and the stars were out. I had Gabe stand at the end of the driveway with me so we could see the stars better, and he told me, "Those are my stars." The kid is really big into possessives these days. :)

Our sitter is sick today so I'm working from home with Gabe. He's in TV heaven today. I even let him pull Rudolph out even though Christmas is two months departed.

Jen

[twinnyme]

I love Finn's onesie, too - adorable! And, Lori, beautiful photos of Brooke and James - they are very photogenic!

Last night, we all went out to eat, and both kids behaved...

Wow, what a dream! Glad you got a night out.... Do Gabe and Ada still go to daycare on the days you don't work at home, or does a sitter come in? I can't remember. When you said "your sitter is sick," I was just curious. For the first time, yesterday, I allowed Becca to watch TV while I was finishing up work. This week, she seems to be transitioning from sleeping 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. and napping 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. to sleeping 8 p.m. to 7 a.m. and napping for only two hours in the afternoon. Mommy hasn't transitioned yet, though, :p so I'm playing a bit of catch-up with my editing and, so, I let her watch a couple of extra episodes of Elmo's World yesterday. I'll probably just start getting up earlier than her on the days I'm home with her in order to get in an hour of editing before she wakes instead of the extra hour in the afternoon (so I don't have to resort to TV; she does watch TV sometimes in the morning before daycare or while we prep dinner, but not usually so I can work - on only very rare occasions). I prefer the 8-6, 1-4 schedule, though since it is better for daycare mornings, too, for her to get up early.... But I'll adjust eventually, I'm sure!

Not much else going on here....

ETA: Oh, well, there is one big thing. Becca started her transition to a new room at daycare today. For the first time in the 21 months she has been at the daycare, she will NOT be in the same room as her primary teacher (who moved with her from the infant to the toddler room). So it's a big transition! But in a way it's SO much easier than the last room transition - which is probably why I forgot to mention it. :)

[Jenzen01]

Melissa - Gabe usually goes to his sitter every day, and I keep Ada at home on the days I'm here (Thursday and Friday). Ada is at a daycare the other days. (yeah, they're at two different places, which is really inconvenient) I'm not supposed to be at home today, but Gabe's sitter is sick, and we don't have a back-up, so here I am. He was actually easier to work around than Ada is because he can entertain himself. So, I might toy with the idea of keeping him at home one of my work-at-home days and Ada the other day.

He takes about a 2-hour nap. Ada, on the other hand, is a cat-napper, so I can't depend on a large chunk of uninterrupted time with her.

Gabe and I went exploring in the woods by our house this afternoon. I think I found a coyote den, but I'm not sure. I know they're around here, and I found whitetail deer hair everywhere in front of a den. Also found some scat. So, we skeedaddled out of there pretty fast.

We're experiencing a heat wave here .... highs in the 30s!

[twinnyme]

So, I might toy with the idea of keeping him at home one of my work-at-home days and Ada the other day. He takes about a 2-hour nap. Ada, on the other hand, is a cat-napper, so I can't depend on a large chunk of uninterrupted time with her.

Interesting to hear, as we contemplate TTC #2 this summer.... I could NEVER have done the editing at home when Becca was a newborn or even for the first 6-8 months; she was a catnapper, too. So I'm curious how everything will work out if we do have a second baby and I'm still freelancing. We'll see, I guess - take it when it comes.... The second baby may have a totally different personality.

Wow, coyotes and deer! A whole different life....

We're in the 30s and 40s today, too - it feels so balmy! :D

[Jenzen01]

Here are Ada's 4-month pics:

http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s229/Jenzen01/ada.jpg

http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s229/Jenzen01/gabeada2.jpg

http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s229/Jenzen01/gabeada.jpg

[twinnyme]

Oh, how absolutely beautiful and stunning, Jen. Did you do those yourselves or do you go somewhere? I love the B&W - and that second one is just precious, even if Ada is crying. Gabe's expression is priceless.

I have a funny story from last night to share: Becca put one of her teddy bears in timeout. :rolleyes: While in the living room she said to the bear: "No hitting," then brought the teddy to the stairs, told him he was in timeout for "one minute" and not to move from the stairs. I think yesterday (or Monday?) was the first time I'd put her in timeout in quite a while - for hitting me. That's really the only reason I give her timeouts now - mostly I use the "mommy look" and "1-2-3" (and by 3, she has to do whatever I'm asking her) and it works 99% of the time right now. Now, if only the hitting would stop (though it's gotten MUCH MUCH better in general). Anyway, when she took teddy out of timeout, I reminded her to ask him to apologize and then to give him a big hug and kiss (just like I do with her), and she did. The whole thing was hysterical; I wish I'd gotten it on video. :D

[AusAshMommy]

Hey Ladies ~ Just popping in for a quick minute to bring our little group back to the surface!

Anyhew, things on our end have been busy busy busy!! We're actually in the process of purchasing our 1st home!!! We met a realtor works with a mortgage consultant who helps people w/semi-ok credit and low incomes purchase homes! It's called a community committment program, and its geared towards people who make less than $43K/yr and have so-so credit. It's not credit based, instead its income based. It's 100% financing with a minimum closing cost due, and the realtor can negotiate to have the seller pay them. How it works is that they pull your credit and if there isn't a lot in collections, and your debt-to-income ratio is low they send you through to underwriting buyer-ready...and we're buyer-ready!! So now I've got to put a bug in my realtors ear to get us out looking!!

And...I am 9 weeks from graduation!! HOLY COW!!!!!!!!!! I have my cap & gown and am getting ready to start my very last class. I am more than 1/2 done with my 2nd to last one and they have me registered for my last one scheduled to start the 2nd week of April. Graduation day is May 19th!

The kids are doing AWESOME!!! Our babysitters dog got really sick for about 2 weeks, so we pulled AShley and put her back into SPEC with Austin. And, she is doing WONDERFULLY!! She uses the potty every morning and has now made it a habit of sitting on the potty regurlarly though she doesn't always use it, she'll sit on it with no problems! It's really cute!!

http://www.vzwpix.com/mi/146970464_482194293_0.jpeg?limitsize=320,320&outquality=56&ext=.jpg&border=2,255,255,255,1,0,0,0,0

Here are my baby's...enjoy

[twinnyme]

Hi Lara - great news about buying a house! Hope it all goes well. And congratulations on almost graduating, too. Wow, as usual, you have been very busy! I can't see the photos of the kids but maybe I'll be able to when I get to work....

[Jenzen01]

congrats, lara! very exciting milestone.

yeah, our little group has been so quiet lately ...

so, for your humor, here a few of the things my "terrible two-year-old" has done in the past week.

1. He "helped" me clean the toilet with the toilet brush and got toilet water all over the bathroom floor.
2. He stuck plastic covers from my water mugs into the toaster to "cook" them. (thankfully, the toaster wasn't plugged in).
3. He took a very prickly hairbrush and "brushed" our leather sofa, which left nice lines all over the back cushion.

i'm sure there are more, but those are the most recent. ah, so fun, and so, so tiring.

i just got back from my second business trip since ada was born. i really hate pumping during business trips, especially while sitting in an airport. i'm glad that's behind me for now.

we're getting excited for easter. geez, i started reading gabe the easter story, and i realized just how adult the content is. he doesn't even know what death is, so how am i supposed to explain Jesus being risen from the dead? i'm sort of seeing everything in a new light now that i have to teach it to gabe, and it's very exciting and challenging at the same time.

i got so emotional the other night because we were watching "prince of egypt" and I was trying to explain the story to gabe. i teared up while i was doing so because i realized i was passing down the most important part of my life to him. it was just such an epiphany. i was doing something that my mother had done with me and her mother had done with her, and so on. i felt so connected to my heritage ...

anyway, i'm rambling. i need to get back to work.

jen

[twinnyme]

i realized i was passing down the most important part of my life to him. it was just such an epiphany. i was doing something that my mother had done with me and her mother had done with her, and so on. i felt so connected to my heritage ...

What a great moment, Jen.

And I love your #1 example of Gabe. Last night I accidentally knocked over a cup of water and Becca ran off to get some "paper towels" to clean it up. I think DH was shocked - he hasn't seen her want to "help" me clean as often as I have.... She loves it. But as you say, sometimes it's more work than it's worth (but still worth it to me to encourage that indpendence and desire in her).

