Mamatography Week 17
May 2, 2013 By Leave a Comment
Just eating my snack in mommy and daddy’s bed. You caught me.
Taking pictures of my baby carriers that I’m no longer using. For sale. . . *sniff*
. . . I remember lovingly and carefully crafting this carrier while I was still pregnant with Joe.
Impromptu Family Photo at the park!
. . . and the Silly Pic
The Silly Bears, ready to help, heading to the Home Depot to exchange some drawer pulls. Joe is really into flashlights lately.
Joe’s finished “trash to treasure” sports themed dresser! I painted the dresser and hand painted the new knobs to be sports balls. I say “It’s not perfect” but Joe says “I like it mommy!”
You Can’t Make Me! (But I Can Be Persuaded)
April 29, 2013 By Leave a Comment
I picked up Cynthia Ulrich Tobias’ book You Can’t Make Me! (But I Can Be Persuaded): Strategies for bringing Out the Best in Your Strong Willed Child at the La Leche League of MA/RI/VT Area Conference a couple weekends ago. Let me tell you how much I LOVE this book for giving myself and my husband tools and ideas for helping to nurture our spirited, strong-willed Abbey (now 4 1/2). . .
One of the main focuses so far has been to make sure that we are not trying to take all of Abbey’s power away. Apparently, powerlessness is basically toxic for a Strong Willed Child (SWC)’s emotional state, and that interactions can go from sweet to sour very quickly if we as parents try to take away all power from Abbey.
We are trying to apply this thought in our lives, abstaining from saying “you WILL do [such and such]” and trying to offer Abbey the chance to take some responsibility for things. i.e. “What do you think might happen if you don’t pick up your toys?” instead of commanding “You WILL pick up your barbies by the time I get back to your room.”
So far, the book has been making TOTAL sense for our lives with Abbey, and we look forward to reading the rest of it!
What books have you found useful on your parenting journey?
Mamatography Week 15
April 18, 2013 By 2 Comments
We started our week with fierce puddle splashing. Joe loves him some puddles!!!!
Tuesday afternoon, we had the inaugural ride of the power wheels Camaro. Abbey and Joe love cruising around the park together.
We love our mid-week bible study program at our friend’s church. Here is Joe with her daughter, London.
At one point, the two of them were feeding each other cake. It was adorable.
Next week, I promise, I’ll get a shot of the two of them hugging. It will melt your heart!
Abbey and Joe built a “roller coaster” together on Thursday with some building toys that we’ve collected from Wendy’s kids meals. I love how well they are interacting and playing with one another lately. We are not without a little rivalry and disagreement, but it’s mostly sibling love around here lately. So cute!
Unfortunately, on Friday afternoon, Jed, Joe, and I were in a one-car accident in the random sleet that hit our area. It was raining, and we had decided to drive to meet someone for a Craigslist trade. Rain turned to sleet really fast, and we hydroplaned on the ice. I was driving very slowly and carefully, but I couldn’t save us from crashing. The road went out from under us and there we were, crashing into a tree in the ditch. This is a picture of one of my bruises. It was awful and scary, but Joe and Jed and I are all OK, Thank GOD. My car however. . . is not.
I just praise God that everyone is safe, and thank God for the great family of friends we have here in our neighborhood that helped us out on Friday and kept my spirits up over the weekend. I was really SORE and sad about the crash.
Abbey had her second dance class this weekend. She loves it!
After dance class, we went to Abbey’s preschool program – Passport through America. It was a big party/festival type thing, in the gym at the Shipyard. There were booths with food, fun, and activities to represent all the regions of the US. Coincidentally (since we are moving to Alaska soon), Abbey’s class worked on the Alaska/Hawaii booth!
Abbey and Joe’s favorite part of the festival was definitely the petting zoo, though. They loved feeding the goats with us.
That was OUR Week. How was YOURS?
This post is part of the Mamatography 2013 Project with Diary of a First Child and Momma Jorje.
We are taking (at least) a photo a day to keep a record of our year. Join us at any point during the year and start sharing your own daily photos!
Mamatography Week 13 – Month of the Military Child (and projects galore!)
April 5, 2013 By 2 Comments
My week started out with a determination to start AND finish a chair re-uppholstery/refinishing project for our four dining room chairs. As you can see, I bought these really nice (but used and scratched/nicked) chairs. I paid $40 for all of them, and set out to make them my own!
Joseph was eager to help! Very hands on, this child!
Watch out, screws! Joe is going to get you!!!!! LOL
We had a couple days of sibling rivalry over the new Tag Reader books. You know you have a preschooler and a toddler when:
you are constantly taping the pages of tag reader books back together.
But they sure do LOVE one another. They love to dance together – Abbey says “Joseph would you like to be the Prince, and we’ll dance!” So cute.
This week I also made my own kolaches. So delicious!
Some more dancing cuteness from the Silly Bears. . .
And whoo hoo! The finished chair re-appholstery/refinishing project!
I love the way they came out. What do you think?
On Friday morning, Abbey’s class had a parade on the Shipyard to celebrate the Month of the Military Child. We picked up daddy for a special break from work to watch Abbey march in her parade.
