Thursday, January 27, 2011
A Superhero to Someone
So I'm wearing a long drapey top over my t shirt tonight when Ezekiel identifies it as my cape and calls me Superman Mama.
Among my many superpowers is the ability to heal all wounds with kisses, to 'move the sun' by blocking it with my hand, and to make Zipporah stop crying whenever I feel like it.
So far i have NOT started wearing my underwear over my pants and I have big plans to continue wearing my ordinary clothes while exercising these extraordinary powers.
Who knew motherhood could make me so powerful.
Among my many superpowers is the ability to heal all wounds with kisses, to 'move the sun' by blocking it with my hand, and to make Zipporah stop crying whenever I feel like it.
So far i have NOT started wearing my underwear over my pants and I have big plans to continue wearing my ordinary clothes while exercising these extraordinary powers.
Who knew motherhood could make me so powerful.
Tales from my Little Napoleon
This morning Ezekiel announced that her name is not Zipporah. It is Ruth Anne. Mom, can you say Ruth? Okay. Now can you say Anne? Today we are calling her Ruth Anne.
I wasn't aware three year olds were in charge of those sorts of decisions.
I wasn't aware three year olds were in charge of those sorts of decisions.
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Daily Notes
I think Ezekiel is right: we are just going to stay sick. Our family has never all been sick at the same time and I don't remember any of us being sick for this long! I think we've passed the two week mark. Ugh! Surely we're at the tail end of it.
Let's hope so because we are moving. Really soon. Since we don't have to pack very much at all, I feel more like I'm going on a long trip than like I'm moving. No boxes, no packing paper, no kids picking up on major changes about to happen, no yard sales, etc all makes the transition very surreal. The other thing is that we've been planning to move for so long. The fact that its upon us is stranger than holding a newborn and realizing that the pregnancy really is over.
As it is, Ezekiel is stripped to the waist playing in the sink with soap that will be thrown out in a few weeks anyway. From that perspective its not really wasteful even if it is handmade soap.
Let's hope so because we are moving. Really soon. Since we don't have to pack very much at all, I feel more like I'm going on a long trip than like I'm moving. No boxes, no packing paper, no kids picking up on major changes about to happen, no yard sales, etc all makes the transition very surreal. The other thing is that we've been planning to move for so long. The fact that its upon us is stranger than holding a newborn and realizing that the pregnancy really is over.
As it is, Ezekiel is stripped to the waist playing in the sink with soap that will be thrown out in a few weeks anyway. From that perspective its not really wasteful even if it is handmade soap.
Friday, January 21, 2011
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Sick
Ezekiel: Mom, can I have some of my bucket costume candy? (Referring to his Halloween candy)
Me: No. Too much candy makes you sick and you're already sick and need to get better.
Quiet. Pause.
Ezekiel: No. That's okay. I'm gonna stay sick.
Me: No. Too much candy makes you sick and you're already sick and need to get better.
Quiet. Pause.
Ezekiel: No. That's okay. I'm gonna stay sick.
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
The Artist and His Muse
Okay, I'm totally interjecting Zipporah as Muse. But Ezekiel does love her a lot and is almost as oriented around her needs and me. So maybe its not too far off.
Crying While Playing
During enforced independent play time today, Ezekiel played with a transformer, an etch-e-sketch, a puzzle, and dressed up in his winter gear all while crying about how much he didn't want to play by himself. Tough life kid.
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Scheduling
Here's the schedule I made for Ezekiel. Lest anyone think I'm super organized or on top of things, let's be clear that I haven't actually followed the chart for a single day since I made it two weeks ago. On the up side, I have a clear list of things in my head that could fill a day, or an hour. And I have a clear list of things that I care about doing everyday. So thats a start. And today we've begun talking about days of the week.
Monday, January 17, 2011
My Heart Swells
Tonight Ezekiel hopped up from the table saying he was all done. As he took off his bib he said, "Thanks for making dinner for me Mom." Hello! I've never even asked him to say that before. Just straight from his little heart.
