This blog entry will be in French. You have been warned.
Alice a été très bien dans la première année. Elle est l'autobus scolaire, passant toute la journée à l'école, et faire de nouveaux amis après le transfert d'un grade à une classe un / deux split.
Elle se débrouille très bien avec sa lecture et extrêmement impressionnant en mathématiques. J'aime regarder son faire ses devoirs, demander de l'aide, puis se rendre compte qu'elle n'est nécessaire que rassurer - ne pas aider.
Alice semble aussi avoir beaucoup d'amis. Elle a eu un incident mineur avec quelqu'un de sa classe lui voler son déjeuner, mais nous espérons que cela changera bientôt. Son problème est qu'elle laisse sa nourriture sans surveillance et ce garçon petit tire pleinement parti de lui. En dehors de cela, elle semble avoir beaucoup d'amis. Elle rentre à la maison heureux et excité de partager sa journée. Je suis très fière de ma petite fille.
Monday, October 17, 2011
Monday, October 10, 2011
Almost A Year!
So, Jane's birthday is only a few days away! She is going to be a year old! It's amazing when look back at Alice's first year and compare it to Jane's first year. There are so many similarities and differences that it is mind boggling. They both have the same 'look'. That look being that they look identical to me as a child. It's almost as if I have literally cloned them - but I will save that for a different blog entry.I'm surprised that I don't really have a plan for her birthday party. I know what I am going to do in terms of presents and I know I am making her cupcakes instead of a cake, but I really don't have anything planned as for time, theme, or anything like that. She's obviously going to have two different parties. One with Mike and his family and one with myself and my family. Mike and I are going to try to get some pictures of the four of us together for Jane's sake - it's only fair she have a chance to celebrate with the two of us and her sister all together, if only for a half hour.
Her birthday is falling on a Saturday this year. Normally Saturdays mean I have her automatically. Mike usually films weddings on Saturdays. This is actually going to be the first Saturday he has had off in months, so I have told him that he can have her birthday party on her birthday and that I will do the Sunday.
Shopping for her birthday presents was a lot of fun. I knew exactly what I wanted to get her. It's this bilingual learning table by Leapfrog. I was also going to pick up this Furreal friends dog toy. Jane is obsessed with dogs. Her first word was dog - though she says "dada" or "dowee". She loves playing with Alice's "Go-Go the Walking Dog" toy - she will crawl up to it, bite/kiss its nose, and pat it on the head. So I decided I would get her Furreal Friends "Cookie" a dog that responds to touch and sound and plays with a chew toy but it much softer than Go-Go. It's a toy both Alice and Jane can share as well, so Alice doesn't feel left out.
I had known that I was going to be buying these things for Jane for a few weeks now. I saw some commercials for Cookie and I knew about the bilingual learning table from previous trips to ToysRUs. It seemed almost like a sign when I saw the sale flyer this week and saw that both items were on sale. Cookie was on normal 20% off sale but the table was on a two day 50% off sale that was only available Saturday and Sunday. We almost didn't get the table, thanks to the sale.
Because the table was on the two day sale, the store only had so many they could sell during each day of the sale. By the time I had made it to ToysRUs with the girls, the tables for Saturday had been sold out. I asked a sales lady if there were any left and she said there weren't. I knew it really meant that there were just none left for Saturday. I was fine with that and was going to plan on showing up first thing Sunday morning to get it...luckily I had Alice with me. As we were walking away she said "I guess Jane's not getting a birthday present, right mama?" (Oh, the way kids think) The sales lady heard this and told us to wait a minute. She went to the back and brought out the 'girl' colour one for us (I'm not going to get started on how much boy and girl coloured toys get me going in this entry, so I'm just gonna keep moving on with the story.) I thanked the sales lady profusely and we went home with the table and Cookie in tow. Very excited.
I still have to buy some wrapping paper, vegetable oil, a disposable camera (lost my camera and gave Mike the DSLR), and pick out some birthday clothes, but I have a few more days to grab everything. It's bittersweet to see my girlies growing up so fast. I love every stage of their development. Alice is making leaps and bounds in school - I plan on that being my next entry. Hopefully fit that in before the birthday.
I really don't know how to sign off from this blog post. It's not like my YouTube where I cna blow a kiss and be done with it. Hmmm.
Thursday, September 15, 2011
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Saturday, August 27, 2011
Different Personalities
Everyone knows that each baby is different, but it is amazing to see just what differences they have when it comes to siblings. Children are obviously the product of a male and a female - each with their own distinct personality - so it is amazing to me when I watch Jane and Alice and see the similarities and differences they both posses.
Both are very much their mothers' daughter. Their personality. The sparkle of mischief in their eye. The way they command the attention of a room. Both are happy and personable and rather astute. I see a lot of Mike in the girls, too. Just in different areas. Alice has his ability to remain quiet and take in a situation before approaching it. Jane, on the other hand, decides to BE the situation. Yet she is so observant and clever in a way that I can only attribute to Mike.
So while overall they are very alike, there are small differences that I have picked up on. Alice, as a baby, was much more physically advanced than Jane is at the same comparable age. Alice was sitting, rolling, and crawling way before many other children reached the milestone. Jane has needed physiotherapy to learn to push herself up into a sitting position. It took her until just after 10 months to do so.
