Aren't nick names a funny thing? I woke up this morning thinking about this most random thing. Maybe it was the lack of sleep I've been getting lately. Maybe it's the fact that my 15-month-old son has suddenly started calling our three-year-old, Olivia, "La-La," because he can't pronounce her name. Haha. It's so stinking cute, by the way. But yeah, it has me thinking about nick names. Why do some stick? Why do some fade away into nothing-ness?
For some reason, I have always had an affection for calling my kids by a nickname. When my oldest son was born (he will be eight in June), my sister started calling him Logi-Bear, and the name stuck. To this day, he goes by this nick name, or the shortened version, "Logi." I even wrote a short story series (there are only currently two stories in existence), based on the name.
Bailey, my 5-year-old, has been called "Bailey Boo" since forever. When she was a baby, we called her Bailey Cakes - and though I call her that one on occasion, "Boo Boo" is the one that has really stuck. I call her "Pun'kin Pie" too, and I think that one is her favorite.
Miss O, my 3-year-old (poor child), has had so many nick names. "Miss O," was one given to her by her aunt a few year ago, and that one has certainly stuck. I also call her "Stink Bug," because she is such a little stinker. Haha. And then there is the afore-mentioned "La-La," which just recently came about. We were at our church building recently helping to clean the building, when I started calling out her name at one point in the night. The baby, who was following close behind me, tried mimicking her name, only to pronounce it as "La-La." We all thought it was so adorable, especially when he continued repeating it with such enthusiasm, and has since done so to entertain us. He is so proud of his accomplishment too. Haha. Let's see if that one sticks. It would be cute to hear him calling her La-La even when he is old enough to pronounce her name more accurately.
The baby also has a few nicknames. His name is Ashton, but we call him Ash or Ashy. I call him "Mister" a lot, for some reason, but his name was actually derived from my older son's desire to call him Ash, after the Pokemon character. I didn't want to just name him Ash, so we compromised, and named him Ashton so my son could call him Ash.
Now, my oldest daughter has given herself a nickname. When she started high school three years ago, she started going by the name, Emmie. Her name is actually Madison, so people often get confused as to how she derived the nick name for herself (it isn't the typical nick name used for her given name, but she isn't the typical teenager either. Let's just say she is a special individual. Special and creative - one who likes to make her own rules. Hehe). But yeah, she has since told people at her new school and in our new ward that her name is Emmie, so you can imagine the confusion when I refer to this mysterious "Madison" character, and these people have no clue as to who I am even talking about.
So yeah . . . I know some people refuse to be called by a nick name - even a shortened version of their own name. Or they refuse to call their children by a nickname, and that's fine - to each his own. Maybe I just like nick names because using a term of endearment with someone implies a closeness to them, a strong bond. Or who knows. Maybe I am just a weirdo.
Do you have a nickname? Do you call your kids by a nick name? How did those nick names come to be? Enquiry minds must know. :)
Showing posts with label children. Show all posts
Showing posts with label children. Show all posts
Saturday, April 21, 2018
Monday, November 7, 2016
Playing Catch-up
I have been a little bit of a slacker the last few days, and have been remiss in posting for the 30-days-of-Gratitude Challenge, so here is my attempt to reconcile this shortcoming:
Day 3: I am thankful for date night. Because of our fun, little birthday perk email from Fogo de Chao in Downtown Summerlin, my hubby took me to a nice dinner on Wednesday night to celebrate our birthdays. This place is absolutely amazing. Their food is delicious, the service is incredible, and they made the night super special by writing, "Happy Birthday" on my dessert plate (and on Hubby's to-go box that he ordered his dessert in). They even lit a candle for me, and comped both of our desserts. We went there for our anniversary back in April, and they comped our dessert then too. And did I mention their food is insanely delicious?
Anyway, with my husband's crazy schedule, we aren't always able to spend a lot of time together, so date night is one of my favorite things. Date night isn't always as fancy as dinner at Fogo de Chao; sometimes, we escape for a quick meet-up between Philharmonic rehearsals. Sometimes, it's not even on a weekend (like our Wednesday night birthday dinner celebration). Sometimes, date night is something as simple as a quick trip through the drive-thru, and a night of playing Pokemon Go - but it gives us an opportunity to unwind, and to spend one-on-one time together. I truly love my husband, and I am grateful that he has always placed value on something as important as date night.
Day 4: Today, I am thankful for power. We had an outage on the 4th, and it quickly became evident how often we take something as simple as electricity for granted. We had no access to the internet, the tv, and couldn't even turn the light on to use the restroom. It was a "fun" few hours with all the kids home (and no power), to say the least.
Day 5: A competent, teenage-daughter. This girl saves my life some days. She is usually the one that helps me out around the house, and often steps in to help with the kids when she can see that I am feeling overwhelmed. There were a few nights this last week when the hubby was working late and she offered to take the kids while I went out for some alone time. I didn't take advantage of her offer at the time (kids needed baths and had homework to do), but she did watch the kids a few times last week while the hubby and I went on our birthday date, and ran some errands another day. I don't know what I am going to do in a few years when she leaves the nest and starts on her own adventure into adulthood. I am truly blessed to have her in my life, especially with a new baby due in January.
Day 6: The sacrament. I read recently in the Book of Mormon about the time when Christ visited the American continent after he was resurrected, and how the multitudes of His disciples waited in reverence as he touched and blessed each one of them. I've read this story plenty of times before, but this time, I found myself reflecting on my own relationship with the Savior, and how I treat the time that I have to partake of His Atonement every Sunday when I take the sacrament.
With three small kids to keep our hour in sacrament ever-so-interesting (along with a few other primary aged children that usually sit with us during sacrament because they live with their less-active aunt, and come to church alone with their 13-year-old sister), I often find it difficult to maintain reverence while the sacrament is being passed, and usually feel like it is nearly impossible to feel the spirit. This scripture story has helped me to truly reflect on the importance of that time honoring our Savior, though, and I have actively started looking for ways to keep the kids engaged in activities that remind them of the Savior, allowing me to think of Him during that time as well.
It's a work in progress, but I am truly so grateful for the opportunity that I have each week to partake of the sacrament, and renew my covenants with Him.
Day 7: Tomorrow is Election Day - so today, I am thankful for the ability that I have as an American (and as a woman) to vote. I think of all the men and women who sacrificed so that I could have this freedom, and I feel it is truly my duty to let my voice be heard. It probably sounds cliche, but it's something I take very seriously.
My husband and I voted early this election, and there were a few issues on the ballot that are very important to us. So, even though I was not 100% satisfied with the candidates we have to choose from this election, I still have a great sense of pride knowing that I participated in such a meaningful event, and that I did my part to honor our forefathers in their mission to make this country great.
Day 3: I am thankful for date night. Because of our fun, little birthday perk email from Fogo de Chao in Downtown Summerlin, my hubby took me to a nice dinner on Wednesday night to celebrate our birthdays. This place is absolutely amazing. Their food is delicious, the service is incredible, and they made the night super special by writing, "Happy Birthday" on my dessert plate (and on Hubby's to-go box that he ordered his dessert in). They even lit a candle for me, and comped both of our desserts. We went there for our anniversary back in April, and they comped our dessert then too. And did I mention their food is insanely delicious?
Anyway, with my husband's crazy schedule, we aren't always able to spend a lot of time together, so date night is one of my favorite things. Date night isn't always as fancy as dinner at Fogo de Chao; sometimes, we escape for a quick meet-up between Philharmonic rehearsals. Sometimes, it's not even on a weekend (like our Wednesday night birthday dinner celebration). Sometimes, date night is something as simple as a quick trip through the drive-thru, and a night of playing Pokemon Go - but it gives us an opportunity to unwind, and to spend one-on-one time together. I truly love my husband, and I am grateful that he has always placed value on something as important as date night.
Day 4: Today, I am thankful for power. We had an outage on the 4th, and it quickly became evident how often we take something as simple as electricity for granted. We had no access to the internet, the tv, and couldn't even turn the light on to use the restroom. It was a "fun" few hours with all the kids home (and no power), to say the least.
Day 5: A competent, teenage-daughter. This girl saves my life some days. She is usually the one that helps me out around the house, and often steps in to help with the kids when she can see that I am feeling overwhelmed. There were a few nights this last week when the hubby was working late and she offered to take the kids while I went out for some alone time. I didn't take advantage of her offer at the time (kids needed baths and had homework to do), but she did watch the kids a few times last week while the hubby and I went on our birthday date, and ran some errands another day. I don't know what I am going to do in a few years when she leaves the nest and starts on her own adventure into adulthood. I am truly blessed to have her in my life, especially with a new baby due in January.
Day 6: The sacrament. I read recently in the Book of Mormon about the time when Christ visited the American continent after he was resurrected, and how the multitudes of His disciples waited in reverence as he touched and blessed each one of them. I've read this story plenty of times before, but this time, I found myself reflecting on my own relationship with the Savior, and how I treat the time that I have to partake of His Atonement every Sunday when I take the sacrament.
