Now that this blog has become a little bit more popular, I have received a couple of e-mails asking why I am so focused on my boys having so much sensory play, and not as much "school" work. I don't feel like I have to explain myself, but maybe a little bit of background on our situation may be helpful to somebody else. You never know. So, here is our story of why we are so obsessed with sensory play in our house.
It started back in the spring of 2011 when we realized that something was not totally clicking with Pierce. He would not let me leave his side, was extremely attached (to an unhealthy extent), did not like people coming in the house that he did not know, and absolutely detested being dirty. I am talking a full blown melt down if he had dirt on his hands. He loved baths, but hated any water going over his head. Being in my 3rd trimester of pregnancy with Carter, I didn't really think anything of it; I just figured he was a stubborn child who knew what he wanted. There were also a lot of changes going on in our lives. My father was just diagnosed with stage 4 liver cancer and given months to live. On my own will, I packed up a bunch of my stuff and Pierce's stuff and started spending 4-5 days a week with my parents, and 2-3 days a week with Dan. It was not the best situation, but I knew my time was valuable with my dad.
It was actually my dad that sat me down shortly after Carter was born and told me, "I love you, but there is just something not right. He is not really speaking, he is more than attached, and the kid has a temper I have never seen in a toddler." I remember those words so clearly as we sat at the edge of my dad's bed talking. And it dawned on me, he was right. Shortly after the passing of my dad (yet another life change for Pierce), I had to bring Pierce to the doctor for his 18 month well visit. He started asking me questions about Pierce that were raising red flags to the doctor, but the final culmination was when the doctor went to lay Pierce back for the examination and Pierce actually kicked the scope out of his hand. By the end of that visit, we had a referral in our hands for something called Birth to Three.
I was hesitant at first to even call them. It is hard for any parent to hear that there may be something wrong with their child. We all want the best for our kids, and all have visions of these perfect boys and girls going off to school and becoming successful adults. Soon after I called them, there were a total of 3 people coming to the house to "assess" Pierce. First we had a teacher and a speech pathologist that agreed he needed to have services. They were so convinced that he needed help in more ways they could offer, they actually referred him to an autism specialist. I still remember crying as I sat in the house by myself with these 2 complete strangers, holding my newborn and looking at my toddler. This was not part of my plan. Not at all.
The autism specialist came the following week, did her evaluation, and stated there were some concerns, but she did not believe it to be autism. She believed it to be a sensory issue. What?! What is that?! And starting January 2012, I became fully involved in learning all about so many more things that I never expected to learn about. We had a completely wonderful teacher that became a part of our life. Twice a week for an hour or more each time she would come to our house and make Pierce get dirty, in many different ways. She had him touch things that were rough (he could not stand tags in his clothes, or anything rough near him), had him finger paint (this was met with EXTREME opposition at first), and had him play in salt (I never would have thought of that). Twice a month we had a speech pathologist come in to help with him making shapes with his mouth and overcoming various food textural issues (he could not stand anything pureed or anything mushy). It was finally meeting with the occupational therapist that helped me completely understand everything as well. It was such a relief to finally understand my own child. I had never felt more relieved.
This whole process lasted for about 18 months. That was a solid 18 months of therapy to have him developmentally "catch up" to his peers. When they first tested his speech, he was at the cognition level (meaning he understood) of a four year old, but an expression level of a 9 month old (meaning he could only babble as well as a 9 month old at the age of 20 months). That massive gap was causing a lot of our issues, and closing that gap was my priority. Once we got the sensory issues under check, it was even more relieving. I learned so much through the services we received that I guess it sort of became my passion.
So, why do I still do all of this sensory stuff if the gap has been closed? Simple. It will forever be a process in our house. Even when we are crafting now, if he has glue on his hands, or paint, he will ask over and over to go wash his hands and come back. My answer is always, "No thank you. You may wash your hands when you are done. It is fun to be messy." It is a reminder to him that it is alright to be dirty, and eventually it will clean off. Just this summer we are finally to the point that when he falls he doesn't need a napkin right away to clean his hands. He uses his pants. All of this stuff that a lot of people take for granted is a work of progress here. So every time I get him to play in sand, play in shaving cream, salt, etc., it is a small victory and reinforcing that it's fun. Plus, I have noticed that both of my boys learn way more when their bodies are completely involved in something. That is just how a lot of toddlers and preschoolers learn.