Since the week before Christmas, we've been doing 'readings' with Ezekiel. he picks a Bible story and we pick a prayer (The Lord's Prayer) and do a little catechism memory work. Then he gets a piece of candy (chocolate). A couple days ago I was saying the Lord's Prayer when he busted in on me and completed the daily bread line before I could say it. I was stunned as I had no idea he'd memorized any of it. Tonight he completed each line as Patrick recited it and he got each word right except that he replaced 'temptation' with 'heaven'. We tried not to snicker but mostly we could barely contain our pride.
When you ask Ezekiel why we eat candy at Christmas, he says 'because the gospel is sweet.' How cute is that?
I truly wish I understood why he's in such a jolly mood one day and so impossible the next. What is it that makes the difference? I'm guessing I'm not the first mom to be baffled by this mystery which is perhaps why its been chalked up to something as ludacris as getting up on the wrong side of the bed. I suppose I shouldn't try to understand things about my kid that I don't even understand about myself.
Since the week before Christmas, we've been doing 'readings' with Ezekiel. he picks a Bible story and we pick a prayer (The Lord's Prayer) and do a little catechism memory work. Then he gets a piece of candy (chocolate). A couple days ago I was saying the Lord's Prayer when he busted in on me and completed the daily bread line before I could say it. I was stunned as I had no idea he'd memorized any of it. Tonight he completed each line as Patrick recited it and he got each word right except that he replaced 'temptation' with 'heaven'. We tried not to snicker but mostly we could barely contain our pride.
When you ask Ezekiel why we eat candy at Christmas, he says 'because the gospel is sweet.' How cute is that?
I truly wish I understood why he's in such a jolly mood one day and so impossible the next. What is it that makes the difference? I'm guessing I'm not the first mom to be baffled by this mystery which is perhaps why its been chalked up to something as ludacris as getting up on the wrong side of the bed. I suppose I shouldn't try to understand things about my kid that I don't even understand about myself.
Saturday, January 15, 2011
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Let's Play
Most afternoons I am ready to lose my mind by 3:00. Today Patrick was home and I decided to take Ezekiel out for a little alone time with Mama. We hadn't been by ourselves since Zipporah was born and I think we were both missing our time together without realizing it.
We did a quick return and purchase at Target and then headed for the Coldstone Creamery. On the way there I told Ezekiel how much I enjoyed being with him. He firmly said I did not. I thought he didn't understand me and I rephrased to tell him the same thing a different way. Again, he was emphatic that I did not. We repeated this once more and then I asked him if he thought I didn't enjoy him. Yep. That's what he meant. When I asked him why he thought that he said it was because he didn't obey me and I just said to obey. Ouch.
I recently finished 'How to Really Love Your Child' by Ross Campbell. The book is great and I especially appreciated many parts of it. But the part that sprang to mind was Campbell's insistence that discipline should only be one dimension of our relationship with our children and a small one at that. I whole-heartedly agreed with him and went down a mental check list of all the other ways Ezekiel and I relate. Self congratulated and kept reading.
I've always been careful to tell Ezekiel ahead of time what I expect of him and what will happen if he disobeys. I think its only fair for kids to know the boundaries ahead of time and the consequences of crossing the boundary so that they are empowered to make their own choices. I still think this is a pretty good technique but I think I've probably not been creating enough opportunities for him to play without the preliminary instructions.
At Chik fil A: Don't spit on the other children and make sure you come to me when I call or we will have to leave.
At the store: You can walk if you obey me and stay right with me. If you disobey, you'll have to ride in the cart.
At church: You can either listen to what your teacher tells you or can sit in church with us.
At the park: You must take turns with the toys and share or we will have to sit in timeout together.
At home: You can choose to clean up your toys or lose them.
You get the picture. I wonder if my efforts at clear communication, clear expectations, and clear choices has resulted in him just feeling threatened all the time or in him feeling like our relationship is built on very serious conversations about rules. I see Ezekiel trying to hard to obey and do things just right. He tries to understand what's going on around him and to see ways to help me without being asked. He is so good until he just snaps and then its like he loses the will to try and he does whatever he wants. I can tell he feels guilty for disobeying but he doesn't have the self control to do the right thing.
