Yes, I know it's been a long time since my last post. Rather than not write anything at all, I'm just going to come right out and admit that I've just been feeling pretty sorry for myself lately and I don't want to be super negative on my blog. From an outside perspective I know I have no real problems but there are two things I find myself complaining about a lot lately: 1) I get very little sleep and 2) I get very few breaks.
So I'm tired, and I have serious baby burn-out. I can do "no sleep" and I can do "no breaks", but not together. It's a combination that makes for a not very pleasant human. Ask Tyler.
My bitterness is a little more intense at the moment because Ty is in Las Vegas for a stag this weekend.
Annnnd there you have it. I know: be grateful, count my blessings, remember these years go by so fast, etc. I'm always the first to say it and it does honestly turn my sour moods completely around. But it doesn't change the fact that I get very little sleep and I get very few breaks....
Forgive me for being Debbie Downer on a Friday! On a lighter note, I AM going out tomorrow and I am going to try my very hardest to not feel guilty or worry about H & D while I'm having fun with my friends because god dammit, I DESERVE IT!!!!!
Everyone enjoy your weekends and this beautiful weather!!! xoxo
Liza
Friday, 11 July 2014
Monday, 23 June 2014
The Soother Wars
Before I had babies I was firmly anti-soother. Why would I subject my infant to sucking on a nipplish-shaped piece of plastic / silicon? How unnatural! Humans have survived for eons without soothers. Animals don't use artificial nipples to soothe their babies. Growing up on the farm we sometimes had cats with a blanket-sucking habit. Yet those were the cats whose mothers had tragically abandoned them as tiny kittens. :|
Then I had colicky Hayden. I took many many different approaches to soothe her crying. Among them, soothers. Because when your baby is crying, you basically just want them to stop. She resisted the pacifier for weeks but then at 3 months she finally took it and never looked back. It was an instant sigh of relief. No more crying in the car, or in the grocery store, or when I needed to defer a feeding.
Bedtime was a breeze. All I needed to do was place sleepy Hayden in her crib, pop the "paci" in her mouth, and she was out. Eventually, if she woke up in the night, she could find the paci by herself and put herself back to sleep. Who needs mom?! It was great. I would fall asleep at night and think, Well, I've got this parenting thing pretty much figured out.
Then I had hungry Deacon. Since birth he really only cries to be fed. But that's like all the time. There's no deferring his feedings because he refuses to take a soother! He won't even consider it! It would be nice to not have to jump when he says jump. So he's a little more high-maintenance in that when he starts getting fussy I have to pick him up. (Wow, I feel like a lazy mom now that I'm writing this. lol) Yes, I know he has to learn how to "self-soothe". Well he can't. If he's grouchy and isn't hungry it's right into the Ergo for him. Then he's fine. And that's honestly how I get him to sleep some nights. He falls asleep in the Ergo and then I put him in his crib. No popping in the soother for night-wakings. Fortunately, he's sleeping through the night more frequently these days.
On the plus side of Deacon not taking a soother - at least we don't have to eventually take it away from him when he's two-ish like we've just had to do to his dear sister Hayden. The Easter Bunny came and confiscated her beloved "paci". She was OK with it at first because, of course, he left an abundance of Easter treats in its place. But, the first night without the paci she was up until 4 am. She has since learned to fall asleep without it THANK GOD. Hayden, my poor abandoned kitten, still often tries to sneak Deacon's unused soother into bed with her.
I still don't really know where I stand on the soother debate. On one hand, it feels wrong to let your baby be soothed by a piece of plastic. On the other hand, wow is it ever awesome to let your baby be soothed by anyone or anyTHING other than me! I know Hayden is happy with a few extra snuggles and songs from mom and dad to help her fall asleep. AND they're only this little once so I've gotta get all the snuggles I can. For that reason, I should have got rid of the paci ages ago!
Goodnight!!