Hopefully this may help somebody else that has been going through a similar situation. Hopefully it makes a little more sense why we have sensory play every day. But in any case, every child is different. What may work for my boys may not work for others. And we are slowly getting there with introducing writing pages and such. Pierce certainly has a love/hate relationship with them. But every day is a new journey and I have learned to embrace it. I have learned to love every challenge that we face together. And the most important lesson I learned a LONG time ago? Forget having a plan. Your children will never follow the same plan as you. :)
Have a great day everyone!
Showing posts with label Anxiety. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Anxiety. Show all posts
Thursday, September 26, 2013
Sunday, September 22, 2013
One of those Mom Moments...
I was forced to take a step back this week. I had no choice, considering I was going back and forth between fevers and chills, and one wicked sinus issue. This meant that laundry was not kept up, house cleaning went out the door, and I ordered LUNCH. Lunch. I never. Ever. Order lunch. I honestly felt that I was going to collapse at that moment if I had to stand for another minute and cook something.
I felt horrible. I mean as a mom and wife, I expect myself to do EVERYTHING. I do breakfast, lunch, and dinner almost every day, laundry, schooling, exercising for myself, the kids, and taking the dog for runs. Grocery shopping and cleaning are on my list. And honestly, it is the least I can do considering I live with my in-laws who expect nothing from us, and my husband works his tail off for 40 hours (or more) per week. I have beaten myself up mentally at least twice a week about not working, but hello! I am!
Being forced to take a step back made me realize that I work just as hard as anyone else, even if I do not have a paycheck from some company to prove it. For years people have been telling me this, but I am just finally realizing it. I was so completely overwhelmed yesterday morning; there were 3 loads of laundry to be folded and put away, there was no school work printed for this upcoming week, the house was beyond a mess (well, for me it was. I am VERY type A when it comes to the house), you could not see the floor in the boys bedroom, and we had a party to be at for 1 pm. I was still sick, insanely cranky, and not in the mood for the boys to keep acting out and not listening. Without my even asking, Dan folded all the laundry AND put it away, entertained the boys after he was up with them all night, and even put them down for a nap.
There was my other realization - I do not give enough credit to my husband. He really is a fantastic guy. He is very empathetic, funny, charming, sweet, handsome, intelligent, and everything I could ask for as a husband and a father. Do we always see eye to eye? No. Do any couples see eye to eye every day? No. Yes, I may confide in my girlfriends about how much he may irritate me every now and then, but he is my love. And I need to cut him a lot more slack and say thank you way more often. So, Dan, thank you for EVERYTHING you have done, sacrificed, and accomplished. Everything means a lot to me, and I will start saying it more often. I absolutely promise you that.
So I know that this was not my typical post, but I guess what I am trying to get at is that us moms need to step back and applaud ourselves every now and then. Applaud our husbands or significant others. It is amazing what we all accomplish each day, and it is evident through our amazing children that look at us and act just the way we do. Carter found dirt on the floor today, so he opened the basement door, grabbed the broom, and started sweeping. Pierce wraps his arms around me at the end of the day and tells me I am his best friend. They are learning from example. They are learning through living. So lets all take a few moments to applaud ourselves. We are amazing, and we need to remember that.
Tuesday, May 21, 2013
Mommy Dilemma
I am having a mommy dilemma, and an overwhelming sense of guilt. I feel like I am at a standstill with the boys. We have been so busy doing stuff everyday, that I realized I have not made any lesson plans in about a month or even a little longer. This recent realization has made me feel incredibly guilty.
Our new routine has been spending mornings at the gym; I get my space and time to work out, and they are in child watch with two other grown ups and most of the time other kiddos. I know this is beneficial to them, as they are playing with other children and getting used to me not being there every second. They also love it, and Pierce even tells me when it is time to go to the gym. BUT. That used to be our time to do lessons, projects, activities, etc. After the gym, if the day is nice, we travel to a playground, or travel to a kid's museum, or grocery shop. Then we come home, eat lunch, read a couple of books, and it is nap time. That is when I update this, clean the house, do the laundry, etc. Sometimes I am still cleaning when they wake up, so I find them helping me clean and munching on a snack all at the same time. On top of that, 3 days a week I am working nights, so I am rushing to make dinner after they wake up, and that means no projects those days.