Becca has been on a rollercoaster this week. On Monday she said to me out of the blue, "You're so beautiful, Mom" (talk about a choked-up moment). Then last night she put me in timeout, LOL. Yeah, remember how I said she put her teddy in timeout a couple of weeks ago? Well, apparently now it's progressed to putting ME in timeout. It was right after dinner, and I picked up one of Becca's toys and tossed it over to her play kitchen area, where it belonged. She looked at me, said "No throwing toys. That's not okay. Timeout!" It was so funny, DH and I were laughing hysterically. Needless to say, though, I won't be throwing (or "tossing" as I insist on calling it) any more toys. I did tell her that she was right and that mommy was wrong and that I won't throw toys anymore. :p

Question: Has anyone taken DC to a show yet? I bought tickets today for Elmo's Coloring Book (Sesame Street Live) (http://www.sesamestreetlive.com/storylines.asp) for the end of April. I *think* she might be ready for it, but we'll see! I'm excited about it at least. And it's on a Friday (the best seats that were available) but DH is going to take the day off to go with us.

Okay, gotta go pick the munchkin up!

[lorbo]

i'm following along...had a rough couple of months with lots of mind-blowing family stuff happening-i had a horrible couple of weeks in february from all the stress, but i'm recovering. my ever sweet James is a little monster at times. typical two year old. he's talking so much now-not all of it is clear, but we who hear him most know what he's saying. he's also started to sing along to songs in the past 6 weeks-our bedtime songs, the wiggle cd and the jojo cd in the car. we're looking forward to warmer weather-yesterday was such a tease and today is supposed to be mild-this weekend is supposed to be snow/sleet:confused: nothing else much happening here!

[twinnyme]

http://storylife.com/photos/e/0/c/b/0/21310884PV.jpg?f4db

[AusAshMommy]

Melissa ~ As always Becca's pic is soo adorable!!!

Jen ~ That is an epiphany moment...and a HUGE one at that! I get choked up everytime Austin points to the Moon and tells me Goddess is watching over us and protecting us. She also sends monsters away from his bedroom...it amazes me how much they understand!

Ashley is at an age where she too, like many of our compatriots here, is getting into EVERYTHING! Her favorite play thing lately is our bathroom sink, oy! Today, she went into the bathroom and ran the water until it overflowed...she almost flooded our bathroom had Jimmy not gone in there and cleaned up her mess...she also likes to boss Austin around, grab us by the hand and say "c'mon Mommy, a'mon..." and directs us into Austin's room to play with her...Austin's taken to disciplining us instead of Ashley it's quite hillarious really!! LOL!!!

Well we went and looked at several homes today, most of what we're looking at is 60+yrs old, but they all have character, and some of them are in DESPARATE need of help...

http://homepics.realtor.com/image1/http/wilmington/listings/large/006/3839101.jpg

This one is in the process of renovations w/new appliances...in a relatively decent neighborhood...

http://homepics.realtor.com/image1/http/wilmington/listings/large/063/3751081.jpg

OMG...this one was 'broken' per Austin...ugh looked like sludge...took it off of our possible list...

http://homepics.realtor.com/image1/http/wilmington/listings/large/067/3762561.jpg

This has 2 bedrooms but an addition on the back that can be converted into a bedroom/play room combo...

http://homepics.realtor.com/image1/http/wilmington/listings/large/090/3789541.jpg

Last one...this one is my fav...

Thoughts??

[Jenzen01]

Quick post ...

Gabe is wearing underwear today! We started using underwear this weekend, and although he's had quite a few accidents, it's getting better.

Jen

[lorbo]

James is starting to use the potty as well...not all the time, i'm not pushing him...but we've had issues with horrible blowout pee during the night. i'm talking thru the pajamas and thru the sheet and blanket...once even all over his hair-daddy showered him very early that day. i sat him on the potty 4 days ago before bed, and he peed a little bit, the next night he peed a lot more...and he's told daddy the past couple of nights that he needs to go before bed...so the potty before bed is helping with the soaking issues.

[twinnyme]

Yay for Gabe. Becca *tried on* underwear this weekend, over her diaper (her idea) :rolleyes: but I don't think it'll go much further than that for a while yet....

Not much else going on here. We went to NJ this weekend to visit my family, just Becca and I, for our annual mid-tax season trip there. We had a great time, and she did great on the car rides there and back. It was so nice to see my family and nephews. We'll be heading back in mid-May and my mother (who is now semi-retired; we were there for her "retirement" party though she is working again tomorrow - she's a nurse and is still working per diem for a couple of more years) said she may try to come up for a few days in between.

ETA: Lara - any updates on the house hunt?

[AusAshMommy]

Good for James & Gabe!! That is awesome!!!

Ashley has taken an interest in potty training, she pees on the potty every morning and after nap, but hasn't caught on to telling us when she needs to pee...

Update:

Hmmm...where to begin?? Yesterday was a very emotional day, our loan is out of underwriting and was declined because we have 2 late payments to a credit card and our car payment in the last 2 months...we were assured throughout that we would be approved and our account executive told us we had nothing to worry about, so I feel very deceived and lied to. Jimmy has begun talking with another banker who deals with over a hundred lenders and he's once again assured us we'd get into the house we want...but there's a tenant that's supposed to be moving into the house we really want on Sunday...so we have to work quickly...

So right now I'm tryin' not to think about it...and taking it one day at a time...

Instead we're doing something else we've always wanted to do, we're adopting a handsome 1yr old hound-mix dog on Saturday. He's coming home with us then, and his name is Alex! So as soon as I have a pic of him I'll post it...

And, the $$$ we've set aside for the closing costs from our tax return, we're going to put towards a vacation. We haven't had a vacation since our honeymoon almost 6yrs ago...

That's all...

[Lizzie Beth]

Well, I'm glad to hear there have been some advances on the potty front. Susannah does a lot of sitting and some flushing, and she even asked to use the potty when she woke up once a few weeks ago, and there was actually pee. Nothing since. But she's transitioning into a new room at daycare where they frequently have "Potty parties", so I'm hopeful.

I just took Katie to her 4 mo appt. - she is tall! She's outgrowing clothes at the rate Susannah did, but Susie outgrew them in the waist, Katie outgrows them in the length.

Gotta run, sounds like naptime is over...

[AusAshMommy]

Had a breakthrough potty training moment lastnight...Ashley asked to go potty, I took her and she WENT!!! OMG I was soo freakin' happy!! She's been going every morning when she wakes up but lastnight was the 1st time she'd ask to go and actually did her business!! YAHOO!!!

[twinnyme]

Yoohoo on the all the potty training successes. Exciting!

Not much going on here except that Becca's sick - for the first time in pretty much a year. She had a fever of 101.9 last night and this morning we went to the doctor's - it's just a cold with a fever. Too bad, too, because it's finally absolutely gorgeous here. But I took her out on our deck so she wouldn't come in contact with others and she played with bubbles (well, mostly with the bottles) for quite a while as I read. It was so nice to be outside like that.

We have our follow-up appointment on Thursday for her urinary reflux. She'll have two tests done then we'll meet with the pediatric urologist. Hopefully we'll be able to take her off the antibiotics that she's been on for almost a year now (since last Memorial Day).

[Jenzen01]

Here's a question for you all ...

At what age is it inappropriate for your child to see you naked? Gabe started noticing me a while ago, so I don't let him see me anymore, but now DH doesn't want Gabe to see him, either. I told DH that someone has to teach Gabe how to pee standing up, and it ain't going to be me. I think same-sex nakedness is OK at this age. Anyone up for that question?

[marchfamily]

At what age is it inappropriate for your child to see you naked? I'm gonna say years from now. I wouldn't seek it out, but if they see me naked, what's the harm. E will notice the "difference" if daddy's around.

Popping by to say "hi"! I'm starting to feel human again. This pg has been kicking my behind. We moved last week and we're still getting settled. The girls love all the new space and the park at the end of the block. Hope everyone has a wonderful Easter and/or Passover!

[twinnyme]

Here's a question for you all ...

At what age is it inappropriate for your child to see you naked? Gabe started noticing me a while ago, so I don't let him see me anymore, but now DH doesn't want Gabe to see him, either. I told DH that someone has to teach Gabe how to pee standing up, and it ain't going to be me. I think same-sex nakedness is OK at this age. Anyone up for that question?

