Not Going Down Without a Fight

Well, Max has taken pretty well to the loss of his beloved bottle, but now I know that his indifference was merely a place saver, while he was really very busy mentally planning his rebellion.

A month or so ago he fell/climbed out of his crib. It scared him, I put him back in, and he went right to sleep. And I breathed a huge sigh of relief that he didn't fight it and we wouldn't be having that battle.

Ava nor Luke ever made any attempt to get out of their crib. Up until last year, Ava didn't even get out of her own bed in the morning by herself. She'd call when she woke up just to ask and be sure, "Is it time to wake up yet?" She has never once gotten out of her bed after we've put her there. And I know that is not typical, but it has been very nice.

Luke was more normal, but still goes to bed very well. He doesn't come out of his room at night, though he does come out when he wakes in the morning, crazy kid.

When we first made the switch, I always warned both of them, they could sleep in the big bed, but if they got up and out and played, etc, then they'd have to go back in the crib. And we had very smooth transitions.

So yesterday, I put Max down for his nap. Not 15 seconds after I shut his door, I heard it open and I look to find him standing in the doorway with a sheepish grin. In shock, I walked over, picked him up, laid him back down, and he went to sleep.

Again, I wiped my brow and said a silent thank you that he was not going to keep doing it.

A few hours later, as I sat at the dining room table, helping my mom with some paper work, I look up and see him standing on the stairs. Same sheepish grin.

I lost count at 30 times I put him back in his crib last night. Approximately 5 seconds after I shut the door, it would creak open. Two eyes and a grin.

Pick him up, pay no attention, lay him down, walk out, shut the door. Count to 5. Creeeeaak. Two eyes and a grin.

Rinse and repeat.

Finally he gave in to another snuggle and song by his daddy and went to sleep.

So I've boiled it down to two options:

Buy a crib tent.

Or put him in a big boy bed and put a child proof handle on the inside of his door.

I can't handle the idea of him wandering around the house at night by himself and I can't handle the idea of standing guard duty at his door for 40 minutes every night, but my mom insists that neither of these options are humane.

But in my opinion, either one would be more humane than the jump rope I have tied between his bedroom doorknob and the bathroom right now.

Kind advice welcomed :)

Sobering Up

I should really pay more attention when I'm filling out forms for Ava's school. I got an email this week letting me know when the Room Rep training would be.

Room Rep training? Is that like a Room Mom? Why do I need to know when the Room Rep training is?

Oh that's right, because I SIGNED UP to be the Room Rep.

Apparently I got a little overzealous with my check marks on the Volunteer Survey.

I want to be involved in the school. I want to be a familiar face, I want to know what goes on there, etc. But didn't want to be Room Mom. At least I didn't think so, but I learned at my training this morning that there are actually three of us for the classroom and we can work together.

So now I can see my life coming in to focus: I change diapers. I drive a mini-van. I am a Room Mom, and I need to sign the kids up for soccer, stat!

Really, I kid. I saw a tiny portion of some weird show on TLC last night, My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding or some other such nonsense. But the narrator said something about how the girls in this culture only want to get married and take care of their kids and their husbands and along the way implied this was a backward notion. And I couldn't help but think that, in my opinion, that is where things have gone so wrong. When people started to believe that taking care of home and family was a bad thing, that surely a career outside of the home would be so much more important and fulfilling than staying home to take care of your family, that's where we've gotten off course as a society. Yes, women are good workers. Yes, women can do great and important things in society and industry. But, YES, taking care of your home and family is a valid, worthwhile endeavor. Worthy of a woman's time and effort, and certainly a job of importance and fulfillment. It's a shame that it's looked at as a "less than". I didn't settle to be a mom, I chose to be a mom and I chose to stay home. I understand that some people's circumstances don't allow the mother to stay at home, but I just wish that the view of those of us who do wasn't so skewed.

Some days I want to search the want ads, but it's not because I want a job, more because I want a break!



I bit the bullet and joined Pinterest this week. I had been trying to stay away knowing full well that I don't need any more reasons to peruse the internet. But I realized that not joining did not mean that I would suddenly stop perusing the internet and therefore I could save myself some trouble by at least being organized with it!

The truth is I really don't read many blogs, just the ones on my sidebar and a handful of others. But my little bookmark tab seems to grow by the day. So there you go, Pinterest.

I am converted. If you aren't familiar with it, you can click on that little button right over there, but beware, it is fun and stimulating and addicting. Enter at your own risk!

