FarFar

Baby-smash has taken to throwing everything out of her crib either before or after she sleeps. Today after she napped, I didn't rescue her fast enough and she also ripped her piggies out of her hair and booted them right out of the crib.
Um, OUCH!

She will be 19 months old on Monday.
Some of her most recent words and phrases:
I color, Mommy.
Uh oh, I dop it.
See you later.
M
H
R
8
4, 5, 6
Lotion.
Tights.
Tooted (while patting bottom).
Let go.
Tuter (computer).
I hungeee.
I dink.
Nigh-nigh.
E-I-E-I-O.
Eweeeeee, goss.
Tash.
Rocka bebe, rocka bebe.
Wya.
Ella.
Hello.
Diper.
Cacker.
Pitties (hair bows).
I bite you (pretends to bite while growling).
Book.
Tories.
Ouside.
Goggy (every animal).

Rs are only clear when they come at the end of a word.

QOTD

"Even after I die, this book will still be written." ~ Wyeth

Wy-guy is writing his first book. It is 14 pages, with lots of great pictures.

The title is it's best part.... Anakin has a mom.

I. LOVE. THIS. KID.

"FINE...then I won't..."

It's a little known secret that Mr. Work and I both have a flair for the drama. I like to think of us as spirited and passionate. But, being that our children our double breed for the drama, they have never little chance at a "normal" set of reactions to pull from.
Wyeth has taken to announcing his displeasure with a given situation by shouting one of the following favorites:

• Ellllllllllaaaaaa, you are not my friend anymore!
• Look here Mom, if you don't do it my way, I will not be your son!
• You are making me so angry, you are not coming to my birthday!
• FINE, I am out of here!
• BABY! If you do that again, I won't be your friend, EVER, EVER, EVER!

I have a mixed bag of responses, mostly giggling and head shaking. The birthday one slays me. It has been pointed out that since I throw the party for him, if I am not invited, the party won't happen.
See what I mean? I am just dramatic as he is!

QOTD

While trying to stand on the bucket of laundry soap,

"Please close the lid on the sugar bucket so I can stand on it." ~ Wyeth

Really? You think Mama puts a scoop of sugar in every load?

What a silly boy!

QOTD

"Mama, I puked this night. You saw it on my ni-ni. You cleaned it." ~ Ella

Repeated at least three times a day for the last five days.

Lenten Promises

Traditionally, an old habit is given up or a new habit is added during the Lent season as a way to prepare for the coming of Jesus. I have always looked at these Lent promises as a way to improve my relationship with God. By giving up something that will make me think of my desire to be closer to God several times a day. In the past, I have given up fried foods, soda, cussing, and sex, just to name a few. These things don't necessarily negatively affect my relationship with God, but rather they are things I enjoy and don't want to be without. There are also the years that I added...like trying to complete a random act of kindness daily.
This year, I think I will add and subtract. I desperately need to make some changes in my lifestyle for the sake of my health. Nothing like the 40 days of Lent to set you straight, right?
I am going to give up refined sugar. I am not exactly sure how to set the parameters, being that sugar is in EVERYTHING, but I am thinking some number of sugar grams in a day. For sure this will mean no sweet treats.
Additionally, I am going to complete some form of exercise everyday. Every. day.
These are going to be HUGE. But so is my desire to be closer to God.

QOTD

"uh oh, i boke dis Mommy." - Fara

Her mad speech skills floor me.

QOTD

"Bess you, Mommy." ~ Fara

Pretty stinkin' cute from an 18 month old.

My Ella Bella

She is such a little love. I don't know if it is the guilt I carry for getting pregnant when she was five months old, or because she is tiny and looks fragile, or just simply because she is the middle child, but I spend a LOT of time worrying about her. I, of course, want the very best for all my babes.

She is independent, tenacious and strong. She doesn't need constant monitoring (for lack of a better word.) However, she does require a fair amount of coddling. Is that even possible? She can be a little needy. But, can you even consider a two and a half year old needy? I want her to be a strong women. Sometimes as a parent I am guitly of seeing an unattractive behavior in these beginning years and worry that is the "type" of adult my child is going to grow into.

