One of the most difficult parts of having Noah and Claire so close together in age (14 months apart) was how much still needed to be done for them at the same time. They both needed all of their food prepared for them (and sometimes fed to them as well). They both needed to be dressed. They both needed to be entertained. In other words, not alone was being done by them. Understandably of course, but still they were very dependant. And they both were not able to communicate their needs very well, which added the fun of guessing what they needed most of the time.
This time around having Nathan is a different experience. Sure he is completely dependant on us to meet his needs...and wants...but Noah and Claire are now a different story. Being 2 & 3 years old, a very strong-willed 2 & 3 I might add, they are beginning to think they can do everything on their own. I've always believed that this is what parenting is all about...teaching your children to be successful, kind, and independant people. What I didn't realize is how much this would try my patience at times. For example, when I am holding Nathan in one arm (a healthy 14 lbs.) and making breakfast in the kitchen, I am really just wanting to get through it as quickly as possible so I can also get bottles made, coffee going, and maybe even my own breakfast while I'm at it. But then Claire decides, "I do it MY-SELF!", and there it is. The little stubborn, independant darling I love. She can unscrew the peanut butter lid, and doesn't care how long I am squatting down with Nathan to hold the jar for her. She can pick out her own spoon, even if it takes 3 minutes and my cereal is turning to mush. She can put her shoes on or climb into her car seat, and couldn't care less that we are running late for work. I can't complain though, because they are really doing so well with starting to do things on their own. Noah will grab an apple and push a chair over to the sink to wash it himself. They play together upstairs on their own, something that was unimaginable even a year ago. I take it for granted now that they are capable of dressing and feeding themselves, even though that is the things that make life so much easier compared to after Claire was born.
I should add that the Rule of Quiet still applies when the kids are playing by themselves. That is, if I hear nothing but peace and quiet (a rare and dangerous occurance around here), something is not right. The last two incidents both required the carpet cleaner. This week Claire took her turn at coloring with crayons on the carpet in the study. She was much more artistic than her brother who only used the blue crayon. I think she used at least 8 colors. The other incident was 2 weeks ago in our bedroom. The kids had gotten into their "sick" bath bubbles (the Johnson's vapor bath that is $5 a bottle, not the $1 Walmart bubbles we usually use) and squeezed it all over our bedroom carpet. This was an hour before I was going into work.
Nathan's up....time to go see what the rest of the day brings!
Friday, April 17, 2009
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Grocery shopping
Apparantly we are the only family in the world to venture out into the world of a "large" family, meaning anything more than 2 kids now days. Oh wait...we're not? Then why is it that I feel that way when I go out in public with Noah (3 years), Claire (2 years), and Nathan (4 months). Take today for example. We needed to go to Target to get groceries and some new summer clothes for Noah, since he has outgrown his shorts in a matter of 3o seconds. I THOUGHT I was doing well to get myself ready (including shower...yay!), all of the kids dressed and fed and in the car before 10:00. We were even on track to get home in time for Claire's nap. The day was looking good! :)
But then I got 3/4 of the way there, just to hear Claire begging for her juice. Well, we have new rule since we have gotten the minivan....when Mommy is driving the kids are on their own in the back of the van. No snacks. No juices. No help with the headphones. No breaking up fights. Not even help if you drop something and it is spilling everywhere. Mommy is driving and that is that. Except today. Claire's frantic calls for a juice reminded me that I had forgotten the bag at home. Diapers, juice, snacks, and most importantly..my wallet, which now defeated our whole attempt at the grocery store. So I turned around and drove all the way back home to get it. It ended up taking us 40 minutes to get to Target.
Blue doors or green doors? I bet people without kids don't even know that the two entrances to Target are different, but they are. Especially when one child wants to go in the blue doors (by the electronics) and the other green (by the groceries). Good times. Once I had Nathan comfortably strapped into the Baby Bjorn, Noah and Claire were holding hands (Claire mine, then Noah hers), and we had settled the feud over whose turn it was to "push the button" (to close the door to the van of course), we were FINALLY on our way to getting our shopping done---through the blue doors.
