Joining Jennifer Fulwiler for another round of the takes today.
Because I don't type about the kids enough ... allow me to do so for a minute or 34 ...
1. I'm not in any harried hurry to get Julia potty trained mainly because she is showing no interest in doing so and because I'm lazy and I've heard that potty training success can regress when new siblings come on the scene. But ... of course ... last night Simon asked Julia if she'd like to try to go on her little potty and ... bada-bing-bada-urine ... success. And then she wore her Dora "ummerwares" the rest of the evening with nary an accident. She flew back to the comfort and solace of her diaper today though ... so destination: three kids in diapers and three kids in cages, population: Patton clan .... look out.
I'm not sure if those boots have ever seen the correct feet ... but she puts them on herself which is worth a million trillion dollars in the 72 minute "lets get ready to get out the door" game.
2. More on Julia? You betcha. Julia has slowly worked her way up to multiple nightly wake ups where she merely wants to be tucked back in and given a sip of water and I was a big fat enabler during Simon's night float month and just let it go but I've been letting her cry through the night (yes, she is two large years of age, I'm aware) because the thought of three kids up at night in January and February when Simon is on nights again sends me into a fit of shudders and Premature Traumatic Stress Syndrome. Maybe it's a coincidence but her temperament has improved tenfold in the agreeable category and I'm just telling myself that it's because she has learned to self soothe and realizes that the true holder of the scepter-o-power in the house is, actually and shockingly, not her! Just let me think my hypothesis is spot on. Thank you.
3. Moving onto the former favorite: Sebastian Fatton. His temperament has taken a sudden turn for the nasty - especially in the evenings. I know he's teething and I'm learning to just laugh at his kitchen floor tantrums but he is venturing into a territory that Julia has yet to explore: hitting Mom in the face when he is especially angry. I can tell myself that he isn't trying to be malicious but he totally is. Hopefully it's just a phase. I'll let you know when I figure out how to cure what ails the abusive 13 month old male species ... maybe I'll throw together an informative e-book. A worst seller for sure.
Simon and me: matchy match shoes, pants, fleeces, and skin tone.
4. Switching gears to an even more exciting topic ... our elderly neighbor Jean. He seems to suffer from a touch of dementia because he re-asks our names and tells us that he just isn't as sharp as he used to be every single time we chat. Anyway, he can generally be spotted on a slow walk around the block with the help of his cane every afternoon. The other day an ambulance pulled up to our across-the-street-and-down-a-little-bit and while I was straining to see what was going on from the living room window ... there went Jean .... speeeeeeed walking down the street to check out the excitement -- cane in hand but not in use at all. So ... I'm onto you Jean ... no more pretending you don't know that a. Julia is actually a girl and b. that her name is Julia.
5. Switching gears again to a real thriller ... hair products. Well, one product in particular. I have super duper flat hair. It is terrible. I've tried a zillion products and found that this powder (don't be scandalized by the name) far outvolumizes any dry shampoo, root lifter, root volumizer, miracle worker, gobble gobbler nonsense. I can only find it online and I know some people claim that baby powder is "the same" but my hair disagrees 120 zillion percent. Anyway, hopefully your hair doesn't suffer the same flatty blahs that mine does but if it DOES ... I can't recommend this stuff enough. When Julia got into and spilled a ton of it ... I think I maybe shed a tear or twenty and tattle-tale-texted Simon ... you know how I roll.
6. I really want to see this movie.
7. If I were to rate this blog post it would get filed under: most boring blog post in the history of blog posts. I trust that you accept my sincere apology.
Go see Jen for all the betters.
Because I don't type about the kids enough ... allow me to do so for a minute or 34 ...
1. I'm not in any harried hurry to get Julia potty trained mainly because she is showing no interest in doing so and because I'm lazy and I've heard that potty training success can regress when new siblings come on the scene. But ... of course ... last night Simon asked Julia if she'd like to try to go on her little potty and ... bada-bing-bada-urine ... success. And then she wore her Dora "ummerwares" the rest of the evening with nary an accident. She flew back to the comfort and solace of her diaper today though ... so destination: three kids in diapers and three kids in cages, population: Patton clan .... look out.
