Got up this morning...8am...same routine every morning...head to the bathroom.
Go to flush the toilet and then the routine changes...
There is no water. Ugh.
Go out to the pump, it's been running all night, as I'd taken a shower before bed, obviously not long enough after watering my garden. The pump ended up with an air pocket in it. UGH! So I have to turn off the power to it, pour water down in it to help "pop" the air pocket & re-prime the pump. Three hours later I have water running in the house.
During this time I was in DESPERATE need of wanting to drink some coffee. I pour out the last few grains of coffee I have, pour in some water from my back-up supply, start the coffee. That was at around 9 this morning...it's 11pm and I still haven't gotten to drink a drop of that coffee.
Today was also laundry day. Fought with Mikeal for 3 hours to help me with getting the laundry gathered, as I have to take it over to my mom's due to well pump issues.... FINALLY get the car loaded, the kids loaded, and head out to my mom's...now just past noon...
Get to my mom's and find out that my 10 month old mower that I loan to them, roughly every weekend, no longer works. SOB! I unload my laundry, get it started, mess with the mower for a bit. Yeap, the carburetor on it isn't staying open to keep gas up in the engine. It's under warranty so no big deal, I'll just take it back and get a new new one....Also, the new inner tube I got for Mikeal's bike is the wrong size...okay, again, no big deal, I have the receipt still, JIC, I can exchange it....
Get the mower loaded, by now the kids are soaked from playing in the sprinkler almost as soon as we got to my mom's, so they're going to stay with Grandma...she's also going to switch out my laundry for me while I'm gone.
I run out to the house, pick up the warranty receipt on the mower, see that my weeping cherry tress have finally came in! WOOT! Deliver Grandma Pennye's tree that came with mine to her place, make a deal that if I run into problems returning the mower at Lowes that I can borrow one of their spare mowers.
FINALLY get headed towards Lowes, roughly a 30 minute drive (by this time I've already been gone over an hour, and I get a bit antsy when I leave my kids with my mom when I should be back quickly).
My front passenger side tire starts going thump thump thump. FREAKIN FLAT! I pull into the first mechanic place I come across, hoping they can fix my tire. Sure, not a problem. $15 is what he asks to put a plug & patch in it, there's a screw in it. Lovely. I have $14 on me. So I ask the dude if he wouldn't mind if I go down the road to OReilly's, where my husband works, and get the rest of the cash, as I was a bit short. He asks me who my husband is...I tell him, Brian, he waves his hand at me and tells me not to worry about it, he won't charge me for it. Yay!
I get to Lowes. My mower is approved to be warrantied out, so they give me my cash back on it that I'd paid for it...I go back to the mower section. Wouldn't ya know, the new mower, exact same model, is now $10 more this year than it was last year...plus I'd have to buy a new warranty if I want the new mower covered... Bringing my new total $25 more than what I'd gotten back, plus tax. Remember, I have a whole $14 on me..which is what I keep on me, JIC I have to get diapers before payday.
I go over to O'Reilly's and talk to Brian about it (he's practically across the street & down a few blocks)... its decided that we're going to wait for another paycheck or two and go with an "upgrade" model, since I have access to one I can borrow.
Ok, fine. I now have $160+ in my pocket...WOOT!...
Get headed back to town. Grab a bite to eat, as it's 4pm, and I still have yet to eat today.
Get over to Grandma Pennye's, borrow the mower, head to Wal-Mart, exchange the inner tube, get headed back to my mom's...
Its 5pm....I have been gone over 3 hours just to exchange the mower, and did not have a new mower.
There are a ton of guys over at my mom's place, friends & family of my step-dad's, all hanging out, drinking, the works...no big deal, except they get LOUD. OH well, at least they're all outside.
The kids are back out in the sprinkler, Mikeal's riding his bike everywhere; Mikaila is constantly having to be brought back down off the hill & driveway that, but they had a blast.
Then Mikaila started playing in the mud, no big deal, God created my kids washable, so mud isn't a big deal. She then decided that I also needed to be muddy with her, so she kept grabbing handfuls of it to smear on my legs. LOL Silly Girl. She was so proud of herself too! ...A few YouTube videos of it are in the sidebar --->>>>
After dark things settled down, the "extra" guys all went home, I finished laundry, fed dinner to the kids, Brian got there, we loaded up the car, and I came home... Only to have both kids catch their second wind about the time we hit the highway on the way home...at 10:30 pm...Mikeal went to bed finally just before 11. It's almost 1am and Mikaila had been doing nothing but screaming while in her crib instead of going to sleep. Since getting her back up, again, she's brought me her sandals and a change of her clothes...I'm taking it that she's wanting to go somewhere... OY!
The real kicker is that Brian then informs me that he could of "simply" fixed the mower...grrr...
Wait...Mikaila just sat down on the couch, with her blanket...
Ahhhh...peace...two minutes later she is now snoring. I knew that if she'd only stop for 30 seconds she'd be out, and she was.