Speaking of addictions, when I got Max up to take Ava to school this morning, I could not find his bottle, which is his customary drive-to-school beverage of choice. It is also his all-day, any-time-I'm-feeling-sad/mad/frustrated/happy beverage of choice. Dan and I have been saying for a few months now that it's probably time to let it go.

That bottle has probably been our crutch as much as his. And as I have had more kids, things like bottles and paci's and thumb sucking and pretty much everything have become so much less of an issue for me. I really don't care. It will all come out in the wash in the end anyway. When my kid goes to college I am positive he'll be potty trained and binky free.

But, Max and his bottle were becoming a little much, even for me. Even though we'd only give him a couple of ounces at a time, it was like we were running a full day bottle filling operation. And he has been known to turn down food for the bottle. I know what you're thinking; that kid does not need to eat more food! But better, food than gallons of whole milk.



So today when I couldn't find it, I decided-- Today is the day!

He has now been bottle free for 18 hours. Sure, he was asleep for 11 of them, but those other 7, he's been a trooper! He thinks about throwing a fit when I remind him that his bottle is "lost" but then gives up on it mid scream.

I'm thinking this might be easier than I thought.

Still a Fan

When I open the back door I can almost hear the chorus of bugs celebrating from all over the yard, cheering for the arrival of their next meal:

"Wahoo! Here he comes! Look at those chubby thighs! Look at that soft, juicy skin! The plumpness, the sweetness! Dinner is served!"

Max is a mosquito's dream.


Even with bug spray, those nasty bloodsuckers can't keep their noses off of him. He always has twice as many bites as the other two. But if Max is dinner, Ava and Luke must be the appetizer and dessert. They have sweet blood, too.

Luke, however, is the only one capable of having a bug bite (ant, mosquito, spider?) go from bite, to allergic reaction, to full blown infection in less than 24 hours. Now that takes talent.

We're not sure who did the biting, possibly an ant, especially given his previous history. But as far as we can tell, we don't have any fire ant colonies in our backyard. In any case, he is now taking his antibiotics and sporting an infection tracking tattoo.



But no little infection can tame his fan-fueled happiness:

Some Things To Get Excited About

I started composing this list for its own sake, but as the morning has gone on, I am using it to cheer myself up from two dumpy things:

1. I went for my first run in 3 weeks today and only made it a mile before my knee was crying. And now it is so sore. Off to the doctor, I suppose.

2. My beloved camera is on the fritz. I have no idea what the problem could be or how or where to get it fixed. All I know is that sometimes (with increasing frequency) I push the button and tell it to take a picture and it completely ignores me. And I am suspecting that the light meter is a little off too.

So now onto the good stuff:


1. There is a wild bunny nest in our front yard! Ava came to me as I buckled Max into the car this morning, convinced that she heard baby birds chirping when she stood at a certain spot in the yard. Upon inspection we realized that she was standing on a baby filled rabbit hole. Hence the squeaking. Well, we didn't actually see the babies because there was something a little scary about sticking my hand down a hole. But I can imagine that as they grow this next little while we will be able to catch a glimpse and maybe get some pictures. Oh! My camera! Don't remind me! Moving on...

2. The unidentifiable death-like stench in my van that had been driving me crazy and making us all feel queasy for weeks has finally been located, identified, and eradicated! It just took one crazy hard stop to send the baggie of old cheese and apple slices rocketing from it's still mysterious hiding spot!

3. Ava has joined the ranks of the independent shoe putter-on-ers of America! I finally bought her some longer laces and that did the trick! She can tie her own shoes! In double knots even!

Happy Thriday!

Milwaukee

I entered the land of neighborhood pubs and Friday Fish Fry's and our time was exactly how I'd hoped.

I loved the feel of their area. The homes were all older with very well kept yards. There were a lot of trees and green rolling hills.

We went to church on Sunday, where I saw with my very own eyes, my 30 year old brother-in-law being the bishop. I mean, I knew he was the bishop, but I couldn't really see it, that is until I saw it.

No offense to him for looking and being young, and from what I could tell and how the members there related to him, he will do a fine job. And I am glad they are in the right spot and worthy and willing to do their part.