I am. I've always been very open about this. I basically haven't gone to the bathroom alone in a long, long time. Over the last few months, Becca has asked more questions - and some pretty intimate detailed ones like pointing and asking "what's that?" and I respond accurately. I often am naked around her, mostly as I get dressed and/or go to the bathroom. I figure it'll eventually help with potty training. It has started to occur to me that maybe I should cover up a bit so I am naked a little less often now around her - but not much. I've also started to discuss "privacy" when I'm going to the bathroom, but that's mostly for my sanity's sake - just to be able to go to the bathroom in peace - not because of nakedness reasons. OTOH, DH has hardly ever been naked around Becca. He's just not comfortable with it. But since it's been the case from day one, he's never had to actively cover up at some point.

Becca also saw her 3 y.o. cousin (boy) pee in the toilet when we were in NJ last weekend - accidentally but I had absolutely no problem with it. She pointed to his penis and said "what's that?" and then found the dog's ahem - "accurate parts" (as my mother called it) pointed to IT and said "what's that?" It was actually pretty funny.

So, long-winded answer, but I guess we're (or me) just trying to be as natural about it as possible. I'll also says a couple of years from now will I think it's more inappropriate for it to happen.

[Jenzen01]

Yeah, I think we're sort of at an undefined point. I'm OK that he sees me sometimes, but it's starting to get a little weird. So how about this one ... Gabe's sitter takes care of three other children, and they're all girls. So, when she takes them potty when they're out somewhere, they each take a turn and the girls see Gabe and Gabe sees the girls. I think it's OK right now, but in a year or so, it might not be. I'm thinking I need to start taking about "private parts" soon. Ack! Where did my baby go????

Amanda - Good to "see" you, and glad to hear you're feeling better. I still can't believe your'e preggo with No. 3. ;)

Another question (we'll see if we can up the traffic in this thread!) - What you doing for discipline these days? My friend just told me about 1-2-3-Magic, and it sounds awfully appealing. Basically, you count and then give a timeout if the child doesn't stop by the time you hit 3. It's simple and very consistent, and the big point is the child knows what to expect and therefore starts learning how to react.

[lorbo]

i am very open with Brooke about male and female parts...she sees me naked and has asked about stuff....though her daddy won't let her see him naked. James sees me naked and all he says is boobie. i don't know about how i'll be as they get older. i grew up seeing my mom naked-as did my siblings and i don't think there's anything wrong with that.

[twinnyme]

Another question (we'll see if we can up the traffic in this thread!) - What you doing for discipline these days? My friend just told me about 1-2-3-Magic, and it sounds awfully appealing. Basically, you count and then give a timeout if the child doesn't stop by the time you hit 3. It's simple and very consistent, and the big point is the child knows what to expect and therefore starts learning how to react.

Discipline is a toughie. We're still working on it. We're also still having problems with hitting, unfortunately. It had gone away (mostly) for a long while, but now seems to be back a bit. She's been sick and teething, though (she's getting all 4 canines in at once right now). Anyway, I do use the 1-2-3 method but sometimes I think she thinks it's a game. I also use timeout (but rarely; I haven't actually used it for a few weeks now, despite the hitting - she also sometimes thinks that's a game as well). I also read somewhere yesterday - though for the life of me can't remember where, but it was just yesterday - that the 1-2-3 method is artificial a bit because kids don't get time like that in life sometimes - the example given was "am I really going to count to 3 when my kid is standing in traffic and a car comes down the road?" But I still think there are some pluses to it.

I have noticed glimpses of Becca learning to share, take turns, be empathetic, and all those good things, though, so maybe it's just still the age and things will get better with time? I hope so! Until then, we'll just continue to work on it.

Not a very specific or helpful answer, I know, but that's because we're still struggling with this question/issue.

[Jenzen01]

twinnyme - I just read over a brochure on 1-2-3-Magic today, and it does say that some things are automatic 3s. Like hitting a sibling or something really obvious. The method is really common sense stuff, and it's created to mainly deal with the whining and arguing. The point is that you don't rationalize with your child ... you leave emotion out of it. The thing I really like is that Al and I will be able to do the same thing.

On a good note, Gabe has started saying "thank you" and "sorry" and "excuse me." That is absolute music to my ears.

[twinnyme]

On a good note, Gabe has started saying "thank you" and "sorry" and "excuse me." That is absolute music to my ears.

Thanks for the further info on 1-2-3, Jen. Also, I did forget to mention that Becca also says these polite words (which helps me glimpse the potential for getting through this tough discipline phase). If she asks for something without using "please" now, we usually say either, "How do you ask for that?" or "I don't respond to that. What do I respond to?" and then she'll tack on the please, or rephrase her question to, "Can I ....?" When she says "Can I?" she doesn't usually add on please yet, but we sometimes get unprompted "please"s and "thank you"s now, too, which is absolutely music to my ears. She also hasn't said "move, mommy" in a long time now :rolleyes: because we started the "I don't respond to that" with that and she now pretty much 99% of the time says "excuse me" instead, thankfully - the "move, mommy" was a bit much.

Her favorite phrases these days, though? "I no like that!" and "NO!" Fun times.

[marchfamily]

Discipline:
We're having a tough time with this one too. We do 1-2-3, but it seems like E is just waiting for us to get to 3 most of the time. She smiles the whole time. We still do time outs for things like hitting her sister. And lately, she'll come up to C, hit her on the head and then put herself in T.O. Not sure how effective that is right now.

Honestly, discipline seems way harder for our almost 11 month old that thinks "no" is really funny. I can't tell you how many times per day I remove her from the pantry.

I read in Brazelton's Discipline book that babies/toddlers will test and test and test you. They just want to check the boundaries - again and again. Frustrating to an adult, but they are trying to figure out how it all fits together.

In other news - E started Occupational/Physical therapy to work on gross motor skills. She has speech twice a week too. She's making a much bigger effort to communicate. Her signing has really picked up too. She just started string a sign and a word together. That's huge in our house right now - especially when her 11 month old sister says almost as many words as our 2 year old.....

Have a Happy Easter!

[Jenzen01]

quick note ... Gabe is potty-trained! It just magically happened, and it seems there's no going back. We had one accident this afternoon because he had diarrhea and couldn't make it to the potty on time, but other than that, he's been fabulous. (He's been telling us consistently for about a week now, and even making it through the night sometimes.) It is just so bizarre to not think about it so much. He just tells me when he has to go, and that's that. Wow. Never thought we'd get here.

[AusAshMommy]

Jen ~ WIHOO!!! Congrats!!

Ashley is no where near where Gabe is...to say the least we are envious...

[twinnyme]

Congratulations, Jen! How nice that must be!

Don't worry, Lara, we're nowhere near that, either. But Becca HAS requested multiple times this weekend to wear her underwear (Dora and Elmo) and on Easter wore a pull-up with underpants over it - she wanted to just wear underwear but since we were going to be out all day I didn't want that. She still has NOT actually peed or anything else on the potty but I think we're getting there. She wore the underpants almost all day on Friday and had two incidents where she peed right through and I heard "mommy?" and we cleaned her right up and I reinforced that when she's wearing underwear and feels like she has to go to go to the potty. But we're not quite there yet.

The pediatric urologist we saw last Thursday said that he thinks she'll be potty trained by the end of the summer! I think so, too. Apparently she held her pee in really well during all the testing, LOL. :rolleyes:

We're having some internet issues at home (a technician is coming tonight to fix it, hopefully) but I do want to drop off an update from our hospital visit: Things are looking good with Becca's urinary reflux. It seems as though the reflux is almost gone - there's just a trace of it left, whereas last May it was 2-3 on a 5 pt. scale. It often lessens with maturation, which I knew, and which seems to be her case. They want to keep her on the antibiotics for 6 more months, then do another check and then we should be able to go off them. Becca did GREAT with all the tests and with all the waiting around (we were there from 7:30 to 11:00 a.m. and she had two tests and then we met with the doctor) and let me tell you being at Children's Hospital reminds me how lucky we are if this is all we have to deal with. One test was pretty bad but she did great.

Hope everyone who celebrates it had a nice Easter!