Liza
Then I had colicky Hayden. I took many many different approaches to soothe her crying. Among them, soothers. Because when your baby is crying, you basically just want them to stop. She resisted the pacifier for weeks but then at 3 months she finally took it and never looked back. It was an instant sigh of relief. No more crying in the car, or in the grocery store, or when I needed to defer a feeding.
Bedtime was a breeze. All I needed to do was place sleepy Hayden in her crib, pop the "paci" in her mouth, and she was out. Eventually, if she woke up in the night, she could find the paci by herself and put herself back to sleep. Who needs mom?! It was great. I would fall asleep at night and think, Well, I've got this parenting thing pretty much figured out.
Then I had hungry Deacon. Since birth he really only cries to be fed. But that's like all the time. There's no deferring his feedings because he refuses to take a soother! He won't even consider it! It would be nice to not have to jump when he says jump. So he's a little more high-maintenance in that when he starts getting fussy I have to pick him up. (Wow, I feel like a lazy mom now that I'm writing this. lol) Yes, I know he has to learn how to "self-soothe". Well he can't. If he's grouchy and isn't hungry it's right into the Ergo for him. Then he's fine. And that's honestly how I get him to sleep some nights. He falls asleep in the Ergo and then I put him in his crib. No popping in the soother for night-wakings. Fortunately, he's sleeping through the night more frequently these days.
On the plus side of Deacon not taking a soother - at least we don't have to eventually take it away from him when he's two-ish like we've just had to do to his dear sister Hayden. The Easter Bunny came and confiscated her beloved "paci". She was OK with it at first because, of course, he left an abundance of Easter treats in its place. But, the first night without the paci she was up until 4 am. She has since learned to fall asleep without it THANK GOD. Hayden, my poor abandoned kitten, still often tries to sneak Deacon's unused soother into bed with her.
I still don't really know where I stand on the soother debate. On one hand, it feels wrong to let your baby be soothed by a piece of plastic. On the other hand, wow is it ever awesome to let your baby be soothed by anyone or anyTHING other than me! I know Hayden is happy with a few extra snuggles and songs from mom and dad to help her fall asleep. AND they're only this little once so I've gotta get all the snuggles I can. For that reason, I should have got rid of the paci ages ago!
Goodnight!!
Liza
Thursday, 29 May 2014
Down Time
So I somehow managed to come down with a bout of shingles. Shingles: a dreadful itchy yet painful rash that affects those with high stress levels and weak immune systems. At first I was honestly baffled at how I, the epitome of health, could have possibly been so unfortunate. I get a sniffley nose (I wouldn't even call it a cold) maybe once a year. Every day I thank the powers that be for my incredible immune system.
So immune system asside, let's talk about my "stress levels". I feel like there must be way more people out there in higher stress situations than me who don't have shingles. I mean I'm not fighting crime in the streets of downtown (enter name of rough city here) or anything. I'm not performing brain surgury! I'm only taking care of my children. That's it. Yet, holy shit am I ever stressed out!!
When Tyler is home, this is a breeze. Especially if he is home for any of length of time. But for the past I-don't-know-how-many months he's only been home the odd weekend here or there. Most days I totally accept the craziness and I'm fine with it. Get up, maintain lives of children, go to sleep (if I'm lucky). But, sometimes I don't want to play toddler games, wash dirty faces, lug around a 25 lb 6 month old. Then I feel so guilty, like poor Hayden and Deacon! It's not their fault! Suck it up Liza!
Naturally, I'm left to take my frustrations out on Tyler. Last Wednesday morning Tyler left to go to Sault Ste Marie for about a week for work. I was surprised when later on that morning he came in the front door. Standing over Deacon at the change table and still in my pj's I asked, "What are you doing home?"
"I had to stop on my way out of town to grab my golf clubs. Just so I have something to do in my down time," said Tyler.
Down time. How nice.
Honestly, it's gotten to the point where I don't remember what down time feels like and that's a damn good thing otherwise Ty probably wouldn't have made it safely out of the house with his golf clubs.