Alice learned to crawl without doing the whole push-up thing. She just one day decided to crawl. Jane is now trying to crawl and is a very mobile baby, but she drags one leg behind her. (It is her weak leg. Physio is really working wonders, though)
Jane seems to grasp concepts much better than Alice did at the same comparable age. It took forever for Alice to even touch a sippy cup. Jane doesn't use one on her own, but knows how to get the liquid out when it is held up to her mouth. Alice took forever to learn cause and effect with toys - Jane takes mere seconds to figure things out. That's not to say Alice wasn't intelligent or anything, but I can see that Alice learns very much like I do. Lots of misunderstandings if we try to do it someone else's way, but we get it pretty fast if we figure out our own way to do things. Jane's learning curve seems to be like Mike's. You show her something and she gets it.
Another difference that has made itself apparent in recent weeks is meal time. Alice has never lived to get dirty. She likes her hands and face and body clean. She is really my clone - my parents say I was the neatest baby they'd ever met. Alice rarely wanted to feed herself and wouldn't dream of playing with her food - unless it was ice cream. She would make a huge mess with that - but that's ice cream.
Jane insists on trying to feed herself. She wants her spoon. She wants her puree on the table so she can grab the pile of mush in her hand and shove it into her face. I have to take off her clothes in order to feed her in order to save her clothing. She loves to play with the textures and often rubs food on myself or anyone else within arms reach. If you don't give her some food to make a mess with to distract her, you will not be getting any food into her mouth.
Right now I am looking at the bottom of Jane's exersaucer. There are saltine cracker bits all over it. It looks like someone just threw a crumpled bag of crackers into it - and I clean this thing daily! Alice's toys are still in pristine condition from her infanthood...well they were until we gave them to Jane.
These are just a few things I have noticed so far. I can't wait to see what other differences there will be as they grow up together.
Both are very much their mothers' daughter. Their personality. The sparkle of mischief in their eye. The way they command the attention of a room. Both are happy and personable and rather astute. I see a lot of Mike in the girls, too. Just in different areas. Alice has his ability to remain quiet and take in a situation before approaching it. Jane, on the other hand, decides to BE the situation. Yet she is so observant and clever in a way that I can only attribute to Mike.
So while overall they are very alike, there are small differences that I have picked up on. Alice, as a baby, was much more physically advanced than Jane is at the same comparable age. Alice was sitting, rolling, and crawling way before many other children reached the milestone. Jane has needed physiotherapy to learn to push herself up into a sitting position. It took her until just after 10 months to do so.
Alice learned to crawl without doing the whole push-up thing. She just one day decided to crawl. Jane is now trying to crawl and is a very mobile baby, but she drags one leg behind her. (It is her weak leg. Physio is really working wonders, though)
Jane seems to grasp concepts much better than Alice did at the same comparable age. It took forever for Alice to even touch a sippy cup. Jane doesn't use one on her own, but knows how to get the liquid out when it is held up to her mouth. Alice took forever to learn cause and effect with toys - Jane takes mere seconds to figure things out. That's not to say Alice wasn't intelligent or anything, but I can see that Alice learns very much like I do. Lots of misunderstandings if we try to do it someone else's way, but we get it pretty fast if we figure out our own way to do things. Jane's learning curve seems to be like Mike's. You show her something and she gets it.
Another difference that has made itself apparent in recent weeks is meal time. Alice has never lived to get dirty. She likes her hands and face and body clean. She is really my clone - my parents say I was the neatest baby they'd ever met. Alice rarely wanted to feed herself and wouldn't dream of playing with her food - unless it was ice cream. She would make a huge mess with that - but that's ice cream.
Jane insists on trying to feed herself. She wants her spoon. She wants her puree on the table so she can grab the pile of mush in her hand and shove it into her face. I have to take off her clothes in order to feed her in order to save her clothing. She loves to play with the textures and often rubs food on myself or anyone else within arms reach. If you don't give her some food to make a mess with to distract her, you will not be getting any food into her mouth.
Right now I am looking at the bottom of Jane's exersaucer. There are saltine cracker bits all over it. It looks like someone just threw a crumpled bag of crackers into it - and I clean this thing daily! Alice's toys are still in pristine condition from her infanthood...well they were until we gave them to Jane.
These are just a few things I have noticed so far. I can't wait to see what other differences there will be as they grow up together.
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Helper Alice and a Restless Jane
I would literally be going insane these days if not for Alice. (Though some days she drives me insane, too). She still loves to help get Jane ready for the day and feed her and watch her and play with her.
There have been very few times where I have absolutely needed her help and she doesn't want to, which makes it take twice as long to get anything done because she will start to help then she will stop and I have to go back to remind her that she is helping me so we can get ready and do things.
Jane, who is now 9 1/2 months, is getting to be more and more restless every day. She doesn't like being put down unless it is into a sitting position on the floor. She holds herself up really well, but has the occasional tumble as she tries to figure out movement. She will get into a position where it looks like she is trying to crawl but the put her face on the ground and cry until someone picks her up.