With three small kids to keep our hour in sacrament ever-so-interesting (along with a few other primary aged children that usually sit with us during sacrament because they live with their less-active aunt, and come to church alone with their 13-year-old sister), I often find it difficult to maintain reverence while the sacrament is being passed, and usually feel like it is nearly impossible to feel the spirit. This scripture story has helped me to truly reflect on the importance of that time honoring our Savior, though, and I have actively started looking for ways to keep the kids engaged in activities that remind them of the Savior, allowing me to think of Him during that time as well.
It's a work in progress, but I am truly so grateful for the opportunity that I have each week to partake of the sacrament, and renew my covenants with Him.
Day 7: Tomorrow is Election Day - so today, I am thankful for the ability that I have as an American (and as a woman) to vote. I think of all the men and women who sacrificed so that I could have this freedom, and I feel it is truly my duty to let my voice be heard. It probably sounds cliche, but it's something I take very seriously.
My husband and I voted early this election, and there were a few issues on the ballot that are very important to us. So, even though I was not 100% satisfied with the candidates we have to choose from this election, I still have a great sense of pride knowing that I participated in such a meaningful event, and that I did my part to honor our forefathers in their mission to make this country great.
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| Photo Credit: The Purple Lady |
Thursday, January 29, 2015
An Ode to Poop . . .
Okay, so this isn't really an ode in the traditional sense, but it’s just too good a story not to share. Let me first put this disclaimer out there (in case it wasn't made obvious by the brazen title. Hehe) that this is a post about poop. So, if you get a little uncomfortable with this topic, or if you still have yet to be exposed to the less glittery parts that come with having children, then this post may not be for you. I know, I know . . . children are beautiful, wonderful angels, sent from our Heavenly Father to bless our lives and bring us immense joy - and I am so grateful to have four of my own - but let’s be real for a second . . . being a parent is messy. I am sorry to dampen the illusion here, but any new parent will come to this realization the very first time a newborn poops on them. lol.
I know that this is still somewhat of a tabu topic, but come on, Dinosaur Train has an entire song dedicated to the subject, and I think it’s time we all get a little more comfortable talking about poop. That being said, can I just state the fact that I am not a fan of potty training! I will even go so far as to say that I LOATHE the topic completely, and I have plenty of logic to justify my rationale here, but this experience takes the cake . . . or should I say, the poo!
My two-year-old has been potty training for a month now, and for the last few weeks, I have had to leave her completely “butt-nakey” while at home because she’s gotten to the point where she will go pee pee in the potty when she doesn’t have any clothes on (from the waist down), but will pee in her pants if you put the even slightest piece of clothing on her (even a pair of panties).
So yeah, we’ve had a little nudest in our midst for the past few weeks, and she has been doing really well during the day in the potty area. Still, she refuses to sit on the toilet and go poop, so I’ve been a little nervous to take away the Easy-Ups at nap time and bed time, or any time when we happen to be out and about running errands - for fear that she might have an accident when a clean bathroom and/or shower are not readily available. Then, she started doing something super naughty. She would continuously tell me that she did not have to go poop (in order to avoid a trip to the toilet under my supervision), but then would sneak an Easy-Up out of the nursery, put it on all by herself, then proceed to poop in said Easy-Up.
I finally got to the point where I felt like her over-all progress was at a stand-still, and if she was becoming aware of her need to poo to the point that she could put an Easy-Up on to relieve herself, then she was definitely just as capable of telling me she had to use to restroom so I could take her to the potty.
Anyway, at this point, I was completely fed up with the whole process, and I suddenly had an epiphany: I had been allowing her to use the Easy-Ups at nap time/bedtime, etc. to avoid an accident, but what I was really doing was enabling her to use them as a crutch to avoid any real accountability in the #2 department, and It was stalling her progression. As long as I made the Easy-Ups available, she knew that she had them as an option.
So, a few nights ago, I decided to take away the Easy-Ups (altogether) cold-turkey. The first night, she did really well and actually slept through the entire night without a single accident. She woke up the next morning completely dry, so I took her right into the bathroom and she went potty (Yay!). I was feeling so proud and even posted about our victory on Facebook.
She stayed dry pretty much all day - even when we were out and about running errands. I thought to myself, “Yay! Maybe taking the Easy-Ups away finally did the trick. Maybe, since she no longer has them to lean on (or pee in), she has realized that she HAS to go in the potty . . . all she has to do now is figure out the poop part." Right?
Then came the night. It all started when she wet the bed (in MY bed, mind you) in the wee hours of the morning. I was lying there one minute, all cozy under the covers, having a nice, comforting dream, I am sure, about something warm and dry . . . and then I rolled over onto the pee-soaked sheets. Now, those of you with children have probably encountered something delightfully similar to the pleasurable experience of being ripped from your sleep only to realize that you are suddenly lying in someone else’s urine, so I am sure you can totally relate to the gaggle of thoughts that raced through my only-partially coherent mind. It was only pee; though (I can assure you that as a parent, I have come into contact with much worse), so after my initially annoyed reaction of, “REALLY?!?” I just got a towel and laid it down underneath her. Don’t judge. lol. I figured that if she could sleep through lying in her own pee, then there was no point in waking her up to change the sheets. Besides, the baby was also in the bed, and I didn’t even dare risk waking THAT beast. There’d be no getting back to sleep for sure.
Now, before you get too concerned about our lovely, new-ish, EXPENSIVE mattress, please take comfort in the fact that the mattress protector WAS on the mattress when all of this went down. So, at least I can praise the heavens for that little saving grace. That mattress protector, my friends, is seriously one of the best purchases we have made to date. You cannot survive parenthood without one.
So, after all of that was said and done, I had nothing but hope for a more productive day on the potty-training front. B-Boo slept for a few more hours, then woke up dry and went straight to the potty. She even did really well throughout the morning, notifying me when she had to go, and she didn’t have any accidents - but then came the terrible, awful . . .
Not long after lunch, she started to complain that her bum was hurting, and from past experience, I had come to realize that this usually meant she was cooking up a nice #2. I asked her several times if she needed to go “poopy", but she kept assuring me that she didn’t. I even tried to get her to sit on the potty at one point, and she absolutely refused, so I figured maybe her bum WAS just hurting. After all, she had been a little constipated, so I thought maybe she had a mild case of hemorrhoids, poor thing.
I should have just followed my instincts and MADE her sit on the potty; though, for just as I allowed myself to get preoccupied with putting away some laundry (heaven forbid I try to be productive while my child is potty-training), she walked into the room with a look of discomfort on her face, stopped a few feet away from where I stood, distracted, and sort of bent her knees awkwardly, reaching down between her legs. I thought at first that she was just trying to convey that her bum was hurting again, but instead, her expression turned to one of repugnance as she stood upright and held out a handful of poop.
She then stood there wailing, “Ew ew ew ew ew ew,” as if she hadn't realized previously that pooping in her hand would be so repulsively grotesque. After my initial exclamations of shock and horror, I marched her to the bathroom and made her dispose of the abomination in the toilet, then proceeded to wash her hands profusely and made her sit on the toilet until I was absolutely certain that she had vanquished the stuff completely.
Afterward, when the reality of it all sunk in, I just sat shaking my head, thinking, “WHY?!? Why does this have to be so hard?” I hear all these stories about how easy it was for some parents to potty-train their kids. Why can’t I have ONE child that just gets with the program without a long, drawn out procession of potty-training drama?
Wednesday, October 29, 2014
50 Shades of Tantrum
I seriously think I deserve an award (maybe Mother-of-the-Year?) for my NEAR psychotic breakdown in the grocery store yesterday afternoon. Any mother, no matter how many kids she has - whether it be one or . . . seven - knows that yes, there are days when your little "darlings" are complete angels. Perhaps they received a supremely recovering night's sleep and somehow miraculously decided to join forces to bring about a magical day of puppy dogs, rainbows and butterflies . . . and then there are days like the one I had yesterday. In reality (or at least it seems for me, lately), those magical days of peace and tranquility have come to be few and far between; yesterday being no exception.
For some reason that I can't seem to recall at present, I had this super bright idea to make a trip to the grocery store yesterday afternoon with my three youngest kids (ages 4, 2, and 6 months) in tow, sans the luxury of a backup set of hands. Maybe deep down inside, I secretly enjoy torturing myself. Maybe subconsciously, I thought, "What better way to challenge my patience, to flirt with the edge of insanity, than to venture into the depths of the Inferno with some kind of sinister death wish. Yes, that must be it. I must have a death wish.
In all reality, this specific trip could not have been avoided. There were some groceries that I needed to pick up, and only had a small window of time in which to do it. Trust me when I say that if I'd had any other option, I would not have made the aforementioned faux pas of attempting this feat at all. But it is what it is.