But like, Hayden was sick last week, Deacon was sick this week, my grass is almost a foot high, and I fogot to put my garbage and recycling out today. So this month has not been a walk in the park. It's been a challenge but I'm rolling with it. Yes, I know it could be worse.
That said, the purpose of this blog is not just so I can go on about how awesome my life is. I would feel like a fraud if I were to lead everyone to believe every day is sunshine and rainbows. I just want to be real so that people can relate because that way we all feel better, right?!?
OK I'm going to bed now.
XO Liza
So immune system asside, let's talk about my "stress levels". I feel like there must be way more people out there in higher stress situations than me who don't have shingles. I mean I'm not fighting crime in the streets of downtown (enter name of rough city here) or anything. I'm not performing brain surgury! I'm only taking care of my children. That's it. Yet, holy shit am I ever stressed out!!
When Tyler is home, this is a breeze. Especially if he is home for any of length of time. But for the past I-don't-know-how-many months he's only been home the odd weekend here or there. Most days I totally accept the craziness and I'm fine with it. Get up, maintain lives of children, go to sleep (if I'm lucky). But, sometimes I don't want to play toddler games, wash dirty faces, lug around a 25 lb 6 month old. Then I feel so guilty, like poor Hayden and Deacon! It's not their fault! Suck it up Liza!
Naturally, I'm left to take my frustrations out on Tyler. Last Wednesday morning Tyler left to go to Sault Ste Marie for about a week for work. I was surprised when later on that morning he came in the front door. Standing over Deacon at the change table and still in my pj's I asked, "What are you doing home?"
"I had to stop on my way out of town to grab my golf clubs. Just so I have something to do in my down time," said Tyler.
Down time. How nice.
Honestly, it's gotten to the point where I don't remember what down time feels like and that's a damn good thing otherwise Ty probably wouldn't have made it safely out of the house with his golf clubs.
But like, Hayden was sick last week, Deacon was sick this week, my grass is almost a foot high, and I fogot to put my garbage and recycling out today. So this month has not been a walk in the park. It's been a challenge but I'm rolling with it. Yes, I know it could be worse.
That said, the purpose of this blog is not just so I can go on about how awesome my life is. I would feel like a fraud if I were to lead everyone to believe every day is sunshine and rainbows. I just want to be real so that people can relate because that way we all feel better, right?!?
OK I'm going to bed now.
XO Liza
Wednesday, 14 May 2014
Toddler Talk 2
Raising a toddler has really made me question what it means to live peacefully and mindfully. I'm not writing this because of one specific incident that is still bringing up feelings of frustration. This has been on my mind constantly since the day Hayden developed a mind of her own. It's not even that Hayden is a particularly "terrible" two. But anyone who knows what two year olds are like can most likely relate.
You see, I have this intention to live a peaceful and positive existence, as I'm sure most people do. I want each moment to be met with as little resistance as possible. Naturally. I want to live in the moment, not riddled with a mind full of questions and concerns. Not always strategizing and formulating plans and routines. I want to live through a natural flow of things. Zen.
Enter the 2.5 year old. The two year old is not Zen. A two year old is not open minded, they do not embrace change, and they certainly don't go with the flow. For most toddlers, what's theirs is not yours. Hayden is a decent sharer I'll give her that. But change her routine and we pay for it dearly.
Toddler behaviour really makes me wonder, What is the meaning of this?? Babies are so sweet. They are born SO innocent and helpless, then within a matter of months they morph into little anarchists. I have to get behind the eyes of a two year old. They've had everything done for them their entire lives and then all of a sudden they discover that THEY are actually the ones in control of what they do! So they want to take advantage of it.
I find it so amusing that the natural instinct of a person at the "tender" age of two is to rebel. They want to think for themselves. Not only do they want the power to choose, they want the freedom to carry out their choices. Like, no wonder humans are always fighting for some sort of reform. We've been doing it since we were tots! Then as children we get blindsided by the many distractions placed in our line of vision. Maybe we forget that there's anything worth fighting for.
