Home Alone!!

Some how it has magically happened that I am WITHOUT children. Shelby has dashed out on a road trip with her little girl friend to LA to visit the American Girl Store...and after a brief morning of little league baseball for the boys at the league's "opening day", they have all headed east for some boy fun at the desert. And here I am. I'd like to say its too much time but I have long ago accepted the truth that time is always short. How short is it? Shelby just came home before I even finished this post! Gotta go check out that AG loot!

SKINNY PEOPLE DON'T EAT ICE CREAM SANDWICHES

When you're working on dropping the extra pounds you gained during holiday class parties, and you're sweating your butt off on the eliptical and trekking on the treadmill when you can squeeze it in, you might want to reach for say an apple instead of the SKINNY COW ice cream sandwich that is in your freezer. After all, let's face reality... cows aren't skinny!

Baby Girl's Gone Camping

It wasn't that long ago, I was holding her hands, kissing her boo-boo's, changing her diapers, cutting up her food...and now, my not-so-little girl scout is camping this weekend. Although I am the Leader of the Troop, I decided to stay home and let her have this experience on her own. Part of the thrill for the other girls is being away from parents. I wanted her to have that same thrill. Or at least I thought I did... Wonder if I could sneak up and join them!??

FREE TIME - THE ULTIMATE INCENTIVE

In our house, I use the FREEDOM of choice as a motivator for cooperation. The children all work on schedules that involve them having free time in order to do what they choose. If, however, we are not cooperating, then that time is taken away. It is usually replaced with an assigned task. My children really value their free time, so it works very effectively as a motivator.

GETTING OUT THE DOOR

We have a very structured morning and I'm proud to say that we are NEVER late to school! The children each have their own to-do list posted in the kitchen. The older ones are responsible for completing their lists each morning and MUST DO SO before they are permitted to have any "free" time. So, before they can read, or play, they have to be completely ready for school. It works every time! And, the ones who aren't big enough also have a list, I just help them execute it. However, they are gradually becoming more responsible for their list as well.

We also work together the night before to prepare anything that has to go back to school the next day. It is already organized and ready by morning. We also lay out the clothes they will wear the night before.

If they don't cooperate? They are faced with two consequences:

1. They'll have to leave as they are... if they aren't ready, too bad!
2. They'll lose privileges after school!

POTTY TRAINING FOR DUMMIES

I don't want to boast... but I must say that potty training at my house was very smooth. I heard many nightmares and dramas but I dare say that I did not live them. Here's what worked for us.

• Commit to it. You have to be ready to really say goodbye to diapers. When I took off the diaper, I DID NOT PUT IT BACK ON. Not at night.. not on a road trip... not for a trip to the mall. I did not use pull-ups.
• Choose the right time. Is your child interested? Ready to say good-bye to diapers. This realistically happens at about age 2. I waited a couple of months because we had so many trips and travels planned.
• Plan to stay home for the first 2-3 days.
• Set up a "tracking" system for a reward. I made a chart and each time they went pee in the potty, they got a sticker. When they filled up the chart, they got a prize. And there is a special prize for the first poopy... it's worth it cause it is the hardest part for them!
• Day 1 - Set a timer for every 5 minutes for the first hour. When the timer rings, take the child to the potty. Have them sit there to "see if something happens". Eventually, they will at least go pee in the potty. You congratulate them (careful not to go into too big a celebration or you'll have to get balloons out EVERYTIME they go!) As the day goes on, spread the timer out a bit. Perhaps every 7 minutes, then every 9 minutes. The idea is to get the child to experience achieving the goal. If there are accidents, do not panic, clean it up and say oooh, that's when we have to go to the potty! Be prepared .. have extra clothes ready, and tools to clean up. The first night it is important to monitor fluids at bedtime! You need to stop at least one hour before they are put to bed but you should have really tapered off the hour before that as well. Have them go potty before bed. Let them sit there for a good amount of time. Have a monitor so that if you should happen to hear stirring in the night, you can go get the child and take them to the bathroom. You are teaching them to wake if they have a sensation. (FYI.. I have 3 boys and I "started them out" sitting down to do both #1 and #2. Mostly because at this young age, their aim was good, but the slightest distraction and the floor was watered! after a few months, they began to stand like a boy and by then they were much more in control!)
• Day 2 - Set the timer for every 15 minutes. Reminding them constantly... Do you need to go potty? You are giving them a chance to figure it out on their own, before the timer beeps. If they say no, then just keep asking. When the timer beeps, however, you insist that it is time to "try". This teaches them that sometimes, we have to go when we have a chance even if we don't feel it is urgent. REMEMBER BED TIME - monitor fluids and withhold fluids for one hour prior to bed. Keep in mind that going poop in a potty is a scary thing for them. Sooo, they will hold it. Sometimes for a whole day, or two! But by keeping them going to sit down regularly, you are giving their bodies a chance to "assume the position" to get the job done.
• Day 3 - spread the timer out again .. you'll have to judge... perhaps every 20 minutes?
• You keep doing this until you feel they are "getting it".
• The first time you venture out, have extra clothes ready (don't forget socks and shoes because accidents go all the way down the leg!) And be VERY PROACTIVE! Every chance you get, ask if they need to go potty. And stop when there is a restroom nearby. "Sitting on a public potty" was a little strange for them. I carried around a portable seat cover at one time (it's not a gross as it sounds. You cover it up, put it in a separate bag... wipe it off when finished)
• Remember, that even when you think they have it... they will get comfortable and think that they can control it better than they are really able to! and they'll decide that they don't want to stop playing to go to the potty. Just keep reminding them... no accidents when you're a big boy! you have to go as soon as you feel it... don't wait... etc.