This actually reminds me of one Saturday a few months ago when Zach was busy with work and I had to take all four kids with me to Costco. That, too, had been a similarly frustrating experience, and as I stood in the check-out line - with a full basket of groceries, one know-it-all, cantankerous teenager, two rambunctious toddlers, and one starving, screaming baby - on the verge of ripping my hair out, or simply curling into the fetal position on the floor with my thumb in my mouth, a passerby (a lady who must have thought it would be amusing to break me) chose that particular moment to "commend" me on my bravery for venturing out into the world with four kids in tow. Come on. Really? I tell you, it took everything in my power not to come unglued on the lady. I had to actively remind myself that she too is a child of God (lol), that she was probably well-meaning, and that it would be in no one's best interest for me to tell her where to shove her "encouragement". Generally, I do try to have patience with people, even if they are ignorant or have a complete lack of empathy for others, but man - some people seriously have no tact . . . which brings me back to our most recent fun, little outing.
From the minute we entered the grocery store yesterday, L-Bear was acting all kinds of crazy. He kept leaving my side to run down the aisle, around the corner, then back up the other side of the aisle, and he did this with a maniacal cackle, as if he thought it was the most hilarious thing in the world. The first time he did it, I gave him a warning. The second time he did it, B-Boo followed suit, and I suddenly had two screaming banshees running through the produce section of the grocery store. I finally grabbed him by the shoulders, looked him straight in the eyes and told him to calm down or he was going to get a spanking when we got home.
He discontinued running around after that, but almost immediately started begging me for a treat. I told him that I would give him a treat IF he could manage to make good choices and survive the rest of the shopping excursion without being disobedient. Yeah, he didn't last five minutes, and when I took his treat out of the cart and threw it into a random aisle as we passed by, the meltdown ensued. By then, I was completely over the whole experience, so I decided to cut my losses and head for the check-out lines, L-Bear following behind in a pathetic state of misery. There was weeping, and wailing, and gnashing of teeth - and every judgmental head turned and stared as we walked by. ((sigh))
As I stood at check-out unloading my cart of groceries, he continued begging and pleading with me to let him have a treat. I reminded him (calmly, I might add) that I don't reward disobedient behavior, and so the cries continued until finally I felt like bending him over my knee and giving him a good sound lashing right there in the middle of the store. Just kidding . . . kind of. lol. I don't really beat my kids, but that day . . .
Anyway, B-Boo must have felt like it would be a good idea to follow suit and start running amok, because as I was checking out, she started diving under the checkout counters on each side of me, and now both kids were completely filthy.
As soon as the cashier was finished with my transaction, she took off to who-knows-where, just in time for B-Boo to start crying that she was bleeding. I looked down, and sure enough, she had blood all over her left hand. "What in the heck did you do?!?" I exclaimed. "I don't know," was all she could muster as a response, yet there was blood coming from two separate cuts she had managed to give herself. One on the back of her pinky finger, the other on the tip of her index finger, the former of which was quite a little bleeder.
I looked around for a cashier to ask for some paper towel, but everyone seemed to suddenly be avoiding me, so I quickly fished the baby wipes out of my backpack and wiped as much of the blood off before applying pressure to the bleeder. I couldn't get the darn thing to stop; though, so I stood up to look for an employee to ask for a band-aid, and had to say, "Excuse me," several times before two cashiers nearby would break from their conversation long enough to help me.
One of them finally went to retrieve a band-aid for me, and as she did, I looked down and saw B-Boo throwing up all over herself. ((sigh)) I don't know if it was the sight of blood that made her sick, or what. But sheesh. I am telling you, it was not a good day.
So yeah, there I stood - well, I guess it was actually more of a stupor - wiping up my kid's vomit with baby wipes, as the aforementioned cashier returned with the band-aid. As she handed me the band-aid, she clearly saw me cleaning up the vomit, but still turned and WALKED AWAY. I was seriously almost in tears at this point, and I could not believe that there wasn't a single store employee nearby offering any amount of help.
So yes, I deserve an award - for not snapping and burning the whole place down, if anything. I tell you one thing, I don't think I will be frequenting that particular establishment any time soon, and my kids will definitely not be getting ANY treats from the grocery store any time soon either. I think it is about time they learn the difference between "right" and "privilege." I tell you one thing that I've learned from all this malarkey: nothing, and I mean NOTHING, is so important that I'll ever need to venture into the grocery store with all three babies on my own EVER again. That's for dang sure. smh.
For some reason that I can't seem to recall at present, I had this super bright idea to make a trip to the grocery store yesterday afternoon with my three youngest kids (ages 4, 2, and 6 months) in tow, sans the luxury of a backup set of hands. Maybe deep down inside, I secretly enjoy torturing myself. Maybe subconsciously, I thought, "What better way to challenge my patience, to flirt with the edge of insanity, than to venture into the depths of the Inferno with some kind of sinister death wish. Yes, that must be it. I must have a death wish.
In all reality, this specific trip could not have been avoided. There were some groceries that I needed to pick up, and only had a small window of time in which to do it. Trust me when I say that if I'd had any other option, I would not have made the aforementioned faux pas of attempting this feat at all. But it is what it is.
This actually reminds me of one Saturday a few months ago when Zach was busy with work and I had to take all four kids with me to Costco. That, too, had been a similarly frustrating experience, and as I stood in the check-out line - with a full basket of groceries, one know-it-all, cantankerous teenager, two rambunctious toddlers, and one starving, screaming baby - on the verge of ripping my hair out, or simply curling into the fetal position on the floor with my thumb in my mouth, a passerby (a lady who must have thought it would be amusing to break me) chose that particular moment to "commend" me on my bravery for venturing out into the world with four kids in tow. Come on. Really? I tell you, it took everything in my power not to come unglued on the lady. I had to actively remind myself that she too is a child of God (lol), that she was probably well-meaning, and that it would be in no one's best interest for me to tell her where to shove her "encouragement". Generally, I do try to have patience with people, even if they are ignorant or have a complete lack of empathy for others, but man - some people seriously have no tact . . . which brings me back to our most recent fun, little outing.
From the minute we entered the grocery store yesterday, L-Bear was acting all kinds of crazy. He kept leaving my side to run down the aisle, around the corner, then back up the other side of the aisle, and he did this with a maniacal cackle, as if he thought it was the most hilarious thing in the world. The first time he did it, I gave him a warning. The second time he did it, B-Boo followed suit, and I suddenly had two screaming banshees running through the produce section of the grocery store. I finally grabbed him by the shoulders, looked him straight in the eyes and told him to calm down or he was going to get a spanking when we got home.
He discontinued running around after that, but almost immediately started begging me for a treat. I told him that I would give him a treat IF he could manage to make good choices and survive the rest of the shopping excursion without being disobedient. Yeah, he didn't last five minutes, and when I took his treat out of the cart and threw it into a random aisle as we passed by, the meltdown ensued. By then, I was completely over the whole experience, so I decided to cut my losses and head for the check-out lines, L-Bear following behind in a pathetic state of misery. There was weeping, and wailing, and gnashing of teeth - and every judgmental head turned and stared as we walked by. ((sigh))
As I stood at check-out unloading my cart of groceries, he continued begging and pleading with me to let him have a treat. I reminded him (calmly, I might add) that I don't reward disobedient behavior, and so the cries continued until finally I felt like bending him over my knee and giving him a good sound lashing right there in the middle of the store. Just kidding . . . kind of. lol. I don't really beat my kids, but that day . . .
Anyway, B-Boo must have felt like it would be a good idea to follow suit and start running amok, because as I was checking out, she started diving under the checkout counters on each side of me, and now both kids were completely filthy.
As soon as the cashier was finished with my transaction, she took off to who-knows-where, just in time for B-Boo to start crying that she was bleeding. I looked down, and sure enough, she had blood all over her left hand. "What in the heck did you do?!?" I exclaimed. "I don't know," was all she could muster as a response, yet there was blood coming from two separate cuts she had managed to give herself. One on the back of her pinky finger, the other on the tip of her index finger, the former of which was quite a little bleeder.
I looked around for a cashier to ask for some paper towel, but everyone seemed to suddenly be avoiding me, so I quickly fished the baby wipes out of my backpack and wiped as much of the blood off before applying pressure to the bleeder. I couldn't get the darn thing to stop; though, so I stood up to look for an employee to ask for a band-aid, and had to say, "Excuse me," several times before two cashiers nearby would break from their conversation long enough to help me.
One of them finally went to retrieve a band-aid for me, and as she did, I looked down and saw B-Boo throwing up all over herself. ((sigh)) I don't know if it was the sight of blood that made her sick, or what. But sheesh. I am telling you, it was not a good day.