This parenting stuff is hard!
To continue the story of today, we went for ice cream. Ezekiel chose the blue ice cream with M&Ms and I chose a small cup of something considerably less colorful. We ate together and I made a point not to criticize or tell him the boundaries while I pondered our conversation. He told me he wanted to sit in a chair. To use napkins. To not make a mess. He said sorry each time he dripped. Asked politely if I could help him with the mess. Said thank you when I complied. We had a pleasant trip to the bathroom and an easy time loading up the car.
At the park I ran around, chased, tickled, tagged, rode the slide, and generally acted like an energetic kid with him. We took turns leading the way. 'You better run or I'm gonna get you.' 'Ride the slide with me Mom.' So on and so forth. No one told anyone how to behave or what the rules were. We just played together and had a blast. At dinner I told him again how much I enjoyed hanging out with him today and he smiled and nodded and said 'yeah.' Phew. I'm so glad he seemed to believe me this time!
So that was the long way of saying that I feel pretty convicted about trying to manage too much. Not every activity needs a rule sheet. And I need to create a lot more activities where Ezekiel leads and I follow and where we can just enjoy each other without a recitation of all the things he must do or not do. Campbell talks about the vital importance of a kid knowing he is unconditionally loved and accepted through things like eye contact, physical touch, and quality time together. He says that discipline shouldn't be attempted if those things aren't in place. Today I realized that I need to keep better tabs on myself and not slip into the mode of letting discipline and behavior expectations be the primary way we relate.
Geez! He's only just turned three and I think I've already screwed him up.
I also think I need to go to the park more often during the long afternoons. Its been so cold here that I've been hesitant to take Zipporah out. I'm not sure how I'll run around and chase Zeke with Zippy in tow but I'm sure I'll find a way. I'm sure that the time playing together will keep my energy levels higher, build good memories between me and Zeke, and keep us from being destructive with mutual bad behavior at home. Hopefully I can think of other ways for us to play and build up the unconditional love and acceptance part of our relationship.
We did a quick return and purchase at Target and then headed for the Coldstone Creamery. On the way there I told Ezekiel how much I enjoyed being with him. He firmly said I did not. I thought he didn't understand me and I rephrased to tell him the same thing a different way. Again, he was emphatic that I did not. We repeated this once more and then I asked him if he thought I didn't enjoy him. Yep. That's what he meant. When I asked him why he thought that he said it was because he didn't obey me and I just said to obey. Ouch.
I recently finished 'How to Really Love Your Child' by Ross Campbell. The book is great and I especially appreciated many parts of it. But the part that sprang to mind was Campbell's insistence that discipline should only be one dimension of our relationship with our children and a small one at that. I whole-heartedly agreed with him and went down a mental check list of all the other ways Ezekiel and I relate. Self congratulated and kept reading.
I've always been careful to tell Ezekiel ahead of time what I expect of him and what will happen if he disobeys. I think its only fair for kids to know the boundaries ahead of time and the consequences of crossing the boundary so that they are empowered to make their own choices. I still think this is a pretty good technique but I think I've probably not been creating enough opportunities for him to play without the preliminary instructions.
At Chik fil A: Don't spit on the other children and make sure you come to me when I call or we will have to leave.
At the store: You can walk if you obey me and stay right with me. If you disobey, you'll have to ride in the cart.
At church: You can either listen to what your teacher tells you or can sit in church with us.
At the park: You must take turns with the toys and share or we will have to sit in timeout together.
At home: You can choose to clean up your toys or lose them.
You get the picture. I wonder if my efforts at clear communication, clear expectations, and clear choices has resulted in him just feeling threatened all the time or in him feeling like our relationship is built on very serious conversations about rules. I see Ezekiel trying to hard to obey and do things just right. He tries to understand what's going on around him and to see ways to help me without being asked. He is so good until he just snaps and then its like he loses the will to try and he does whatever he wants. I can tell he feels guilty for disobeying but he doesn't have the self control to do the right thing.
This parenting stuff is hard!