Now I'm off to bed....G'Night, I'm hoping tomorrow goes better than today.... My plans include going through a lot of totes, closets, & dressers to get rid of stuff, long day planned, but at least the kids have a small shallow pool here now so they *should* be more inclined to spend time outside.
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Friday, May 29, 2009
OH NO!
What do I do?
Mikeal got a bumper sticker for my car...the kind that states "Proud Parent of an Honor Student"....Now, where I'm UTTERLY proud of him and his hard work this year, and have no real issue with sharing this news with everyone... But to put that on my car... :blink: I'm not really all that "enthusiastic" about it. He is.
It was bad enough when I had to admit to myself I had a first grader...now I'm going to have a sticker on the car window showing the world I have an honor student... Then in a few months I'll have to suck up the fact I have a second grader.... the following year I'll have Mikaila starting preschool. And then I'll be 30
Mikeal got a bumper sticker for my car...the kind that states "Proud Parent of an Honor Student"....Now, where I'm UTTERLY proud of him and his hard work this year, and have no real issue with sharing this news with everyone... But to put that on my car... :blink: I'm not really all that "enthusiastic" about it. He is.
It was bad enough when I had to admit to myself I had a first grader...now I'm going to have a sticker on the car window showing the world I have an honor student... Then in a few months I'll have to suck up the fact I have a second grader.... the following year I'll have Mikaila starting preschool. And then I'll be 30
Re: LugNut's pregnancy
I think we're FINALLY getting a little bit of definite action in the puppy department...
- She's been clingy most of the day.
- She's barely ate anything for a day or two (common with dogs at what I'm going to assume "this stage")
- Her belly has almost TRIPLED from where it was just a week ago...still not more than a large orange in size, but definitely can see belly
- Her "milk jugs" are HUGE
- She has insisted on being at my side WAY more than normal...I had to leave earlier because Mikeal broke the flip flops he wore to school, at school, and after I'd buckled Mikaila in the car & went back to get her sippy cup I dropped in the floor, LugNut was waiting in the car, curled up in the driver's seat, not wanting to stay home alone. ...She's NEVER gotten in the car on her own
That's all the "not normal" bits I've picked up on lately.
Many prayers that this "false pregnancy" absolves itself by producing puppies....SOON....
- She's been clingy most of the day.
- She's barely ate anything for a day or two (common with dogs at what I'm going to assume "this stage")
- Her belly has almost TRIPLED from where it was just a week ago...still not more than a large orange in size, but definitely can see belly
- Her "milk jugs" are HUGE
- She has insisted on being at my side WAY more than normal...I had to leave earlier because Mikeal broke the flip flops he wore to school, at school, and after I'd buckled Mikaila in the car & went back to get her sippy cup I dropped in the floor, LugNut was waiting in the car, curled up in the driver's seat, not wanting to stay home alone. ...She's NEVER gotten in the car on her own
That's all the "not normal" bits I've picked up on lately.
Many prayers that this "false pregnancy" absolves itself by producing puppies....SOON....
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Just Sucks
I don't know what or why, but that's just my current frame of mind. And I can't think of a single reason why I'm feeling this way.
A lot of things have gone very well today, or at least not wrong. :huh: We signed the new lease (that we should of signed back around the first of April :giggle: ) And she reduced our rent we have to pay, and instead of having to come up with the whole chunk she's going to leave it up to our choice to split it into two payments or make a whole payment each month, so long as we make the payments. We also discussed redoing some of the plumbing & electrical that is in need of being done and filing for a weatherization grant that will pay for new windows, doors, insulation, & maybe even a new roof. ...the roof leaks in two spots and to look at it from outside it sags in a few places, I just noticed a few days ago. :? Maybe something to do with the 23 consecutive days of rain we had with a few day break before starting back up again ...but anyways good news there
I also got a brand new Swiffer Vac for FREE today...it's my new love!!!
I stopped at a yard sale type thing (the people running it own a consignment shop)...and they were having their dollar dayz sale. I picked up three nice skirts, a few nice dress pants, and a few nice shirts for myself & a 3 piece suit for Brian (turns out the jacket is a smidge too small) but ALL of it plus some canning jars, for $4.72. I think I got three shirts, four skirts, and two or three pants for me.
The interior of my car was detailed out for me today...not sure if he did the windows, but I just asked him to take it down to be vacuumed out, I was tired of nasty french fries in the back seat.
I just hate having this feeling like something is wrong or is getting ready to be wrong or not right or something.
A lot of things have gone very well today, or at least not wrong. :huh: We signed the new lease (that we should of signed back around the first of April :giggle: ) And she reduced our rent we have to pay, and instead of having to come up with the whole chunk she's going to leave it up to our choice to split it into two payments or make a whole payment each month, so long as we make the payments. We also discussed redoing some of the plumbing & electrical that is in need of being done and filing for a weatherization grant that will pay for new windows, doors, insulation, & maybe even a new roof. ...the roof leaks in two spots and to look at it from outside it sags in a few places, I just noticed a few days ago. :? Maybe something to do with the 23 consecutive days of rain we had with a few day break before starting back up again ...but anyways good news there
I also got a brand new Swiffer Vac for FREE today...it's my new love!!!