So yeah, there I stood - well, I guess it was actually more of a stupor - wiping up my kid's vomit with baby wipes, as the aforementioned cashier returned with the band-aid. As she handed me the band-aid, she clearly saw me cleaning up the vomit, but still turned and WALKED AWAY. I was seriously almost in tears at this point, and I could not believe that there wasn't a single store employee nearby offering any amount of help.
So yes, I deserve an award - for not snapping and burning the whole place down, if anything. I tell you one thing, I don't think I will be frequenting that particular establishment any time soon, and my kids will definitely not be getting ANY treats from the grocery store any time soon either. I think it is about time they learn the difference between "right" and "privilege." I tell you one thing that I've learned from all this malarkey: nothing, and I mean NOTHING, is so important that I'll ever need to venture into the grocery store with all three babies on my own EVER again. That's for dang sure. smh.
Friday, January 31, 2014
Every Single Day You Make a Choice
These past few weeks have been a bit of a challenge with the babies being so sick. It all started over the Martin Luther King Day holiday weekend when L came down with a cough - out of nowhere. We still went to church that Sunday, but by Monday night, his cough had gotten progressively worse and he was up half the night coughing so badly that he almost threw up several times in bed.
I kept him home that Tuesday as a precaution, and was glad that I did, as he ended up throwing up all over the floor, leaving a trail from the couch to the bathroom door at about 10:00 a.m. that morning. Had I sent him to school, I'd have had to walk to go pick him up since we still don't have a second vehicle. As I stood with him in the bathroom afterward, trying to clean him up well enough to stick him in the bathtub, B comes traipsing into the restroom and slipped on his vomit. I spent a good portion of the rest of that morning cleaning up children and puke, then rubbed them both down with essential oils before laying them down for a nap.
L ended up missing school Wednesday and Thursday of that week as well, but was feeling much better by Friday (although, he doesn't have preschool on Fridays). Only by then, B had come down with the same virus, full blown. Thursday night and Friday night were pretty horrible for her, the poor thing. She had such a difficult time coughing and choking on mucous that she threw up several times both nights. Friday night, we went through every last towel, sheet, and blanket that we had in the house before the coughing subsided enough for her to finally get a few hours of sleep. I had to do 5 loads of laundry (linens and clothes) the following day, just to get through the pile of laundry that had been soiled from the whole fiasco. By that time, she had also started to battle a fever off and on, and continued to do so throughout the course of the next few days.
Saturday night, she didn't throw up at all, but she started this extremely bizarre behavior, where she would wake up in the middle of the night screaming her little head off. She would also start scratching at her face in a fit of rage and would hit herself in the head, sometimes grabbing onto her hair and pulling, as if trying to yank it out. It was almost like she was possessed or something, like she was out of her mind. I don't know if she was just in a severe amount of pain, or what, but we tried applying and diffusing essential oils, offering her a drink of water or something to eat, but nothing seemed to get through to her. She just kept going back and forth from Zach to me, then back to Zach, and by the time she finally started to calm down, the three of us (Zach, the baby, and I) were out on the living room couch practically sleeping in a sitting position. We were so exhausted.
Sunday night, the fiasco started again, only this time it lasted a total of almost three hours. Poor Zach had to get up at 4am for work in the morning too. I dare say that neither of us could have possibly gotten more than three hours of sleep that night, so the next day was pretty challenging for both of us. I was sure glad when B finally slept through the night (for the first time in almost a week) on Monday night.
Since Tuesday, both kids have been on the mend, but life has still been pretty stressful, as it usually is when kids aren't feeling 100%, and can tend to be clingy and whiny - not to mention all the naughty little annoying things they have been doing all week to drive me bonkers. Zach has been gone a LOT with work and lessons, too, and I've been stuck home without a car for the majority of the day (each day) with not much of an opportunity for any kind of break from it all. I think that especially has been pulling on my sanity strings a little.
Anyway, through the chaos of the last few weeks, I started to feel a bit down. I think the Lord has really recognized my need for a little extra TLC, though, for I have felt His love in abundance - particularly over these last few days.
It all started one morning with a simple, little meme that a friend posted on Facebook. I had had a particularly stressful time fighting L tooth and nail all morning just to get dressed, and after he was finally on the bus and on his way to school, I was left feeling on edge and emotionally beaten. I happened to log on to Facebook shortly after returning to the house, and the meme was one of the first things I saw. It was an animation of a scene from the inside of a tour bus. On one side, there sat a man who stared out his window at the dull, rocky side of a mountain, a sad frown painted on his face. On the other side, there sat a man peering out of his window at a beautiful scene of sunshine and rolling hills, a smile illuminating his expression. At the top of the picture were the words:
Seeing this image immediately put me in check. I was reminded that I am in control of my feelings, and that I have the power to either see the positive things in life, or dwell on the negative, overwhelming things, ultimately leading to feelings of sadness and frustration.
That same day, I felt the prompting to recommit myself to daily, personal scripture study - to invite the spirit into my life, and to give myself a constant reminder of our Heavenly Father's love for me. It's only been a few days, and I cannot tell you the incredibly positive impact it has already had on my emotions AND my thinking. I think when we focus on the blessings in life, the many marvellous things we have to be thankful for, it's easy to see the beauty in simple things that challenge us, things that might otherwise be devastating to our happiness, should we choose to only see the frustration in our situation.
Yes, I have a lot on my plate on any given day, as many stay-at-home mothers do - shoot, as parents in general do - but I am so grateful that I have that opportunity to begin with, that I have such beautiful, healthy, amazingly magnificent children, and that I get to be the one they run to when they are sick, scared, tired, sad, etc.
I know that they are only small for a very short while, and that before long, they will prefer to hang out with their friends or to be left alone in their room to read or listen to music (as I am already getting a taste of this with my oldest, M), and I won't be such a desired commodity in their everyday life. I know that then, I will have much more time to do that personal reading I long for now, to go grocery shopping on my own, or to just stinkin' use the restroom in peace - but it will be then that I long for the days that they were small and just wanted me hold them in my arms. It will be then that I will look back on this time, wondering how it all passed by so quickly.
I am thankful for the love that my Heavenly Father has shown me through my trials these last few weeks, for the blessings in my life, and for the constant reminders that as one of His beloved children, I am loved and I matter. I am also grateful for a friend who acted on the prompting to post a simple meme on Facebook - one that reminds us that, "Every single day you make a choice," because from here on out, I am choosing to focus on gratitude and love. :)
I kept him home that Tuesday as a precaution, and was glad that I did, as he ended up throwing up all over the floor, leaving a trail from the couch to the bathroom door at about 10:00 a.m. that morning. Had I sent him to school, I'd have had to walk to go pick him up since we still don't have a second vehicle. As I stood with him in the bathroom afterward, trying to clean him up well enough to stick him in the bathtub, B comes traipsing into the restroom and slipped on his vomit. I spent a good portion of the rest of that morning cleaning up children and puke, then rubbed them both down with essential oils before laying them down for a nap.
L ended up missing school Wednesday and Thursday of that week as well, but was feeling much better by Friday (although, he doesn't have preschool on Fridays). Only by then, B had come down with the same virus, full blown. Thursday night and Friday night were pretty horrible for her, the poor thing. She had such a difficult time coughing and choking on mucous that she threw up several times both nights. Friday night, we went through every last towel, sheet, and blanket that we had in the house before the coughing subsided enough for her to finally get a few hours of sleep. I had to do 5 loads of laundry (linens and clothes) the following day, just to get through the pile of laundry that had been soiled from the whole fiasco. By that time, she had also started to battle a fever off and on, and continued to do so throughout the course of the next few days.
Saturday night, she didn't throw up at all, but she started this extremely bizarre behavior, where she would wake up in the middle of the night screaming her little head off. She would also start scratching at her face in a fit of rage and would hit herself in the head, sometimes grabbing onto her hair and pulling, as if trying to yank it out. It was almost like she was possessed or something, like she was out of her mind. I don't know if she was just in a severe amount of pain, or what, but we tried applying and diffusing essential oils, offering her a drink of water or something to eat, but nothing seemed to get through to her. She just kept going back and forth from Zach to me, then back to Zach, and by the time she finally started to calm down, the three of us (Zach, the baby, and I) were out on the living room couch practically sleeping in a sitting position. We were so exhausted.
Sunday night, the fiasco started again, only this time it lasted a total of almost three hours. Poor Zach had to get up at 4am for work in the morning too. I dare say that neither of us could have possibly gotten more than three hours of sleep that night, so the next day was pretty challenging for both of us. I was sure glad when B finally slept through the night (for the first time in almost a week) on Monday night.
Since Tuesday, both kids have been on the mend, but life has still been pretty stressful, as it usually is when kids aren't feeling 100%, and can tend to be clingy and whiny - not to mention all the naughty little annoying things they have been doing all week to drive me bonkers. Zach has been gone a LOT with work and lessons, too, and I've been stuck home without a car for the majority of the day (each day) with not much of an opportunity for any kind of break from it all. I think that especially has been pulling on my sanity strings a little.