She is also, so far, unable to push herself into a sitting position from a laying down position. I let her cry it out on her stomach for a little bit, but she gets upset to the point of vomiting - which makes her even more reluctant to try to crawl.
She has managed to do minute scooches on her bum on the hardwood floors, but it takes her a while and she sometimes gets her legs stuck to the floor and face plants. I wish there was a way to make her figure out how to do things that I know she has the muscle tone to do.
She is a very happy baby, though. Only crying when something is bothering her or when she is hungry or tired. Not a whole lot scares her and she is starting to cuddle me (I love it!) and show affection towards her sister as well.
The jolly jumper is an absolute Godsend. I had to get the a-frame jumper because she jumps so hard that the clamp on the other would come right off the doorway. She will jump happily for upwards of fifteen minutes - but has recently started to cry if people leave the room.
It wouldn't be so tiring with Jane and Alice if I had a tv. I don't let Alice watch tons and I don't use it as a babysitter, but sometimes the bright colours distract Jane long enough for me to shower. Or they keep Alice occupied while I give Jane a bath. Or we all sit together and watch tv and movies. Really, anything that makes it so my whole day is not catering to their every whim while my needs (and a few wants) fall to the wayside.
Overall everything is still good though. I may be tired (and sometimes smelly) and the girls might want to play when all I really want to do is curl up in bed and sleep, but I'm happy and I can't really complain. I have two gorgeous, happy little girls who love me and I love them. I had a roof over our heads and clothes on our backs. And while sometimes I eat more peanut butter than I'd like, it's so the girls can have nice, full tummies when they need it.
But I would still love a nap.
There have been very few times where I have absolutely needed her help and she doesn't want to, which makes it take twice as long to get anything done because she will start to help then she will stop and I have to go back to remind her that she is helping me so we can get ready and do things.
Jane, who is now 9 1/2 months, is getting to be more and more restless every day. She doesn't like being put down unless it is into a sitting position on the floor. She holds herself up really well, but has the occasional tumble as she tries to figure out movement. She will get into a position where it looks like she is trying to crawl but the put her face on the ground and cry until someone picks her up.
She is also, so far, unable to push herself into a sitting position from a laying down position. I let her cry it out on her stomach for a little bit, but she gets upset to the point of vomiting - which makes her even more reluctant to try to crawl.
She has managed to do minute scooches on her bum on the hardwood floors, but it takes her a while and she sometimes gets her legs stuck to the floor and face plants. I wish there was a way to make her figure out how to do things that I know she has the muscle tone to do.
She is a very happy baby, though. Only crying when something is bothering her or when she is hungry or tired. Not a whole lot scares her and she is starting to cuddle me (I love it!) and show affection towards her sister as well.
The jolly jumper is an absolute Godsend. I had to get the a-frame jumper because she jumps so hard that the clamp on the other would come right off the doorway. She will jump happily for upwards of fifteen minutes - but has recently started to cry if people leave the room.
It wouldn't be so tiring with Jane and Alice if I had a tv. I don't let Alice watch tons and I don't use it as a babysitter, but sometimes the bright colours distract Jane long enough for me to shower. Or they keep Alice occupied while I give Jane a bath. Or we all sit together and watch tv and movies. Really, anything that makes it so my whole day is not catering to their every whim while my needs (and a few wants) fall to the wayside.
Overall everything is still good though. I may be tired (and sometimes smelly) and the girls might want to play when all I really want to do is curl up in bed and sleep, but I'm happy and I can't really complain. I have two gorgeous, happy little girls who love me and I love them. I had a roof over our heads and clothes on our backs. And while sometimes I eat more peanut butter than I'd like, it's so the girls can have nice, full tummies when they need it.
But I would still love a nap.
Saturday, July 23, 2011
What a Frustrating Seven Minutes!
Today started off wonderfully. The girls and I went shopping with my mom. When we got back I took the girls swimming for hours. We didn't come in until it was time for Jane to nap. Alice said she was tired too so I suggested we all have a nap. I told Alice to wake me up when she got up. Instead I woke up to a living room full of toys that she was claiming to be too tired to clean up and burst into tears when I told her she had to put her toys away.
And while she did put them away, she did not do so before I stepped on a train causing me to step on several other painful, pointy toys and scared Jane when I yelled out a mild expletive in reaction to the searing pain in both feet.
I left the living room and went to the kitchen to grab dinner (leftovers from last night) and she had decided to leave a full glass of lemonade perched precariously on the edge of the fridge shelf - it fell over as the door opened and spilled right into dinner. No biggie, until the cup kept rolling and fell on my foot - luckily it didn't break, though I think it might not have hurt so much had it broken and the force was transferred all over the place rather than directly onto the knuckle of my big toe. Then, after making sure I was ok (after yet another expletive...this time it was less mild) Alice started to cry because that was apparently the last glass of lemonade.
I sighed and I threw out dinner. I then picked up the glass, checked it for cracks or anything. I didn't see any so I decided to put it on the counter to be washed. It decided to go postal and break into 20 little pieces (ok, medium sized pieces) and this is the ONLY time out of the 4 other times I've broken one of those glasses where it didn't break into two or three neat little pieces.