I stopped at a yard sale type thing (the people running it own a consignment shop)...and they were having their dollar dayz sale. I picked up three nice skirts, a few nice dress pants, and a few nice shirts for myself & a 3 piece suit for Brian (turns out the jacket is a smidge too small) but ALL of it plus some canning jars, for $4.72. I think I got three shirts, four skirts, and two or three pants for me.
The interior of my car was detailed out for me today...not sure if he did the windows, but I just asked him to take it down to be vacuumed out, I was tired of nasty french fries in the back seat.
I just hate having this feeling like something is wrong or is getting ready to be wrong or not right or something.
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Potty Training Boot Camp pt 8 Day 2
I've had it!
Yesterday was a great day...only a handful of accidents...Today has resulted in nothing but cleaning my floor...over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over.... GAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!!
She's WAY overtired, woke up WAY too early this morning and she's just too much of a grouch today...
Yesterday was a great day...only a handful of accidents...Today has resulted in nothing but cleaning my floor...over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over.... GAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!!
She's WAY overtired, woke up WAY too early this morning and she's just too much of a grouch today...
Potty Training Boot Camp pt 7 Day 2
Found out the reason for all the EXCESSIVE peeing... Brian left a 32oz cup of VERY watered down soda where she could find it by his side of the bed...
Potty Training Boot Camp pt 6 Day 2
Making progress. The morning was a bit rough, but we have made progress...although I am going to have to figure out a way to make the bathroom accessible to her, she went to the door, but it was shut, so she peed in front of the door. Only problem I have with her having unsupervised access to the bathroom is she loves to play in the toilet... hmmm...
Potty Training Boot Camp pt 5 Day 2
She has been out of bed for 1.5 hours...
There has been 2 messes for me to clean up, three successful tries on the toilet, and one diaper wet right off the bat, but that's also her usual wake-up cue...the wet diaper.
We shall see what the rest of the day holds out for us....
There has been 2 messes for me to clean up, three successful tries on the toilet, and one diaper wet right off the bat, but that's also her usual wake-up cue...the wet diaper.
We shall see what the rest of the day holds out for us....
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Potty Training Boot Camp pt 4 Day 1
Well, it is the close of Day 1 of Potty Training Boot Camp. I am going to count it as a GREAT day! She successfully went to bed with a day of no dirty diapers and no puddles in the house, only one puddle out in the yard...she had a few close calls, but those were finished up on the toilet!
She did come to me TWICE to go potty and promptly went after being put on the toilet!
We will be continuing first thing in the morning.!
She did come to me TWICE to go potty and promptly went after being put on the toilet!
We will be continuing first thing in the morning.!
Potty Training Boot Camp pt 3 Day 1
It is now 6:30 pm, she did not take a nap afterall, and was not too pleased over me putting a diaper on her for nap, but then again, going to take a nap without a diaper didn't produce a different result, so, no nap today. This usually means that she'll go to bed at a decent hour...I'm hoping so!
Anyways. We started the day off with 6 pairs of dry, clean panties...at this time this evening we still have two pairs dry & clean, one pair drenched in juice (she stuffed it in my glass), and three not quite complete accidents.
She did most recently come to me to ask to go potty!!! That was roughly an hour ago, and all went smoothly well that time!!
I'm hoping that the rest of the evening continues to go as well if not better, and then we start again tomorrow!!!
Anyways. We started the day off with 6 pairs of dry, clean panties...at this time this evening we still have two pairs dry & clean, one pair drenched in juice (she stuffed it in my glass), and three not quite complete accidents.
She did most recently come to me to ask to go potty!!! That was roughly an hour ago, and all went smoothly well that time!!
I'm hoping that the rest of the evening continues to go as well if not better, and then we start again tomorrow!!!
Potty Training Boot Camp pt 2 Day 1
Well, it is 3:30 and she's laying down for a nap.
There has only been three *half* accidents...two while we were outside playing, running in and finishing up on the potty, the other time was right after she'd thrown a fit about sitting on the toilet, I put her down, and she started going..got her back on the toilet just in time for the poo to start...at least it was more in the toilet than the floor or her panties. I'm calling the first 6 hours of boot camp great!!!
The last two times I've sat her on the potty it has seemed like she's more willing to sit there and go if I let her have a sippy of water there for her to blow out her mouth in raspberries while she goes....You know what, I think I'm going to keep one in there, fill it up with water, strip her down, and let her basically spit water all over herself until she gets the hang of it.
I have great expectations that this will keep up!!!
