TTT: Season 2, Episode 38

1. We've had a much better week. Much better! The lion tamer has managed to squash a large majority of our major issues, as discussed last week. I think Sassy-pants #1 caught on that Mom means business, and like always, Sassy-pants #2 has followed along. It really hasn't been a matter of doing things much differently than we normally do. Just cracking down and following through every. single. time. Not having the oh, I'll just let this one slip 'cause I really don't want to get up right now moments. And not allowing myself to fall back into the trap of allowing them to be the masters. Somehow that always tends to happen when involving food. "Maaaaaaa! I'm hungry! I'm ready for my dinner! I want more milk!..." I had gotten so bad about responding with "Ok, I'm going as fast as I can, sit down, it will be done in just two seconds, I'm doing my best..." What am I? A slave!?! Teaching children patience is about as easy as gaining it for yourself. Still, that predicament too has improved. I've had to bust out the "I'm making dinner as fast as I can and it will be ready in a few minutes. If you mention it again, you will be in the other room not eating while the rest of us eat together." So far it has shut them up every time. We'll keep plugging along with these turkeys. I tell ya, they require more effort than the baby for sure!

2. We've finally made a major transition with nap time. For months now Kolbe has been trying to give up his afternoon nap. It follows these guidelines:
- If he takes a nap, he wants to sleep for at least two hours.
- If you try to wake him early, he's a bear for the rest of the day.
- If he takes a nap at all, he doesn't fall asleep till 9:30 or 10:00 every night.
- If he doesn't take a nap, he's a little emotional from around 6:00 on, but then is asleep by 8:00.

So the obvious answer would be to give up the nap and have the much earlier bed time. But, it's been a move I've been afraid to make for a long time now, mainly because I love my quiet time in the afternoon so dearly. It's used to run my business, relax, clean, do projects around the house, etc. I really didn't want to give that up. But it turns out, we've managed to establish a system that seems to work just as well. When Reagan lays down for his nap, Kolbe has a thirty minute quiet time in Grant's room. He can rest or read books. Then for the next thirty minutes, I take him in worksheets on things we've been working on in "school" (letters, numbers, matching, rhyming...) and he works on those or colors pictures. After that hour is up, he's allowed to come out to the gameroom and play while I finish up my work. I'll also do little activities with him while I finish up like spreading number or letter flashcards out on the floor and having him put them in order. And we have some fun pre-school software that he likes to try out on the computer as well. Little games like "pick the fish with the letter A!" The computer is right beside my work area so it makes it easy for me to help him. And let me just say, it's so funny seeing a little guy learn how to use the mouse! Man, our kids our growing up in such a high tech age! Anyway, this routine has afforded me not only the quiet time that I thrive on mid-day, but an earlier, more peaceful bed time too. Score!

3. If you haven't caught word on facebook already, my brother is home!!! Mike left for Afghanistan to serve in the Air Force back in March and made it back on Tuesday night. We are all so proud of him and his commitment to our country. We pray that his time overseas has been life-changing in positive ways for not just him, but for his entire growing family. I also can't help but sing the praises my sister-in-law, Casey. It's hard being pregnant; it's hard having your husband gone for six months; it's hard raising a toddler alone; it's hard knowing your husband is in danger; it's hard living far away from family. But man, combining all of those things at once!?! Sheesh! And she managed to make it look easy! We are so proud of her and her commitment to her husband, the military, and her family. We are blessed that they are "ours."  And can't wait to welcome the newest member, Miss Kennedy, in just a few short weeks! And again, praise God for bringing this deployment safely to an end.

Wish I could have been in Idaho to see this in person! Jackson loves his Daddy! (Picture courtesy of Heather Baker Warren) 

Last week I mentioned hopes of getting some fall decorations up. We didn't quite get there will the "fall extravaganza" but maybe this week. Instead, the boys and I made a fun little ghost garland for Halloween. Hopefully I'll get a post up soon with pics from our little project.

At Target this week I indulged the boys with a trip through the Halloween section. Though nearly a million items were begged for, I managed to hold them to these two little light up jack-o-lanterns. Kolbe loved to hide out in the pantry with the lights out so he could see them glow. That was, of course, until they got confiscated for being kicked like soccer balls. You'll notice them in the above picture up on the mantle out of reach. Don't you love how when you have little kids, your decor teeters heavily on the side of garish?

Love these boys! (And love how Grant looks like a little old man when he's not smiling.)



Somebody turned 3 months old this week! Man, is this guy a great baby or what!?! He's a sweet, happy boy, with irresistible blue eyes, and weighs from  15-16 pounds according to our scale at home. Plumpest baby yet!

 

Dear Fall, please hurry up and get here! I baked fresh zucchini bread!

Yes, it's still hot enough here to play with shaving cream and the sprinkler in undies in the backyard at 9:00 in the morning.



Have a great week everyone! And Go, Red Raiders! (no seriously. Go. As in "Go get your act together 'cause if you keep playing like you did last week, you can plan on breaking our sixteen season bowl game streak.)