Inside the store, there were a million distractions for Noah and Claire. My children have long ago forgone sitting in the cart. Actually the only riding in the cart involves hanging off the side and yelling something about riding on the garbage truck. Eventually, we made it to the boy's clothing department. This was actually a big trip for us....Noah's 1st trip to the "big boy" department at Target. What this really means is paying more for clothes. I wanted to get clothes that were loose enough for potty training this summer, and apparantly I was going to have to pay more for it. Luckily I had a coupon. :)
So about 10 minutes into the shopping trip, Claire poohed. Yup, the black beans she had the night before were doing their job. And we were in the boy's clothing department. And I was wearing Nathan. I looked at the front of the store where the bathrooms were, and thought about the 10 minutes it just took us to walk back to where we were, and made the decision to change Claire right there on the floor.
I picked out some t-shirts and easy shorts for Noah, during which I had called for Noah and Claire to stop running around about 20 times. Nathan had been crying since I had been hunched over with him changing Claire's diaper. So now I am bouncing up and down in an attempt to calm him, and mildly threatening Noah & Claire. "If you don't stay with Mommy, we will go home!". I have followed through with this enough to where they did believe that I would do it. However, today they did not care. Running wildly through the racks of clothes and hiding seemed worth any consequences I was going to dish out.
I should have just gone home at this point. But I didn't. I got my groceries (for the most part), and contact solution (with coupon), and even ice cream. But the WHOLE time, Nathan was screaming, which of course attracts the "awwwwws" and "it's so rough!" and sympathetic stares. Until they see that I am turning around to round up 2 toddlers out of the fiber-supplement aisle and pleading with them to put the bottles of Benefiber that they are using like baby rattles back on the shelf while trying to pick out a better cough medicine for Noah. Then the sympathetic glances become more like entertained stares.
Finally, I surrendered to the inevitable...calling it a day. I looked at my list to make sure I had at least gotten the essentials. No cream cheese. I hadn't even gotten the ingredients for the Easter peanut butter pie. I stared down the aisles (about 7 away) and decided that I didn't have it in me to turn the crew around again and pick up the needed cream cheese. Hopefully it will get done tomorrow at the next attempt at grocery shopping. And hopefully with less kids.
But then I got 3/4 of the way there, just to hear Claire begging for her juice. Well, we have new rule since we have gotten the minivan....when Mommy is driving the kids are on their own in the back of the van. No snacks. No juices. No help with the headphones. No breaking up fights. Not even help if you drop something and it is spilling everywhere. Mommy is driving and that is that. Except today. Claire's frantic calls for a juice reminded me that I had forgotten the bag at home. Diapers, juice, snacks, and most importantly..my wallet, which now defeated our whole attempt at the grocery store. So I turned around and drove all the way back home to get it. It ended up taking us 40 minutes to get to Target.
Blue doors or green doors? I bet people without kids don't even know that the two entrances to Target are different, but they are. Especially when one child wants to go in the blue doors (by the electronics) and the other green (by the groceries). Good times. Once I had Nathan comfortably strapped into the Baby Bjorn, Noah and Claire were holding hands (Claire mine, then Noah hers), and we had settled the feud over whose turn it was to "push the button" (to close the door to the van of course), we were FINALLY on our way to getting our shopping done---through the blue doors.
Inside the store, there were a million distractions for Noah and Claire. My children have long ago forgone sitting in the cart. Actually the only riding in the cart involves hanging off the side and yelling something about riding on the garbage truck. Eventually, we made it to the boy's clothing department. This was actually a big trip for us....Noah's 1st trip to the "big boy" department at Target. What this really means is paying more for clothes. I wanted to get clothes that were loose enough for potty training this summer, and apparantly I was going to have to pay more for it. Luckily I had a coupon. :)
So about 10 minutes into the shopping trip, Claire poohed. Yup, the black beans she had the night before were doing their job. And we were in the boy's clothing department. And I was wearing Nathan. I looked at the front of the store where the bathrooms were, and thought about the 10 minutes it just took us to walk back to where we were, and made the decision to change Claire right there on the floor.
I picked out some t-shirts and easy shorts for Noah, during which I had called for Noah and Claire to stop running around about 20 times. Nathan had been crying since I had been hunched over with him changing Claire's diaper. So now I am bouncing up and down in an attempt to calm him, and mildly threatening Noah & Claire. "If you don't stay with Mommy, we will go home!". I have followed through with this enough to where they did believe that I would do it. However, today they did not care. Running wildly through the racks of clothes and hiding seemed worth any consequences I was going to dish out.