[AusAshMommy]

Melissa ~ Honestly, we're not pushing it. Austin potty-trained @ 2.5 so we have a few more months before we'll really begin pushing it. She goes on the potty every morning and pees, goes after nap and pees. Will occasionally ask to be taken to the potty, and will sit there for all of a second before asking to get down and wanting to flush. She likes to flush the toilet and watch it go down and proudly announce to Daddy she's gone potty...it's hysterical yet frustrating at the same time...

It's only a matter of time...by the time we get her out of diapers we'll be planning baby#3 and we'll be back @ square 1...oy!

[marchfamily]

Umm, we haven't even started PT. Unless buying a potty that occasionally piggie sits on counts for something.....

[twinnyme]

Melissa ~ Honestly, we're not pushing it.

Us, either! I hope I didn't imply that.... this is completely child-led. I'm just seeing more and more signs that we're moving along in the process. She also likes to put her dolls and stuffed animals on the potty these days!

Btw, we're tentatively planning - finally - to TTC #2 starting this summer (most likely July sometime). I'm actually looking forward to it - that's the point I wanted to be at before we actually tried. We're hoping for a 3-year spread between the two kids.

[twinnyme]

Ugh. In the last two days alone, the following is what Becca has said "I don't want to" about:


I don't want to go to school
I don't want to eat my dinner
I don't want to take a bath
I don't want to go to school. I want to play with my mommy and daddy. I want to play basketball with mommy.
I don't want to wear my coat
I don't want to wear the onesie
I don't want to change on the changing table


Oh, yeah, this is a fun age. I thought she was challenging already, and then the "I don'ts" started in earnest the last couple of days. Wow. It's frustrating. Last night, we attempted dinner three times. The first two times were just me and her, the last time was when DH got home, and she finally ate two bites of each thing. (We instituted a two-bite rule a while ago, but this is the first time she's pushed it this far. It's really two bites of each thing that she needs to eat before she can have more of what she really wants - usually pasta or rice. I just want to get the veggies and protein in!)

Just thought I'd share. :p

[lorbo]

hi there...i'm sick again...i guess everything since losing the baby has just made my body overwhelmed...so i'm on antibiotics again. James' talking is all over the place...his latest phrase is "i wuv you too"-it's not the clearest...but it's pretty obvious to me what he's saying. he also told my mom about her dog, saying gracieoutside-when she was freaking about coming back in. he seems to be using his head to hit everything...like running in to the couch fullsteam ahead...then falling on his face in the school parking lot-so he had a bruise on his cheek. we've had more success with him peeing on the potty. monday night, while his cousin was babysitting...he pooped on the potty-yea! only thing is the toilet overflowed when she flushed it. oops.

[Jenzen01]

Must be something in the air ...

Gabe has been telling me he "doesn't want to go" to the sitters all week. Mommy is feeling very guilty ....

We are having some issues at our house. Mr. Gabe regressed on the potty training the past two nights and pooped in his pants. My theory? A little jealousy over his little sister. I think he's tired of playing the big-boy role and wants to be babied. He also wanted me to feed him at the table, sit in my lap during supper, etc. And, AND, he threw a toy at me and then kicked Ada in the head :eek: a few nights ago. Where is this coming from?????

I had Ada into urgent care last night for a nasty, wheezy cough. Turns out it's just upper respiratory, but I'm glad I took her in for peace of mind.

My little girl is so sweet. She gives the biggest smiles, and she even gives me kisses. My favorite mannerism is that she likes touching faces. The first thing she does when you see her is reach up and touch you.

Jen

[AusAshMommy]

Jen ~ It's sibling rivalry and you nailed it on the head: Jealousy! Austin was like that when Ashley was Ada's age and its perfectly normal...now we have the all out fights here...oy! LOL!!!

Ashley had two good potty days, Thurs & Fri she kept her diaper dry...then for some odd reason yesterday she regressed and hasn't used the potty since, go figure...

We have other news though, I copied this from my MySpace blog:

For everyone who knows us well, knows that we have been working extremely hard these last 6yrs to do something all Americans hope to do...purchase a home...well our time has finally arrived! Just late last week we were approved for an FHA loan and just lastnight we had an offer accepted on a home in downtown Wilmington!  We close in June and move in late June '07!! We're soo very excited and can't wait to get in and start making this house a home! I am posting some pics of it here, but invite everyone to check out the MLS listing on Realtor.com!!!

http://homepics.realtor.com/image1/http/wilmington/listings/large/086/3846441.jpg
Exterior Front

http://homepics.realtor.com/image1/http/wilmington/listings/large/087/3846442.jpg

Kitchen! Newly remodeled!!!

http://homepics.realtor.com/image1/http/wilmington/listings/large/088/3846443.jpg

Another view of the kitchen...yes there's no dishwasher...we'll add on later

http://homepics.realtor.com/image1/http/wilmington/listings/large/089/3846444.jpg

This room is right off the kitchen...will possibly be our living room...

http://homepics.realtor.com/image1/http/wilmington/listings/large/090/3846445.jpg

Bathroom...semi-small but it's better than what I have now because it's MINE!

http://homepics.realtor.com/image1/http/wilmington/listings/large/091/3846446.jpg

The backyard is HUGE!!!; We'll be fencing that in 1st off the bat...gotta keep Alex caged ;-)

We'll keep everyone posted on the progress of our close, inspections, and everything!!! Soo psyched!!!

BTW, Alex is the new family dog...a 3yr old Walker Hound we adopted about a month ago...

[AusAshMommy]

Meet Alex:

http://www.storylife.com/photos/1/9/f/7/5/3376d8ffPV.jpg?09ce

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http://www.storylife.com/photos/0/a/7/d/9/ab647ccbPV.jpg?eca4

[AusAshMommy]

Updated Shots of the Kiddos:

These were taken by a friend of mine a few weeks ago...these are her animals...

http://www.storylife.com/photos/e/d/f/e/7/ef03ba43PV.jpg?2156
Austin & Logan the Snake

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http://www.storylife.com/photos/5/2/0/4/0/ab44f402PV.jpg?1989

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Ashley & Logan, that's Sophie in the background

[twinnyme]

Congratulations on the house, Lara - and on the new dog. He's cute. Lots of changes! Love the pictures of Ashley and Austin, too!

Hope everyone had a nice weekend. We FINALLY had nice - gorgeous - weather here after about a month of snow, rain, and cold temperatures - so we were outside pretty much the entire weekend. Makes a huge difference! And this morning, Becca and I just walked around our complex, with her pushing her doll stroller, for almost an hour. Now we're heading to gymnastics soon and then probably to the playground for a couple of more hours. It's supposed to be in the 80s today, yay!

[AusAshMommy]

Melissa ~ We've been enjoying the awesome weather we have here too!! Took the kiddos and Alex to the park for a couple hours yesterday evening too. Alex LOVES going outside so we spend TONS of time outside with him, he's actually starting to do very well on the leash...ugh that's been an interesting time training him with that LOL!!!

Yes TONS of changes going on all at once...but all good changes!!!

[twinnyme]

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY, everyone!

Have a great day!

[AusAshMommy]

Happy Mother's Day One and All!

[twinnyme]

Hi everyone. I hope everyone is doing well and had a nice Mother's Day, Memorial Day, Father's Day - and is planning a nice Fourth of July! We are currently in a heat wave and it's been VERY hot.

I have a question about something that I think has to do with Becca's age and thought, who better to come to than our group of mothers with kids the same age? I figured our thread can always use a bump anyway. :D

Anyway, my question is about fears. Becca has been having a lot of fears lately - about noises, things she used to love (slides, though that varies, and sprinklers), etc. She actually says, "I'm scared." It's about a lot of things - including separation anxiety (we had a rough month or so of daycare dropoffs but that has now finally gotten better). Some of what I read says this is a normal phase of development for some children but it seems a bit extreme in her case, and it's been going on for a while. Do any of your DC have what seem like excessive fears?

I'm trying to get a handle on what's normal and what's not and if I should be doing something more about it. Right now, we try to talk about whatever it is that is scaring her and we comfort her (we've also banned watching Caillou from now on), but I do have to admit that it gets frustrating sometimes. She used to be such an adventurous little girl and I want that back! If this will be her personality from now on, so be it, but I just want to make sure there's nothing I can do to help her first. I do think it has a bit to do with her awareness/realization now that she CAN get hurt etc. On the slides sometimes or climbing things at the park, she'll look down and say "I'll fall," and I reassure her she won't but that I'm happy to take her down if she wants. She usually continues climbing.