I don't know if this will work for everyone. But I do know that once i took away the diapers, I never went back. I have never had any chronic nighttime bedwetters (knock on wood) and it was relatively smooth FOUR TIMES!

I LOVE A RAINY DAY

Valentine Card - Spencer

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Valentine Card - Maxwell

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Valentine Card - Mason

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Valentine Cards - Shelby

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100TH DAY OF SCHOOL

Ever been screwed 100 times? Well neither have I! That's 100 screws in that board! It's a big Kindergarten Celebration... the 100th day of school. Children had to create a project using 100 of something. This was our tim-the-tool-man-taylor version of it!

And, they dressed up as if they were 100 years old!

MY VALENTINE'S DAY

DIAPERS WERE THE EASY PART

I must say that while I am certain that I was not prepared for many things MOTHERHOOD throws at you, I never dreamed that being free from the diapers would lead to the real challenges of mothering. The physical stuff was easy for me. Breastfeeding, lugging all the baby gear, car seats, and more food on your face than in your mouth feedings... That was all the easy stuff. You see, now they are faced with what is really the challenge. Finding out your "friends" can actually be mean to you... realizing that some kids say some really "mean" things.... That you don't always win the game or the trophy.... Now I know why. Now I know why everyone who had children that were older when mine were diapers would say to me... " enjoy this now .. while it lasts"... Enjoy? Poopy diapers all day long..? R u kidding me?

Yep those were the good old days.

Not Me Monday - PHONEY MOM

I am pretty certain that it was NOT me who was in such a rush to get out the door to take her daughter to a Sunday afternoon baton practice that I COMPLETELY freaked out when I could not locate my cell phone. I'm sure that wasn't me because my children NEVER misplace or lose MY things! And I am certain that it was NOT me who insisted that they look frantically for the missing cell phone because it is NOW SUDDENLY important that I be CERTAIN to have the said phone with me. And, it was NOT me who proclaimed that unfortunately we can't call the phone to find it because if it were in fact lost, and this was really happening...then we'd find that the battery was dead and it wouldn't ring anyway.

And, it certainly wasn't me who insisted in a loud and perhaps forceful voice, that they MUST LEAVE MY STUFF ALONE!

It also was NOT me who found her cell phone in her purse as she looked one last time before driving away.

And it was NOT me who later, filled with mother's guilt, did a good cleanin' out of that purse!

Welcome Baseball Season

It has officially started here! As of now, we have three days reserved for baseball each week. I love to see the boys in baseball uniforms! They just look soo cute! Maxwell is playing for the RED SOX and Spencer is playing for the PADRES.

Pictures to follow!

Story Time

There is something so magical when the big kid reads to the little one! I LOVE IT!

Dinner Time

We went to divided trays when the kids were so freaked out about their food touching! I always laugh when I am doing the dinner time assembly line!

To cut the Hair or not?

Would you cut this beautiful hair? I mean really! Look at it! Please don't even try to make me think HE looks like a SHE because it just ain't so! He's all boy and momma loves that hair!

I'm afraid my time is running out. Daddy is gonna force the BOY CARD, and soon Mason will join forces and that'll be it. Once again, my long-haired boy who could be in a band dreams will be cut short.... just like that lucious hair!

I'm already sad!

Mason the 4 Year Old

Happy birthday to my

Sawyer Mason Thompson!

Nothing like a party over at Chuck's House. That's Chuck E Cheese to you!

Cats and a Froggy by a Girl Name Shelby

My resident artist, Shelby, created thess adorable animals! The frog and the orange and white kitty were created on the computer in Paint! The Cat in the Grass was a drawing she did and colored... I actually turned that one into note cards and gave them as a gift!

I love the art children make! I love, love, love it!