Anyway, through the chaos of the last few weeks, I started to feel a bit down. I think the Lord has really recognized my need for a little extra TLC, though, for I have felt His love in abundance - particularly over these last few days.
It all started one morning with a simple, little meme that a friend posted on Facebook. I had had a particularly stressful time fighting L tooth and nail all morning just to get dressed, and after he was finally on the bus and on his way to school, I was left feeling on edge and emotionally beaten. I happened to log on to Facebook shortly after returning to the house, and the meme was one of the first things I saw. It was an animation of a scene from the inside of a tour bus. On one side, there sat a man who stared out his window at the dull, rocky side of a mountain, a sad frown painted on his face. On the other side, there sat a man peering out of his window at a beautiful scene of sunshine and rolling hills, a smile illuminating his expression. At the top of the picture were the words:
Every single day you make a choice.
Seeing this image immediately put me in check. I was reminded that I am in control of my feelings, and that I have the power to either see the positive things in life, or dwell on the negative, overwhelming things, ultimately leading to feelings of sadness and frustration.
That same day, I felt the prompting to recommit myself to daily, personal scripture study - to invite the spirit into my life, and to give myself a constant reminder of our Heavenly Father's love for me. It's only been a few days, and I cannot tell you the incredibly positive impact it has already had on my emotions AND my thinking. I think when we focus on the blessings in life, the many marvellous things we have to be thankful for, it's easy to see the beauty in simple things that challenge us, things that might otherwise be devastating to our happiness, should we choose to only see the frustration in our situation.
Yes, I have a lot on my plate on any given day, as many stay-at-home mothers do - shoot, as parents in general do - but I am so grateful that I have that opportunity to begin with, that I have such beautiful, healthy, amazingly magnificent children, and that I get to be the one they run to when they are sick, scared, tired, sad, etc.
I know that they are only small for a very short while, and that before long, they will prefer to hang out with their friends or to be left alone in their room to read or listen to music (as I am already getting a taste of this with my oldest, M), and I won't be such a desired commodity in their everyday life. I know that then, I will have much more time to do that personal reading I long for now, to go grocery shopping on my own, or to just stinkin' use the restroom in peace - but it will be then that I long for the days that they were small and just wanted me hold them in my arms. It will be then that I will look back on this time, wondering how it all passed by so quickly.
I am thankful for the love that my Heavenly Father has shown me through my trials these last few weeks, for the blessings in my life, and for the constant reminders that as one of His beloved children, I am loved and I matter. I am also grateful for a friend who acted on the prompting to post a simple meme on Facebook - one that reminds us that, "Every single day you make a choice," because from here on out, I am choosing to focus on gratitude and love. :)
Wednesday, January 8, 2014
Can Tooth Decay Really Be Healed Naturally?
So, I have a bit of an embarrassing confession to make. I took the family to the dentist last week for routine checkups, and to my horror discovered that B-Boo (my 20-month-old) has two cavities (one in each of her bottom-back teeth), and L-Bear (my three-year-old) has seven! Yes, that's right...7!
I was completely shocked (and embarrassed as a mom) because at their last check-up, neither of them had ANY cavities - AND I am the one who usually holds them down to brush their teeth every day and make sure they are getting cleaned properly, so I just can't fathom how so much damage was done in such a short amount of time. Even more horrifying than the fact that they each had so many cavities, however, was the thought of each of them getting drilled on and having to endure the pain of needles and said drilling. :(
And because B-Boo's cavities are right in the center of her back teeth, the pediatric dentist referred us to an oral surgeon for an evaluation in case she needs to get a root canal. Can you believe that?!? A ROOT CANAL! She isn't even 2 yet! I am sure you can imagine my horror - picturing my 20 lb., tiny baby girl, as petite and precious as she is - being sedated and lying helplessly on her back while they drill on her and cap her poor, little teeth. Yeah, I immediately started feeling a sense of panic. I am sorry, but she is just TOO dang little to be needing a root canal. ::sigh::
But then I remembered an article that I stumbled upon on Facebook a week or so ago called Toddler's Severe Tooth Decay Halted in Only 5 Days. I scrambled around Facebook that evening, trying to remember how far back I had seen the article, and who had posted it so I could go back through and read it in detail. Then I found it, thank Goodness.
The article talks about the average number of toddlers with cavities increasing over the last 5 - 10 years, and how something must be seriously wrong with our children's diets in order for such a drastic change to have occurred in such a short amount of time. Unfortunately, it didn't go into detail about how to fix the problem, but it did share a video testimonial of a mother whose toddler's decaying teeth were healed by simply changing her diet according to a book that she had read by Ramiel Nagel, called Cure Tooth Decay. Naturally, it piqued my interest, so I checked out the author's website and soon found myself on a mission to find an alternative solution for my babies too.
Can cavities REALLY be healed naturally though - without drilling and being filled? Has everything we've ever thought about the properties of our teeth been wrong all along? Some of the research I have come across as a result of this enlightening concept has completely blown my mind, and I am still in the process of learning so much more. I ordered Ramiel Nagel's book and it should be here in a few days, but in the meantime, I have been doing some of my own research, and have already started to put some of these findings into effect.
For example, Sarah, the author of the above article posted a link to her previous blog post titled, "How I Healed My Child's Cavity." In that article, Sarah talks about her pre-teen son who had a cavity, and how she healed her son's cavity with information that she had learned from a book called Nutrition and Physical Degeneration by Dr. Weston A. Price, former head of research for the National Dental association who pioneered the idea of healing cavities naturally through nutrition. Apparently, Dr. Nagel's book (Cure Tooth Decay) is even based on Dr. Price's program, which has been proven to be 90-95% or more effective in remineralizing decaying teeth.
Anyway, so Sarah started giving her son butter oil and cod liver oil every morning with a breakfast of raw butter and honey, and after only a few weeks, she took her son into the dentist to discover that his cavity had, in fact, healed on its own. After reading this, I started asking myself, "Why raw butter?" I soon found out that raw butter is very vitamin rich and has a lot of super healthy components that are vital in the remineralization process.
According to an article by The Paleo Mama, which also refers to Dr. Nagel's book, Cure Tooth Decay:
After reading this, along with Dr. Price's assertion (regarding cod liver oil and high vitamin butter oil) that, "One without the other did not do his patients justice, but the two together worked like magic", I ordered some capsules from Amazon that are a blend of the two oils. I started taking the capsules myself but realized very quickly that it was going to be dang near impossible to get the babies to swallow them, so I tried blending them up in a fruit smoothie, which both of the babies love. Yay.
I also decided to look into getting some raw milk and butter to start giving the kids, but found that it is really difficult to come by, so I started looking up videos on YouTube about how to make raw butter yourself. I plan on making some raw butter tonight, and will let you know how that venture turns out. In the meantime, what are your thoughts on healing cavities naturally?
I will post an update as soon as the kids have had follow up appointments and the state of their oral health has been re-evaluated. ;)
I was completely shocked (and embarrassed as a mom) because at their last check-up, neither of them had ANY cavities - AND I am the one who usually holds them down to brush their teeth every day and make sure they are getting cleaned properly, so I just can't fathom how so much damage was done in such a short amount of time. Even more horrifying than the fact that they each had so many cavities, however, was the thought of each of them getting drilled on and having to endure the pain of needles and said drilling. :(
And because B-Boo's cavities are right in the center of her back teeth, the pediatric dentist referred us to an oral surgeon for an evaluation in case she needs to get a root canal. Can you believe that?!? A ROOT CANAL! She isn't even 2 yet! I am sure you can imagine my horror - picturing my 20 lb., tiny baby girl, as petite and precious as she is - being sedated and lying helplessly on her back while they drill on her and cap her poor, little teeth. Yeah, I immediately started feeling a sense of panic. I am sorry, but she is just TOO dang little to be needing a root canal. ::sigh::
But then I remembered an article that I stumbled upon on Facebook a week or so ago called Toddler's Severe Tooth Decay Halted in Only 5 Days. I scrambled around Facebook that evening, trying to remember how far back I had seen the article, and who had posted it so I could go back through and read it in detail. Then I found it, thank Goodness.
The article talks about the average number of toddlers with cavities increasing over the last 5 - 10 years, and how something must be seriously wrong with our children's diets in order for such a drastic change to have occurred in such a short amount of time. Unfortunately, it didn't go into detail about how to fix the problem, but it did share a video testimonial of a mother whose toddler's decaying teeth were healed by simply changing her diet according to a book that she had read by Ramiel Nagel, called Cure Tooth Decay. Naturally, it piqued my interest, so I checked out the author's website and soon found myself on a mission to find an alternative solution for my babies too.