There has only been three *half* accidents...two while we were outside playing, running in and finishing up on the potty, the other time was right after she'd thrown a fit about sitting on the toilet, I put her down, and she started going..got her back on the toilet just in time for the poo to start...at least it was more in the toilet than the floor or her panties. I'm calling the first 6 hours of boot camp great!!!
The last two times I've sat her on the potty it has seemed like she's more willing to sit there and go if I let her have a sippy of water there for her to blow out her mouth in raspberries while she goes....You know what, I think I'm going to keep one in there, fill it up with water, strip her down, and let her basically spit water all over herself until she gets the hang of it.
I have great expectations that this will keep up!!!
Potty Training Boot Camp pt 1 Day 1
We started at 10:30am Today.
Successful potty on the toilet was at 11:16
It is noon...no accident!
Mikaila is 17 months old...and according to *everyone* who's gone the potty training route, she's too young for me to start. I highly disagree. Supposedly girls are easier than boys. My son was very well potty trained by around this time in his childhood, there was a period of severe regression, but after being able to work with him again he was back to completely potty trained in two weeks, he was two years old. So Mikaila being 17 months old is not a factor in my decision to or not to potty train. Secondly, my mother never had more than one child in diapers at a time...the first three of us are only 15 months apart, so we were between 14 & 16 months old when we were potty trained.
I look for clues as to their "readiness"...pulling their diaper off after they've gone, shows to me that they do not like sitting in the mess, also shows that they are learning to undress so that they can go outside the diaper. Other signs could be more subtle. Mikaila will "hold" herself and cry a minute occasionally when she has to pee, before going in her diaper, she also pulls at the back of her diaper when she is getting ready to go poop. So she is aware of what her body is doing or is getting ready to do. She has also started "helping" with getting herself both undressed & dressed, so another indicator that she's able to grasp the concept of taking them off to go to the bathroom.
I also don't personally believe in "bribing" a child to use the potty...with candies, toys, or anything really. But I do get SUPER excited, clapping, cheering, and the like when they do go on the potty, that way they associate going potty with something positive, not just as a means to get some candy or toy, but again, I can see where this incentive can work better for an older child who has a concept of wanting these things, just not something I have done for any child I've either potty trained myself or assisted in potty training. I just can't see it being any more successful than having an attentive parent or care provider there to keep after them about going potty. Also, accidents, no big deal, clean-up & move on. Trying to reinforce the positive means making a bigger deal out of the positive than the negative.!
Well, it's now 12:45 and still no accident!!! We've also made a few trips to sit on the toilet....nothing yet...
Successful potty on the toilet was at 11:16
It is noon...no accident!
Mikaila is 17 months old...and according to *everyone* who's gone the potty training route, she's too young for me to start. I highly disagree. Supposedly girls are easier than boys. My son was very well potty trained by around this time in his childhood, there was a period of severe regression, but after being able to work with him again he was back to completely potty trained in two weeks, he was two years old. So Mikaila being 17 months old is not a factor in my decision to or not to potty train. Secondly, my mother never had more than one child in diapers at a time...the first three of us are only 15 months apart, so we were between 14 & 16 months old when we were potty trained.
I look for clues as to their "readiness"...pulling their diaper off after they've gone, shows to me that they do not like sitting in the mess, also shows that they are learning to undress so that they can go outside the diaper. Other signs could be more subtle. Mikaila will "hold" herself and cry a minute occasionally when she has to pee, before going in her diaper, she also pulls at the back of her diaper when she is getting ready to go poop. So she is aware of what her body is doing or is getting ready to do. She has also started "helping" with getting herself both undressed & dressed, so another indicator that she's able to grasp the concept of taking them off to go to the bathroom.
I also don't personally believe in "bribing" a child to use the potty...with candies, toys, or anything really. But I do get SUPER excited, clapping, cheering, and the like when they do go on the potty, that way they associate going potty with something positive, not just as a means to get some candy or toy, but again, I can see where this incentive can work better for an older child who has a concept of wanting these things, just not something I have done for any child I've either potty trained myself or assisted in potty training. I just can't see it being any more successful than having an attentive parent or care provider there to keep after them about going potty. Also, accidents, no big deal, clean-up & move on. Trying to reinforce the positive means making a bigger deal out of the positive than the negative.!
Well, it's now 12:45 and still no accident!!! We've also made a few trips to sit on the toilet....nothing yet...
Monday, May 18, 2009
Mother's Day Morning
Yes, I know I'm a bit late with this news, but it's been hectic here, and I actually have time, at this time....
Saturday, May 9th, I spent the day at my mom's place, doing laundry, nothing new there, it's the story of 99% of my Saturdays. We returned home around 10/11 pm, brought the laundry inside, got the kids into their beds, and Brian and I settled down to watch a little bit of TV and shortly go to bed...such was not to be the case, at least for me.
Piston went into labor. I noticed a small twinge of "thick" blood on her vulva area, and knew that the time was upon us. I pulled out the TV shelf so that in case she had any issues I could get to her easily, good thing I did.