On Sunday, we saw my coworker at a town event. The last time we saw her was maybe a year ago at her house, when they had a garage sale and gave us some really nice toys for free. She said she was surprised seeing Becca now - that last year she wasn't intimidated by anything and now she seemed intimidated by everything.

On Monday, we went to a sprinkler park and there was a 17-month-old girl there who was having a ball in the water. Her mother said she's "fearless." That's how I used to describe Becca, and last summer (at 17 months) she also liked the sprinklers. But she's no longer fearless. I don't know what happened. I just hope it's a phase that she'll pass through eventually....

[Jenzen01]

Twinnyme - We have issues off and on with "being scared." For Gabe, it's usually other kids. He's just shy around them. However, he'll talk to any adult within 5 minutes of meeting them. Honestly, I just think it's the age and nothing to be worried about, although it can be annoying. I read in "What to Expect the Toddler Years," that this phase usually passes by age 6. There was a nice writeup in the book about shyness and such.

I've also found that Gabe overcomes his squeamishness about a certain activity if he's around his friends. For instance, he was afraid to go down the slide in our backyard without one of us holding his hand until his friend Laine came over. The two of them had a blast going down the slide, and now, Gabe is more than willing to go down by himself. Same thing with the sprinkler. He wouldn't do it at first, or he had to have me go through it with him. Then, his sitter pulled one out while I wasn't there, and he was all big and manly about it and ran through it dozens of times by himself.

As for us, things continue to go at an amazingly fast pace. Ada is getting ready to crawl. Gabe is learning so many things. He can count to 5 by himself. He knows all of his colors and quite a few shapes. He's picked up a few phrases from me, "Oh my gosh" and "holey moley," that he likes to incorporate into daily conversation, as in, "Oh my gosh the water's cold." It's funny.

Our challenges? Listening and obeying. I tried to tell him that "Momma is in charge," and he said, "No, I'm in charge." Little squirt. Most of his timeouts involve not listening.

Also, I'm having a hard time with food lately. For the first year and a half or so, I was so good about having him eat healthy food. Now, he's getting his fair share of junk. We've also been doing a lot of quick dinners on the nights I'm at the office ... it's sort of frustrating to me because I'd like him to be eating better but it takes time that I don't have. He's also a little picker than he used to be. Sometimes, he'll just have strawberries for supper. His appetite comes and goes.

How's everyone else?

Jen

[twinnyme]

Jen - thanks. I actually think my next step will be to go back to the sprinkler park with my friend Lisa and her son Connor, who's two months younger than Becca. They are good friends; we see them at least once a week, if not more. I already emailed her about making a plan to go back there. The last time they went to a sprinklers, Connor had the same reaction. I think maybe if theyr'e together they'll have more fun. And my sister and her sons will be here this weekend, so we might try to go then, too - Becca is so excited about seeing her cousin Zachary that maybe that'll entice her to try it out. I have What to Expect - I'll check out that section, too.

Our challenges? Listening and obeying. I tried to tell him that "Momma is in charge," and he said, "No, I'm in charge." Little squirt. Most of his timeouts involve not listening.

Same here! It's scary because she always stayed so close to me in parking lots and now she runs right into the middle of them. And her phrase of late? "Don't say no to me!" I usually just tell her that I'm going to continue to say no, because that's what I said in the first place, and sometimes in life we have to hear the word, "no."

We also do a lot of fast dinners here, mostly because of time issues, too. But she does love fruit so as long as I get a fruit or two in her a day I'm okay with it. She does eat veggies and/or eat 3-4 times a week as well. She was picky for a long time, but lately her appetite actually seems to be increasing. Of course, she has her fair share of cookies and ice pops lately, too....

Other than that, not much else going on - just daily amazement and challenges from her that keep me very busy!

[AusAshMommy]

Good Evening Ladies...bringing this out of the depths to check in with everyone and see how everyone is doing...

We're doing good, we're moved into our new house and getting settled, we still have a LOT of work to do, but we're taking things one step at a time. One little project at a time. We've got a medicine cabinet and new light fixture in the bathroom, and tomorrow we're putting numbers on our house. Of all the things to not put in when your remodeling, these two were not added, go figure :rolleyes: So we're taking care of these immediately and the ant colony that has moved into our yard...LOL!!! Each project is being done in parts because we have a very small budget allocated each week to them...which is cool.

The kiddos are doing good, Austin's starting to get bored in school again, so he's making trouble. We'll be having another sit-down with his teacher and the director to figure out how to challenge him more. Miss Ashley has decided potty training is no longer interesting, so we need to re-direct her back towards that. She's regressed a few months and now doesn't even like sitting on the potty. I'll be home next weekend, so we'll be working on it some more with her to help re-guide her back to where she is now...oy!

I hope everyone is doing good...seems a little too quiet lately!

[twinnyme]

Austin's starting to get bored in school again, so he's making trouble. We'll be having another sit-down with his teacher and the director to figure out how to challenge him more.

Hi Lara- glad you're settling into the new house! I wanted to ask you about what you said here.... Can you elaborate on what "making trouble" is? I ask because I'm concerned we're at the same stage. Four times in the last two-three weeks I've been told that Becca has had a "hard listening day." It started around mid-June, and though I really just want to say, "she's two and a half; of course she's having listening issues," I think there's something more going on. I have heard it from only two teachers (one of the co-teachers in her room and a "floater" who is typically there at pickup), twice each, and neither of these teachers is my favorite. A third teacher (the other co-teacher in Becca's room, who I think has more experience in a daycare setting) assured me that this is a normal developmental stage. It also might explain some of the bad dropoffs we've had for a couple of months.

I don't know, my gut (plus a couple of other things that I just don't have time to go into writing here) just is telling me that things haven't been great in her current room, but I'm not sure if it's normal or if she's bored and needs more challenges (they seem to do a lot of good things, art projects, reading, singing, going outside, water play, etc.). Frankly, I don't even know really how much of an issue this is and whenever I've been told it's been at a chaotic pickup time or even on just her daily note. So I'm thinking of requesting a sit-down meeting about it so we can discuss specifics in a calm setting and figure out how to address it. Dave and I talked about it at length last night.

She does move to the preschool room at 2.9, in October, with transition starting 6 weeks prior. She seems to be looking forward to that, as she has been telling me sometimes when I pick her up that she wants to go into the preschool room....

Thoughts? Anyone else dealing with this with their daycares/providers? TIA.

ETA: We have been having many of the same listening issues at home and we do address it quite a bit - timeouts, talking about it, spending lots of time with her, etc. but again, though it's not fun of course, I mostly chalk it up to her being 2!

[SaphirimalMei]

It's been a damn long time since I've updated so i felt the need to pop in even thought this will be a super quick post...

Melissa - Jilly is driving me nuts! She listens allright, but, whatever i say, she just responds with "NO!" all the flippin time :rolleyes:

Jilly's favorite thing to say besides no - "read to me, mommy" <melt!>

Most hilarious skill - psyching people out with "gimme five, up high, down low, too slow!" Naturally she learned this from Daddy. She gets Finley with it all the time. Poor Mr Baby!

Proud of her accomplishments - Whatever she does ("draws" a picture, climbs the ladder on the playset, jumps into her bed) she ends it with "I did it! Woo Hoo!" (the Woo Hoo, she totally picked up from me :p )

"Reading" - she now will pick up a book and "read" it. She'll speak in mostly gibberish, pointing her finger along the words (like i do when i read to her), tilting her head back and forth so as to emphasise what she is saying. So cute.

Crazy Connections - every once in awhile she will make connections between things that blow me away. We were driving past Applebees (the last time we have actually eaten at an Applebees was when jilly was one, but we were going to Ihop for some Grain n' Nut pancakes :) ) and Jilly pointed at the building and said "Applebees! Justin at Applebees!" Our friend Justin actually did used to work at that Applebees. I guess she and DH had gone to visit him there once. Amazing!