Can cavities REALLY be healed naturally though - without drilling and being filled? Has everything we've ever thought about the properties of our teeth been wrong all along? Some of the research I have come across as a result of this enlightening concept has completely blown my mind, and I am still in the process of learning so much more. I ordered Ramiel Nagel's book and it should be here in a few days, but in the meantime, I have been doing some of my own research, and have already started to put some of these findings into effect.
For example, Sarah, the author of the above article posted a link to her previous blog post titled, "How I Healed My Child's Cavity." In that article, Sarah talks about her pre-teen son who had a cavity, and how she healed her son's cavity with information that she had learned from a book called Nutrition and Physical Degeneration by Dr. Weston A. Price, former head of research for the National Dental association who pioneered the idea of healing cavities naturally through nutrition. Apparently, Dr. Nagel's book (Cure Tooth Decay) is even based on Dr. Price's program, which has been proven to be 90-95% or more effective in remineralizing decaying teeth.
Anyway, so Sarah started giving her son butter oil and cod liver oil every morning with a breakfast of raw butter and honey, and after only a few weeks, she took her son into the dentist to discover that his cavity had, in fact, healed on its own. After reading this, I started asking myself, "Why raw butter?" I soon found out that raw butter is very vitamin rich and has a lot of super healthy components that are vital in the remineralization process.
According to an article by The Paleo Mama, which also refers to Dr. Nagel's book, Cure Tooth Decay:
Raw milk is very rich in fat-soluble vitamins, like Vitamin A, K, and E. It is, also, rich in water soluble vitamins like C and B-complex. A quart of raw milk from grassed cows contain 50% more vitamin E and 7% more folate than pasteurized milk. Moreover, fresh raw milk naturally contains vitamin C which is completely absent from pasteurized milk (source). All these vitamins are extremely necessary for good oral health.
Raw milk is extremely necessary if you are interested in remineralizing your teeth and healing present cavities.
After reading this, along with Dr. Price's assertion (regarding cod liver oil and high vitamin butter oil) that, "One without the other did not do his patients justice, but the two together worked like magic", I ordered some capsules from Amazon that are a blend of the two oils. I started taking the capsules myself but realized very quickly that it was going to be dang near impossible to get the babies to swallow them, so I tried blending them up in a fruit smoothie, which both of the babies love. Yay.
I also decided to look into getting some raw milk and butter to start giving the kids, but found that it is really difficult to come by, so I started looking up videos on YouTube about how to make raw butter yourself. I plan on making some raw butter tonight, and will let you know how that venture turns out. In the meantime, what are your thoughts on healing cavities naturally?
I will post an update as soon as the kids have had follow up appointments and the state of their oral health has been re-evaluated. ;)
Monday, September 16, 2013
Board Games and Giveaways
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| Gems of Reflection: #35 |
As an adult, there were a few games that I discovered that I totally fell in love with. Scene It, for example. That game is SO much fun. We have a few different versions of the game now, Scene-it Disney, Scene-It Twilight, and my personal favorite, Scene-It Harry Potter, The Complete Journey (which includes clips and trivia from all 8 movies). If you ever want to see a serious battle going down in our house, suggest that we play that game, and you will even see the crazy (and I mean, CRAZY) competitor come out in my husband. Haha. It is seriously so much fun though. I would definitely recommend that game for a family game night, or family home evening. It makes for some seriously hilarious entertainment.
Another fun game that I discovered as an adult is Apples to Apples. I play this game with M every once in a while (the babies still aren't old enough), and it is also loads of fun. It's a fun game of comparisons that really keeps you on your toes and keeps things light and fun.
Aside from the typical board games, one of my favorite games to play with family is Charades. We still play this game at family get-togethers with our kids, and they have a blast - especially when it is their turn to act out the clues, trying to get the rest of us to guess the answer. Some of the things they come up with (especially my five-year-old niece, who insists she is big enough to have a turn) are absolutely hilarious. It does leave you wondering though, "How on earth were we ever suppose to guess THAT?" Haha. It is fun to see their minds at work, though, and the kids all have a blast. To me, that is what is important.
Anyway, speaking of fun and games, I just wanted to give you guys a quick reminder about The Purple Lady's half-birthday bash that is taking place over at All Things Purple this week. Below is a list of all the current giveaways. There are still a few days left to enter each giveaway, but don't hesitate. Each giveaway has its own deadline, and they will be ending soon. Hop on over there and get in on the shenanigans. You can thank me later. ;)
Custom order of one dozen gourmet cupcakes from Silver Spoon Catering: This giveaway is only open to residents of the Northern Utah area.
Amethyst Healing Crystal
Cragbridge Hall, Book 1: The Inventor's Secret, by Chad Morris
Blackmoore, by Julianne Donaldson
Tuesday, August 27, 2013
It's just not a new school year without bus drama.
I don't know what it is with the bus system here in Clark County, or maybe it's just this side of town, but today is only the second day of the new school year, and we already had another encounter with the oh-so-reliable (hope you can sense my sarcasm there) bus system.
So, L (my three-year-old son) started preschool with the school district yesterday, and he is so excited about his new teacher, his new friends, his new classroom - but most of all, he is excited about the five-minute bus ride that he gets to take to the school. Maybe he sees it as a little adventure, a way for him to exhibit a sense of independence.
Because the pre-school program is considered special ed (he qualified on account of his speech delay), they bus him to and from school, even though the school is only five blocks away. It's pretty neat too, because they come right to house to pick him up, they strap him into his little car seat, and then they hand-deliver him to his teacher at the school, who comes to the bus every morning to retrieve him. His pick-up time from the house in the morning is 8:51 a.m., so we've been going out front to wait for the bus at 8:45 a.m. to ensure we are ready when the bus arrives.
This morning, we went out at the usual time and waited, and waited...and waited. But the bus never showed up. We waited around until about 9:10 a.m. (thinking maybe there was a delay because it's still the first week of school), and then tried calling the transportation line. I tried calling them several times, in fact, but the line just continued to ring busy. I finally called the school to alert them of the situation, and they informed me that they too had been trying (unsuccessfully) to get through to transportation. The office attendant asked if I could drive him to school, but I told her that I didn't have a car (Z took it to work today), but that I could walk him - it would just take me a half hour or so.
So yeah...I got the awesome privilege of walking my three-year-old (and the baby, who is 15 months old) to school in 100 degree weather, and he was 45 minutes late. Yay. Not to say that I didn't need the exercise, but it would sure be nice to get through an entire school year without any bus-related drama.
When we finally did get to the school, I popped into the front office to notify the staff that we were there, and the administrator who I had spoken to earlier informed me that she had finally gotten ahold of transportation, and that she was told the bus had, in fact, stopped by the house, but that we weren't there. What a load of garbage. I have half a mind to make a call into the supervisor tomorrow.
So, L (my three-year-old son) started preschool with the school district yesterday, and he is so excited about his new teacher, his new friends, his new classroom - but most of all, he is excited about the five-minute bus ride that he gets to take to the school. Maybe he sees it as a little adventure, a way for him to exhibit a sense of independence.
Because the pre-school program is considered special ed (he qualified on account of his speech delay), they bus him to and from school, even though the school is only five blocks away. It's pretty neat too, because they come right to house to pick him up, they strap him into his little car seat, and then they hand-deliver him to his teacher at the school, who comes to the bus every morning to retrieve him. His pick-up time from the house in the morning is 8:51 a.m., so we've been going out front to wait for the bus at 8:45 a.m. to ensure we are ready when the bus arrives.
This morning, we went out at the usual time and waited, and waited...and waited. But the bus never showed up. We waited around until about 9:10 a.m. (thinking maybe there was a delay because it's still the first week of school), and then tried calling the transportation line. I tried calling them several times, in fact, but the line just continued to ring busy. I finally called the school to alert them of the situation, and they informed me that they too had been trying (unsuccessfully) to get through to transportation. The office attendant asked if I could drive him to school, but I told her that I didn't have a car (Z took it to work today), but that I could walk him - it would just take me a half hour or so.
So yeah...I got the awesome privilege of walking my three-year-old (and the baby, who is 15 months old) to school in 100 degree weather, and he was 45 minutes late. Yay. Not to say that I didn't need the exercise, but it would sure be nice to get through an entire school year without any bus-related drama.
When we finally did get to the school, I popped into the front office to notify the staff that we were there, and the administrator who I had spoken to earlier informed me that she had finally gotten ahold of transportation, and that she was told the bus had, in fact, stopped by the house, but that we weren't there. What a load of garbage. I have half a mind to make a call into the supervisor tomorrow.