After cleaning that up I was pretty ticked. The final straw when Alice asked where her lasagna was. I sighed and came to the bedroom to hit a pillow.
I think I'm all good now.
And while she did put them away, she did not do so before I stepped on a train causing me to step on several other painful, pointy toys and scared Jane when I yelled out a mild expletive in reaction to the searing pain in both feet.
I left the living room and went to the kitchen to grab dinner (leftovers from last night) and she had decided to leave a full glass of lemonade perched precariously on the edge of the fridge shelf - it fell over as the door opened and spilled right into dinner. No biggie, until the cup kept rolling and fell on my foot - luckily it didn't break, though I think it might not have hurt so much had it broken and the force was transferred all over the place rather than directly onto the knuckle of my big toe. Then, after making sure I was ok (after yet another expletive...this time it was less mild) Alice started to cry because that was apparently the last glass of lemonade.
I sighed and I threw out dinner. I then picked up the glass, checked it for cracks or anything. I didn't see any so I decided to put it on the counter to be washed. It decided to go postal and break into 20 little pieces (ok, medium sized pieces) and this is the ONLY time out of the 4 other times I've broken one of those glasses where it didn't break into two or three neat little pieces.
After cleaning that up I was pretty ticked. The final straw when Alice asked where her lasagna was. I sighed and came to the bedroom to hit a pillow.
I think I'm all good now.
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
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"Single" Motherhood
I suppose, now that Mike and I are separated, I would technically be classed as a single mother. I can honestly say that that is a title I had never in a million years thought I would have. It almost still seems like such a taboo title - even though many households are headed by a single parent.
This post is to talk about how the girls are handling the split up of their once happy parents. This isn't to get into what happened - just to say how they are handling it. More so Alice than Jane, as this will really be the only way she knows it - which is very sad when I think about it like that.
Alice is often described by people as being wise beyond her years. They have to remind themselves they are taking to a five year old, at times. She grasps many concepts and ideas that take many of us years to master, yet still fails to grasp other seemingly basic concepts that some of her peers have managed.
Because of her adept observation skills, she has been aware of what is going on. And because of those same skills, Mike and I haven't really kept her out of it. She has been asking questions and I have been answering them as best I can. I can't speak for Mike, but I am sure she has asked him a few things as well.
Her most common question at the start was "Who is going to take care of us" (us being her and Jane). We assured her that it would still be us taking care of her, but just in different ways. She has asked where she will live, why we don't like each other anymore, and if she is getting more moms and dads like I have.
The answers aren't easy because she has never really been happy to be told "I don't know". Other times I can't bring the answer down to a level she can understand. One answer I don't want to tell her until she is older.
So far we have focused on the 'positives' in the situation. She gets another room - she is hoping to decorate it with Mike. I don't know if she has told him this or not. She gets another pool that she can swim in year round. We have a 'girl club' in my apartment now as it is just us girls. She gets to help me paint my room (after picking out a deep, luxurious red...may just paint one wall with it. Very deep) and she still gets to go on trips with both Mike and I in the summer. (Wonderland, anyone?)
Now for the less positive. She has been bottling up a lot. I can tell. She is seriously a mini me. There are things she wants to say - things she wants to ask - but things she is afraid to know the answer, even though the answer isn't what she thinks it is. I can see a lot of guilt on her face when Mike and I have arguments. I let her know each time that she hasn't done anything wrong, but I remember thinking my mom was lying to me when she would tell me and my siblings that back in the day.
Mike and I try our best not to argue in front of the kids. One of us handles it better than the other, but we are both working on it. Especially after the last one. Alice hid her head under a blanket and Jane cried and reached to be picked up for a whole three minutes. That cannot and will not happen again. We are better people than that.
Alice is very strong and while this will affect her, she will be ok and happy and well adjusted. While it wasn't something I ever wanted to do to her, she will be ok.
This post is to talk about how the girls are handling the split up of their once happy parents. This isn't to get into what happened - just to say how they are handling it. More so Alice than Jane, as this will really be the only way she knows it - which is very sad when I think about it like that.
Alice is often described by people as being wise beyond her years. They have to remind themselves they are taking to a five year old, at times. She grasps many concepts and ideas that take many of us years to master, yet still fails to grasp other seemingly basic concepts that some of her peers have managed.
Because of her adept observation skills, she has been aware of what is going on. And because of those same skills, Mike and I haven't really kept her out of it. She has been asking questions and I have been answering them as best I can. I can't speak for Mike, but I am sure she has asked him a few things as well.
Her most common question at the start was "Who is going to take care of us" (us being her and Jane). We assured her that it would still be us taking care of her, but just in different ways. She has asked where she will live, why we don't like each other anymore, and if she is getting more moms and dads like I have.
The answers aren't easy because she has never really been happy to be told "I don't know". Other times I can't bring the answer down to a level she can understand. One answer I don't want to tell her until she is older.