Anyways, unfortunately for toddlers, their choices are not always safe or practical, and their communication skills aren't the greatest. As a parent I often find myself flipping between "dictator" and "guide." While I'd love to spend my entire day helping Hayden express herself in creative and constructive ways, ain't nobody got time fo dat!! As a stay at home mom you'd think my life would be devoted to that, but let me tell you, it's exhausting and I get very few breaks with Tyler being on the road literally all the time.
Honestly, I don't know much about kids, but one thing I know for sure, a peaceful household doesn't happen once you've got all your toddlers straightened out, it happens within yourself first. The balance is so so hard to maintain, but when it's there.... Zen.
Love & Light
Liza :)
You see, I have this intention to live a peaceful and positive existence, as I'm sure most people do. I want each moment to be met with as little resistance as possible. Naturally. I want to live in the moment, not riddled with a mind full of questions and concerns. Not always strategizing and formulating plans and routines. I want to live through a natural flow of things. Zen.
Enter the 2.5 year old. The two year old is not Zen. A two year old is not open minded, they do not embrace change, and they certainly don't go with the flow. For most toddlers, what's theirs is not yours. Hayden is a decent sharer I'll give her that. But change her routine and we pay for it dearly.
Toddler behaviour really makes me wonder, What is the meaning of this?? Babies are so sweet. They are born SO innocent and helpless, then within a matter of months they morph into little anarchists. I have to get behind the eyes of a two year old. They've had everything done for them their entire lives and then all of a sudden they discover that THEY are actually the ones in control of what they do! So they want to take advantage of it.
I find it so amusing that the natural instinct of a person at the "tender" age of two is to rebel. They want to think for themselves. Not only do they want the power to choose, they want the freedom to carry out their choices. Like, no wonder humans are always fighting for some sort of reform. We've been doing it since we were tots! Then as children we get blindsided by the many distractions placed in our line of vision. Maybe we forget that there's anything worth fighting for.
Anyways, unfortunately for toddlers, their choices are not always safe or practical, and their communication skills aren't the greatest. As a parent I often find myself flipping between "dictator" and "guide." While I'd love to spend my entire day helping Hayden express herself in creative and constructive ways, ain't nobody got time fo dat!! As a stay at home mom you'd think my life would be devoted to that, but let me tell you, it's exhausting and I get very few breaks with Tyler being on the road literally all the time.
Honestly, I don't know much about kids, but one thing I know for sure, a peaceful household doesn't happen once you've got all your toddlers straightened out, it happens within yourself first. The balance is so so hard to maintain, but when it's there.... Zen.
Love & Light
Liza :)
Tuesday, 29 April 2014
Deacon: 6 Months Old
I cannot understand how 6 months have gone by already. Obviously I have blocked the winter out as if it never occured. That explains how all of a sudden Deacon is 6 months old. My little man!! Excuse me for being a tad mushy in this post, but my itty bitty BABY is 6 months old!!
Let's be real here. Deacon is anything but itty bitty. When he was born he was a whole pound smaller than his 8.5 lb sister and I had always assumed he would remain smaller than her throughout infancy since Hayden was so massive. She was always in the 98th percentile for height and weight. Now, Deacon has long surpassed her and it completely blows my mind! I have no explanation for it. He wears 18 month and some 24 month clothes and he's in size 6 diapers which I don't even think they make them bigger than that so he litterally can't get any bigger. Just imagine trying to diaper a ball and that is basically the challenge I face daily.
He loves to eat, that much is evident. But he only loves the b-milk. Any time I've offered solids he has absolutely no interest in consuming it. I've taken a little break right now and will try again in a week. Not only will he only consume b-milk, he prefers it directly from source, meaning he will not allow any type of artificial nipple in or around his cute little mouth.
Despite his size, Deacon is pretty mobile! Hayden never was. She refused to exert any energy in moving herself and if she ever needed to "go" anywhere, she insisted you transport her. She didn't roll over until 7 months! Lol, Deacon has that under control. Heaven forbid he try to roll if on an incline or he might just roll away!! OK, am I mean for poking fun at my big babies?