To continue the story of today, we went for ice cream. Ezekiel chose the blue ice cream with M&Ms and I chose a small cup of something considerably less colorful. We ate together and I made a point not to criticize or tell him the boundaries while I pondered our conversation. He told me he wanted to sit in a chair. To use napkins. To not make a mess. He said sorry each time he dripped. Asked politely if I could help him with the mess. Said thank you when I complied. We had a pleasant trip to the bathroom and an easy time loading up the car.
At the park I ran around, chased, tickled, tagged, rode the slide, and generally acted like an energetic kid with him. We took turns leading the way. 'You better run or I'm gonna get you.' 'Ride the slide with me Mom.' So on and so forth. No one told anyone how to behave or what the rules were. We just played together and had a blast. At dinner I told him again how much I enjoyed hanging out with him today and he smiled and nodded and said 'yeah.' Phew. I'm so glad he seemed to believe me this time!
So that was the long way of saying that I feel pretty convicted about trying to manage too much. Not every activity needs a rule sheet. And I need to create a lot more activities where Ezekiel leads and I follow and where we can just enjoy each other without a recitation of all the things he must do or not do. Campbell talks about the vital importance of a kid knowing he is unconditionally loved and accepted through things like eye contact, physical touch, and quality time together. He says that discipline shouldn't be attempted if those things aren't in place. Today I realized that I need to keep better tabs on myself and not slip into the mode of letting discipline and behavior expectations be the primary way we relate.
Geez! He's only just turned three and I think I've already screwed him up.
I also think I need to go to the park more often during the long afternoons. Its been so cold here that I've been hesitant to take Zipporah out. I'm not sure how I'll run around and chase Zeke with Zippy in tow but I'm sure I'll find a way. I'm sure that the time playing together will keep my energy levels higher, build good memories between me and Zeke, and keep us from being destructive with mutual bad behavior at home. Hopefully I can think of other ways for us to play and build up the unconditional love and acceptance part of our relationship.
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
First Cold
You know you have a happy baby on your hands when she smiles at you while you suction her nose with one of those bulb thingys. She sounds terrible but we've been assured this is nothing alarming and that she is able to fight it off. So we wait. And I barely sleep. Not because she's fussy or anything but because she keeps gargling on her snot and I'm terrified she's going to quit breathing or something. Poor baby. Sneezing and coughing while you sleep is no fun. Even if you do insist on smiling through the ordeal.
Chik Fil A
I have to admit, I love Chik Fil A. I love that their meat is hormone and antibiotic free. I love that they greet me at the door with a rolling highchair to rest the baby carrier on. I love that they come to the table with offers to refill my drinks, bring me napkins, extra sauces, etc. I love that they have a sound proof play area. I think that if I visit any more often, they are going to get a plaque with my name made to go on 'my' table. The one right in front of the play area glass. The one that is actually a booth so that Zipporah can take her morning nap on the bench while Ezekiel plays! I wonder how long that ill last.
We met friends there today and Ezekiel threw a boy's action figure over the netting into the no-play portion of the play area. The friends burst into tears and Ezekiel felt quite helpless about what to do. Within minutes another friend had told on him and I went in to see if I was needed. Ezekiel apologized and we went together to ask the Chik Fil A people if they could get behind the play structure to retrieve the action figure. On our way home, at least an hour later, Ezekiel said sorry to me for throwing the action figure. I wondered if he'd been feeling bad all morning instead of feeling forgiven. How do you teach a child to 'feel' forgiven? When I asked he said he got caught up in the excitement of so many friend and threw the action figure without really thinking. He felt pretty bad about it. How do you help a three year old process grown up emotions?
Yesterday we all trooped into the doctor's office to make sure Zipporah's raspy breathing and wet cough were a simple cold and nothing more serious. Whew. Good thing Patrick met us there. The office was small and we had to wait for an hour. Note to self: next time bring books and toys. Zipporah is fine but I'm still trying to figure out how other mamas handle three years old and infant alone at the doctor.