So far we have focused on the 'positives' in the situation. She gets another room - she is hoping to decorate it with Mike. I don't know if she has told him this or not. She gets another pool that she can swim in year round. We have a 'girl club' in my apartment now as it is just us girls. She gets to help me paint my room (after picking out a deep, luxurious red...may just paint one wall with it. Very deep) and she still gets to go on trips with both Mike and I in the summer. (Wonderland, anyone?)
Now for the less positive. She has been bottling up a lot. I can tell. She is seriously a mini me. There are things she wants to say - things she wants to ask - but things she is afraid to know the answer, even though the answer isn't what she thinks it is. I can see a lot of guilt on her face when Mike and I have arguments. I let her know each time that she hasn't done anything wrong, but I remember thinking my mom was lying to me when she would tell me and my siblings that back in the day.
Mike and I try our best not to argue in front of the kids. One of us handles it better than the other, but we are both working on it. Especially after the last one. Alice hid her head under a blanket and Jane cried and reached to be picked up for a whole three minutes. That cannot and will not happen again. We are better people than that.
Alice is very strong and while this will affect her, she will be ok and happy and well adjusted. While it wasn't something I ever wanted to do to her, she will be ok.
Monday, May 16, 2011
It's been ages!
Don't say I didn't warn you about the long spaces of time between blog entries! I made sure to do so in the first post!
So obviously a lot has happened since my last blog. Life has become so hectic. A good kind of hectic as well as a bad kind of hectic. It's also lead to a lot of self discovery which might have some pretty drastic consequences. Either way, this blog is more about the kids than myself, so onward march!
Jane is now 7 months old and Alice is almost done maternelle. Next stop will be la première année. She is so excited for it. And, according to her carte de rapport she is ready to take on the challenges next year will bring.
Having said that, I sometimes worry about her lack of French usage at home. I will ask her basic questions that I know she has done in school and she seems to have no idea what I am saying. Other days she responds right away - often in French but I don't mind a response in English.
Her ballet is going quite well, too. Her show is coming up next month. It will be her last with her dance company as they will be closing their doors. I am hoping to send her to my ballet school. I think she will enjoy it there. It is also a bit more serious, so I think she will thrive. Alice does very well in structured settings.
Jane is continuing to be a joy. She is the happiest baby I have ever met. Even when she is cranky, she is happy. She cries only when she needs something - but is a very high energy baby. She loves to jump and bounce, so if you are stuck without a jolly jumper or a jumparoo, your arms are in for a workout.
It's also hard to get her to do a belly laugh. She will sometimes laugh at one thing several times, and then hours later she's over it. She loves to chuckle and smile, though. And her toothless grin will not be very toothless soon. She is teething like a madwoman. I am almost certain I felt some tooth under her gums tonight when she decided to gnaw on my knuckle.
Even her sitter (as I am back in college) says she is a joy and seconds the possibility that she is teething. Another thing her sitter and I have learned is how much she hates baths. I thought maybe it was just me. Jane will buck like a bronco to get out of her baby tub. I've tried warms baths, cool baths, baths with lots of water, and baths with minimal water. As soon as she gets in the tub she starts screaming. It doesn't last long, though. As soon as you take her out, she's as happy as a pig in poo.
Speaking of poo, she has learned to take off disposable diapers. We really only use them when she goes to the sitter's, but she was wearing one the other day and decided to take it off. Unlike her Gdiaper, disposable diapers undo in the front - and Jane seems to think it is funny to take off her diaper. Especially after she makes a mess. Lesson learned.
I sometimes feel like I'm overwhelmed with the kids. I find there are more days where my patience is tested, but I am getting better. I have been exhausted thanks to school, the weather, and my social life. School is three days a week for 5 hours. That's not including travel time. I am out of the house for a 7 hour stretch for school.
And the weather doesn't help much. We will get one sunny day followed by days of rain - often heavy. Nothing like what Manitoba is facing or anything, but it's so depressing. The trees are only just starting to turn green now.
Then there is my social life. It is something I am not willing to give up. It is my lifeline. But school is definitely helping me get a social life in during humane hours. It makes it easier to call it a night before midnight - even if that still rarely happens.
Either way, life is good. The kids are amazing. They are smart and happy and adorable.
So obviously a lot has happened since my last blog. Life has become so hectic. A good kind of hectic as well as a bad kind of hectic. It's also lead to a lot of self discovery which might have some pretty drastic consequences. Either way, this blog is more about the kids than myself, so onward march!
Jane is now 7 months old and Alice is almost done maternelle. Next stop will be la première année. She is so excited for it. And, according to her carte de rapport she is ready to take on the challenges next year will bring.
Having said that, I sometimes worry about her lack of French usage at home. I will ask her basic questions that I know she has done in school and she seems to have no idea what I am saying. Other days she responds right away - often in French but I don't mind a response in English.
Her ballet is going quite well, too. Her show is coming up next month. It will be her last with her dance company as they will be closing their doors. I am hoping to send her to my ballet school. I think she will enjoy it there. It is also a bit more serious, so I think she will thrive. Alice does very well in structured settings.
Jane is continuing to be a joy. She is the happiest baby I have ever met. Even when she is cranky, she is happy. She cries only when she needs something - but is a very high energy baby. She loves to jump and bounce, so if you are stuck without a jolly jumper or a jumparoo, your arms are in for a workout.