The last project we made was last week. I took an egg carton, and had them paint the inside and outside of the carton. After they dried, I cut them into 12 individual "flowers" and we stuck pipe cleaners into them (to make the stems of the flowers). To me, this was beyond simple. I know the kiddos had fun and enjoyed it, since they are now sitting in cups on the kitchen table for everyone to see.
Now the question is why? Why do I feel so incredibly guilty that I have not made lesson plans and have not sat down with them to formally recite everything? Why do I feel like I am letting my children down, and partially neglecting them? Why do I feel like they have learned nothing in the last month? What is wrong with me? I know I am incredibly overwhelmed with a lot. There are some family health issues that always seem to be on my mind, I know my job I get paid for is a dead end job, and the number one worry is always finances. I still feel horrible about living with my in laws, and it is not their fault or anyone's fault. It is something I have never been able to mentally accept; the fact that I am not independent at the age of 28, and that I still need help just kills me. I feel like I should be a grown up in every way, and that means doing everything on my own.
I try to do the best, and that to me that also means I need to have some space and time. Yet, I feel so guilty taking the time. Maybe it is just the mindset of a mom? I have no idea. But, from this point forward, I am vowing to allow myself to feel happy about having my space and letting the boys have theirs. I know it is healthy for them, and they need it. I need to get over this mom guilt about not making lesson plans and doing formal lessons everyday. I am the one that has always said that nature is their classroom, and we are always outside discussing everything (Why is our favorite question in the house right now). Maybe I need to start sticking close to home again, and not try to travel everywhere. However, it is so nice outside lately, why would I want to stop traveling to playgrounds and such? Ugh. Who would have ever thought being a mom could be so hard mentally, as well as physically. Thanks for letting me vent everyone, and I hope you have a great rest of your day!
Our new routine has been spending mornings at the gym; I get my space and time to work out, and they are in child watch with two other grown ups and most of the time other kiddos. I know this is beneficial to them, as they are playing with other children and getting used to me not being there every second. They also love it, and Pierce even tells me when it is time to go to the gym. BUT. That used to be our time to do lessons, projects, activities, etc. After the gym, if the day is nice, we travel to a playground, or travel to a kid's museum, or grocery shop. Then we come home, eat lunch, read a couple of books, and it is nap time. That is when I update this, clean the house, do the laundry, etc. Sometimes I am still cleaning when they wake up, so I find them helping me clean and munching on a snack all at the same time. On top of that, 3 days a week I am working nights, so I am rushing to make dinner after they wake up, and that means no projects those days.
The last project we made was last week. I took an egg carton, and had them paint the inside and outside of the carton. After they dried, I cut them into 12 individual "flowers" and we stuck pipe cleaners into them (to make the stems of the flowers). To me, this was beyond simple. I know the kiddos had fun and enjoyed it, since they are now sitting in cups on the kitchen table for everyone to see.
Now the question is why? Why do I feel so incredibly guilty that I have not made lesson plans and have not sat down with them to formally recite everything? Why do I feel like I am letting my children down, and partially neglecting them? Why do I feel like they have learned nothing in the last month? What is wrong with me? I know I am incredibly overwhelmed with a lot. There are some family health issues that always seem to be on my mind, I know my job I get paid for is a dead end job, and the number one worry is always finances. I still feel horrible about living with my in laws, and it is not their fault or anyone's fault. It is something I have never been able to mentally accept; the fact that I am not independent at the age of 28, and that I still need help just kills me. I feel like I should be a grown up in every way, and that means doing everything on my own.
I try to do the best, and that to me that also means I need to have some space and time. Yet, I feel so guilty taking the time. Maybe it is just the mindset of a mom? I have no idea. But, from this point forward, I am vowing to allow myself to feel happy about having my space and letting the boys have theirs. I know it is healthy for them, and they need it. I need to get over this mom guilt about not making lesson plans and doing formal lessons everyday. I am the one that has always said that nature is their classroom, and we are always outside discussing everything (Why is our favorite question in the house right now). Maybe I need to start sticking close to home again, and not try to travel everywhere. However, it is so nice outside lately, why would I want to stop traveling to playgrounds and such? Ugh. Who would have ever thought being a mom could be so hard mentally, as well as physically. Thanks for letting me vent everyone, and I hope you have a great rest of your day!
Sunday, November 4, 2012
Not really sure what to say...
I haven't updated lately, since I really have not been in the mood. I am beyond overwhelmed this week, and quite honestly have had very little energy to update, nor do I want to talk. Anyhow, here is where we stand as of right now.