Deacon LOVES music and he LOVES to dance!! It is unbelievable. If there is music playing and he's in his exersaucer, he actually grooves to the beat of the song. Change the tempo and so does he! Even if Hayden's just blowing in and out through the harmonica, he'll boogy like that's his jam!! I always imagined Hayden being the musical one because I took voice lessons until I was 7 months pregnant with her. I took art lessons through out my pregnancy with Deacon. So far Hayden has the artistic aptitude.
I am convinced he's going to be an early talker. He's been imitating talking sounds since he could make sounds! He already says, "Da-dee-da-dee-da" and variations of those sounds. He has the sweetest little voice. Tyler believes he "taught" Deacon to say "Da da" but I'll refute that.
Alas, my Deacon is not much of a night sleeper. I can count on 1 hand the number nights I've actually got to sleep at least 6 hours through. Last night was 1 of those nights! Deacon slept for 8 hours hours last night!! I was on top of the world this morning!! Honestly, when I get a good sleep, I feel as though I've drank 5 pots of coffee except without that horrid jittery coffee feeling.
I love my squishy ball of baby so so much. He is so adorable with his rosy round cheeks and little pouty lips. Yet he has this stately old man vibe about him. We often laugh when Hayden watches Thomas the Train because if we gave Deacon a tophat and monacle he could certainly pass for a mini Sir Topham Hatt. I literally can't take enough pictures of my babies. They are growing up too fast.
Sometimes I feel SO eager to get my "life" back but I know in a few years I'll just want them to be this little again. And writing this blog makes me realize that!!!
Here's to living each moment to its absolute fullest!!
XOXO Liza
Let's be real here. Deacon is anything but itty bitty. When he was born he was a whole pound smaller than his 8.5 lb sister and I had always assumed he would remain smaller than her throughout infancy since Hayden was so massive. She was always in the 98th percentile for height and weight. Now, Deacon has long surpassed her and it completely blows my mind! I have no explanation for it. He wears 18 month and some 24 month clothes and he's in size 6 diapers which I don't even think they make them bigger than that so he litterally can't get any bigger. Just imagine trying to diaper a ball and that is basically the challenge I face daily.
He loves to eat, that much is evident. But he only loves the b-milk. Any time I've offered solids he has absolutely no interest in consuming it. I've taken a little break right now and will try again in a week. Not only will he only consume b-milk, he prefers it directly from source, meaning he will not allow any type of artificial nipple in or around his cute little mouth.
Despite his size, Deacon is pretty mobile! Hayden never was. She refused to exert any energy in moving herself and if she ever needed to "go" anywhere, she insisted you transport her. She didn't roll over until 7 months! Lol, Deacon has that under control. Heaven forbid he try to roll if on an incline or he might just roll away!! OK, am I mean for poking fun at my big babies?
Deacon LOVES music and he LOVES to dance!! It is unbelievable. If there is music playing and he's in his exersaucer, he actually grooves to the beat of the song. Change the tempo and so does he! Even if Hayden's just blowing in and out through the harmonica, he'll boogy like that's his jam!! I always imagined Hayden being the musical one because I took voice lessons until I was 7 months pregnant with her. I took art lessons through out my pregnancy with Deacon. So far Hayden has the artistic aptitude.
I am convinced he's going to be an early talker. He's been imitating talking sounds since he could make sounds! He already says, "Da-dee-da-dee-da" and variations of those sounds. He has the sweetest little voice. Tyler believes he "taught" Deacon to say "Da da" but I'll refute that.
Alas, my Deacon is not much of a night sleeper. I can count on 1 hand the number nights I've actually got to sleep at least 6 hours through. Last night was 1 of those nights! Deacon slept for 8 hours hours last night!! I was on top of the world this morning!! Honestly, when I get a good sleep, I feel as though I've drank 5 pots of coffee except without that horrid jittery coffee feeling.