2. More on Julia? You betcha. Julia has slowly worked her way up to multiple nightly wake ups where she merely wants to be tucked back in and given a sip of water and I was a big fat enabler during Simon's night float month and just let it go but I've been letting her cry through the night (yes, she is two large years of age, I'm aware) because the thought of three kids up at night in January and February when Simon is on nights again sends me into a fit of shudders and Premature Traumatic Stress Syndrome. Maybe it's a coincidence but her temperament has improved tenfold in the agreeable category and I'm just telling myself that it's because she has learned to self soothe and realizes that the true holder of the scepter-o-power in the house is, actually and shockingly, not her! Just let me think my hypothesis is spot on. Thank you.
3. Moving onto the former favorite: Sebastian Fatton. His temperament has taken a sudden turn for the nasty - especially in the evenings. I know he's teething and I'm learning to just laugh at his kitchen floor tantrums but he is venturing into a territory that Julia has yet to explore: hitting Mom in the face when he is especially angry. I can tell myself that he isn't trying to be malicious but he totally is. Hopefully it's just a phase. I'll let you know when I figure out how to cure what ails the abusive 13 month old male species ... maybe I'll throw together an informative e-book. A worst seller for sure.
4. Switching gears to an even more exciting topic ... our elderly neighbor Jean. He seems to suffer from a touch of dementia because he re-asks our names and tells us that he just isn't as sharp as he used to be every single time we chat. Anyway, he can generally be spotted on a slow walk around the block with the help of his cane every afternoon. The other day an ambulance pulled up to our across-the-street-and-down-a-little-bit and while I was straining to see what was going on from the living room window ... there went Jean .... speeeeeeed walking down the street to check out the excitement -- cane in hand but not in use at all. So ... I'm onto you Jean ... no more pretending you don't know that a. Julia is actually a girl and b. that her name is Julia.
5. Switching gears again to a real thriller ... hair products. Well, one product in particular. I have super duper flat hair. It is terrible. I've tried a zillion products and found that this powder (don't be scandalized by the name) far outvolumizes any dry shampoo, root lifter, root volumizer, miracle worker, gobble gobbler nonsense. I can only find it online and I know some people claim that baby powder is "the same" but my hair disagrees 120 zillion percent. Anyway, hopefully your hair doesn't suffer the same flatty blahs that mine does but if it DOES ... I can't recommend this stuff enough. When Julia got into and spilled a ton of it ... I think I maybe shed a tear or twenty and tattle-tale-texted Simon ... you know how I roll.
6. I really want to see this movie.
7. If I were to rate this blog post it would get filed under: most boring blog post in the history of blog posts. I trust that you accept my sincere apology.
Go see Jen for all the betters.
Haha! You never fail to make me laugh. :) as for the nightly wake ups, good for you! It's tough to hear the cries, but they get over it way sooner than you think. As for Basher bashing, I think that's the Y chromo rearing its head. Asher gets a stern No and then time out...and it works fairly well coupled with me fake sobbing to instill guilt - ha!
ReplyDeleteOh my gosh this blog post is not boring at all. I am not a mom and do not have kids and usually I am not very fond of blogs that talk about their kids but I love reading your posts. You have such a good view about being a mom and you are so good at writing about it! Your stories always make me laugh. That movie does look really good. Hope you have a great weekend!
ReplyDeletexo, Amy
itwasloveat.blogspot.com
Josiah totally hits me when he is angry - in the face or whatever body part he can reach. It's surprisingly not funny. It was the reason we finally instituted time-outs.
ReplyDeleteAlso, potty-training. Woof. I don't even want to go there. Josiah is 2 years and 2.5 months, and he isn't interested at all. I didn't want to be the mom potty training a 3yo, but I am clearly not in charge of this! At least not so far as I can tell.