Friday morning I took the kiddos to BJ's to get the grocery shopping done. I finally had the monetary means to do so, and I allowed Pierce to walk the store with me instead of being in the cart with Carter. He loved the freedom of being out, and that was the best behavior I have had from him in a long time in the store. He actually wanted to ride along for a bit so he could color my shopping list. We had one scare, and that was when he thought he had seen my mom, and bolted down a side aisle, then into another, and I couldn't catch him in time. It felt like forever that I couldn't find him, and I was screaming his name. People saw me with the cart trying to get through, and nobody really moved. Finally I heard him yell GA! And that is when I found him and his little yellow fireman boots. The look of terror on his face when he realized it was not my mom melted my heart, and I am glad I was there and that I had found him safe and sound.
Later that afternoon, we headed to Imagination in Bristol (I really should just move to Bristol), and we attended their Wild About Animals event. Both of the kiddos LOVED it. As soon as we walked in, Pierce saw a llama standing there, and Carter started making noises like a horse. It was also awesome that unlike the Haunted House, they still had all of the exhibits open so the kids could play. And oh man did they play - after petting the llama. They played with 2 of their buddies that they love, and got to play with a couple of others they do not see that often. They also were able to play with bunnies and Great Danes; they saw owls and animal pelts. The boys saw Cha Cha the Rainforest Cafe frog, and Carter was enthralled with the guinea pig. As in he would not leave the guinea pig and kept giving it kisses. It was very cute. The only animal that Pierce was really captivated with that we had to go back a few times was? Tinkerbell - the horse he rides. He absolutely loves Tinkerbell, and all of us were very happy to see her and her owners.
After running like crazy, I had to rush the boys out so we could go ring bells with Nana at the church. And I had both boys with me since we were coming straight from there. To say it was interesting, would be the least descriptive terminology I could. Carter started out in my carrier, but ended up on the floor with Pierce - then Pierce kept trying to ring my bells with me, and Carter wanted Nana's bells. Thankfully Dan showed up about 20 minutes later, and rescued us from the kiddos. After that we actually had a productive rehearsal :)
Typically after bell choir, Grandma and I head out for a beer and to just talk and catch up. It is our little thing we do, and I oddly look forward to having a beer with an 80 year old and chit chatting. This week there were some long lost friends in town, so we went and caught up with an entire group of people at the Black Rock Tavern. It was odd at first being the youngest there and not really part of the group, but it was a lot of fun. I even ended up discussing politics with one of the finer gentlemen of Thomaston, and it felt great to have an intellectual discussion that did not require a 2 year old's vocabulary.
Yesterday we froze our tiny heiny's off at Rockwell Park in the morning, so that Pierce could ride his scooter. Dan had to help his parent's out, so it was just the kids and I. I also reconnected with a couple of long lost treasured friends, and I swear it felt like my soul was opening back up just a tiny bit from when I completely shut it. Hopefully I can spend some time with them soon.
After Rockwell, the kids passed out in the car, and I enjoyed peace and quiet. I know there is always a mountain of things to be done (or at least it feels like that to me), but I also just wanted to read a book. So I did. For 20 minutes - until the kids woke up. I guess that was all they needed - a 20 minute nap. However, Pierce woke up MISERABLE and kept saying his throat hurt. So I made him some special hot chocolate, and plopped him in my bed to watch a movie. That was apparently the magic cure, since then he burst out of bed and was a maniac! Plus Daddy was home, so he wanted to see him. Completely understandable. I took advantage of daddy being home, and gutted our bedroom to wash everything in it. Floors, ceilings, walls, baseboards, etc. It took me a while, and the boys kept interrupting, but it felt AMAZING to fall asleep in a nice clean room last night.
So far today has not been all that wonderful. Yes, we have laughed and had fun. I also know it is just a bad day, and I should be thankful for everyday that I have. However, when you have to drag your child kicking and screaming out of the park since he will not listen or stop whining, it does put a damper on your day. And that is where I am at now. It is pathetic. I am counting down the hours until I have to work. (5 hours, 2 minutes btw). I am really hoping that by the time I go to work I will be sad to do so, because the kids and I will have so much fun. I do have hopes of that. For right now, I am going to sign off here and grab a cup of tea. Then split some wood to burn off steam. Have a great day everyone!