It's also hard to get her to do a belly laugh. She will sometimes laugh at one thing several times, and then hours later she's over it. She loves to chuckle and smile, though. And her toothless grin will not be very toothless soon. She is teething like a madwoman. I am almost certain I felt some tooth under her gums tonight when she decided to gnaw on my knuckle.
Even her sitter (as I am back in college) says she is a joy and seconds the possibility that she is teething. Another thing her sitter and I have learned is how much she hates baths. I thought maybe it was just me. Jane will buck like a bronco to get out of her baby tub. I've tried warms baths, cool baths, baths with lots of water, and baths with minimal water. As soon as she gets in the tub she starts screaming. It doesn't last long, though. As soon as you take her out, she's as happy as a pig in poo.
Speaking of poo, she has learned to take off disposable diapers. We really only use them when she goes to the sitter's, but she was wearing one the other day and decided to take it off. Unlike her Gdiaper, disposable diapers undo in the front - and Jane seems to think it is funny to take off her diaper. Especially after she makes a mess. Lesson learned.
I sometimes feel like I'm overwhelmed with the kids. I find there are more days where my patience is tested, but I am getting better. I have been exhausted thanks to school, the weather, and my social life. School is three days a week for 5 hours. That's not including travel time. I am out of the house for a 7 hour stretch for school.
And the weather doesn't help much. We will get one sunny day followed by days of rain - often heavy. Nothing like what Manitoba is facing or anything, but it's so depressing. The trees are only just starting to turn green now.
Then there is my social life. It is something I am not willing to give up. It is my lifeline. But school is definitely helping me get a social life in during humane hours. It makes it easier to call it a night before midnight - even if that still rarely happens.
Either way, life is good. The kids are amazing. They are smart and happy and adorable.
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
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Thursday, April 7, 2011
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Friday, February 18, 2011
Jane's First Bite
Well, as of February 15th, Jane is 4 months old. We celebrated this milestone with a few bites of pablum in the evening. Now, before anyone suggest that we should wait until 6 months, I will retort that each baby develops differently. It was also done with the blessings of Jane's doctor.
Alice also started on food on her 4 month 'birthday' It seems that no matter how different my two girls seem from each other, they have developed pretty much bang on for some things. Including food readiness.
I had actually hoped to not introduce food to Jane until this magical 6 month number for one simple fact - other parents will always tell you your child is too young in today's age of 'wait for the magic number!' baby development. Babies are all different and therefore can't be held to an exact scientific timeline. Sure, there are some developmental milestones that really won't happen before a certain age - I don't expect to have a crawling 4 month old or a walk 6 month old. But things such as smiles, laughing, food readiness, and even language comprehension will be different for every baby.
For the past month, Jane has had a large interest in 'people food'. If we eat something while she is on our lap, she will try everything in her power to put it in her mouth. She'll also do this with my hair, but I'm pretty sure it's because she knows I don't let her touch my hair. She doesn't do this with any of her toys and it is a different oral fixation than when she chews on her hands (or mine, or Alice's)
She took to the pablum very well. She saw the spoon and opened wide. Most of it stayed in her mouth. Alice had a lot of fun telling Jane to open for the airplane - even though we laughed about how she has no idea what an airplane is. Mike had the camera out and Jane was sitting in her high chair perched on our floor. She seemed to enjoy this new way of eating...and loved the attention it brought her.
I had actually thought I would have more time to write this, but Jane is now up from her nap. I must be on my way.
Monday, January 24, 2011
Unravelling
I have no clue if this has happened overnight or if it's ust been happening so slowly that it was impossible to notice.
I really don't want to rag on Alice but I am completely at my wits end right now. For the past few weeks it seems she has forgotten EVERY SINGLE RULE in our household. She leaves clothes on the floor. She eats away from the dinner table. She takes out multiple toys at a time. She keeps putting her fingers in her sister's mouth. She drew on the tv. She also refuses to let me change her earrings - and has since lost one and the hole decided to close up in the back.
Mike and I have tried to approach it from the 'perhaps this is how jealousy is manifesting. We have been spending more time with her one on one and also letting her know how big a help she is - she also still does not seem jealous at all!
Now I am just convinced that we've let her schedule slip so much and it is causing unrest. And while the fault lays squarely with Mike and I, it doesn't get rid of the frustration of dealing with her. I want to say we are doing our best at a schedule, but to be perfectly honest I am having trouble keeping to one. I just don't have the energy or the drive at the moment. My lungs hurt. I have a baby who is awake more and more. I have a 5 year old who needs more attention than ever each day.
I feel like I am sinking. I love my kids dearly and wouldn't trade them for the world, but I just want to scream most days now. It doesn't help that Mike seems to be getting comfortable in going back to how it was before Jane was born - as in not really thinking much help needs to be offered and leaving me frustrated by the time I have to ask for help. And yes, I guess I should be asking him for help sooner, but I keep hoping that he'll figure it out on his own.
And I mean, it's not like I'm jumping on him as soon as he gets home. I let him come home and relax for as long as he needs - and many days he has to drive Alice somewhere before he gets to relax.