As Leah requested, I took some pictures of their family. I am always happy to do this, and a little nervous too. It is kind of a big production to plan your outfits, get yourselves and all your children dressed and ready, make it to the locale, and then take pictures without somebody coming up grumpy. And it is kind of a challenge for me in my amateur state to capture that many faces looking good at the same moment and I want to be sure they feel that their effort was worth it.

But I imagine the production part is the same for an amateur as it is for a professional. And if I do it, the production is free!

The temperatures were cold! At least to me and my Texas blood, but I couldn't bring myself to complain because it felt good! (remember my pants excitement?!) But it did make for our timing to be a little off in the sunlight department. We had to wait until it was at least 60 degrees to take those cutie pies out, because the outfits we finally put together weren't really cold weather friendly.

But we waited and then we went. Little Sage wasn't so happy with the whole idea but we got what we could and returned the next morning to get individual shots of those we didn't get the day before.











Can you tell that Ian did not want his picture taken?





Like at all.








Overall, I was so happy with how they came out. I felt like I learned some things and applied other things I had learned previously. I rediscovered my old Flickr account as I searched for ways to get the pictures to them without having to mail them. You can see the rest there.

Now if I could only take my own family pictures and be in them at the same time, we would be all set!

Leah and I took a tour of the Sprecher Brewery. We figured a brewery tour was a very Milwaukee thing to do. I fell in love with their soda (and I don't really even like soda) and thought I had stumbled across the perfect souvenir to bring home to Dan (who loves soda almost as much as he loves me). That was right until I remembered that it would cost me $25 to check my only bag for an 82 cent bottle of soda because it was over 3 0z and couldn't be carried on.

A quick check taught me I can order Sprecher Root Beer online, which might be happening in the near future. I can't promise you anything about the beer but I can whole-heartedly stand behind their Root Beer, Puma Cola, and Orange Dream.

I had to get some cheese while I was in Wisconsin too. I love cheese. I think I might die if I could never eat cheese again. And there's nothing better than Wisconsin cheese, right?



We went to a cute little cheese shop and I just couldn't decide what I wanted. So I purchased a bag full of all different "orphans". They were the little ends of the cheese left from the big blocks. I always try to do my part for those in need and these little orphans needed me! They are actually still sitting in my fridge waiting for a cheese tasting party where they will finally find their rightful home in our bellies. I did also buy some cheese curds that I just couldn't wait for, and we busted them open in the car.



Delicious!


And no trip is ever complete without a toilet smash. Leah and I had compared our plumbing woes right before my trip and she agreed to wait for me so I could be part of their smash to discover just which lucky toy had clogged up their potty for good.




The boys started with sticks,



then they moved to the hammer,




and once Chris stepped in it was over quickly.

I think when you see something expensive ruined you kind of hope that it was caused by something equally expensive, like a bar of solid gold or a fat roll of hundreds, just to make it feel worth it. You will have to ask Chris how it feels to spend hundreds of dollars replacing a toilet clogged forever by a free Happy Meal Toy.




Lastly we squeezed in our girl movie time. I had brought Sense and Sensibility and Anne of Green Gables.

Every time I watch Sense and Sensibility I think of Leah and I. She is Elinor and I, Marianne. But we opted instead for Anne of Green Gables. We watched the whole thing through and then with only a few hours before my departure, ran to the library to check out the sequel. We didn't get to finish and I was almost very late for my shuttle but we scrambled and made it in time.

It's no big deal because we have seen it before and maybe finishing it can be the first item on the agenda for our next visit.


Thank you for having me, Williamson's! I love you!

Chicago

I'm back and ready for action. On my Mommy Vacation journey this past weekend, I came to a conclusion: Aside from my family, and all that living for them and loving them entails, aside from the logistical food, and shelter, and water, if there were just three things I needed to be happy and feel like myself despite any and all circumstances, they would be, in nor particular order, the ability to

1) Take pictures
2) Sew
3) Write

And that is not to imply that I fancy myself extraordinarily talented in any of those areas. But on this trip I was pleasantly immersed in number 1. That is one of the perks of traveling sans kids. I felt like I had my camera around my neck an awful lot. And having the ability to stop mid-sidewalk and point my camera way up towards the beautiful Chicago skyline, and not worry a second about whether my baby was going to let go of my pant leg and get hit by a car, that was nice. (Not to mention that I actually got to wear pants on this trip. You have no idea how long I've waited for that. No idea!)