I love my squishy ball of baby so so much. He is so adorable with his rosy round cheeks and little pouty lips. Yet he has this stately old man vibe about him. We often laugh when Hayden watches Thomas the Train because if we gave Deacon a tophat and monacle he could certainly pass for a mini Sir Topham Hatt. I literally can't take enough pictures of my babies. They are growing up too fast.
Sometimes I feel SO eager to get my "life" back but I know in a few years I'll just want them to be this little again. And writing this blog makes me realize that!!!
Here's to living each moment to its absolute fullest!!
XOXO Liza
Sunday, 6 April 2014
Peace, Love, and Potty Training
I wasn't going to do a post about potty training because I know it's not the lovliest of subjects and not everyone can relate. BUT, I've realized that something MUST be said simply because potty training Hayden was one of the more excrutiating tasks that parenthood has presented to me thus far.
Having only "trained" 1 kid, I won't presume to have any skill on potty training at all. My only intention here is to share my experience just in case it has some value to other moms in my position. I know it was a major help to me during the dark days to hear that I wasn't alone!
Hayden really did not embrace the whole concept of going in the potty. If it were up to her, she might still be in diapers today. But we pushed through, and now I think it's safe to say that there is no going back. She's in it for the long haul! This is our potty training journey from the very beginning:
When Hayden was maybe 16 months old, we put a $3 Ikea potty in the bathroom. At that point, we didn't make a big deal about her using it as she was still very young. She had only begun walking at 15 months so she was a long way from being able to sit herself down on it, in fact she still needs help sitting down on it! Eventually it became part of her bedtime routine that every night after her bath she would sit down and go before we put her jammies on. I thought I was on the right track, but no, I was not.
One thing the potty training methods always make reference to are the signs of readiness. In my opinion, don't even pay attention to that. A toddler may seem like they're physically ready or SHOULD be ready, but if they're not mentally ready then it is absolutely pointless to do ANYTHING to try to get them to go on the potty. Or at least this was my experience. You would think that if your kid tells you they have to go and stops going in their diapers then they must be ready to go on the potty. Not Hayden. Once presented with the potty as an alternative to going "elsewhere", it was as if I was asking her to sit on a bed of hot coals.
I quit all potty training attempts when I found out I was pregnant because I'd heard about kids regressing after a new baby was born. Then when Deacon was about 3 months old and Hayden was just over 2 I thought, OK she MUST be ready now. But it was the same struggle all over again!
At my most frustrated point I tried to put myself into her position just so that I could somehow get inside her head. Like, WHY doesn't she want to sit on the potty?! What could she be thinking? I remembered back to when I was 16 and trying to get my driver's lisence. It took me a very long time and I had to take my driving test 5 times. The 4th time I failed I was extremely discouraged and I had NO intention of doing it again. I had accepted the fact that I would be a life-long pedestrian and had no problem with that. But my mom said, "You are getting your lisence and that's that!" Sure enough I passed it on the 5th try and I'm certain my mom wished she'd let me be a life-long pedestrian from that point on.
Anyways, it hurt to think that maybe Hayden was just so discouraged that she'd given up or was too afraid to try and after that, it was a lot easier for me to have compassion for what she was going through.
Looking back, there are of things I would have done differently:
1) I wouldn't have introduced the potty so early. The potty was always just this optional thing in the bathroom and then all of a sudden one day she HAD to use it. I think that was confusing to her. Next kid, I won't tell him to go in the potty until I fully intend to begin potty-training.
2) Not sticking to any one method. I just assumed potty training would be a piece of cake so I didn't do any research or anything. I believe that if we had done the 3 Day Method from the beginning, it would have worked but at that point I think Hayden was like, "What do you want from me you crazy lady!?!?". The 3 Day Method took a week, but following those guidelines it worked in the end.
I feel like I would have to have a few more kids before I can say, "This is how you potty train." But this is what I learned from one kid so we'll see how it goes for the next one! I'm actually looking forward to it now that I've learned the hard way!
If you are about to embark on this mission, stay positive! Stay calm! They won't be in diapers forever!