There is no ONE person to blame for the way I'm feeling just as it will take all of us to fix this - but I don't know where too start. It feels like we're only talking about how to fix some of the issues instead of actually fixing them.
It could also be the PMS.
I really don't want to rag on Alice but I am completely at my wits end right now. For the past few weeks it seems she has forgotten EVERY SINGLE RULE in our household. She leaves clothes on the floor. She eats away from the dinner table. She takes out multiple toys at a time. She keeps putting her fingers in her sister's mouth. She drew on the tv. She also refuses to let me change her earrings - and has since lost one and the hole decided to close up in the back.
Mike and I have tried to approach it from the 'perhaps this is how jealousy is manifesting. We have been spending more time with her one on one and also letting her know how big a help she is - she also still does not seem jealous at all!
Now I am just convinced that we've let her schedule slip so much and it is causing unrest. And while the fault lays squarely with Mike and I, it doesn't get rid of the frustration of dealing with her. I want to say we are doing our best at a schedule, but to be perfectly honest I am having trouble keeping to one. I just don't have the energy or the drive at the moment. My lungs hurt. I have a baby who is awake more and more. I have a 5 year old who needs more attention than ever each day.
I feel like I am sinking. I love my kids dearly and wouldn't trade them for the world, but I just want to scream most days now. It doesn't help that Mike seems to be getting comfortable in going back to how it was before Jane was born - as in not really thinking much help needs to be offered and leaving me frustrated by the time I have to ask for help. And yes, I guess I should be asking him for help sooner, but I keep hoping that he'll figure it out on his own.
And I mean, it's not like I'm jumping on him as soon as he gets home. I let him come home and relax for as long as he needs - and many days he has to drive Alice somewhere before he gets to relax.
There is no ONE person to blame for the way I'm feeling just as it will take all of us to fix this - but I don't know where too start. It feels like we're only talking about how to fix some of the issues instead of actually fixing them.
It could also be the PMS.
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Alice's First Grounding
Le sigh. It finally happened. Alice did something that needed a harsher than usual punishment. She is grounded from her art supplies and tv for a week. We had to do this because she chose to combine the two early this morning.
Alice tends to get up before Mike and I on the weekend. She likes to get up and watch tv and wake up Jane and talk to Jane while she is in the crib. Before Jane she would wake up and watch tv or colour or play with her toys then come get one of us if we were still asleep by the time she was ready for breakfast.
This morning was no different at first. She was up before Mike or I. We had had a busy day yesterday. Mike worked the Niagara wedding show then came straight to my dad's for Willow's first birthday. I had the day with the kids and Willow's birthday party and then I went out with my sister late last night. We slept in until around quarter after seven. (yes, that is sleeping in)
When we got up Alice had her usual parade of toys in the living room leading to her room. Jane was ready for her bottle and demanding another diaper change. Mike was getting ready to film a wedding today. The tv wasn't on. Not that unusual. Didn't think anything of it until I was sitting feeding Jane on my couch and Mike was ready to head out the door.
He saw something in the corner of his eye and looked at the tv. There were colourful scratches on it. Our tv is a 46' Sony Bravia LED tv. It's not cheap. We had been putting money aside for this purchase for a while now. From where I sat, it almost looked like maybe my sewing kit had been picked up by static electricity and maybe it was thread on the tv. Mike was right in front of the tv and could see it much more clearly.
He reached onto the ottoman (thanks mom and Randy!) for one of Alice's shrinky dink pencil crayons. He held it to the tv and tried to draw. Nothing happened when he pressed lightly. No mark showed up until more pressure was placed on it. It was official. Alice drew on our tv.
We called Alice out of her room. She was in her princess/fairy sparkle pyjamas and was wearing the tiara she made and decorated last night. It was so hard to be stern when she walked unwittingly into the lion's den. We asked her in a tone that made her know that trouble was brewing if she had drawn on the tv. She thought for a few seconds and then told us she did. I must give her credit for being honest - it's not easy to own up to something when you know you're going to get into trouble.
We asked her why she did it. She didn't have a reason. We asked her to think long and hard about it. We wanted to know if there was maybe a hidden issue that made her act out. Something we could take into consideration while choosing her punishment. She had none.
The end result is that she is grounded from her art supplies and tv for one week. She was also sent to her room while we figured out if we could clean the tv off. No sense keeping her in the room for us to lash out at while figuring out if our tv was ok or not. Luckily everything wiped off and there is no sign of anything having been on it.
Mike had to leave for work shortly after he cleaned the tv. I went to Alice's room to see again if she had a reason for drawing on the tv. Even as an infant and toddler the worst she ever did was draw three lines on the bottom of a dresser. She still had no reason. She asked why she was grounded when she told the truth. I explained to her that even though she told the truth, she still did something bad. I also explained to her that we are happy she told the truth, otherwise she would have been grounded longer. She seemed to understand it. I guess the next time we need the truth about something, we shall see if she will still do so knowing that she might still get punished.