Friday morning I took the kiddos to BJ's to get the grocery shopping done. I finally had the monetary means to do so, and I allowed Pierce to walk the store with me instead of being in the cart with Carter. He loved the freedom of being out, and that was the best behavior I have had from him in a long time in the store. He actually wanted to ride along for a bit so he could color my shopping list. We had one scare, and that was when he thought he had seen my mom, and bolted down a side aisle, then into another, and I couldn't catch him in time. It felt like forever that I couldn't find him, and I was screaming his name. People saw me with the cart trying to get through, and nobody really moved. Finally I heard him yell GA! And that is when I found him and his little yellow fireman boots. The look of terror on his face when he realized it was not my mom melted my heart, and I am glad I was there and that I had found him safe and sound.
Later that afternoon, we headed to Imagination in Bristol (I really should just move to Bristol), and we attended their Wild About Animals event. Both of the kiddos LOVED it. As soon as we walked in, Pierce saw a llama standing there, and Carter started making noises like a horse. It was also awesome that unlike the Haunted House, they still had all of the exhibits open so the kids could play. And oh man did they play - after petting the llama. They played with 2 of their buddies that they love, and got to play with a couple of others they do not see that often. They also were able to play with bunnies and Great Danes; they saw owls and animal pelts. The boys saw Cha Cha the Rainforest Cafe frog, and Carter was enthralled with the guinea pig. As in he would not leave the guinea pig and kept giving it kisses. It was very cute. The only animal that Pierce was really captivated with that we had to go back a few times was? Tinkerbell - the horse he rides. He absolutely loves Tinkerbell, and all of us were very happy to see her and her owners.
After running like crazy, I had to rush the boys out so we could go ring bells with Nana at the church. And I had both boys with me since we were coming straight from there. To say it was interesting, would be the least descriptive terminology I could. Carter started out in my carrier, but ended up on the floor with Pierce - then Pierce kept trying to ring my bells with me, and Carter wanted Nana's bells. Thankfully Dan showed up about 20 minutes later, and rescued us from the kiddos. After that we actually had a productive rehearsal :)
Typically after bell choir, Grandma and I head out for a beer and to just talk and catch up. It is our little thing we do, and I oddly look forward to having a beer with an 80 year old and chit chatting. This week there were some long lost friends in town, so we went and caught up with an entire group of people at the Black Rock Tavern. It was odd at first being the youngest there and not really part of the group, but it was a lot of fun. I even ended up discussing politics with one of the finer gentlemen of Thomaston, and it felt great to have an intellectual discussion that did not require a 2 year old's vocabulary.
Yesterday we froze our tiny heiny's off at Rockwell Park in the morning, so that Pierce could ride his scooter. Dan had to help his parent's out, so it was just the kids and I. I also reconnected with a couple of long lost treasured friends, and I swear it felt like my soul was opening back up just a tiny bit from when I completely shut it. Hopefully I can spend some time with them soon.
After Rockwell, the kids passed out in the car, and I enjoyed peace and quiet. I know there is always a mountain of things to be done (or at least it feels like that to me), but I also just wanted to read a book. So I did. For 20 minutes - until the kids woke up. I guess that was all they needed - a 20 minute nap. However, Pierce woke up MISERABLE and kept saying his throat hurt. So I made him some special hot chocolate, and plopped him in my bed to watch a movie. That was apparently the magic cure, since then he burst out of bed and was a maniac! Plus Daddy was home, so he wanted to see him. Completely understandable. I took advantage of daddy being home, and gutted our bedroom to wash everything in it. Floors, ceilings, walls, baseboards, etc. It took me a while, and the boys kept interrupting, but it felt AMAZING to fall asleep in a nice clean room last night.
So far today has not been all that wonderful. Yes, we have laughed and had fun. I also know it is just a bad day, and I should be thankful for everyday that I have. However, when you have to drag your child kicking and screaming out of the park since he will not listen or stop whining, it does put a damper on your day. And that is where I am at now. It is pathetic. I am counting down the hours until I have to work. (5 hours, 2 minutes btw). I am really hoping that by the time I go to work I will be sad to do so, because the kids and I will have so much fun. I do have hopes of that. For right now, I am going to sign off here and grab a cup of tea. Then split some wood to burn off steam. Have a great day everyone!
Friday, November 2, 2012
A lazy day?!