Much love,
Liza :)
Having only "trained" 1 kid, I won't presume to have any skill on potty training at all. My only intention here is to share my experience just in case it has some value to other moms in my position. I know it was a major help to me during the dark days to hear that I wasn't alone!
Hayden really did not embrace the whole concept of going in the potty. If it were up to her, she might still be in diapers today. But we pushed through, and now I think it's safe to say that there is no going back. She's in it for the long haul! This is our potty training journey from the very beginning:
When Hayden was maybe 16 months old, we put a $3 Ikea potty in the bathroom. At that point, we didn't make a big deal about her using it as she was still very young. She had only begun walking at 15 months so she was a long way from being able to sit herself down on it, in fact she still needs help sitting down on it! Eventually it became part of her bedtime routine that every night after her bath she would sit down and go before we put her jammies on. I thought I was on the right track, but no, I was not.
One thing the potty training methods always make reference to are the signs of readiness. In my opinion, don't even pay attention to that. A toddler may seem like they're physically ready or SHOULD be ready, but if they're not mentally ready then it is absolutely pointless to do ANYTHING to try to get them to go on the potty. Or at least this was my experience. You would think that if your kid tells you they have to go and stops going in their diapers then they must be ready to go on the potty. Not Hayden. Once presented with the potty as an alternative to going "elsewhere", it was as if I was asking her to sit on a bed of hot coals.
I quit all potty training attempts when I found out I was pregnant because I'd heard about kids regressing after a new baby was born. Then when Deacon was about 3 months old and Hayden was just over 2 I thought, OK she MUST be ready now. But it was the same struggle all over again!
At my most frustrated point I tried to put myself into her position just so that I could somehow get inside her head. Like, WHY doesn't she want to sit on the potty?! What could she be thinking? I remembered back to when I was 16 and trying to get my driver's lisence. It took me a very long time and I had to take my driving test 5 times. The 4th time I failed I was extremely discouraged and I had NO intention of doing it again. I had accepted the fact that I would be a life-long pedestrian and had no problem with that. But my mom said, "You are getting your lisence and that's that!" Sure enough I passed it on the 5th try and I'm certain my mom wished she'd let me be a life-long pedestrian from that point on.
Anyways, it hurt to think that maybe Hayden was just so discouraged that she'd given up or was too afraid to try and after that, it was a lot easier for me to have compassion for what she was going through.
Looking back, there are of things I would have done differently:
1) I wouldn't have introduced the potty so early. The potty was always just this optional thing in the bathroom and then all of a sudden one day she HAD to use it. I think that was confusing to her. Next kid, I won't tell him to go in the potty until I fully intend to begin potty-training.
2) Not sticking to any one method. I just assumed potty training would be a piece of cake so I didn't do any research or anything. I believe that if we had done the 3 Day Method from the beginning, it would have worked but at that point I think Hayden was like, "What do you want from me you crazy lady!?!?". The 3 Day Method took a week, but following those guidelines it worked in the end.
I feel like I would have to have a few more kids before I can say, "This is how you potty train." But this is what I learned from one kid so we'll see how it goes for the next one! I'm actually looking forward to it now that I've learned the hard way!
If you are about to embark on this mission, stay positive! Stay calm! They won't be in diapers forever!
Much love,
Liza :)
Wednesday, 26 March 2014
Updates!!!
Where to begin!? It feels like nothing ever changes yet at the same time Deacon and Hayden are both growing SO fast I can't even keep up. Here are a few updates:
KIDS: Hayden has become a little motor-mouth. She literally does not stop talking but I don't even mind because everything she says is both hilarious and adorable. I could give you examples but you really have to hear her little voice say it to understand the cuteness. She can't say her "R" sounds or "J" sounds. "Jolly Jumper" is "Zolly Zumper". "Rocky" is "Wocky". "Tree trunks" are "See Sunks". She's getting a little attitude and always demands things "NOW". Which is my fault because I probably say "NOW" to her once in a while (oops). It's sometimes hard for me to know - due to my lack of toddler experience - what is typical toddler behaviour and what is actually her true character. So I sincerely hope she is not actually developing dictatorial tendencies.