Today has been hard. It's only day one. It's only 6pm. Alice has read every book she knows how to read by herself. She has played with every toy she owns. I have read about 20 books to her. She decided to go to bed at 5pm. She really wants to draw. She doesn't even care about the tv. She's allowed to see whatever I am watching, but she has no choice in shows. She must also leave the room when certain shows I watch would normally be something she would choose - luckily those come on about half an hour before bedtime so I could easily skip them.
I feel so bad. Day one is horrible. Day two will be a bit better. It's a PD day, so no school, but Mike will be home and we have some running around to do - including a trip to the toy store to pick up a present for her friend and a trip to my mom's to see my step-dad for a belated birthday mini celebration...and eat the cake my mom made for him.
We are also bringing home an exersaucer for Jane...so Alice will have fun playing with that with Jane. She used to show Willow how to play with the items on it, so chances are she'll do the same for her sister. It will also be easier on me tomorrow as Mike will be home to either watch Jane or read to Alice. It's a lot of work to keep Jane happy while playing with Alice.
I'm hoping to enact the 5 day week in this punishment. Alice is only 5. I'm sure she'll have learned her lesson by at least day three. We shall see how it goes.
This is without a doubt the hardest thing I have had to do as a parent so far.
Alice tends to get up before Mike and I on the weekend. She likes to get up and watch tv and wake up Jane and talk to Jane while she is in the crib. Before Jane she would wake up and watch tv or colour or play with her toys then come get one of us if we were still asleep by the time she was ready for breakfast.
This morning was no different at first. She was up before Mike or I. We had had a busy day yesterday. Mike worked the Niagara wedding show then came straight to my dad's for Willow's first birthday. I had the day with the kids and Willow's birthday party and then I went out with my sister late last night. We slept in until around quarter after seven. (yes, that is sleeping in)
When we got up Alice had her usual parade of toys in the living room leading to her room. Jane was ready for her bottle and demanding another diaper change. Mike was getting ready to film a wedding today. The tv wasn't on. Not that unusual. Didn't think anything of it until I was sitting feeding Jane on my couch and Mike was ready to head out the door.
He saw something in the corner of his eye and looked at the tv. There were colourful scratches on it. Our tv is a 46' Sony Bravia LED tv. It's not cheap. We had been putting money aside for this purchase for a while now. From where I sat, it almost looked like maybe my sewing kit had been picked up by static electricity and maybe it was thread on the tv. Mike was right in front of the tv and could see it much more clearly.
He reached onto the ottoman (thanks mom and Randy!) for one of Alice's shrinky dink pencil crayons. He held it to the tv and tried to draw. Nothing happened when he pressed lightly. No mark showed up until more pressure was placed on it. It was official. Alice drew on our tv.
We called Alice out of her room. She was in her princess/fairy sparkle pyjamas and was wearing the tiara she made and decorated last night. It was so hard to be stern when she walked unwittingly into the lion's den. We asked her in a tone that made her know that trouble was brewing if she had drawn on the tv. She thought for a few seconds and then told us she did. I must give her credit for being honest - it's not easy to own up to something when you know you're going to get into trouble.
We asked her why she did it. She didn't have a reason. We asked her to think long and hard about it. We wanted to know if there was maybe a hidden issue that made her act out. Something we could take into consideration while choosing her punishment. She had none.
The end result is that she is grounded from her art supplies and tv for one week. She was also sent to her room while we figured out if we could clean the tv off. No sense keeping her in the room for us to lash out at while figuring out if our tv was ok or not. Luckily everything wiped off and there is no sign of anything having been on it.
Mike had to leave for work shortly after he cleaned the tv. I went to Alice's room to see again if she had a reason for drawing on the tv. Even as an infant and toddler the worst she ever did was draw three lines on the bottom of a dresser. She still had no reason. She asked why she was grounded when she told the truth. I explained to her that even though she told the truth, she still did something bad. I also explained to her that we are happy she told the truth, otherwise she would have been grounded longer. She seemed to understand it. I guess the next time we need the truth about something, we shall see if she will still do so knowing that she might still get punished.
Today has been hard. It's only day one. It's only 6pm. Alice has read every book she knows how to read by herself. She has played with every toy she owns. I have read about 20 books to her. She decided to go to bed at 5pm. She really wants to draw. She doesn't even care about the tv. She's allowed to see whatever I am watching, but she has no choice in shows. She must also leave the room when certain shows I watch would normally be something she would choose - luckily those come on about half an hour before bedtime so I could easily skip them.
I feel so bad. Day one is horrible. Day two will be a bit better. It's a PD day, so no school, but Mike will be home and we have some running around to do - including a trip to the toy store to pick up a present for her friend and a trip to my mom's to see my step-dad for a belated birthday mini celebration...and eat the cake my mom made for him.
We are also bringing home an exersaucer for Jane...so Alice will have fun playing with that with Jane. She used to show Willow how to play with the items on it, so chances are she'll do the same for her sister. It will also be easier on me tomorrow as Mike will be home to either watch Jane or read to Alice. It's a lot of work to keep Jane happy while playing with Alice.
I'm hoping to enact the 5 day week in this punishment. Alice is only 5. I'm sure she'll have learned her lesson by at least day three. We shall see how it goes.
This is without a doubt the hardest thing I have had to do as a parent so far.
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