I should know by now, that when I say "We are going to have a lazy day!" that it really doesn't mean we are going to be lazy. I must get better at understanding what that word means, because after yesterday, I surely must not have a clue. At all.
We started off our morning with the boys having a picnic breakfast in the living room, and I let them watch 2 episodes of Yo Gabba Gabba. See, I had great intentions, and they were totally happy with that. My intentions were also to say yes more during the day, verses no. But, alas, my mommy brain kicked in and waged a war internally that said I could not allow my kids to watch TV all day. Instead of just saying we were all done with TV, I asked the boys if they wanted to do a craft or play with something. Carter speed raced to the basement stairs, and Pierce was super eager to go downstairs as well. And there went my lazy day. It lasted for a whopping 43 minutes. :)
When we went downstairs, Carter jumped on the tractor and started pretending he was driving everywhere. This was followed by Pierce hanging from the bottom of the swing we have set up and pretending he was a gymnast. I made the mistake of asking if he was a monkey, and his reply was, "No momma. I do flips. I am a gym." OK then. I also figured since I was down there, I may as well do laundry too. Then I got the very stubborn wood stove cleaned and started - it was actually kind of chilly yesterday. Why can I never allow myself a day off? lol
I had a few ideas of various thing I REALLY wanted to try from pinterest. That website is absolutely amazing. There are cheap ideas, expensive ideas, and things I never would have thought of in a million years. For example, we made sun catchers yesterday. Pierce saw the big wooden beads sitting on the craft table, and he really wanted to "do beads." I had purchased clear beads at Michaels the day before to create these sun catchers, and I rationalized that if he was going to play with beads, I was too! Carter is way too young for beads (we are still in the everything in the mouth phase...no matter what it is). Back upstairs we trotted with two containers of beads, lace, ribbon, and a bunch of dried beans for Carter. Pierce started off making a necklace for Mimi (she is always wearing something), Carter was more than thrilled to have a sensory tray again (It is amazing how far he can throw beans), and I grabbed a muffin tin to make these sun catchers. What I did was start out just dumping a bunch of those clear beads into the bottom of the muffin tin. I did not want to spend too much time on them and found myself rushing, just in case it didn't work. Then Pierce decided playing in a bunch of little beads was way more fun than making a necklace, put down his project and came over. Never thought of it as a fine motor skill, but he go to work picking up beads with his finger tips and arranging them in the trays. I mean, making sure there were not too many blues, greens, etc. That is when I realized that if my 2 1/2 year old could take the time to make something thoughtful, then I can too. I mean it is a lazy day, right?
About 30 minutes later, we plopped the tray of beads in the oven, not knowing if this would really work, and off to the deck the boys went. Pierce had grabbed 2 little containers of bubbles for him and Carter, and they sat outside for a good 45 minutes just talking to each other, singing, and blowing bubbles. They did attempt to help me clean before hand, but the wild children were much more suited for outside time. I finally made them come inside due to how cold they were, and to show them the sun catchers. Pierce and I thought they were awesome. Carter wanted to see how they taste. I went downstairs to grab my glue gun and Pierce followed me down asking if I could rebuild his train track so he could have alone time. I know how valuable and precious alone time can be, so of course I helped him out. That also gave Carter and I a chance to play upstairs while I figured out how to fasten the ribbon without it looking too much like a throw together idea.
At this point it was about 11:30 am, so I made the boys some lunch and off Carter went for a nap. I also had the idea of painting with spices yesterday, and had told one of my friends about it. She also has 2 little boys almost the same exact ages as Pierce and Carter. Unknowingly to myself, she had posted something on facebook about doing the same thing. After some messages back and forth, it was decided that she was going to bring her boys over and we were going to make Turkeys out of sticky hand prints covered in spices. This also meant I had to at least clean the bathroom, since everything else was cleaned up after the confetti of beans everywhere. And I may as well steam mop the floors while I am at it. Oh, and don't forget the shower I had not taken all day. :)
I was trying to allow Pierce to be a big kid and not nap, but lay on the couch and watch a movie instead. He picked out Up, but was so squirmy and everywhere, I finally made him go lay down in his room. He needed to rest. I know my child without naps, and it is not pretty. Plus with friends coming over, I was not going to chance an epic meltdown later in the evening.