I should have just gone home at this point. But I didn't. I got my groceries (for the most part), and contact solution (with coupon), and even ice cream. But the WHOLE time, Nathan was screaming, which of course attracts the "awwwwws" and "it's so rough!" and sympathetic stares. Until they see that I am turning around to round up 2 toddlers out of the fiber-supplement aisle and pleading with them to put the bottles of Benefiber that they are using like baby rattles back on the shelf while trying to pick out a better cough medicine for Noah. Then the sympathetic glances become more like entertained stares.
Finally, I surrendered to the inevitable...calling it a day. I looked at my list to make sure I had at least gotten the essentials. No cream cheese. I hadn't even gotten the ingredients for the Easter peanut butter pie. I stared down the aisles (about 7 away) and decided that I didn't have it in me to turn the crew around again and pick up the needed cream cheese. Hopefully it will get done tomorrow at the next attempt at grocery shopping. And hopefully with less kids.
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Date...morning?
So as imaginable, things can get pretty stressful around our house. And busy. So by the end of each day, once dinner is made and cleaned up, the toys put away and the floor vacuumed, and the kids are bathed and put to bed, John and I are pretty much ready to pass out from exhaustion in bed. This doesn't leave much in the way of quality time together for just the two of us.
However....this morning we both stayed awake after Nathan's early feeding (4:30ish). We were able to talk to each other without having to stop and change a dirty diaper, put a new episode of Backyardigans on, or fill up a snack cup of fruity Cheerios ("baby fruit loops"). We had a HOT cup of coffee in bed watching uninterrupted TV. Ahhhh....this could be the start of something ingenius....date morning. :)
However....this morning we both stayed awake after Nathan's early feeding (4:30ish). We were able to talk to each other without having to stop and change a dirty diaper, put a new episode of Backyardigans on, or fill up a snack cup of fruity Cheerios ("baby fruit loops"). We had a HOT cup of coffee in bed watching uninterrupted TV. Ahhhh....this could be the start of something ingenius....date morning. :)
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Dinnertime
So after a round of illnesses...time to write again.
Tonight marked the first night of a recommitment to dinnertime for us. Since things have gotten a little off schedule and well, really, just crazy since Nathan was born, we have gotten away from sitting down every night and eating dinner together. It became a fend for yourself, grab what you can, put together anything the kids will eat time of day. Now that things are getting to be a little more routine (an extremely hectic routine) we decided that we need to make it a priority again to sit down and eat our meal in the evening as a family. Mostly to build the routine, but also in large part because we have the pickiest eater on earth (no, not John....although he is a very close second to Noah). The new rule: at least TRY a bite of whatever we are eating for dinner. We will still keep up the fruit and yogurt during bathtime, but it has become ridiculous to make 50 different meals and snacks for everyone every night.
So tonight was lasagna and salad. Claire being the model eater that she is completely ate up the new dinnertime layout. She ate diced tomatoes from the salads and chopped up lasagna in a bowl with a spoon. The bigger the bites she could scoop up, the better. She was happy to have us all sitting with her and eating as well...company!
Nathan thought this new idea was OK. While he was abnormally happy to sit in his bouncer seat on the table with us (instead of the constant desire to be held), we quickly figured out his happiness was only due to him filling his diaper....always a dinnertime bonus.
Noah was the least biggest fan of eating dinner as a family. After crying on the kitchen rug for about 10 minutes (naked of course...) because he wanted to eat an orange instead, John was able to coax Noah up to the table (on his lap). He attempted to get away with just a tiny tongue touch on the lasagna. After a glance our way to see that that wasn't cutting it, he took the plunge. A whole bite of lasagna in his mouth. No chewing. No swallowing. Really barely more than 2 seconds of contact with saliva, but in our minds a small dinnertime success. Noah "tried" what we were having for dinner, and we didn't give in to getting out 20 other things just so that he would eat something.
So the rest of dinner also included Naked Noah peeing off of his chair, then taking him to the bathroom (no success) and then having Claire take her turn on the potty since she always has to do everything the Noah does. Claire had several spoonfuls of lasagna that went overboard during a few failed attempts at getting them to her mouth.
All in all, a good first try at family dinnertime again. With 3 kids, surely they will always be eventful. That's the thing about our house....never a dull moment!