And I have the pictures to prove it. But beyond the pictures and my first tour of that beautiful city, I am most happy about the time I get to spend with the people in this one:



I understand how parents can say they love their children equally but differently. And it didn't even take me becoming a parent to figure it out because that is how I love my siblings. I love them all the same amount, but differently.

Ian and I enjoy the same kind of funny. As a little girl he always told me I was beautiful but made sure I knew that he was more beautiful. He trained me to say things like, "I'm glad you got to see me today." He taught me to shoot a lay-up. He perfected the art of dating. When I was 10 he dressed me up, set me on the porch of a girl he liked, with a dozen roses and a note asking her to a dance. He had (and still does) the ability to explain the most complicated things to me and make me understand with ease. I could pretty much say anything I want without fear of repercussion because he doesn't even read this blog, but I'll just say he always made me feel special.

So Ian, his boy Oliver, Leah, and I walked all over the city of Chicago. I had been strictly following a no sugar regime diet for the past few weeks, but Ian, in his truest fashion, talked me out of it. And we spent the rest of the day walking and eating and taking pictures. Pretty perfect if you ask me.

I loved seeing the old and modern architecture blended throughout the city.




There was the Hancock tower and it's obliging views.













There was Memorial Park and The Bean.


















There was an Aston Martin and Lake Michigan.






There was the Chicago Tribune and the Chicago River.






There was a giant Marilyn Monroe and a quite a few men not too embarrassed to take pictures up her dress.




There was the Trump tower and the Wrigley Building.



And there was deep dish pizza. Man, was there ever deep dish pizza. Totally and completely worth the wait.










After we stuffed ourselves, we walked back to the car through some sprinkles just before the real rain hit.

And we spent the remainder of the evening at Ian's new home with the rest of the family.



I hadn't seen Cristina's parents since Oliver was born back in Boston, almost 11 years ago. So that was fun.


And after sugar-filled brownies and good conversation, Leah and I rode off into the sunset towards Milwaukee.

Just an update

So Lukey is really liking school. As I mentioned before I'm not so fond of his teacher but he doesn't seem to mind. And since it doesn't bother him, I'm trying not to let it bother me. He actually has a teacher Mrs. Weber, and an assistant teacher, Mrs. Hernandez, who seems much more my style. He calls her Mrs. Hernana or sometimes just Mrs. Nana and it makes me laugh every time.

He also calls Nutella sandwiches, "Telascope sandwhiches."





The kid is just making all kinds of progress. Not really from school either, I'd guess, since he's only been there three times. But his writing and drawing has really blossomed. He's writing his name and drawing pictures that actually resemble objects and places. He is cutting things out with precision and gluing appropriately. These are all skills that hadn't really made their debut when he was in his little preschool last year.

He is taking a lot of pride in doing things himself and enjoying a bit more independence. He wishes he could eat lunch at school everyday instead of just Wednesdays.





And two weeks in, Ava also seems to be enjoying school. She keeps saying, "I can't believe it's not hard. Why isn't it hard yet, Mom?" I honestly don't know how to answer her. I hate to say something, like, "Just you wait!" But I also don't want her to be in shock, when the "easing in" is over. But who knows, maybe she won't struggle this year. That would be nice. Her reading seems to be improving each day. And I think she is much more confident this year.

I haven't run for over a week now, in hopes that my knee will stop complaining. During the month of August I was helping a high school girl with her basketball a couple of times a week. It was incredibly fun for me. I miss playing, though I didn't realize how much until we worked together this past month. But during that time I was noticing a pain in my knee that I hadn't felt before. And it became apparent that my continued running wasn't going to help, in fact it just started to make it feel worse. I have been waking up early to walk with a friend these past couple of weeks and hopefully when I return from my mommy vacation this weekend, my knee will be back in business and we can start to run.

Waking up 45 minutes earlier than my usual has been nice in the way that I do enjoy being up in the mornings for a few minutes before the kids, and that could never happen unless I had someone to be accountable to. But waking up 45 minutes earlier has made me so, so tired. I am like an old woman, I can barely make it until noon before I'm ready for a siesta.

Maybe I will feel rejuvenated after this weekend. A while back, I saw a crazy fare to Chicago, so I bought it! I will get to spend some time with my sister, Leah in Milwaukee, and my brother, Ian in Chicago, and see both of their new houses. A tour of Chicago, a little Jane Austen movie time, and an old toilet smash are all on the agenda. I can't wait!

And of course, my gallivanting could never be possible without the money-making, babysitter himself, Dan The Man!