Aaaaaaand, we want to move him into a big boy bed. I thought we were being smart by moving it into his room with the crib still in there. I wasn't going to push him to sleep in it right away, but night one he requested to sleep there and slept all night! That was 2 weeks ago, he hasn't touched the thing since then. Think we need to just put the crib away???
Parenting is hard.
That picture of julia is so insanely cute!
ReplyDeleteBaby powder is my saving grace- getting me through a week without hair washing. I ran out last week.. And stole a bottle from the nursery changing table. Bad mother, already? For the sake of hair products, I had no choice!
ReplyDeleteJust wanted to say I so enjoy your posts. Even the "boring" ones.
ReplyDelete1. She's only 2. That being said - I've trained 5 kids anywhere from age 22 months up to 3, and I'm hear to tell you it's easier (i.e. less resistance) when they are younger. THAT being said, it's also a question of personality. AAAAAND, you're pregnant. To do it younger, you have to be really on it. Wait.
ReplyDelete2. Laughed at your "queen" reference! That's exactly how John Rosemond describes the "terrible two's" - the time where your child realizes that YOU are the center of the universe, not THEM.
3. If he hits you - time out. And REALLY time out - somewhere in a room totally away from you. Isolate. 4 boys here - all of them did/tried this at on time or another. You need to jump on it immediately with a firm "no" and set him down and walk off. He will learn very quickly that he won't get what he wants/needs from you if he hits. It's just an instinctive reaction on his part - not "intentional" in terms of him thinking "I'm going to hit Mommy right now". He's a toddler and they lash out in anger. Totally normal, but needs to be nipped in the bud.
And I totally want to see that movie. Among all the other movies I totally want to see and don't have time to see. Sigh.
I just joined the quick takes party, fun! That movie looks so intriguing (and I first saw the preview when I was on my psych rotation, which made it look even more intriguing). My favorite hair powder is this stuff by Tigi: http://www.amazon.com/Catwalk-Session-Series-Transforming-Shampoo/dp/B00520N5Y6. It's kind of amazing for both volume and minimizing shampooing, haha (love it to save time on a crazy week).
ReplyDeleteWe're total night waking enablers. It's all about the battle to get into the Big Bed. Just like Honest Toddler: http://thehonesttoddler.com/big-bed/
ReplyDeleteBut... I have a more virtuous friend, a Marine Corps wife, who really, really didn't want to sleep train. Her husband insisted on it, however, and several kids and a few deployments later, she said to me:
"Rhonda, at 7:30, I say, 'Time for bed. I don't care if you read until your eyeballs fall out of their sockets, but you do NOT come out of that room.' And then I have a glass of wine and read a book."
Someday, I'd like to roll like that. You know?
Hugs from the battlefield.
When Jordan started hitting me (6 months ago) I first tried the wimp-out taking of her hand in mine and gently petting my cheek (or wherever she had just hit me) while creepilly cooing "sooooooofffft. Gennnnnntle."
ReplyDeleteThis doesn't work.
Time outs have been in effect for a couple months now.
Hi Grace!!! :)
ReplyDeleteJust some thoughts from a non-parent-yet:
-I wasn't potty trained until I was almost 5. What finally did the trick? My parents took away 1 beloved pacifier each time I had an accident [I was hooked on the pas as well] and when I told them we needed to go buy more they said "nope, no more." I continued to be a pain and then finally my mom told me that "no one takes a change of clothes to kindergarten" [as I was accustomed to packing my second outfit for accidents each day I went to my very forgiving preschool]. I guess I figured I should shape up and be like the other big kids, because that worked.
-I always had to cry through the night when I woke up. I don't think any kids turn out the worse for it so go ahead and get some rest.
Sending you love & good vibes & as much rest as possible.
Elise
[@elisevsmith]
i thought you were going to say the ambulance was coming for Jean...phew! i'm glad he was fine and just speed walking away!
ReplyDeletei definitely want to see that movie too. i think it's based in philly, right? (or am i just thinking that bc bradley cooper is from here?) either way, it looks good!
The neighbor hauling butt down the road sans cane! Oh my gosh! Priceless.