She started trying to push the first one out not long after I laid down in the floor close to her. After a little while it was quite apparent that she wasn't able to push it out on her own, his face had been showing for a little while, but there was no progress for about 30 minutes. I did a mini mental panic, collected myself, and then started "massaging" the baby out. He was born around 1 am, a pretty orange & white tiger stripe, Piston worked to get him cleaned up and cut the umbilical cord, like maybe she'd done it a hundred times before...this is her first/last litter! Not but moments later a second baby was born, a dark gray tiger stripe, who has tiny patches of orange on her face, almost like blush...given the fact she had them so close together gives me reason to suspect that maybe they were fighting to be the first one out.
About 1:45am a third baby was born, a patchy calico.
Then again a fourth was born at roughly 2:30am. She had a few problems getting him all the way out again, so again, I helped her out by massaging out the baby...Another orange & white tiger stripe baby.
The four of them :
And the four of them today, eight days later, the little piglets!
Saturday, May 9th, I spent the day at my mom's place, doing laundry, nothing new there, it's the story of 99% of my Saturdays. We returned home around 10/11 pm, brought the laundry inside, got the kids into their beds, and Brian and I settled down to watch a little bit of TV and shortly go to bed...such was not to be the case, at least for me.
Piston went into labor. I noticed a small twinge of "thick" blood on her vulva area, and knew that the time was upon us. I pulled out the TV shelf so that in case she had any issues I could get to her easily, good thing I did.
She started trying to push the first one out not long after I laid down in the floor close to her. After a little while it was quite apparent that she wasn't able to push it out on her own, his face had been showing for a little while, but there was no progress for about 30 minutes. I did a mini mental panic, collected myself, and then started "massaging" the baby out. He was born around 1 am, a pretty orange & white tiger stripe, Piston worked to get him cleaned up and cut the umbilical cord, like maybe she'd done it a hundred times before...this is her first/last litter! Not but moments later a second baby was born, a dark gray tiger stripe, who has tiny patches of orange on her face, almost like blush...given the fact she had them so close together gives me reason to suspect that maybe they were fighting to be the first one out.
About 1:45am a third baby was born, a patchy calico.
Then again a fourth was born at roughly 2:30am. She had a few problems getting him all the way out again, so again, I helped her out by massaging out the baby...Another orange & white tiger stripe baby.
The four of them :
And the four of them today, eight days later, the little piglets!
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Burnout.
Ugh. ..
I am so far behind on so many things around here, yes, I've kept up with a number of things and have done a lot this week, especially in regards to my yard, redoing my kitchen, assisting with kittens getting here, thinning out mine & Brian's closet, organizing the dresser, taking care of a few appointments, weeded the garden, planted several trees, flowers, etc...and yet...ugh
I'm feeling terribly burnt out.
I keep doing a number of things to try to change up my routine, etc...and it's just not "working" for me. I stay busy, but it all just feels like busy work instead of productive. Seems everytime I turn around and get one thing done there's 900 other things to get done and as I get started on the next thing the first thing is needing to be done again. :sigh:
And it sure doesn't help that a person who "has a day off from work" gets to relax & spend all that time just resting boohoo because he's so tired and so burnt out and is irritated with the "immature people" at work :blah: . :roll: :mad: Yea, he watched Mikaila all day while I chatted with friends...I started dinner in the slow cooker before I left, had to do dishes when I came home so we could have dinner on clean dishes, picked up the living room, all while hearing about the new crap he unlocked on his video game. :? I still needed to get trees planted, lawn mowed, etc...got the trees planted, didn't get the lawn mowed or trimmed... "there's always next time" or he waits for me to REQUEST him to do something. :banghead: I'm NOT YOUR MOTHER!
So back I go to what I do day in day out...repeat
I am so far behind on so many things around here, yes, I've kept up with a number of things and have done a lot this week, especially in regards to my yard, redoing my kitchen, assisting with kittens getting here, thinning out mine & Brian's closet, organizing the dresser, taking care of a few appointments, weeded the garden, planted several trees, flowers, etc...and yet...ugh
I'm feeling terribly burnt out.
I keep doing a number of things to try to change up my routine, etc...and it's just not "working" for me. I stay busy, but it all just feels like busy work instead of productive. Seems everytime I turn around and get one thing done there's 900 other things to get done and as I get started on the next thing the first thing is needing to be done again. :sigh:
And it sure doesn't help that a person who "has a day off from work" gets to relax & spend all that time just resting boohoo because he's so tired and so burnt out and is irritated with the "immature people" at work :blah: . :roll: :mad: Yea, he watched Mikaila all day while I chatted with friends...I started dinner in the slow cooker before I left, had to do dishes when I came home so we could have dinner on clean dishes, picked up the living room, all while hearing about the new crap he unlocked on his video game. :? I still needed to get trees planted, lawn mowed, etc...got the trees planted, didn't get the lawn mowed or trimmed... "there's always next time" or he waits for me to REQUEST him to do something. :banghead: I'm NOT YOUR MOTHER!