We met friends there today and Ezekiel threw a boy's action figure over the netting into the no-play portion of the play area. The friends burst into tears and Ezekiel felt quite helpless about what to do. Within minutes another friend had told on him and I went in to see if I was needed. Ezekiel apologized and we went together to ask the Chik Fil A people if they could get behind the play structure to retrieve the action figure. On our way home, at least an hour later, Ezekiel said sorry to me for throwing the action figure. I wondered if he'd been feeling bad all morning instead of feeling forgiven. How do you teach a child to 'feel' forgiven? When I asked he said he got caught up in the excitement of so many friend and threw the action figure without really thinking. He felt pretty bad about it. How do you help a three year old process grown up emotions?
Yesterday we all trooped into the doctor's office to make sure Zipporah's raspy breathing and wet cough were a simple cold and nothing more serious. Whew. Good thing Patrick met us there. The office was small and we had to wait for an hour. Note to self: next time bring books and toys. Zipporah is fine but I'm still trying to figure out how other mamas handle three years old and infant alone at the doctor.
Monday, January 10, 2011
The Cat in the Hat
I love that Ezekiel is reenacting letting Thing 1 and Thing 2 out of their box while standing on an upended green sterilite.
I hate that me and both kids are sick.
And have I mentioned how big both kids are? Growing way too fast in my opinion.
I hate that me and both kids are sick.
And have I mentioned how big both kids are? Growing way too fast in my opinion.
Friday, January 7, 2011
'Helping Mama'
He threw the colored pencils to the floor and declared "I will NOT help clean up." A few seconds later, "I'm gonna get my guitar and sing to you while you clean up." Are you kidding me? How do I parent THAT?
Thursday, January 6, 2011
The Flying Day
Apparently the trick to making the hours fly by is to take husband into work late and spend the rest of the morning at Chik Fil A. Ezekiel went straight to sleep when we got home and we left an hour after he woke up to pick husband up from work.
Yesterday was one of the longest days ever while all of today seemed shorter than yesterday's lunch. Why is that? I had 15 activities planned yesterday and we blew through them by noon. It was fun and productive and then everything fizzled after naps and I almost lost my mind by dinner. Nothing was planned today except the desire to leave the house.
Sometimes I scratch my head and wonder what went wrong in a day. Other times I know exactly what went right. Ezekiel woke up from his nap today crying and sad. He didn't know why but wanted me to hold him. I spent as long as he needed and set aside everything that I had planned. We snuggled and read Narnia, talked, and cooked together. He specifically asked that I 'cook' the yogurt by 'dumping' it into the pot. Cooked yogurt it was. I mean, what did I have to lose besides a little yogurt? I knew he was feeling loved and accepted and happy when we left the house to get Patrick. Sure enough, he spent 30-45 minutes walking around the BX with us. He needed a little guiding and some good boundaries but basically he was responsive and engaging the whole time. He controlled himself well and was resilient when I bought almost nothing that he asked for. When we left he was smiling and happy. So worth the effort this afternoon to fill him up with love! I think thats the biggest thing I'm learning about three year olds right now: when they know and experience that they are unconditionally loved, accepted, and desired, their behavior issues almost vanish.
All in all, it was a good day. Zipporah even cried less than normal in her car seat. Which means we had about ten minutes of quiet in the course of a couple hours of driving!
Yesterday was one of the longest days ever while all of today seemed shorter than yesterday's lunch. Why is that? I had 15 activities planned yesterday and we blew through them by noon. It was fun and productive and then everything fizzled after naps and I almost lost my mind by dinner. Nothing was planned today except the desire to leave the house.
Sometimes I scratch my head and wonder what went wrong in a day. Other times I know exactly what went right. Ezekiel woke up from his nap today crying and sad. He didn't know why but wanted me to hold him. I spent as long as he needed and set aside everything that I had planned. We snuggled and read Narnia, talked, and cooked together. He specifically asked that I 'cook' the yogurt by 'dumping' it into the pot. Cooked yogurt it was. I mean, what did I have to lose besides a little yogurt? I knew he was feeling loved and accepted and happy when we left the house to get Patrick. Sure enough, he spent 30-45 minutes walking around the BX with us. He needed a little guiding and some good boundaries but basically he was responsive and engaging the whole time. He controlled himself well and was resilient when I bought almost nothing that he asked for. When we left he was smiling and happy. So worth the effort this afternoon to fill him up with love! I think thats the biggest thing I'm learning about three year olds right now: when they know and experience that they are unconditionally loved, accepted, and desired, their behavior issues almost vanish.
