Posts Tagged ‘Kids’

Posted by Colleen     March 9, 2010

Bedtime

After the lazy, relaxing day we had on Sunday celebrating our anniversary, our peaceful little bubble burst as soon as Dave and I walked in the front door with the boys.

Immediately we flew into action getting bedtime under way. We divided up the children, Dave in one room with David while I was in another with Wade.

That’s the good thing about having just two. You still have a 1:1 ratio.

Dave and I passed briefly in the hallway, I in search of a pacifier, he looking for a teddy bear. Items both important to completing the bedtime routine.

“What a difference. Kids — no kids,” Dave said to me as we rushed past each other.

Bedtime, the result of which is silence. However the process of bedtime is anything but.

There are PJs to put on, one last bottle to give, teeth to brush, stories to read, songs to sing. Often it’s all punctuated by whining, and sometimes crying. Or laughter and shrieks from an over-stimulated, over-tired child.

Bedtime is a lot of work for the parents.

We eventually got everyone settled into bed, much later than on a regular night. We went back to the couch, and watched the movie we rented earlier that evening.

The movie ended, and just as we were ready to go to sleep Wade woke up. Something was bothering him, and we didn’t get Wade or ourselves back to bed until 1:30 that morning.

Dave was right. What a contrast our quiet day alone was to our hectic night of parenting. Just hours before we were lounging carefree on the couch lamenting that we didn’t know what to do. There’s no question of what to do when the kids are around. Just a question of what needs to be done first.

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Posted by Colleen     February 15, 2010

What’s New Monday

It’s been awhile since I just updated everyone about what’s going on around here.

Let’s see…

Wade is nine months old now. He’s growing, and doing new things everyday. But he’s not the early bloomer that David was. He isn’t crawling or talking yet. He isn’t even sleeping through the night. I keep reminding myself that he doesn’t need to keep up with David. He’ll do everything in his own time. But sometimes I think, “Why isn’t he doing this or that yet? Is there something wrong?” I know there isn’t. I’m just impatient.

I do wish Wade would sleep through the night. I’ve had enough of his 2 a.m. wake up calls. He isn’t hungry. He doesn’t need a diaper change. He just wants to hang out. Sometimes he’ll be awake for an hour or two. I think some of it is because of teething. For a few nights he was waking up every one to two hours. That I’m pretty sure was his teeth. And I wonder if he naps too much during the day. I’ve been trying to get him to do less of that.

So I’m tired, and coffee is my best friend lately.

I LOVE coffee.

Have I ever mentioned how much I really, really love coffee?

David is his usual smart, funny and stubborn self. Last week you may have read my plea for help with getting him to clean his room. Thank you to all who offered suggestions. I will be trying them out.

Dave is enjoying college. He’s been back in school for a little over a month now. I think he’s decided to major in International Business. He’s doing really well. I guess I’m not as distracting to him now as I was 14 years ago.

We had a nice Valentine’s weekend. Dave’s quartet sang at a Valentine’s dinner Friday night. My mom and dad came up to watch the boys, and I went with him. It was nice to have a few hours away. Then David went home with my parents for a few days, and it was just the three of us on Saturday.

We spent Saturday catching up on everything on our DVR. You know you’re an old married couple when that’s your idea of fun.

I also spent Saturday laying on a heating pad on the couch. Somehow I hurt my back. I have no idea how, but I woke up Friday, and could barely walk or bend over. Picking up Wade wasn’t easy either. I’m all better now thank goodness.

Sunday Dave had another concert so it was just Wade and I on Valentine’s Day. It was nice to have him all to myself for a little while. I called him My Funny Little Valentine all day. Since he’s only nine months old I can still get away with stuff like that.

And then there were two. Again. When David came back today.

Wade and David were both so happy to see each other. David keeps hugging Wade. Wade keeps looking at David and smiling and squealing with delight. They’re already two peas in a pod. Can you imagine the mischief they will get into together in a few years? David is so much older. I can just see him putting Wade up to stuff.

There you go. Are you bored yet? I know. My life is so exciting.

So, what’s new with you?

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Posted by Colleen     February 9, 2010

Clean is the Thing

Moms I need your help.

How do you get your kids to clean their room?

I’ve tried about everything with David, my five year old, over the last two years. It always ends the same way. First he puts up a fight. Then he goes in his room and messes around, and doesn’t get any cleaning done. He ends up being punished.

I’m tired of the fight. I just want him to pick up his toys, and put them in his toy box. This shouldn’t be this hard.

So what works for you?

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Posted by Colleen     February 7, 2010

Help Me Jesus

In our family we don’t take the Lord’s name in vain. Dave and I are pretty strict about it. You won’t even hear Gee Whiz, or Geez around here. You’ll never read OMG on my blog or in my tweets.

Maybe you think I’m a prude, but that’s the rule in our house. Oh, and it just happens to be in a little document called the Ten Commandments too.