ReplyDeleteOh Grace! My heart palpitated (??) when I heard that Simon is on nights after you have the baby...I was in the same boat and just with 2. Make sure you have someone come out and help you...or call me !:) I'm serious! Its rough. I feel for you! Hang in there with the face hitting, Marshall did that too. A boy thing? Who knows....please, though let me know if you need anything!
ReplyDeleteI have been an enabler so far as well...granted, we only have one bedroom for the three of us so when he wakes up he is crying in my face. Going to night wean soon though, eek!
ReplyDeleteI, too, have always had flat hair. Ugh. I tried the Suave dry shampoo last week and loved the results, but I might have to try that sex-ay stuff. Here's to flat hair no more!
I potty trained my first (a girl who is now 4 and was pretty much trained by 3.5 even though we started at 2.5) and was so traumatized by it that my poor boy is going to be 3 in February and I just bought him some underwear. He isn't interested at all and just likes to wear the underwear on his head. I figure if I wait long enough he will potty train himself. In the meantime, I have him and his two younger sister in diapers. Plus, with the baby due in April...it looks like I might have four in diapers at the same time. Sigh.
ReplyDeletei read this at work tonight and literally laughed at my desk... alone.. in an office.
ReplyDelete1. you're my hero (for serious).. i don't know how you do it. 3 kids in cages (we call it a cage, too) really made a tear in my eye and i mean that.. i so wish i could fly to wherever you live and help babysit or send you off to a spa for a day or 6.
2. you're funny.. sebastian fatton was the lol moment for me. ryder hits me all the time and thinks it's hilarious. we had his 1 year well-check last night and our ped told us to say NO (caps means loud) and put him down and walk away, but no time outs because they don't understand till 18ish months. ps. we wore matching brown corduroys and gray hoodies.. my husband was jealous even though he'd never ever say it.
3. i've been using baby powder in my hair for years but it stops working its magic after day tres. definitely trying this stuff. thankyouverymuch
After all of that, I just want to talk about hair. So, does that stuff work like dry shampoo? I am in love with my Suave, but I'd be willing to give Sexy a shot.
ReplyDeleteAnything that allows me to not wash my hair for three days is beautiful. I asked Mike the other day if my hair smelled. He said, "No. It just smells like layers of that spray crap." Good. It's working.
Hi Jenna! Nice to see you over here!
Deletemy 2-year-old is almost 3 and she started pulling the wake up 5 times a night thing too, wants to snuggle, be tucked in, go potty, get water, there are monsters, her list of excuses is endless! PLEASE if you figure out how to make it stop let me know, I am pulling my hair out here and am not any more excited than you are about 3 kids waking up in the night come January. Also, I need Sebastian to come teach my 13-month-old how to walk, she refuses :/ And your posts are never boring, who do you think you are kidding?? ;)
ReplyDeleteSilver Linings Playbook was really good. Well worth the watch.
ReplyDeleteOhhh Jean...I love old people because they can get away with anything BECAUSE they're old. Can't wait for that to be an excuse for doing and saying whatever the H I want!
ReplyDeleteThough the potty-regression thing is completely true, I think I would try potty-training because the thought of 3 children in diapers scares me. But I don't have kids so what do I know?
ReplyDeleteLove your post as usual. You make me laugh. J looks adorable! I'm still available to help.
ReplyDeleteseriously laughing my ass off at #4!
ReplyDeleteGrace.. I didn't get to see the vlog! boo...
ReplyDeleteMe either! I started to push play and then my almost two-year old started throwing an almost two-year old sized fit (over something...I can't remember right now). I had to close out and vow to come back. SAD! I say put it back up!!
DeleteOh my gosh, Sebastion Fatton. I died laughing hahahahaahah
ReplyDeleteI too am sad about the vlog :( I go away for one weekend and my stalker habits are interrupted? Noooo!
ReplyDeleteI was solooking forward to the vlog post in my google reader and it was then gone. I am wide awake at 5 am. Boo
ReplyDeleteI want to meet Jean! He sounds AHHMAZING!
ReplyDelete