We live a 2 minute walk from the St. John's Library so we spend a lot of time there. Right now Hayden's favourite books are The Bernstein Bears and The Critters series'. If she sees a Thomas the Train or Caillou book we usually take those home with us too.
Swimming lessons start in a couple weeks and she is really looking forward to it. Thank goodness, because she's not a huge fan of the water. She hates getting water on her head! We'll see how it goes.
Deacon just does not stop growing. He is enormous. He's wearing some 24 month sleepers and onesies. It actually blows my mind that he's become the size he is completely off breast milk alone. It's amazing. He is the sweetest little man. But SO serious. Hayden could be dancing around and being hilarious and he just stares at her with an amused little smirk on his face. He'll laugh if he's being tickled but otherwise it is both exhausting and humiliating trying to get even a little giggle out of him. When he does it melts my heart.
Deacon is Mr. Grabby-hands these days! It's safe to say he's perfected the skill of grabbing objects. And obviously everything goes straight into his mouth. :S
HOUSE: We are officially the owners of land now!! You wouldn't believe how long it took for this one seemingly simple step to be completed. But it's done! So we now have 70 acres of land, plus our 500+ trees that we planted last spring. We are only developing maybe 3 acres and the rest will remain crop. We hope to have a massive garden and we are planning on sharing garden space with our city friends and family. #growyourown. Next step: Get the house plans drafted.
Other than that, I can't think of what else is news. In other less positive news, there were 3 people stabbed at the 7-11 on Main St. (3 blocks away) last night. It totally freaks me out because Tyler often goes there. Time to vacate the North End methinks!!!
Liza :)
KIDS: Hayden has become a little motor-mouth. She literally does not stop talking but I don't even mind because everything she says is both hilarious and adorable. I could give you examples but you really have to hear her little voice say it to understand the cuteness. She can't say her "R" sounds or "J" sounds. "Jolly Jumper" is "Zolly Zumper". "Rocky" is "Wocky". "Tree trunks" are "See Sunks". She's getting a little attitude and always demands things "NOW". Which is my fault because I probably say "NOW" to her once in a while (oops). It's sometimes hard for me to know - due to my lack of toddler experience - what is typical toddler behaviour and what is actually her true character. So I sincerely hope she is not actually developing dictatorial tendencies.
We live a 2 minute walk from the St. John's Library so we spend a lot of time there. Right now Hayden's favourite books are The Bernstein Bears and The Critters series'. If she sees a Thomas the Train or Caillou book we usually take those home with us too.
Swimming lessons start in a couple weeks and she is really looking forward to it. Thank goodness, because she's not a huge fan of the water. She hates getting water on her head! We'll see how it goes.
Deacon just does not stop growing. He is enormous. He's wearing some 24 month sleepers and onesies. It actually blows my mind that he's become the size he is completely off breast milk alone. It's amazing. He is the sweetest little man. But SO serious. Hayden could be dancing around and being hilarious and he just stares at her with an amused little smirk on his face. He'll laugh if he's being tickled but otherwise it is both exhausting and humiliating trying to get even a little giggle out of him. When he does it melts my heart.
Deacon is Mr. Grabby-hands these days! It's safe to say he's perfected the skill of grabbing objects. And obviously everything goes straight into his mouth. :S
HOUSE: We are officially the owners of land now!! You wouldn't believe how long it took for this one seemingly simple step to be completed. But it's done! So we now have 70 acres of land, plus our 500+ trees that we planted last spring. We are only developing maybe 3 acres and the rest will remain crop. We hope to have a massive garden and we are planning on sharing garden space with our city friends and family. #growyourown. Next step: Get the house plans drafted.
Other than that, I can't think of what else is news. In other less positive news, there were 3 people stabbed at the 7-11 on Main St. (3 blocks away) last night. It totally freaks me out because Tyler often goes there. Time to vacate the North End methinks!!!
Liza :)
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