So back I go to what I do day in day out...repeat
Monday, May 11, 2009
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Parenting Peeves
Now, I'm not going to profess to know everything but I do believe somethings should just be common sense.
Now, I do very adamantly believe that children learn all the basics about life in the first few years of life, at least the core basics, no they're not going to know quantum physics but respect, love, dislike, manners, responsibility, tolerance, and the like...core basics, nothing complex, or advanced, just the core principles.
I cannot stand when a parent thinks their child has to have everything they want all of the time. It's great that you can afford it, but honestly you're not doing your child any favors, I see it as a disservice to your child. They learn that anything they want they can have it, no work required. Makes for a sad life when they grow up and realize that it just doesn't happen like that in the real world, and heaven forbid something happen that suddenly these wants are no longer met.
A popular private preschool teaches that it's "wrong" to correct a child when they've made a mistake. Seriously, if a child is not corrected when they've done wrong they go through their young lives thinking they're doing everything right, suddenly someone is going to correct them and then it's the end of the world for them, they start to doubt all that they've been taught or allowed to believe is right as being wrong, or they have such attitude that they are quite grandiose and have no humility. Their thought is that you teach a child what is correct, if they get it wrong, it's up to them to figure it out. And it's a wonder why the crime rate age groups just get younger and younger.
Many folks feel that correcting a young child -- toddler age -- is a form of abuse and is going to damage their self-esteem. For a young child its simply a matter of 1)Keeping them away from temptation, if this means your child enjoys playing with your great grandmother's 200 year old fine china and breaks a piece and you expect your child to of just left this stuff alone because you told them "NO" you're an idiot!
2)If you can't remove the temptation, you remove them from the temptation, and then engage them into something else more interesting than whatever they were trying to do. Just simply moving them away is not going to do the trick, especially as they get older.
3)TELL them what is wrong! You can't just move a child from a situation or tell them know, and expect that they know what the reason is. Something simple as "Don't touch, it'll hurt" could do the trick, but for a child that doesn't know that hurt is something bad, they're going to be tempted to try again until they find out...that's how they LEARN. No one knows what hot is until they experience it. Help them learn, hold their hand, close enough for them to feel the heat, and explain again "Ouch, Hurt"...simple one word phrases go a LONG way. Your child likes to stand in a chair, when telling them to "sit down, not stand" you must pick them up and set them down so that they understand that sitting is acceptable, standing is not.
Now, I do very adamantly believe that children learn all the basics about life in the first few years of life, at least the core basics, no they're not going to know quantum physics but respect, love, dislike, manners, responsibility, tolerance, and the like...core basics, nothing complex, or advanced, just the core principles.
I cannot stand when a parent thinks their child has to have everything they want all of the time. It's great that you can afford it, but honestly you're not doing your child any favors, I see it as a disservice to your child. They learn that anything they want they can have it, no work required. Makes for a sad life when they grow up and realize that it just doesn't happen like that in the real world, and heaven forbid something happen that suddenly these wants are no longer met.
A popular private preschool teaches that it's "wrong" to correct a child when they've made a mistake. Seriously, if a child is not corrected when they've done wrong they go through their young lives thinking they're doing everything right, suddenly someone is going to correct them and then it's the end of the world for them, they start to doubt all that they've been taught or allowed to believe is right as being wrong, or they have such attitude that they are quite grandiose and have no humility. Their thought is that you teach a child what is correct, if they get it wrong, it's up to them to figure it out. And it's a wonder why the crime rate age groups just get younger and younger.
Many folks feel that correcting a young child -- toddler age -- is a form of abuse and is going to damage their self-esteem. For a young child its simply a matter of 1)Keeping them away from temptation, if this means your child enjoys playing with your great grandmother's 200 year old fine china and breaks a piece and you expect your child to of just left this stuff alone because you told them "NO" you're an idiot!
2)If you can't remove the temptation, you remove them from the temptation, and then engage them into something else more interesting than whatever they were trying to do. Just simply moving them away is not going to do the trick, especially as they get older.
3)TELL them what is wrong! You can't just move a child from a situation or tell them know, and expect that they know what the reason is. Something simple as "Don't touch, it'll hurt" could do the trick, but for a child that doesn't know that hurt is something bad, they're going to be tempted to try again until they find out...that's how they LEARN. No one knows what hot is until they experience it. Help them learn, hold their hand, close enough for them to feel the heat, and explain again "Ouch, Hurt"...simple one word phrases go a LONG way. Your child likes to stand in a chair, when telling them to "sit down, not stand" you must pick them up and set them down so that they understand that sitting is acceptable, standing is not.
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Dear Rain,
I really wish you would let up.
Yes, you have done a wonderful job of watering my garden for me for the last 13 days, but please, they need some sunshine too!
You just keep going on and on without an end in sight by the 10day forecast, it just gets to be a bit much.