What are our favorite colors, Rainbow Friends?
“Red, White, and Blue! RED, WHITE, and BLUE!”
That was OUR week. How was YOURS?
This post is part of the Mamatography 2013 Project with Diary of a First Child and Momma Jorje.
We are taking (at least) a photo a day to keep a record of our year. Join us at any point during the year and start sharing your own daily photos!
Mamatography Week 11
March 21, 2013 By 2 Comments
This week has been rather crazy, with two illnesses (Abbey’s quite swift, and Joseph’s quite startling and sad), news that daddy is headed home from his boat with a broken foot (from playing street hockey with the guys from the boat), and me getting sick, too! In between all the craziness we had some fun play dates and dinners with our friends from the neighborhood, so all in all it was a good week.
I could have done without the sickness, though.
Oh, and I could have done without the snowstorm. I’m done with snow.
Abbey and Joe making faces and giggling incessantly while I worked on papers for my college classes.
Abbey making a funny face at our lunch date after Mass on Sunday. She and Joe love to make their own salads. Maybe her face is saying “Don’t steal my carrots!” LOL
Silly Joe and his friend Larry hiding with their juice cups
Our whole neighborhood gang of ruffigans showing off their table manners
Silly Kiddos dancing Dance Central on the X-Box at a friend’s house.
they were having so much fun!
I should have known we were destined for a sick-day when Joe was yawning like this at 8:10 AM.
Catching some comfort at mamas breast
(for the next 24 hours, he refused to nurse because it caused him too much pain to suck. Poor guy!)
He’s nursing again now
Toddler falls asleep at 9:00 AM. Theeeeeere’s your sign that he’s not feeling well.
Poor feverish boy
Abbey playing a Sophia the First game on my iPad while Joseph napped
(subsequent days of the illness, he did NOT nap. . . )
All wrapped up in three blankets after a warm comforting bath
Playing and starting to feel better.
That was our week! How was YOURS?!
This post is part of the Mamatography 2013 Project with Diary of a First Child and Momma Jorje.
We are taking (at least) a photo a day to keep a record of our year. Join us at any point during the year and start sharing your own daily photos!
The even BIGGER move: Our next PCS
March 15, 2013 By 3 Comments
Many of you who are family, friends with me in real life, or volunteer with me at Natural Parents Network already know about this announcement. . . but in February, we found out that the Coast Guard is transferring us this summer to:
KODIAK, AK is going to be a major adventure! It’s an island, so we are going to be semi-isolated, and it’s disconnected from the lower 48 states, so we are considered to be transferring OCONUS (outside the continental United States). This has caused us a bit of headache in the past couple weeks, with forms that needed filling out and a frustrating bureaucracy to tangle with at the Navy clinic to get it done.
But, it’s done now. (Whew!) All the paperwork is done, and I’m very relieved. Our housing application is in as well, and even Abbey’s end-of-contract for her preschool has been submitted. We’re going through our things and taking inventory of what we use and don’t use, and what we need and don’t need anymore. It’s exciting, and it’s nerve-wracking. When I met with my husband’s command to resign as the Command Ombudsman in preparation for our move, they asked me how I felt about moving to Kodiak.
“It will be an adventure” I said. “I’m anxious and excited, and have a lot to do and think about.”
Lifestyle Changes for this PCS
We’ll definitely have to get ready for more of this:
and this:
but we will also enjoy more of this:
and this:
. . .because Daddy will no longer be attached to a boat, so there will be far less deployment and absence at our assignment to Kodiak. Yay!
Preparations
We have already started going through and consolidating and donating and selling things that we are no longer using or won’t have the room pr the use for in Kodiak. We’ve gotten our ferry tickets for the Alaska Marine Highway, we’ve planned our trip across the US as well as we can, and hashed out a preliminary time table.
I’m getting ready to repaint our walls back to MilSpec White. . . I figure if I start doing it now in small pieces that it will be less stressful than trying to repaint all our walls between the time that the movers come to get our things and the day that we have our final walkthrough with Navy Housing. Especially with the kiddos to keep calm and steady. I don’t want to have to worry about painting AND cleaning AND parenting at the end.
I’m also replacing pieces of furniture that really needed replacing – like our two dining room chairs that go at the heads of the table. They were falling apart. And in the process, I’ve gotten the bug for reupholstering some of our thrift store pieces and the chairs I got (they’re all sturdy pieces, just need some love and a design upgrade). We’ll see how that goes. LOL!
I need to finish all of my diapers in process right now, and get them posted in a stocking for my Silly Bear Handmade Shop soon. . . so that I can take a break during our move through the summer. I also need to go through my fabric stash, because not all of it can come with me! I’m trying to sell my Cricut expression because I don’t use it anymore (if you’re local, make me an offer!) . . . and I’ve talked to Abbey about some of her things that she would be willing to give up so that we can buy her new things when we get to Kodiak (possibly smaller things, depending on the size of the rooms in our new house).