Tonight marked the first night of a recommitment to dinnertime for us. Since things have gotten a little off schedule and well, really, just crazy since Nathan was born, we have gotten away from sitting down every night and eating dinner together. It became a fend for yourself, grab what you can, put together anything the kids will eat time of day. Now that things are getting to be a little more routine (an extremely hectic routine) we decided that we need to make it a priority again to sit down and eat our meal in the evening as a family. Mostly to build the routine, but also in large part because we have the pickiest eater on earth (no, not John....although he is a very close second to Noah). The new rule: at least TRY a bite of whatever we are eating for dinner. We will still keep up the fruit and yogurt during bathtime, but it has become ridiculous to make 50 different meals and snacks for everyone every night.
So tonight was lasagna and salad. Claire being the model eater that she is completely ate up the new dinnertime layout. She ate diced tomatoes from the salads and chopped up lasagna in a bowl with a spoon. The bigger the bites she could scoop up, the better. She was happy to have us all sitting with her and eating as well...company!
Nathan thought this new idea was OK. While he was abnormally happy to sit in his bouncer seat on the table with us (instead of the constant desire to be held), we quickly figured out his happiness was only due to him filling his diaper....always a dinnertime bonus.
Noah was the least biggest fan of eating dinner as a family. After crying on the kitchen rug for about 10 minutes (naked of course...) because he wanted to eat an orange instead, John was able to coax Noah up to the table (on his lap). He attempted to get away with just a tiny tongue touch on the lasagna. After a glance our way to see that that wasn't cutting it, he took the plunge. A whole bite of lasagna in his mouth. No chewing. No swallowing. Really barely more than 2 seconds of contact with saliva, but in our minds a small dinnertime success. Noah "tried" what we were having for dinner, and we didn't give in to getting out 20 other things just so that he would eat something.
So the rest of dinner also included Naked Noah peeing off of his chair, then taking him to the bathroom (no success) and then having Claire take her turn on the potty since she always has to do everything the Noah does. Claire had several spoonfuls of lasagna that went overboard during a few failed attempts at getting them to her mouth.
All in all, a good first try at family dinnertime again. With 3 kids, surely they will always be eventful. That's the thing about our house....never a dull moment!
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
My sweetheart
One of the reasons I wanted to start writing this was to keep track of some of the sweet things Noah (and of course the other two) says and does.
Noah seems to be quite empatethetic. He covered his ears and buried his head in the chair when his brother and sister got their immunizations at their last check-up. He looks after Nathan in the backseat when he cries, trying to give him his pacifier, playing the music on his toy, or talking and singing to him. "It's OK Nathan. We'll be home some and feed you, OK?".
This past weekend when I wasn't feeling well, I laid down on the bed next to Noah (he was of course watching Little Einsteins) for a minute with my head down on the pillow. Noah crawls over to me and rubs my arm. I hear, "It's OK Mommy, you will feel better, OK?." Then he bends down and gives me a little kiss on my arm. I teared up.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not thinking he's so sweet when he's hitting his sister over the head with a block. Or whining over getting ANOTHER Little Einsteins put on "Mommy's TV". But even as I write this, with Claire in my lap, Noah is sweetly coming over to me and patting me on the back to show me Doctor Noah-- or Noah with a baby wipe over his mouth, which he is now using to clean the TV.
Noah seems to be quite empatethetic. He covered his ears and buried his head in the chair when his brother and sister got their immunizations at their last check-up. He looks after Nathan in the backseat when he cries, trying to give him his pacifier, playing the music on his toy, or talking and singing to him. "It's OK Nathan. We'll be home some and feed you, OK?".
This past weekend when I wasn't feeling well, I laid down on the bed next to Noah (he was of course watching Little Einsteins) for a minute with my head down on the pillow. Noah crawls over to me and rubs my arm. I hear, "It's OK Mommy, you will feel better, OK?." Then he bends down and gives me a little kiss on my arm. I teared up.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not thinking he's so sweet when he's hitting his sister over the head with a block. Or whining over getting ANOTHER Little Einsteins put on "Mommy's TV". But even as I write this, with Claire in my lap, Noah is sweetly coming over to me and patting me on the back to show me Doctor Noah-- or Noah with a baby wipe over his mouth, which he is now using to clean the TV.