I'd really enjoy the chance to get out and mow my lawn. I know not many people look forward to mowing the lawn, especially one of such size as I have, with a small push mower, but honestly, the couple of hours I'm allowed out there each week really does a lot to help my sanity!
And then there is the matter of my children. I do not mind them playing out in the rain, splashing in the mud puddles, and the like...but I really dread the constant mess I'm having to clean up in the house, the wet kitchen floors really are a horrible danger to all of us, and mud and grass just shows something frightful on my living room carpet.
Even the weeds in the yard are starting to look like they can't take much more rain. Most of my yard is under ankle deep water, yes I realize if I dig down two feet I hit running water, but you have to give it a chance to drain off. I seriously believe that if it didn't rain for a few weeks my yard will not suffer. Yes, I would likely have to haul a bit of water to the raised beds, but the rest of it would be just fine.
Doubly, I know the mosquitoes just love the puddles you have left everywhere, but again, I can honestly do without those disease carrying bloodsuckers. Hell, I might as well as be a rouge Quilete wolf who refuses to be respectful of any treaties & agreements during the Voultri's invasion.
But yes, my dear rain, where you are very beneficial and I do love the power of the storms that are often associated with you, I really do need a break. Preferably one that is short lived, because I do know how you like to take a long leave of absence during the hottest parts of the summer, which are the times I'm begging for you to return. I do not mind two or three days a week...just please give me a break already!
Respectfully,
Steph
Yes, you have done a wonderful job of watering my garden for me for the last 13 days, but please, they need some sunshine too!
You just keep going on and on without an end in sight by the 10day forecast, it just gets to be a bit much.
I'd really enjoy the chance to get out and mow my lawn. I know not many people look forward to mowing the lawn, especially one of such size as I have, with a small push mower, but honestly, the couple of hours I'm allowed out there each week really does a lot to help my sanity!
And then there is the matter of my children. I do not mind them playing out in the rain, splashing in the mud puddles, and the like...but I really dread the constant mess I'm having to clean up in the house, the wet kitchen floors really are a horrible danger to all of us, and mud and grass just shows something frightful on my living room carpet.
Even the weeds in the yard are starting to look like they can't take much more rain. Most of my yard is under ankle deep water, yes I realize if I dig down two feet I hit running water, but you have to give it a chance to drain off. I seriously believe that if it didn't rain for a few weeks my yard will not suffer. Yes, I would likely have to haul a bit of water to the raised beds, but the rest of it would be just fine.
Doubly, I know the mosquitoes just love the puddles you have left everywhere, but again, I can honestly do without those disease carrying bloodsuckers. Hell, I might as well as be a rouge Quilete wolf who refuses to be respectful of any treaties & agreements during the Voultri's invasion.
But yes, my dear rain, where you are very beneficial and I do love the power of the storms that are often associated with you, I really do need a break. Preferably one that is short lived, because I do know how you like to take a long leave of absence during the hottest parts of the summer, which are the times I'm begging for you to return. I do not mind two or three days a week...just please give me a break already!
Respectfully,
Steph
Monday, May 4, 2009
Umm...Yea...
So my MIL moved out by us last year, she had it in her mind that she was going to be moving IN with us...complained that we moved from a nasty falling apart trailer house into the house we're currently buying a few days before she showed up. Went ON and ON about how WE ruined HER plans for living here by moving into this house. Ok, either way we only had a 2 bedroom place, either out at the old trailer or this house, except the move was like going from a shack to a HOUSE. She had me completely PISSED off within 20 minutes of walking in my door at 3am that day. Later that evening I talked to our old landlord, the one that owns the trailer and he agreed to let her move in there, didn't even make her pay the first month's rent...and the rent was CHEAP...$150 or so a month... She whined, bitched, complained, you name it about that house...rats bigger than her dog lived there, the coyotes came onto her front steps, the deer let her pet them, oh and some 15 ft rattlesnake. I spent the next month taxi-ing her EVERYWHERE to find her a place she could move into that was affordable...the trailer owner was in the process of building a real house in place of the trailer, etc, and it was just temporary, something to house her until we were able to find her some suitable housing... She sabotaged all the housing opportunities presented to her, she'd call them after I'd spend all day driving her around and filling out applications for places and cancel her "reserved" spot.
Anyways, In July she moved down to the Houston area to live with her sister & all that...she did the same thing to AIL that she did to us..we all lied about everything we'd do for her yada yada.... Anyways, she called ONCE in July after moving down there to get the name of her doctors, etc here, and hung up. Never heard another word from her.
UNTIL a couple of weeks ago. She sent a letter telling us all about how horrible her sister treated her, did nothing for her, etc etc...now I've emailed and talked on the phone with me AIL a few times just to check up on how Brian's mom was doing, etc, as well as about how the kids are doing, etc. So I have a good idea of what's been going on.
I didn't write her a letter, I'm going to leave that to Brian...and he's not interested in her manipulative ways...