Finn is doing well too. He is almost 14.5 months. He's getting so big that wherever we go, people ask if he and Jilly are twins. He is saying a lot of words...more than Jilly was a this time. Prolly between 15-20. And since his big sister gets to use the potty and get a sticker he runs in there an points to the potty. So...we put him on up there and he sits there...so proud of himself. He's even more proud when he gets his sticker for sitting on the potty like a big boy. :)

Gotta get back to work!
muah!

[AusAshMommy]

Melissa ~ What I mean is exactly what you said, listening is deteriorating and he's getting bored too easily thus causing trouble. Running around the classroom, getting into EVERYTHING and in general causing troule for his teacher. Though like Becca's school they change up teachers mid-way through the day at lunchtime so his regular teacher can have lunch and by the time I pick them up at the end of the day he's with an entirely different set of teachers and personally I think this causes some confusion...and even more listening problems for both of them...

Its extremely frustrating and exhausting to try and keep up. We've had several conferences with the school and each time we see a mild improvement for a brief period and then it slowly goes downhill again. Honestly, I think that right now (during the summer) they are doing more day camp like activities instead of school oriented activities...thus the problems. Though as each week goes by he gets slightly better, but we'll see what the fall brings when he starts pre-k.

[twinnyme]

Thanks, Lara - that's very helpful. It sounds like you have handled it beautifully with Austin's school. The summer is a bit more chaotic than the rest of the year, too, because things switch up a bit because there are more kids out (whose parents are teachers) and rooms combined more. So that could be it, too. That's really partly why I'm looking forward to preschool in October. I can't believe she'll be in preschool then!

To follow Marisa's lead now, here are some fun and positive updates - because Becca is SO much fun these days, despite the challenges in listening she has!

* Two words I often mix up when Becca says them are "shoulder" and "stroller." It makes for some funny situations. Lately, another set of mix-ups is "aquarium" and "crayon." I consistently mix up these two sets of words. She tries SO hard to get her real meaning across, though, that I usually figure it out quickly. You'd think by now I'd get them less mixed up....

* When I wasn't feeling well one night last week before she went to bed I was laying on the couch and DH and I both said to her that mommy wasn't feeling well. She brought over her stuffed dog to me to "help you feel better." She is so sweet, my little girl. She's showing more and more of that empathy lately, and I love it. I still remember when my brother started showing signs of that (he's 9 years younger) and how sweet I've always thought little kids were/are because of it.

* I think we're going to bring Becca to Sesame Place in PA in late August with my mother and two nephews.

* Storytime - she has a little fold-out couch (Thomas the Train; a hand-me-down) in the living room. Sometimes now she'll get some books, sit on it, and say it's storytime, and then want to "read" to us (or to one of her dolls/ stuffed animals). And she'll page through the books and say a story, sometime related to the book, sometime not, sometime a song that has nothing to do with the book - a favorite is the "ABC" song. It's very sweet, and reinforces why we have tried so long to read on a regular basis to her!

Gotta go!

[AusAshMommy]

Melissa ~ It has been difficult, but when we say 'jump' they generally jump, which has made for a marked improvement. We did have Austin evaluated by a child psychologist who basically said his behavior is a result of his lack of emotional maturity...and that we need to teach him how to handle his emotions verbally versus physically. Sooo what does that mean for us? Basically its re-emphasizing to him to tell a teacher when another child has hit him or hurt/angered him in anyway instead of taking actions into his own hands. And, carry that over into the home. We've been doing that and its helped some, we get fewer reports of him fighting than we used to...

Miss Ashley however has been a little doll lately! She's becoming quite the little lady! She doesn't like me to brush her hair or pull her hair up in anyway, but once I do she's happy. She loves to play with her dolls and be read to. Sleep however has been a battle, most nights its up and down and up and down and up and down for a good 35 mins before she finally crashes. Though we did the same thing with Austin when he was her age, so this isn't new.

Melissa ~ I think we have the same Thomas the train pull out couch thing in our living room...heck they were just fighting over it, oy! Sibling rivalry is turning into a royal nightmare. But that's a post for another day...

[twinnyme]

Lara- I'm glad what you're doing with Austin is working! Hope it has continued to....

I just found out yesterday that Becca will start her transition to preschool the week of August 27th - at first when they told me it seemed early, but I realized it's exactly six weeks before the week of October 14th, which is when she'll be 2.9. They usually have a six-week transition to a new room - sometimes it takes the whole time, sometimes less. I think for her it will be less - she's eager to start preschool and is excited about it. She talks about it a lot lately. I think it will also be very good for her in terms of the issues we've been having re: listening (though those have really lessened) - most of her friends are already there and I think it will be more challenging for her.

Other great news from our end: Becca is potty-trained! We didn't have any plans this past weekend so we stayed closes to home and focused on it. (I prepped her by putting her in underwear every night last week after daycare, too.) She was ready, we just hadn't focused on it ever - it's been child-led for pretty much a year and I just wanted to see what would happen if we tried to gently encourage it when we had the time. DH and I were a great team about it, and it went really well. She went to MIL's on Monday while I had jury duty and had no accidents, and yesterday to daycare and had no accidents. We did use chocolate as an incentive but she sometimes already forgets to ask for it, and we plan to phase that out within a couple of weeks. This weekend she and I are going to NJ/NY to visit my family, so that will certainly be a good test of it. Although my parents do have a potty in their house for my nephews, I plan to bring hers for familiarity's sake.

How is everyone else?

[AusAshMommy]

Melissa ~ Unfortunately we had to pull them out of school because I lost my job AGAIN...ugh...oh well the job wasn't for me anymore and my boss and I had been at each other's throats for weeks. So when she fired me it was for the best...

So now we have some one-on-one time @ home with the kids and hopefully I can work with Austin to get him back in line and teach him how to listen to authority. This week too, Jimmy is on vacation, so its just the four of us home for the week. We've been taking excursions daily: Monday we went to the beach, and today we're taking them to the library!! Should be loads of fun! Tomorrow it'll be the play place at the mall and Friday back to the beach.

I've been looking for work, but in our market its almost impossible to find work, I've applied at the local colleges for work (teaching, admin, management, you name it) and every other company on the planet for marketing, admin, and just about everything in betweeen with NO response...so here I sit....

I've been trying to decide where to go from here...I have a masters in marketing, but no experience. The only thing I have experience in is sales and I REALLY hated it. The idea of running my own business doesn't appeal to me...so I am just trying to figure out where to go from here...I keep coming back to joining the police department, don't know why but I do...thinking I am going to apply and see what happens...

That's us for now. The kids are awesome! We're trying to get Ashley potty trained, but she's resisting wholeheartedly, but we're not giving up on her quite yet!

Oh well that's us...

[twinnyme]

Lara - sorry to hear about your job, hope you find something soon! As you say, a good time to be out of work in some ways because it's probably gorgeous weather and you can do lots of fun things with the kids. Good luck with your search!

[AusAshMommy]

Melissa ~ Yes while it'll be good one-on-one time in beautiful weather, its still tough because in the back of my mind I'm always thinking about the financials, ya know??

Anyhew, we're making AWESOME progress with Miss Ashley with regards to potty training!!! We bought her some more underwear Friday and told her "No more diapers" and she's just jumped on board and has been 'accident' free for 2 days (minus the poo in her undies this morning...but pooping on the potty is a whole other battle)! So we're thrilled!!!

[twinnyme]

I have some news to share - it's early yet but I'm pregnant with #2 - seems like "finally" after all of you have had #2 (and some #3) already! I got my BFP today and I'm due April 15th - nothing like perfect (and lucky) timing given that DH's busy time is tax season.

That's pretty much it from my end. :D Becca's doing great. Potty training is going great - she and I went raspberry picking on Monday, and all is well over here.

[AusAshMommy]

OMG Melissa!!! Congrats!!! Soo wonderful to hear!!

Here's to a Healthy & Happy 9/10 Mos!!!

**********
We have news here too, Ashley is DIAPER FREE (daytimes at least) and she's down to about 1-2 accidents/day!!! WIHOO!!! About time!!

I think we've decided to nix having baby #3...we're both very happy where we're at with Austin & Ashley and now we're getting toward the end of the diaper stage and baby stage, I think we're done! We've finally gotten to a point financially where we're stable and balanced, so we don't want to rock the boat so to speak...we've even begun talking about buying me a new 'toy' car...a convertible, LOL!!! But we're giving ourselves until November to decide and we'll make our official decision in November...