Monday, February 23, 2009
Our weekend
After a relatively healthy winter so far, lately we have been hit by one round of colds after another. First Noah, Claire and Nathan...then Claire & Nathan....now Nathan and me. Nathan is on his second round of antibiotics for an ear infection in his OTHER ear. Apparantly when he gets these colds, the drainage sits in his ears and leads to an infection. As common as ear infections are, we have only had to deal with one from Noah when he was about 10 months old and that is it. Now at 2 1/2 months, Nathan has already had 2. :(
The great thing about having kids is that they stop for nothing. Illness, cold weather or just plain ol' exhausted parents doesn't get in their way!
We did go on our first minivan shopping trip Saturday. The kids did amazingly well for sitting in a dealership for 2 1/2 hours. They loved climbing all over the new cars, but John and I didn't do as well. I'm going to guess it's because the salespeople saw 3 kids in car seats and knew we were in desparate need of a larger vehicle and would do anything (or so they thought) to get one. They must have thought that we had not done any research whatsoever into the vehicles or their prices. Oh well, there are plenty of other dealerships to buy from. In the meantime we are nice and cozy in Big Blue, but are still getting around.
A stranger gave me a hug as I was loading the kids and groceries into the car on Friday. I needed it.
I was wondering if I would be able to find the time to write in this, and wasn't sure how often. Since I put Nathan down 10 minutes ago, I've had to stop writing 4 times and go upstairs to tend to Noah and Claire (once to put on a new episode of Little Einsteins, once to move them from playing on the stairs with a plastic storage tub, and once to break up a fight over the train track and one stop was down here to stop Claire form pouring her scrambled egg into a play tea cup).
The great thing about having kids is that they stop for nothing. Illness, cold weather or just plain ol' exhausted parents doesn't get in their way!
We did go on our first minivan shopping trip Saturday. The kids did amazingly well for sitting in a dealership for 2 1/2 hours. They loved climbing all over the new cars, but John and I didn't do as well. I'm going to guess it's because the salespeople saw 3 kids in car seats and knew we were in desparate need of a larger vehicle and would do anything (or so they thought) to get one. They must have thought that we had not done any research whatsoever into the vehicles or their prices. Oh well, there are plenty of other dealerships to buy from. In the meantime we are nice and cozy in Big Blue, but are still getting around.
A stranger gave me a hug as I was loading the kids and groceries into the car on Friday. I needed it.
I was wondering if I would be able to find the time to write in this, and wasn't sure how often. Since I put Nathan down 10 minutes ago, I've had to stop writing 4 times and go upstairs to tend to Noah and Claire (once to put on a new episode of Little Einsteins, once to move them from playing on the stairs with a plastic storage tub, and once to break up a fight over the train track and one stop was down here to stop Claire form pouring her scrambled egg into a play tea cup).
Friday, February 20, 2009
The minivan
So we have decided that we are now that family. You know...the family with a minivan. Well, to be fair, where else do people put 3 kids...especially 3 in car seats? We bought Big Blue (the Rainier) with the hopes that it would take us through a few kids, even 3 if we needed to. I mean, there are 3 seat belts back there right? Well, Noah just moved to the "extended" car seat, or the big car seat that fits a child up to 65 lbs in a 5-point harness-- the safest way to ride for toddlers. Normal 5-point harness seats fit children up to 40 lbs, which Noah clearly is not (38lbs at his November 2008 check-up). Anyway, with the new big seat, all 3 car seats are beyond snug in our backseat, and the kids are only growing. Not to mention the 3 sets of diapers, extra change of clothes,blankets, DVD player, toys, books, and endless snacks and drinks we tote around. Toss in a double stroller and the toys for the sand box at the park and we have one full car.
So now John and I have researched minivans so much that really we could be salespeople for them. And as soon as he is off call (Tuesday) we will be going to look at them in person. We already have our local dealerships giving us information. With us now being a family of 5, and the need to travel, a minivan is really our only option. And honestly, we are excited about it. :)
So now John and I have researched minivans so much that really we could be salespeople for them. And as soon as he is off call (Tuesday) we will be going to look at them in person. We already have our local dealerships giving us information. With us now being a family of 5, and the need to travel, a minivan is really our only option. And honestly, we are excited about it. :)
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