All in all, it was a good day. Zipporah even cried less than normal in her car seat. Which means we had about ten minutes of quiet in the course of a couple hours of driving!
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Questions with Not So Many Answers
Why do little boys love being naked?
How many craft projects can you do in a day?
Is it possible to stop snacking with a toddler in the house?
When both kids are asleep, is it better to clean or take a nap?
Today Ezekiel came and told he he was having a hard day. I agreed. And then he asked for hugs and gave me a kiss. So sweet in the midst of 'a hard day'.
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Notes
Zipporah really hates her car seat. Proof: 20 minutes of crying to Chik Fil A, 20 minutes on the way home, 18 minutes of crying on the way to the base, and 35 minutes on the way home. Holy smokes. Even Ezekiel was feeling rattled by the time we finally landed at home for the last time today. Its enough to make a mom stay at home!
Ezekiel busted his ear big time. About 45 minutes later he slammed his hand in the dryer lid. Both are major injuries for Ezekiel and both occurred in one night. What's going on?
We had a great day today. I nearly finished Ross Campbell's 'How to Really Love Your Child' and am implementing lots of his techniques or principles. Its amazing how well they are working so far. I'm leary of techniques and of saying something is 'working' as though kids were machines or science projects. What I mean is that Campbell basically lists ways to help your kids feel unconditionally loved and accepted and suggests a parent focus on doing that well rather than on a child's behavior. The result? Pleasant behavior and less resistance to direction. I really appreciate that he describes discipline as training. I think of discipline as discipleship. Basically teaching my kid what he needs to know and walking alongside him with guidance and hopefully a little wisdom.
Today we played Go Fish, Memory, we colored, stamped, cut, and glued,played at Chik Fil A with friends, created a special reading place inside a tent and began Stuart Little. Ezekiel helped me cook, helped care for Zipporah, and chattered with me all day long. He said I love you, please, thank you, I'm sorry, I forgive you, and you're welcome all day long without direction. We talked about telling the truth versus lying and he decided to tell the truth once he understood that God didn't like lying. It made no difference to him that I didn't care for it. I guess if its between me and God, its better that God be the motivator! And we finally made some progress with directing the intense anger and bursts of violent emotion into pleasant words. Its not that he can't have the emotions, its just that he's learning to communicate them productively.
Like I said, it was a good day and a busy one. So far I love parenting two kids better than one. Their different needs and schedules give me a sense of order and structure during the day. I'm able to make better use of the individual minutes when they don't all run together. Life is good.
Ezekiel busted his ear big time. About 45 minutes later he slammed his hand in the dryer lid. Both are major injuries for Ezekiel and both occurred in one night. What's going on?
We had a great day today. I nearly finished Ross Campbell's 'How to Really Love Your Child' and am implementing lots of his techniques or principles. Its amazing how well they are working so far. I'm leary of techniques and of saying something is 'working' as though kids were machines or science projects. What I mean is that Campbell basically lists ways to help your kids feel unconditionally loved and accepted and suggests a parent focus on doing that well rather than on a child's behavior. The result? Pleasant behavior and less resistance to direction. I really appreciate that he describes discipline as training. I think of discipline as discipleship. Basically teaching my kid what he needs to know and walking alongside him with guidance and hopefully a little wisdom.
Today we played Go Fish, Memory, we colored, stamped, cut, and glued,played at Chik Fil A with friends, created a special reading place inside a tent and began Stuart Little. Ezekiel helped me cook, helped care for Zipporah, and chattered with me all day long. He said I love you, please, thank you, I'm sorry, I forgive you, and you're welcome all day long without direction. We talked about telling the truth versus lying and he decided to tell the truth once he understood that God didn't like lying. It made no difference to him that I didn't care for it. I guess if its between me and God, its better that God be the motivator! And we finally made some progress with directing the intense anger and bursts of violent emotion into pleasant words. Its not that he can't have the emotions, its just that he's learning to communicate them productively.