In other news, Austin & I are meeting with a Pre-K coordinator from the county schools to discuss putting Austin in one of the county-sponsored Pre-K program (read: No more daycare costs for us, WIHOO!!! well at least only a part-time cost for before/after care once I am back @ work)...

Speaking of, I have been offered a position as the Sales/Operations Manager for a start-up magazine in the area, the problem is that it hasn't gotten off the ground enough yet for me to work...ugh! Ah well...the guy who's starting the mag has been communicating with me and he's just hitting one delay after another...we'll see...

[twinnyme]

Thanks, Lara - I'm excited, nervous, scared - all the usual stuff.

Oh, and I should have clarified, Becca is trained for the day. She's still in diapers at night, too - and probably will be for a while yet....

I hope you get the mag job, and whatever decision you make on #3 will be the right one for you. We are definitely stopping with #2 so this will be our last baby.

[Jenzen01]

Whoo-hoo!!!! Congrats, twinnyme!!!!!!!!!!! Spectacular news!!!!

I was just thinking that someone from this thread was due for another one. :) Sorry it took me a while to pop in here, but I don't check this thread very often.So, a belated congrats from me. :)

As for us, things are clicking along. Ada just started crawling, and she got her first tooth, so it's been a big month. We also had a huge scare with Ada because her head is measuring quite large. We were sent to a pediatric neurologist, who says she sees no cause for concern right now and we just need to monitor growth for a while. I have a feeling that we'll have to do an MRI in a few months because I just measured her head the other day and it's already grown since her last appointment a few weeks ago. I mean, we are talking 10th of a centimeter here, so it's not precise. Anyway, I have to do measurements every month, call them in, and then the clinic will plot her growth through October. We go back then for a follow-up and to decide on a game plan. We're all thinking this is a matter of genetics because DH's head measured over the 97th percentile when we were at the neurologist's, and mine was around the 95th. Gabe is also above the 95th.

Otherwise, Gabe is fine. We thought for a little while he would have to have his front tooth pulled. He fell on the deck in June, and his tooth turned gray a few weeks later. The dentist said it's dead, and if it gets infected, we'll have to have it pulled. So far, so good, however.

Otherwise, Gabe is really into pretending lately. His role-playing has become quite intricate. He learned to pee outside, which is great for the summer. Dad is so proud. Oh, his big accomplishment: pedaling his bike. He's so proud of himself, and I love watching him pedal his Big Wheels up and down the driveway in the evening.

We continue to have the typical 2-year-old drama at our house. Meltdowns, temper tantrums, "I-wants."

That's about it from here.

Jen

[twinnyme]

Whoo-hoo!!!! Congrats, twinnyme!!!!!!!!!!! Spectacular news!!!!

We continue to have the typical 2-year-old drama at our house. Meltdowns, temper tantrums, "I-wants."

Thanks, Jen! It's exciting!

We have the same typical 2-year-old drama. DH says she gets it from my side. :D It's quite exhausting sometimes. And my lovely 3-hour naps in the afternoon seem a part of the distant future. They dropped to 2 hours a few weeks ago and have stayed pretty consistently at 2 hours. It's tough because not only does that mean less time working (editing) at home but also because she usually wakes up HARD (cranky) from those and is a whiny mess in the afternoon. So I just today started to shift her bedtime a bit earlier - she's been going to bed at 8, and I'm going to try to work it backward until 7:30 at this point.

I hope Ada's head size is just genetics and that all is fine! Keep us posted. I had seen your thread about that a while ago....

Last Thursday morning (the morning after I found out) I woke up from a dream that I was having twin boys. :eek: Friday I told my sister (the one who is an OB) that I was pregnant and about the dream - she's my twin. Well, she told me that my mother had dreamed a few weeks ago that I was having twin boys, too. :eek::eek: So of course I was freaking out, but then I got some baby-related email newsletter today and in it there was an article about pregnancy dreams. For dreams about having twins it said: "Twins: Dreams of twins do not necessarily indicate that you will be having twins. More likely you are meeting your child, who in the dream is the other half of you." I really like that idea, especially since the dream was so early in my pregnancy and it's like I was meeting the baby as he/she implanted in me almost. We shall see....

[AusAshMommy]

Jen ~ Oh the edge of reason with a 2-yr old is not happening...ugh. Ashley has decided she doesn't need to nap, so now we're lucky if she even naps period and most days I am lucky if I can get her down roughly around 4 and if then we only keep her down for an hour at most...

Melissa ~ That's an interesting dream...I dreamt while I was pregnant with Austin that he was a girl and I went into labor @ 5 mos in an episode of the Simpsons...pregnancy brain does wierd things to your subconscience...

Us:

WRG to baby#3...we've decided to bag the whole idea...we're ready to be done with diapers, bottles, overnight feedings, and all the baby stuff. We're on the tail end of potty training with Ashley and diapers that we don't want to rock the boat. I have appt on Monday with my Gyn for my annual pap and I am going to discuss having my tubal done (I am also done with condoms for BC ;))...so now we're discussing getting us a new toy come November (a new car, I want a convertible, LOL!)

[marchfamily]

Hello all! Congratulations again on your pg, Melissa! Way to go on the little ones getting potty trained! Hope everyone is doing well!!!!

It's been about a million years since I came by this way and did an update....here's the skinny!

E - Doing really well. Testing us (especially me) at every step. No where near potty trained. We're lucky to get her to sit on the potty - but fully clothed. She's been in a toddler bed for a couple of months now. She loves the freedom and tortures her sister during nap times. Just weighed her - she's 31.5 pounds. She's definitely thinned out over the past few months. Still a great eater - loves ice cream cones (signs for ice cream every night after dinner). She's still going to physical and occupational therapy once a week. And, we're doing speech therapy twice a week in our house. Her speech is still very delayed (her 15M old sister has just about caught her). She signs probably 50 or so signs and says 10-15 recognizable words. She does a ton of one syllabal speech, but is still very behind in the speech arena.

C - Also doing well. She's our little dare-devil.....and yet so laid back. She started walking about 2 months ago. She's extremely easy going and very funny! She's just starting to be demanding from time to time - usually when she wants attention. She's around 27.5 pounds and nearly as big as E. We've still got her in the crib, although once #3 arrives, we will probably transition her to the toddler bed.

Baby3 - due in 6 short weeks. It's another girl....16 months younger than C (E and C are exactly 16M apart). We had some serious scares during this pregnancy (cysts on the brain), but all looks well now. Given that my first two were over 9 pounds, I wonder if this one will be even bigger?!? I've almost given in to my husband's name request - Margaret (nn: Maggie).

Us - I'm still working FT. DH stays at home with the girls and does some freelance from home and on the weekends. We bought a 5 bedroom house (after living in a cramped 2 bedroom 2-flat) in March.

[twinnyme]

Oh, that picture of the girls with their tiaras is adorable, Amanda!

[AusAshMommy]

Amanda ~ OMG!!! Too cute!!! :-)

[Jenzen01]

OK, could E's blue eyes be any bluer! Both of your girls are beautiful, Amanda!!

Now all you pregnant ladies are going to have to keep us updated on things. I need to live vicariously through someone else for a while, because No. 3 isn't going to happen for a while, if ever. I keep hoping for an "oops" so I don't have to decide. Isn't that awful?

Gabe's new word: yesterday. He's been using it all the time, but he has a pretty poor grasp of what it means ... other than that it happened some time in the past. It's pretty funny because all of his stories happened, "yesterday" even if it was months ago.

I had a breakthrough with Gabe this week. He's been awful when dropping him off at the sitter's in the morning. Screaming, crying, whining, clinging. I started bringing his breakfast to the sitter's, and it's vastly improved things. Now, he's all excited to sit down and eat. Plus, I think he likes his food all packed up nicely just for him.

Jen

[SaphirimalMei]

so so so behind, but i wanted to drop this off here for those who arent on LJ.
these kids are getting so big so quick!
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1198/1250079099_b9784f6636.jpg?v=0

[twinnyme]

Great picture, Marisa!

We're just back from Sesame Place in PA. Becca and I went with my parents and two nephews. We drove to NYC on Saturday, then to Sesame Place on Monday and stayed there for two nights, driving back yesterday. We had a great time - though Becca didn't go on many rides, she thoroughly enjoyed the water part and the shows and parade, etc. Here are some pictures of her and her cousins (since the cousins are included I'll delete the pics in a couple of days) with Big Bird and Elmo - Becca was a little tense when meeting the characters, understandably!