The kiddos woke up, a lot earlier than I planned, so we went outside to gather things to make a terrarium. They ended up not being the prettiest, since Pierce wanted to grow moss. However, it was cool as he figured out what we needed for things to grow. As soon as we were done with those, our friends showed up and man did the house smell great! The boys did not end up making handprints with the spices, and the two eldest boys refused to mix spices with glue. Carter wanted nothing to do with it - he just wanted to run and play. Eventually Pierce lifted the entire tray of spices onto the deck, so all of the kiddos ended up out there. And hey, while we are out there, lets gut a pumpkin, stuff it with dirt, and see if anything grows. :)
What started off as a lazy day turned into a day where we stayed home. We never went near my car. I think that was the key component to what we have been missing lately, and I think the boys benefited from now being on the go. Instead they were busy in different ways. They actually were able to hang out together and play together. I saw such a soft side of Pierce as he showed Carter how to blow a bubble, as he waited up for him as they were racing cars down the hall, and even when he just snuggled up to me at random points during the day. Carter realized he was tall enough to reach the microwave in his play kitchen, and would smile ear to ear as he touched the button that sounded like popcorn. Maybe I need to rethink my definition of a lazy day, and maybe I don't. It really sunk in just how fast the boys are growing up. I can 100% say I no longer have a toddler and a baby. I have two toddlers, borderline a toddler and preschooler. Where has all of the time gone? However, instead of looking back on the past, I can look forward to the future. A future of fun, excitement, experimental learning, and lots of belly laughs ahead. Maybe a few tears of frustration, and definitely a few tears of pride. I am excited, proud, and relieved to be Pierce and Carter's mom. I would never want it any other way. Ever.
We started off our morning with the boys having a picnic breakfast in the living room, and I let them watch 2 episodes of Yo Gabba Gabba. See, I had great intentions, and they were totally happy with that. My intentions were also to say yes more during the day, verses no. But, alas, my mommy brain kicked in and waged a war internally that said I could not allow my kids to watch TV all day. Instead of just saying we were all done with TV, I asked the boys if they wanted to do a craft or play with something. Carter speed raced to the basement stairs, and Pierce was super eager to go downstairs as well. And there went my lazy day. It lasted for a whopping 43 minutes. :)
When we went downstairs, Carter jumped on the tractor and started pretending he was driving everywhere. This was followed by Pierce hanging from the bottom of the swing we have set up and pretending he was a gymnast. I made the mistake of asking if he was a monkey, and his reply was, "No momma. I do flips. I am a gym." OK then. I also figured since I was down there, I may as well do laundry too. Then I got the very stubborn wood stove cleaned and started - it was actually kind of chilly yesterday. Why can I never allow myself a day off? lol
I had a few ideas of various thing I REALLY wanted to try from pinterest. That website is absolutely amazing. There are cheap ideas, expensive ideas, and things I never would have thought of in a million years. For example, we made sun catchers yesterday. Pierce saw the big wooden beads sitting on the craft table, and he really wanted to "do beads." I had purchased clear beads at Michaels the day before to create these sun catchers, and I rationalized that if he was going to play with beads, I was too! Carter is way too young for beads (we are still in the everything in the mouth phase...no matter what it is). Back upstairs we trotted with two containers of beads, lace, ribbon, and a bunch of dried beans for Carter. Pierce started off making a necklace for Mimi (she is always wearing something), Carter was more than thrilled to have a sensory tray again (It is amazing how far he can throw beans), and I grabbed a muffin tin to make these sun catchers. What I did was start out just dumping a bunch of those clear beads into the bottom of the muffin tin. I did not want to spend too much time on them and found myself rushing, just in case it didn't work. Then Pierce decided playing in a bunch of little beads was way more fun than making a necklace, put down his project and came over. Never thought of it as a fine motor skill, but he go to work picking up beads with his finger tips and arranging them in the trays. I mean, making sure there were not too many blues, greens, etc. That is when I realized that if my 2 1/2 year old could take the time to make something thoughtful, then I can too. I mean it is a lazy day, right?
About 30 minutes later, we plopped the tray of beads in the oven, not knowing if this would really work, and off to the deck the boys went. Pierce had grabbed 2 little containers of bubbles for him and Carter, and they sat outside for a good 45 minutes just talking to each other, singing, and blowing bubbles. They did attempt to help me clean before hand, but the wild children were much more suited for outside time. I finally made them come inside due to how cold they were, and to show them the sun catchers. Pierce and I thought they were awesome. Carter wanted to see how they taste. I went downstairs to grab my glue gun and Pierce followed me down asking if I could rebuild his train track so he could have alone time. I know how valuable and precious alone time can be, so of course I helped him out. That also gave Carter and I a chance to play upstairs while I figured out how to fasten the ribbon without it looking too much like a throw together idea.