Like I said, it was a good day and a busy one. So far I love parenting two kids better than one. Their different needs and schedules give me a sense of order and structure during the day. I'm able to make better use of the individual minutes when they don't all run together. Life is good.
Monday, January 3, 2011
Come Lately
Do I dare try to resurrect this blog? Its been over a year and a lot has happened that I won't try to catch up on. Blanks will just have to be blank. With a new computer on my lap and two kids asleep, I find myself wanting to write again. I've realized that I mostly forget what happens every day and that this blog, electronic and vaporous as it is, may be the best recorder of these golden days with my children. For that reason, I am daring. Not to be the wittiest, cleverest, most interesting, pithy, or popular mom on the blogger roll. But daring to at least keep a record of these days before they escape into the forgotten memories of sleepless nights and blurry days.
On that note, let's begin with confessions and goals.
Confessions:
1. I watched 4 complete seasons of Bones in the first two months of Zipporah's life. Ezekiel asks for quality time with me by asking to watch Bones with Mama.
2. Ezekiel watched 1-3 hours of movies A DAY during my third and fourth trimesters.
3. I really have no idea how to parent my 3 year old with his current needs.
Goals:
1. Get Fit 2011 (or Go Lean 2011 if it weren't a cereal). This includes losing my baby body, decluttering, organizing, and finding a routine for our days.
2. No more TV/Movies for Ezekiel. Period. Its off the table and I will just have to figure out how to parent without the Cycloptic babysitter.
3. Non-time-specific, interactive, daily schedule.
Notes: Today I put Ezekiel down for his nap while Zipporah was awake and in my arms. I wasn't sure how I would cross that bridge when it happened but it went off with reasonable ease. Ezekiel and I tried to play Five Little Monkeys today. He's very into the idea of games but he's not quite ready for the rules of play. One of my goals for him is to grow in his social interactions. I think one good way to pursue this goal is for us to practice playing games. I never thought about the abundance of social lessons in a game but they are there and ready for us to master. I have no idea how to be the mom I want to be and keep my house clean. The dishwasher is half unloaded adn the dishes are piled high and its 1:30. Before Zipporah, I just cleaned the kitchen while making coffee and feeding Ezekiel. Now I spend that time nursing. Hmm. Finally, I am so thankful for the lack of post-partum depression this time around. If anyone wants someone to talk to about PPD then I am available. I had it terribly with Ezekiel and not at all with Zipporah.
On that note, let's begin with confessions and goals.
Confessions:
1. I watched 4 complete seasons of Bones in the first two months of Zipporah's life. Ezekiel asks for quality time with me by asking to watch Bones with Mama.
2. Ezekiel watched 1-3 hours of movies A DAY during my third and fourth trimesters.
3. I really have no idea how to parent my 3 year old with his current needs.
Goals:
1. Get Fit 2011 (or Go Lean 2011 if it weren't a cereal). This includes losing my baby body, decluttering, organizing, and finding a routine for our days.
2. No more TV/Movies for Ezekiel. Period. Its off the table and I will just have to figure out how to parent without the Cycloptic babysitter.
3. Non-time-specific, interactive, daily schedule.
Notes: Today I put Ezekiel down for his nap while Zipporah was awake and in my arms. I wasn't sure how I would cross that bridge when it happened but it went off with reasonable ease. Ezekiel and I tried to play Five Little Monkeys today. He's very into the idea of games but he's not quite ready for the rules of play. One of my goals for him is to grow in his social interactions. I think one good way to pursue this goal is for us to practice playing games. I never thought about the abundance of social lessons in a game but they are there and ready for us to master. I have no idea how to be the mom I want to be and keep my house clean. The dishwasher is half unloaded adn the dishes are piled high and its 1:30. Before Zipporah, I just cleaned the kitchen while making coffee and feeding Ezekiel. Now I spend that time nursing. Hmm. Finally, I am so thankful for the lack of post-partum depression this time around. If anyone wants someone to talk to about PPD then I am available. I had it terribly with Ezekiel and not at all with Zipporah.
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