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| Source: twowritingteachers.wordpress.com via The Purple on Pinterest |
Related links:
Wednesday, July 31, 2013
Three Good Qualities
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| Gems of Reflection: Week 30 |
1. I am a good mother. Though I may not be perfect, and often have to repent for losing my temper, or handling a discipline situation in a less than perfect manner, I devote my heart and soul to my children and I honestly always have their best interest at heart. Everything I do, I do for them. I love them unconditionally and strive each day to express my love for them, and to instill in them correct morals and a sense of self worth. My children are the light of my life and I am truly a better person because I am their mother. They each have so much to teach me, and I thank Heavenly Father for them every day. I am thankful, too, that I have the guidance of the gospel to attend me in the learning process. I honestly don't know how I would do this parenting thing without it;
2. I am a good writer. I went to a writer's conference with The Purple Lady back in May of this year, and I left there feeling truly edified and educated, I also left there feeling severely inadequate; though, because being in a professional environment with so many successful authors made me realize how much further I have to go as a writer before I am even remotely ready to join that playing field. Still, for as long as I can remember, I have had a deep-seeded passion for writing. It seems to be in my blood - it's who I am - and though I have a long road ahead of me, I feel a sense of accomplishment when I look at stuff I have written, for I know that I pour my heart and soul into every written word. I know that this gift is a blessing from God, and I know that we must work to hon our talents if we wish to master them. I know, too, that one day I WILL accomplish my goals as a writer, and I look forward to the growth I will experience in the process;
3. I have a natural desire to forgive others. For most of my adult life, I have cherished a quote by Mark Twain in regards to forgiveness. He said:
"Forgiveness is the fragrance that the violet sheds on the heel that has crushed it."I know that I have referenced this quote in previous posts, but it is especially fitting for today because it perfectly illustrates the beauty of forgiving others. Not only does allowing forgiveness release you from the burden of holding a grudge, but as a general rule, I try to see others as Christ sees them, to be accepting and tolerant of their faults, and to be forgiving of their mistakes. After all, I am human too, and I would hope that others would grant me the same courtesy. I am not always perfect on this score, and I do sometimes lose my patience with people, especially when someone I know continues to make the same mistakes on a continuous basis - but again, do the scriptures not tell us that we are required to forgive all men (D&C 64:10)?
Sometimes, I know that I can be too forgiving, and it has gotten me into a bad spot a time or two. I have found myself wanting to forgive people that I probably shouldn't because of choices they have made in the past - things they have done to me that were completely hurtful and deliberate. I have come to learn, however, that there is a difference between forgiving someone and trusting them again. Matthew 18:21-22 is one of my favorite scriptures. It says:
21 Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?
22 Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.I don't think the Lord was telling Peter to allow people to walk all over him and continuously take advantage of him in these scriptures. However, if we expect the Lord to forgive us for our own repeated transgressions (I know we all have them), then we must also be willing to forgive others continuously and repeatedly. I think too, though, that you can forgive someone and still choose not to associate with them; especially if they are potentially poisonous to your eternal progression and happiness. I just try to see the good in everyone; though, and take things on a case by case basis - relying on the spirit to guide me in the right direction.
Friday, June 21, 2013
From the mouth of a babe...
I just have to share one of those funny mom moments. You know, the ones when your kid says something totally inappropriate in public and you just stand there in shock, unable to do anything other than laugh (as opposed to just dying of embarrassment) because you can't believe those words just came out of YOUR kid's mouth?
First off, let me just preface this post by saying this; for those of you who don't know, my son (who happens to be turning THREE today...Happy Birthday to my little buddy) has a speech delay, and has been receiving speech therapy for a little over a year. When he began talking more coherently recently, we all suddenly realized how cognizant he really has been all this time...and how intelligent. We also started realizing how much he has actually been listening all along - to EVERYTHING. He just didn't have the words to express his emotions or to exhibit his understanding of things we discuss on a regular basis.
Anyway, we recently took him to get evaluated for a special needs preschool program with the school district, and while he was in the evaluation with the speech therapist, she began a section of the evaluation where she would grab different articles of clothing on her body, asking him to name the item, hoping to gain an idea of what he already knew. She started with her shoes, working her way up, and as she did so, he named off every piece of clothing she pointed to - until she got to her shirt. As she pinched some fabric in her fingers from a spot up between her collar bone and shoulder blade, she asked, "Okay, what is this?"
Without skipping a beat, L looked at her with the most confident expression on his face and a matter-of-fact tone in his voice, then belted out, "BOOBS."
I seriously about died. Neither the speech therapist nor I could could regain our composure for several minustes. We just couldn't stop laughing. I am just glad she had a good sense of humor. ;)
First off, let me just preface this post by saying this; for those of you who don't know, my son (who happens to be turning THREE today...Happy Birthday to my little buddy) has a speech delay, and has been receiving speech therapy for a little over a year. When he began talking more coherently recently, we all suddenly realized how cognizant he really has been all this time...and how intelligent. We also started realizing how much he has actually been listening all along - to EVERYTHING. He just didn't have the words to express his emotions or to exhibit his understanding of things we discuss on a regular basis.
Anyway, we recently took him to get evaluated for a special needs preschool program with the school district, and while he was in the evaluation with the speech therapist, she began a section of the evaluation where she would grab different articles of clothing on her body, asking him to name the item, hoping to gain an idea of what he already knew. She started with her shoes, working her way up, and as she did so, he named off every piece of clothing she pointed to - until she got to her shirt. As she pinched some fabric in her fingers from a spot up between her collar bone and shoulder blade, she asked, "Okay, what is this?"
Without skipping a beat, L looked at her with the most confident expression on his face and a matter-of-fact tone in his voice, then belted out, "BOOBS."
I seriously about died. Neither the speech therapist nor I could could regain our composure for several minustes. We just couldn't stop laughing. I am just glad she had a good sense of humor. ;)
Monday, April 1, 2013
My children, my life!
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| 52 Gems - Week 13: Tell about each of your children... |
M Mae, my 12-year-old daughter, is without a doubt an enormous blessing in my life. As I have divulged so many times in previous blog posts, she came into our family at a time when trial and hardship plagued my life, and I honestly believe that she is the one thing that helped me to maintain a grip on my sanity. She was born in October (she is a Libra, and let me just say that the girl can talk). She loves to read, has an extremely creative imagination, and is already ambitious about writing a book. She has always been intelligent way beyond her years, yet she and I butt heads - a lot - as she strives to find her path to independence. She is very headstrong, and sometimes struggles with the fact that she IS still a child, and is therefore treated as thus. We love her unconditionally; though, and it brings me such joy to watch her blossom and grow into a maturing young woman. I especially love to witness precious moments that encourage her strengthening testimony, and I rejoice in the righteous choices I see her endeavoring to make.
L Bear will be three in June, and he is SUCH a boy. He is OBSESSED with super heroes lately, though his favorites are Spiderman, Superman and Iron Man. He calls almost all of them "Man" though. Haha. He is such a funny, little guy. He has a bit of a speech delay, so he has been receiving speech therapy for almost a year, and my heart delights in the progress he has made. He is such a smart, little devil, though. He may not always have the exact words for what he is trying to say, but he is very animated in his attempts at communicating his thoughts and desires - and has become quite the little entertainer in his colorful way of expressing himself. Though he has quite a little temper (hmm...wonder where he gets that from), he can be such a sweetheart. He is very protective of his sisters (he often comes to M's defense when she is being discipled. Hehe), he loves wholeheartedly and forgives completely. He gives the best hugs and kisses, and is truly an endearing, charming boy. From the time that he was first born, people would stop us in the stores to tell us how adorable he is. He is going to be a little heart-breaker for sure.
B Boo is our baby girl - and oh, what a sweet one she is. She is truly the most mellow, carefree baby I have ever known, and she is such a delight. She only ever cries when she is experiencing some serious discomfort (i.e. she is hungry, tired, needs a diaper change, or is in pain), but she has a smile that will melt your heart and bring overwhelming joy to your soul. She took her first steps a few days ago, and I know she will be walking any day now. She will be one at the end of the month, and though it is fun to witness this milestone in her life, a part of me wants to stop time and just keep her as a sweet, happy baby forever. She is so lovable; though, that I have to fight the urge on a constant basis to munch on her. Haha. She has an infectious laugh and is so easily brought to indulge us with her smile. She and my two-year-old often get each other cracking up laughing, and it is the most joyful sight to behold. She truly has a way of making a person utterly and inescapably happy, just by looking at them with her smiling eyes. She is truly such a blessing, and I know in my heart that Heavenly Father knew that we needed her in our life, even though we didn't know it ourselves (she was quite the little surprise and we are truly blessed, now that she is a part of our family).
Each of my children brings such incredible meaning and depth to our family dynamic. I am so grateful for the blessing that each of them is in my life, and I thank Heavenly Father for them every day. <3
Related Links:
52 Gems of Reflection
Thirty Days of Gratitude - Day 29: My Babies
Thirty Days of Gratitude - Day 17: My Daughter
Friday, November 30, 2012
Thirty Days of Gratitude - Day 30: Family Time
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| Photo by The Purple Lady |
So, for those of you who don't know, my husband's schedule is absolutely ridiculous. He works full time, goes to school, plays tuba for The Las Vegas Philharmonic, and gives private instruction to middle school and high school low brass students. He is stretched extremely thin, so it's not often that we get to spend a lot of time together as a family. Friday is the ONE day of the week when he doesn't have work or school (although he usually has a lesson in the late afternoon), so Friday is usually family day. We often have day-dates while our daughter is at school (lunch and a movie, etc.), and then try to do something as a family in the evening.