Sorry so big! I haven't figured out the sizing on Flickr very well yet....

[brio96]

Quick post to say Congratulations to Melissa!!! Wishing you a happy and healthy nine months!

We're finally moving from Kentucky!!! We're heading to Rochester, NY next week and we couldn't be happier. MA was just too expensive for us to consider and Rochester was a perfect fit. I can't wait to be back in the north again.

We're all well. Sarah is a very typical 33 month old...a complete pain in the rear one minute and a wonderful toddler the next. Megan is doing great althoguh she's a little delayed on the gross motor skills (ie. at 10 months, she's not crawling yet). Nothing serious and she's almost there, but just something we're keeping an eye on.

Hope you're all well!

Amy

[AusAshMommy]

Amy ~ How exciting! Good luck with the move!!!

LOL!!! Ashley is just the same way, one minute she's a royal nightmare and the next she's cuddly and wonderful!! Too bad Austin is a constant royal nightmare of a 4.5yr old...that's a story for another day!

[twinnyme]

Thanks, Amy. And congratulations on the move! I don't know much about Rochester but I've been there once or twice. It seems nice.

Becca's the same way as Sarah and Ashley - from 0 to 60 and back again in the blink of an eye. And she's seemingly starting to drop her nap - or at least shorten it - so we've been working on adjusting her sleep schedule again. Being tired definitely accelerates the rollercoaster for her (and us). She now goes to bed at 7-7:30 instead of 8, which actually makes her sleep later than 5:50 or 6, so that seems to be helping. But every day is something different....

Have a great holiday weekend, everyone!

[AusAshMommy]

Melissa ~ Ash too, there are days (like yesterday) when she doesn't nap at all, and I know she's no where near ready to drop her nap, because come 4 - 5 o'clock she's falling asleep and is cranky all evening until bedtime between 8:30 and 9:00. Austin too, yes he's 4.5 but he still needs a nap and doesn't take one, the same thing happens, roughly dinner time is when he gets cranky...but they both are sleeping until 7am or later these days which is wonderful for us! Selfish huh?? LOL!!!

[twinnyme]

but they both are sleeping until 7am or later these days which is wonderful for us! Selfish huh?? LOL!!!

Not selfish at all, Lara! I dream of the days when she'll sleep consistently until past 7 a.m. Lately - for the last 6 weeks or so - it's been 5:30 again, which is horrible, and which is why we finally figured out we needed to adjust her sleep schedule. My "selfish" part is at the other end - bedtime. Frankly, I love the 7-7:30 bedtime - especially if she's not taking her usual 3-hour naps. I need to work (edit) during her naps and though I don't love having to do more after she's in bed - mainly just because I'm so tired by then - the nights I don't have to edit, I enjoy the earlier bedtime!

[AusAshMommy]

Melissa ~ Yeah, the later bedtime is definitely 'eating' into my 'Me' time but I am thoroughly enjoying the later sleeping in the morning. I wasn't able to work with the Magazine because it required work during the day when they 'should' nap and because they didn't I wasn't able to work, so unfortunately I couldn't continue working with them...bummer because the money was awesome and the work would have been a TON of fun...oh well, back to square one right? LOL!!!

I do have an interview this Friday, so hope I get that job...I NEED to get out of the house during the day...

Oh and the biggest news of all...we're 100% Diaper Free with Ashley!!! Even @ night, she wakes up dry every morning and consistently uses the potty during the day. She pooped on the potty for the first time today!! WIHOO!!!!

[marchfamily]

Wanted to drop off some news about E's speech and development. She has been diagnosed with Apraxia - a little understood motor planning development issue. Here's the best description I have been able to find (as it relates to her speech).

Childhood apraxia of speech (CAS, also known as DVD -- developmental verbal dyspraxia, and DAS -- developmental apraxia of speech) is a disorder that is more easily defined by what it is not. It is not a muscle disorder. It is not a cognitive disorder (although it may have some impact on language as well as speech). The problem occurs when the brain tries to tell the muscles what to do -- somehow that message gets scrambled. It's like trying to watch cable t.v. stations without the right descrambler. There is nothing wrong with the t.v. station, and nothing wrong with your set. It's just that your set can't read the signal that the station is sending out. The child's language-learning task is to figure out how to somehow unscramble the mixed message her/his brain is sending to her/his muscles.

Apraxia also impacts her physical movements and how she copes with everyday activities (her physical and occupational therapy are addressing some of these issues). Her speech was reevaluated at 15 months (she just turned 32 months). She only says 32 words according to her speech therapist.

Very scary for us. At this point, we hope for the best and get her the most help possible. But long term, I don't think they can really give us any concrete answers on how she'll develop.

[Jenzen01]

Hey Amanda,

I wanted to post and give you some virtual (((((hugs))))). I've been thinking about your family a lot lately because we have a little boy at Ada's daycare that is going through the same thing. He was born a couple of months after Gabe (in March, I think), and he has very, very limited vocab. He was also a very late walker ... like beyond 18 months, if I remember correctly. I know that a couple of women come in each week to work with him, specifically.

Also, I know I stumbled onto a thread somewhere around here about this problem. Seems like it's more common than we know ... It's funny that I was just reading about apraxia and then you mentioned it here ...

Anyway, I've also been thinking about you because I know No. 3 is due any day now. Please let us know how everything goes. My thoughts are with you.

Jen

[marchfamily]

Thanks, Jen!

I've been doing some research and it runs the whole gammet on what we can expect. To give you mom's an idea of what we're up against.....E said "apple ju" the other day and we about fell over. A two syllabul word + 2 words. Most of her "language" is still very one syllabul. She still has therapy 4 times a week and when she turns 3, we'll look at doing private therapy in addition to the school system.

P.S. Babygir3 will be born on or before 9/27. Can't wait!

QOTD - What size shoe is your toddler wearing? E has such little feet, but C is growing much faster.

[Jenzen01]

qotd - 9.5/10!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[AusAshMommy]

QOTD ~ DS 10.5 and DD 8

[SaphirimalMei]

lol at the QOTD because:
Jilly: 5.5-6
Finn: 5.5-6!

Lol! I think it's so funny that they wear the same size shoes! They mostly wear the same size clothing too 24m-2T (and some 18m if the sizes run big, or 3T if they are sized small). Jilly's legs are longer than Finn's and account for the extra 3" height difference. They are the same height when sitting :p

QOTD2: Anyone else's toddler have a MAJOR personality change when their 2 year molars are coming through? Jilly has been a huge pain in my ass lately with the tantrums and the crying and the screaming. I just dont know what to do with her anymore. She barely stops tantruming/crying from the minute I get home from work until she goes to bed at night. Maybe I am just getting my comeuppance because she was such an "easy" baby! :p

[marchfamily]

QOTD1 (to answer my own questions)
E: 8, Stride Rites (she wore 18-24M Old Navy sandals all summer)
C: 6.5, Stride Rites

For the record, E is 32.5M and wearing anything from 24M-3T (mostly 2T for pants and 3T for tops). She recently sprouted up. C is 16.5M and in 24M-2T (she has probably 1-2 pairs of 18M pants, otherwise she goes up to 24M-2T, basically the same size).

QOTD2
E has had her 2y molars for quite some time. But I remember being at my mom's when she was cutting one of them and having a fever of 104. Those teeth are rough.....

We've gone from having a sweet 16M old to a clingy, hating the bath, separation anxiety toddler. Sigh.

[twinnyme]

Marisa - too funny that Jilly and Finn are the same size.

QOTD - 7.5 Stride Rite size and mostly 24m/2T though she can still wear some 18m stuff.

I don't know, Becca was always kind of clingy and whiny so I don't think the 2year molars are making much difference. :rolleyes:

[Jenzen01]

Clothes - Gabe is wearing mainly 3T on the bottom and 4T-4/5 on top. He's big. Of course, there's the occasional pair of 18-month shorts that still fit.

Molars - Gabe's had his for about a year already, but I remember him whining a LOT. Of course, he whines a lot now, too. Sometimes I feel like I have a teenager in my house what with all the emotional breakdowns.

QOTD - Anyone Christmas/birthday s