Exciting and Stressful
This move is exciting because Daddy will be going home to Alaska (he was raised in Anchorage) and we get to see a new place that I hear is beautiful! We also get the privilege of living in one of the nicest Coast Guard MWR areas in the branch of service, so that’s exciting! This is an even BIGGER move than our previous one from Texas to Maine was, though, and I just hope and pray that our transition is smoother than it was coming to New England.
Right now, I’m just counting down the days till the Hubs is back from his trip with the TAHOMA crew to fetch the boat back from dry dock (maintenance) and looking forward to having his help in getting all the final preparations in place for our EVEN BIGGER military move. . .
. . . after we get through a very busy month of April.
But more about that later.
We’re excited about our move to Kodiak, AK. But nervous, too. I have found that change is transformative and that in my experience as a military wife, it definitely helps build character – for better or for worse! I’m excited about this opportunity, and I just can’t wait to really get started with the move.
It’s the build up that kills me.
Pour Your Heart Out: Bitter & Cold
February 23, 2013 By Leave a Comment
Linking up with Shell at Things I Can’t Say for her Pour Your Heart Out Link Up. . .
I’m exhausted.
I’m trying to stay happy and warm hearted, but honestly, I’m bitter and cold.
I’m tired of the blame falling to me, when I’ve been waiting for my reinforcements (aka husband) to come home for months.
Finally, he’s here, and I feel more stressed out than I did when I was alone.
I’m tired of winter, and there is no light at the end of the tunnel.
The snow is piled up, going nowhere – dirt sticking to it, discoloring it grey.
There’s ice everywhere – you have to be careful where you step. And as soon as it starts to melt, it goes and snows again.
And my toddler and preschooler constantly step on the ice on purpose, giving me a mini heart attack every time.
I’m trying to be compassionate and forgiving with my stressed out husband. I know he loves me, and I love him, but it is so stressy in this house, a lot of the joy is absent.
There are a zillion forms to fill out for our upcoming PCS, and we’re up against the clock to get them done as he’ll be underway for a month soon.
He’s taking this stress out on me – and I want to scream! The stress is also making it impossible for him to communicate effectively.
Which then makes everything a mess: from finances to discipline, to filling out forms and getting errands done. . . to the usual enjoyment of the day. . .
I could list examples, but then I’ll feel like I’m not being forgiving. I’m trying to let go of the resentment I have for his behavior as of late.
Jesus help me – I could say “I told you so” ten times a day . . . but I hold my tongue out of love.
I’m trying to communicate respectfully and effectively, but I don’t know how I’m doing, because his behavior isn’t much of a stable sounding board. . .
Meanwhile, Abbey is caught up in her own mind – somewhere between Wonderland and Kindergarten . . .
She’s soon to be five, and I cannot get her to understand that it really is necessary to obey those adults in her life that are taking care of her (i.e. parents, teachers, friends parents, etc).
She obeys and uses manners sporadically (and sometimes, quite consistently for a period of time) . . . but then she can also just completely disregard any and all things that are asked of her
and her explanation is “I was just running around the corner after the rabbit in the waistcoat like Alice.”
I’m trying to be a good wife and a good mother, but I feel like the only person in this house I’m clicking with lately is my little (or not so little anymore?) Joseph.
I don’t want to show favoritism, but Abbey is on my “I don’t understand her” list and Hubs is on my “I want to shake him” list. . .
So, Joseph and mommy it is. . .
taking care of Abbey and daddy, who are driving me bat shit crazy in a myriad of ways,
cleaning and cooking, and writing and working, and studying, and filling out forms. . . .
and trying to stay cheerful and love Abbey and daddy with all our hearts. . .
In this winter that just won’t end.
Mamatography Week 7
February 23, 2013 By Leave a Comment
Our week started out helping Abbey make and sign 28 Valentines for her classmates. I got the bookmark idea from Pinterest (It’s on my Valentines Crafts board, along with quite a few other crafts that I didn’t get around to doing!) She had to take breaks about every fourth or fifth Valentine signature.
Practice for when she becomes famous, I guess.
. . . because you KNOW she will! haha
Joseph has been getting over a double ear infection (poor guy!)
and one night would NOT go to sleep
so Daddy read The Seals on the Bus over and over.
The next day we baked pumpkin chocolate chip muffins, replacing the oil with greek yogurt. They were delicious and we snacked on them all week long. Abbey enjoyed helping to measure the dry ingredients. Joe enjoyed licking the batter off a spoon.
We got some more snow this past week, so our sledding hill was once again snowy enough to go sledding down. We thought Joe might be scared since it was his first time going down the big hill, but he had a blast!
Abbey’s kind of a sledding (and marching back up the hill) expert at this point, having already had two winters of practice!
I was mamarazzi as we walked back the few blocks to our street.
We had a few hours of lazying around this week
And some playtime with good friends (“rawr!”)
We also got our very first Thomas the train toy.
Joe LOVES Thomas.
And his friend “my plane, Jeremy!”
Raven, however, is unimpressed. She just naps on the couch and barks when people come to our door.
Good dog, that Raven.
That was OUR week. How was YOURS?
This post is part of the Mamatography 2013 Project with Diary of a First Child and Momma Jorje.
We are taking (at least) a photo a day to keep a record of our year. Join us at any point during the year and start sharing your own daily photos!