I want to like her, and I think the hard part of parenting that is purely learned, is I am not always going to like her choices. I just have to know that she at her core is amazing and talented and what she chooses to do with that is her choice. The love I have for her is unconditional...DUH!

Five Ella Facts @ 32 months

• Totally relies on the paci for comfort. (We have her leave it in bed though.)
• She's pretty much potty trained during hours.
• Loves having her hair done, but has strong opinions about what it should look like.
• Wyeth is her world. She picks most of, if not all the fights.
• Her favorite toy is a purse with all kinds of strange stuff in it.

Ella, you make me laugh and proud every single day.

Chubby, Husky, Big, Bigger...More to Love

So, what crosses your mind when you see a woman that is not her ideal weight? Do you think, "oh my, she must come from a big family?" or "honey, you don't you don't have to eat ALL your emotions," or "shit, it wouldn't hurt you to hit the treadmill a couple time a week." To be honest with you, I have thought all these things about people I have seen, just today. And the kicker is, I am HUGE! Morbidly obese by the BMI charts.
Where is all this judgement coming from? And am I MORE judgemental than the next guy? I know well the hurt that all the above thoughts can cause, yet I am still thinking them. I want to believe that fat people are lazy, bottom line.
So, tell me...am I more harsh? Or am I pretty on target?

Potty Training

Man....I thought Ella's potty training was going to be one of my biggest victories in parenting thus far. We spent four days at home after the first of the year and after very little coaxing on my part, my 2.5 year old seemed to have the hang of it.
So for the last month things went swimmingly in the dry pantie department. And then something happened. There are was a case of constipation, crying, mommy assisted pooping and lots of panicking. And my sweet child that has never had a problem pooping in her life is suddenly a wreck over using the potty. Uuughhhh...what to do?
Following the "incident", she started pooping her pants fairly regularly. She didn't seem much bothered by the accidents, she would just put her clothes, poop in panties and all in the clothes hamper and just redress herself.
Those of you that know me can imagine my reaction to finding several wads of poop. Not impressed to say the least and came down on her pretty hard. She seemed to understand, but then has continued to only be hit and miss.
I am not sure what to do next. Life has been pretty fast paced for the kiddos lately. So, even I am having a hard time with our lack of routine and constiancy. I think for the time being, I will just let her move forward at her own pace. If she uses the potty great, if not....oh well.
I guess the lesson here would be...potty training is about the child. I should have never considered Ella's potty training my victory. Believe it or not I am already potty trained.

Grrrr....

This, the house of sick is on my last nerve.
Ella puked the length of her bed last night, just as I was falling asleep. Poor little monkey. She got puke in her hair. GROSS. Thankfully Mr. Work was here to help with a quick tubby, jammie change, and remaking of the bed.
WHY oh WHY?!?!? Are we so susceptible to every freaking little bug this winter? Frankly we have never been great hand washers, but neither was my mom and her mom before that? Can it really make a difference? Really? Have things somehow changed?
The kiddos have been taking an immune support powder I picked up from our homeopath, and they also have a Flintstones gummy vitamins daily. I feed them fruits and veggies (well, I try to anyway) and they drink a fair amount of water daily as well. What am I missing?
Grrrrrrr!

QOTD

"Diet Pepsi? Mom, if we are going to get another baby in your tummy, you need to make a better choice. You should drink water or another good liquid" - Wyeth

Man's Point of View

Mom's United in Motherhood is hosting Steve Maki, LCSW; CSW, to discuss marriage from a man's point of view at our enrichment meeting, tomorrow morning. The questions that the members came up with are quite interesting and I am eager to hear what Steve has to say.
I met Steve about a year ago when he joined Lisa's (my therapist) practice. Steve and Lisa were married in '04 and Lisa and I have been together since January of '05. Lisa is one of the bright spots in my week, and she has seen me through motherhood, marriage, and basic stress management for the last four years. Soooooooo, needless to say Steve's point of view will be fun. Lisa's said she wished she could be a fly on the wall.
Plus, he's handsome.