Today I get a Mother's Day/birthday card from her.
Now. We haven't heard anything from her in 10 months. During this 10 months her "grandson", Mikeal has had a birthday. Her son, Brian, has had a birthday. As well as her granddaughter, Mikaila, had her first birthday. No card, no phone call, nothing from her any of these times...
Makes me think that she's trying to "make good" with the hopes of being invited back up here. I'm sorry but I worked my ASS off trying to bend over backwards to make her life easier here, etc...all while trying to take care of my two nephews, a newborn, and my postpartum depression. Not to fail to mention my baby brother was leaving to join the Marines and there was just a lot of things going on in my life. I am NOT going to deal with her BULLSHIT again.
She tried to convince us that she was dying, that her heart was only working at 13% ability, that she was needing open heart surgery, all this other bullshit that was necessary NOW. She also takes WAY too many addictive prescription meds that she thinks she just HAS to have, etc... Amazing. A year ago she was in desperate need of having open heart surgery immediately...and still hasn't had one...her heart miraculously started getting better and stronger after moving down there...in with someone that had the resources to take her to the mental health clinic if she didn't straighten her shit up and talked to her doctors about her "problems"... Her docs here never had the time of day to talk to me, but I also didn't push it much because of all my own shit going on at that time.
I just really don't want to deal with anymore of her bullshit. But the other side of me says this is his mother, he shouldn't ignore her, etc...but I can't trust that she's not just doing this to try to play more games with Brian by playing the poor pity me, on my deathbed card with him again.
GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!
Anyways, In July she moved down to the Houston area to live with her sister & all that...she did the same thing to AIL that she did to us..we all lied about everything we'd do for her yada yada.... Anyways, she called ONCE in July after moving down there to get the name of her doctors, etc here, and hung up. Never heard another word from her.
UNTIL a couple of weeks ago. She sent a letter telling us all about how horrible her sister treated her, did nothing for her, etc etc...now I've emailed and talked on the phone with me AIL a few times just to check up on how Brian's mom was doing, etc, as well as about how the kids are doing, etc. So I have a good idea of what's been going on.
I didn't write her a letter, I'm going to leave that to Brian...and he's not interested in her manipulative ways...
Today I get a Mother's Day/birthday card from her.
Now. We haven't heard anything from her in 10 months. During this 10 months her "grandson", Mikeal has had a birthday. Her son, Brian, has had a birthday. As well as her granddaughter, Mikaila, had her first birthday. No card, no phone call, nothing from her any of these times...
Makes me think that she's trying to "make good" with the hopes of being invited back up here. I'm sorry but I worked my ASS off trying to bend over backwards to make her life easier here, etc...all while trying to take care of my two nephews, a newborn, and my postpartum depression. Not to fail to mention my baby brother was leaving to join the Marines and there was just a lot of things going on in my life. I am NOT going to deal with her BULLSHIT again.
She tried to convince us that she was dying, that her heart was only working at 13% ability, that she was needing open heart surgery, all this other bullshit that was necessary NOW. She also takes WAY too many addictive prescription meds that she thinks she just HAS to have, etc... Amazing. A year ago she was in desperate need of having open heart surgery immediately...and still hasn't had one...her heart miraculously started getting better and stronger after moving down there...in with someone that had the resources to take her to the mental health clinic if she didn't straighten her shit up and talked to her doctors about her "problems"... Her docs here never had the time of day to talk to me, but I also didn't push it much because of all my own shit going on at that time.
I just really don't want to deal with anymore of her bullshit. But the other side of me says this is his mother, he shouldn't ignore her, etc...but I can't trust that she's not just doing this to try to play more games with Brian by playing the poor pity me, on my deathbed card with him again.
GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!
Sunday, May 3, 2009
Maybe "It"
LugNut just went into her birthing box...first time I've ever noticed her going in there.... I'm hoping this is IT...
Saturday, May 2, 2009
My Backseat Driver...
So the other day I was going out to my mom's place. The speed limit on the road in front of her house is 40mph ....
I head down the road, no big deal, behind a truck....
a truck that never gets over 25mph...
ugh
From the backseat I hear :
"The speed limit is 40, not TEN. Come ON!!!"
This is a regular ordeal...and it doubly sucks that he can see my speedometer & lets me know if I'm going too fast or am going under the speed limit or why I do this or asked what that sign means and what the consequences are for doing this or not doing that...
The conversation is NEVER lacking when in the car with Mikeal...
I head down the road, no big deal, behind a truck....
a truck that never gets over 25mph...
ugh
From the backseat I hear :
"The speed limit is 40, not TEN. Come ON!!!"
This is a regular ordeal...and it doubly sucks that he can see my speedometer & lets me know if I'm going too fast or am going under the speed limit or why I do this or asked what that sign means and what the consequences are for doing this or not doing that...
The conversation is NEVER lacking when in the car with Mikeal...
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