Being that today is Friday, we took advantage of the time we were allotted to be together and spent a good part of the afternoon...wait for it...at the doctor's office. Haha. Yes, we've all been sick, so my husband and I went in to get checked out. Afterward, we did a little shopping (got a few more Christmas presents checked off the list. Woot), indulged in some yummy egg nog milk shakes from McDonalds, picked up some elderberries to make elderberry syrup, and then ended out the night with stromboli from The Tap House...YUM! When we got home, we FINALLY finished decorating the Christmas tree, which has been standing bare since Wednesday. It was awesome; too, because my 2-year-old really showed interest in participating for the first time. :)
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| His first time hanging ornaments. He was so excited. :) |
Related link:
Thirty Days of Gratitude - Day 29: My Babies
Thirty Days of Gratitude - Day 17: My Daughter
Thirty Days of Gratitude - Day 15: My Husband
Thirty Days of Gratitude - Day 11: Food That Heals
Thursday, November 29, 2012
Thirty Days of Gratitude - Day 29: My Babies
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| Photo by The Purple Lady |
My two-year-old is such a little character. Our journey to bring him into our family was truly an amazing gift. It strengthened my testimony of prayer tremendously, and taught me that through faith in the Lord, anything is possible. It also strengthened my individual relationship with our Heavenly Father. There were so many times when I literally felt his comforting arms around me, letting me know that my prayers would soon be answered - that a beautiful, little bundle of joy would be headed our way soon. And boy...did we get what we asked for. Haha. Though he definitely has an independent spirit and a temper that would make The Birthday Girl (from Word Girl) blush, he has an equally big heart, and loves genuinely and unconditionally. Every day with him is an adventure, and he adds such incredible depth (and spice. hehe) to our lives.
Baby Cakes (our 7-month-old), on the other hand, was a complete surprise. I think Heavenly Father just knew that she was ready to come into our family, even though we were completely unaware of how much we really needed her. Her sweet disposition is the perfect complement to our family dynamic; though, and she has a smile that can melt any ounce of worry or heartache away. She hardly ever cries (only when she legitimately needs something; a diaper change, food, etc.), is pretty easy going (my mom and I are constantly being blown away by what an incredibly well-behaved baby she is. She literally always just chills and entertains herself), she has the most infectious laugh, and has the uncanny ability to make everyone fall in love with her. Our two-year-old is even wrapped around her finger. She has only been a part of our lives for a short while, but it is honestly hard to imagine a time when she wasn't a part of this family.
I could seriously go on for hours about what a blessing it is to be a mother and to have both of these sweet "babies" in our lives. I am just grateful that Heavenly Father found me worthy to be their mother, and I pray that he continues to bless me with the wisdom and patience to do "the job" justice. ;)
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| Love these two! <3 |
P.S. The Purple Lady's Thirty Days of Gratitude challenge has completely changed my thinking. I feel like I am constantly in a state of gratitude, trying to think each day of all the things I am grateful for. As a result, I am dedicating a #ThankfulThursdays section on my blog to continue the spirit of gratitude throughout the year. Please feel free to participate here on the blog - and on Twitter and Facebook too. :)
Related link:
Thirty Days of Gratitude - Day 17: My Daughter
Wednesday, November 28, 2012
Thirty Days of Gratitude - Day 27: Grandparents
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| Photo by The Purple Lady |
Today, I am grateful for grandparents. Ya see, when I was a kid, my Grandma Ruby was seriously the coolest. I used to have sleepovers at her house and she was always letting me help her cook (maybe she is part of the reason that I love to cook and bake so much today). Whenever we went to Grandma's house, she was always stocked up with our favorite cookies, and any time that my "horrible, mean, parents - who just did not understand me, and were on a mission to ruin my life" (bahahaha...funny how kids think that. I guess if they don't, then we're not doing our job as parents. Hehe) would do something incomprehensible (you know, like send me to my room for talking back, etc...), I would call my Granny and she would be so understanding - so loving - and the tears would just melt away. Her home was always a place where you felt welcome, comfortable, and loved - a sort of home away from home. I loved spending time with her and I loved being at her house.
Now that I am a mother, and I happen to have children who think that I am the meanest mom in the whole world (hehe), I appreciate the value of grandparents even more. I see my mom stepping into the role of "the loving savior of the grandchildren" and it warms my heart. ;) My mom always says that being a grandparent is the best because you can spoil the child and love on him/her profusely, without having to ever be the bad guy. And, you get to give the child back to Mom when he/she needs a diaper change. Hehe. My mom's favorite line (in referencing one of my children) is, "You know that he (or she) can do no wrong in my eyes." ;)
I am seriously so grateful for my grandparents and for the grandparents that my children have. I am grateful for all that my parents do for my children, and for the relationship that they have with them. Grandparents truly are the best! I only wish that my husband's parents were still alive so that my children could reap the rewards of a relationship with them as well. I guess that is just one more reason to look forward to eternity. ;)
Monday, November 26, 2012
Thirty Days of Gratitude - Day 26: Patience
I don't necessarily pride myself on being someone who comes by patience easily. It's something I pray for on a daily basis. But man...am I grateful for the patience that I was able to muster tonight after finding my 2-year-old on the living room floor with a black, permanent Sharpie marker. Not only did he take it upon himself to cover his lips, hands, legs, and arms, but there are now giant squiggle marks all over a huge section of the carpet in our living room and on the area rug. It was all over his building blocks, on one of The Drama Queen (my 12-year-old)'s sweaters, and as I walked into the kitchen with my jaw on the floor, I discovered that it was all over the tile AND on the kitchen wall as well. The most annoying part is that I was in the room with him while he created his masterpiece. I had just been preoccupied with Christmas shopping on my lap top. Doh!
Let's just say that the boy is lucky to be alive. He IS alive though - and it is only due to the patience, which I had to harness with every ounce of energy I could muster. He is lucky that I love him so much. For real. Oh, the joys of motherhood!
Let's just say that the boy is lucky to be alive. He IS alive though - and it is only due to the patience, which I had to harness with every ounce of energy I could muster. He is lucky that I love him so much. For real. Oh, the joys of motherhood!
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| Photo by The Purple Lady |
Sunday, November 18, 2012
Thirty Days of Gratitude - Day 18: SAHM
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| Photo by The Purple Lady |
Then, I think about Miss [M], my 12-year-old daughter. I mean, it feels absolutely unreal to even say that I have a 12-year-old. How did that happen? I remember her first day of kindergarten like it was yesterday. And when I stop to think that I only have six short years left until she is an adult - old enough to vote, old enough to go off to college and leave home - it's unbelievable. I mean, what is six years? It's the beat of a heart, the snap of a finger. And in the blink of an eye, that time will be gone.
Sometimes, thinking about it and realizing how fast it all flew by makes me feel almost desperate to hang onto every single fleeting moment I have with my children. So today, I am grateful for the ability that I have to be a stay-at-home mom (SAHM), that I am able to be around for all of the milestones my children experience - their first steps, their first words, their first day of school (I was working when [M] started kindergarten, and would have had to miss it, had I not had an extremely understanding boss that let me come in late that day); to just be able to be here when they get home from school in the afternoon, and ask them how their day went.
I am grateful for a husband who works hard so that I can have the opportunity to stay home with my children, and for his income that affords us all the things necessary to provide for our children's physical needs. I am also thankful for all of the other factors that make being a SAHM possible.
I know that what I do is significant. I love my job and wouldn't trade it for the world. :)
Related link:
All Things Purple: Thirty Days of Gratitude
Saturday, November 17, 2012
Thirty Days of Gratitude - Day 17: My Daughter
My 12-year-old daughter came into this world at a time when I was facing some serious challenges, and she continues to bless my life each and every day. This poem is for you, Munch Munch. :)
Related link:
Beautiful Child
Beautiful child, remarkable child
From Heav’n you descended, a mom I became.
Beloved child, celestial child
I feel of God’s love when I but speak your name.
Beautiful child, radiant child
Your spirit so eager, your smile so bright.
Glorious child, innocent child
You sing to the heavens and bless us with light.
Beautiful child, intuitive child
Bestowed with your wisdom, your intelligent mind.
Courageous child, faithful child
Our friendship eternal, our souls intertwined.
Curious child, creative child
With a book in your hand, and ideas running wild.
Artistic child, inspired child
Enchanting, romancing, an essence beguiled.
Beautiful child, benevolent child
Your heart so forgiving, compassion aflame.
Beautiful child, significant child
Without you, our family would not be the same.
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| Photo by The Purple Lady |
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