The other day David was playing the Wii, and I heard him say, “Jesus!”

My head whipped around. “What did you say? Did you just say Jesus?”

“Yes. I can’t beat this level, and I was asking him to help me.”

“You — were –  praying?”

“Yes.”

“Really?”

“Uh-huh.”

“Well, OK then.”

The faith of a five year old. Calling on the power of the name of Jesus to help him win a video game.  That game seems pretty insignificant, but David was really frustrated over it. Instead of quitting he asked God for help, and kept trying.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. Philippians 4:6 (NIV)

It says everything.

I spend a lot of time asking God for help with the big things, but not always the little, everyday stuff. But I’m trying to remember to do just that.

It might seem silly to ask Him for help with something like getting caught up on the laundry. But if that’s a burden to you, He cares. I can use all the help I can get whether it’s a major crisis, or finding the lost pacifier that I need to soothe a cranky baby.

And that Wii game?

Well, with a little intervention from the Lord and some help from me — hey, the Lord often answers our prayers through other people — David finally made it to the next level.

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Posted by Colleen     February 4, 2010

Tough Mom

This motherhood thing?

It’s hard.

It’s sleepless nights, and poopy diapers, and whining at bedtime, and disciplining them, and trying to get them to LISTEN to you.

Good Grief.

If. They. Would. Just. Listen.

It is often denying yourself to meet the needs of a child who has no idea what you’re sacrificing , and couldn’t possibly understand even if you tried to explain it.

It’s long days with nothing but conversations about Legos and princesses.

It’s cramming yourself in a closet during a game of Hide and Seek when you’re rather be sitting on the couch with a cup of coffee and a good book.

It’s microwaving chicken nuggets for dinner again when you’d rather be grilling prime rib.

It’s dying inside listening to your little one cry in time out, but he has to be taught to obey.

I’ve actually contemplated initiating a game of Hide and Seek – asking my son to hide – but then never doing the seeking. How long would he stay concealed? Long enough for me to take a shower? Make a phone call?

Oh yes, Motherhood is full of a million joys and rewards. Hugs, kisses, giggles, seeing your child succeed. The toughest jobs often are the most rewarding.

But you just can’t always be giddily in love with your children. Sometimes you make mistakes. Sometimes you feel discouraged. Sometimes you kids misbehave.

When you rise above yourself and find deep within the will to get up one more time at 3 a.m., to forgive and love when they’ve scribbled on the wall with a Sharpie, to play one more game of Crazy 8s – that’s when you’re really The Mom.

When it gets tough no one else will love your kids like you love them.

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Posted by Colleen     February 3, 2010

Girl Trouble

David: What’s a girlfriend? A girl that’s your friend, right?

Dad: Well, yes, but she’s a really special friend.

David: Was Mommie your girlfriend?

Dad: Before we got married.

David: I want a girlfriend.

Mommie: When you’re older I’m sure you will have a girlfriend David.

David: Yeah, you know, I try to make friends with girls. But they won’t talk to me. I try to play with them at church, and they just tell me to leave them alone.

Dad: Live and learn, David. Live and learn.

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Posted by Colleen     February 3, 2010

On My Mind

What are your top three worries as a mom?

OK.

1. Um…that I’m just getting EVERYTHING completely wrong, and scarring my kids for life. I mean it’s not like I’ve ever done this parenting thing before. How should I know if I’m doing it right or not? Guess I’ll find out 20 years from now.

2. How in the world are we going to pay for them to go to college? Our own student loans won’t be paid off for another 15 – 20 years. And college costs are going up every year. I’d really like for our kids not to be saddled with the burden of paying for school for the rest of their lives. Oh, my word. I seriously just don’t even want to think about it. Can you say we need some athletic scholarships? Of course if it turns out that I am doing everything wrong like I mentioned in number one, I guess it won’t matter because they’ll be in prison or something.

3. This one’s a little heavy, but I honestly worry about what our country will be like when they’re my age. What if the economy never recovers? What if we never put an end to the constant threat of terrorism? What if we keep losing more and more of our constitutional rights? What if our country’s reputation around the world continues to erode? I just want what every American wants. What Americans have always wanted. For my kids to have more and better opportunities than I did.

What are the three things you just simply don’t have time to worry about as a mom?

1. Other people’s business. I stay away from drama and gossip. I have enough problems of my own. I don’t need anyone else’s to think about.

2. How clean my car is. I don’t know the last time it was at the car wash. The backseat is covered in sticky goo, and crumbs. I’d love to vacuum it out, and steam the upholstery. But when? And what’s the point? They’ll just spill something again. Nope. My car will be filthy until I’m not hauling little kids around in it anymore.

3. Who’s on American Idol, who won a Grammy, what lamo thing did The Bachelor do this week, what are the Kardashians up to? All that pop culture stuff. I’m so far out of the loop. I got lost somewhere around 2005.

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