At this point it was about 11:30 am, so I made the boys some lunch and off Carter went for a nap. I also had the idea of painting with spices yesterday, and had told one of my friends about it. She also has 2 little boys almost the same exact ages as Pierce and Carter. Unknowingly to myself, she had posted something on facebook about doing the same thing. After some messages back and forth, it was decided that she was going to bring her boys over and we were going to make Turkeys out of sticky hand prints covered in spices. This also meant I had to at least clean the bathroom, since everything else was cleaned up after the confetti of beans everywhere. And I may as well steam mop the floors while I am at it. Oh, and don't forget the shower I had not taken all day. :)
I was trying to allow Pierce to be a big kid and not nap, but lay on the couch and watch a movie instead. He picked out Up, but was so squirmy and everywhere, I finally made him go lay down in his room. He needed to rest. I know my child without naps, and it is not pretty. Plus with friends coming over, I was not going to chance an epic meltdown later in the evening.
The kiddos woke up, a lot earlier than I planned, so we went outside to gather things to make a terrarium. They ended up not being the prettiest, since Pierce wanted to grow moss. However, it was cool as he figured out what we needed for things to grow. As soon as we were done with those, our friends showed up and man did the house smell great! The boys did not end up making handprints with the spices, and the two eldest boys refused to mix spices with glue. Carter wanted nothing to do with it - he just wanted to run and play. Eventually Pierce lifted the entire tray of spices onto the deck, so all of the kiddos ended up out there. And hey, while we are out there, lets gut a pumpkin, stuff it with dirt, and see if anything grows. :)
What started off as a lazy day turned into a day where we stayed home. We never went near my car. I think that was the key component to what we have been missing lately, and I think the boys benefited from now being on the go. Instead they were busy in different ways. They actually were able to hang out together and play together. I saw such a soft side of Pierce as he showed Carter how to blow a bubble, as he waited up for him as they were racing cars down the hall, and even when he just snuggled up to me at random points during the day. Carter realized he was tall enough to reach the microwave in his play kitchen, and would smile ear to ear as he touched the button that sounded like popcorn. Maybe I need to rethink my definition of a lazy day, and maybe I don't. It really sunk in just how fast the boys are growing up. I can 100% say I no longer have a toddler and a baby. I have two toddlers, borderline a toddler and preschooler. Where has all of the time gone? However, instead of looking back on the past, I can look forward to the future. A future of fun, excitement, experimental learning, and lots of belly laughs ahead. Maybe a few tears of frustration, and definitely a few tears of pride. I am excited, proud, and relieved to be Pierce and Carter's mom. I would never want it any other way. Ever.
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| Bubble blowing happy brothers. |
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| Draw with spices. |
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| Or eat the spices. :) |
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
Happy Halloween!
Pierce's Halloween started out at school. He was able to dress up in his beloved monkey costume and parade around our local bank with his schoolmates. I accidentally ran into them at the bank (I thought they were going earlier...sorry Jen!), and they all looked so cute! While Pierce was at school, Carter and I made some fast work at finally putting my car through emissions, dropping off the letter of intent for the play ground to the town hall, and hitting up Michaels Arts and Crafts for some of their sales. I also intended on making some projects with the boys today, but we just simply ran out of time. Oh, and lets throw in some crazy dancing time with Carter, and that took up our whole morning. There were so many laughs out of the kiddo, it was awesome. Plus it gave him some confidence on his feet, and confidence in who he is without Pierce around. That is never a bad thing.
Once we picked up Pierce from school, Carter passed out, which gave Pierce his one on one time he has come to expect after school. Originally I was going to read some books and do a lesson with him, but he begged and pleaded for Yo Gabba Gabba and I gave in. Finally Pierce fell asleep, and I took some much needed me time. I uploaded pictures and took advantage of Shutterfly's promotion of 101 free pictures. Then I do not know what happened in our house.
It started with Carter; he woke up screaming at the top of his lungs. I picked him up, and he fell back asleep on me. Then about 30 minutes later, Pierce wakes up screaming as well. He comes in and wakes up Carter by climbing on my lap, then they are hitting each other because they do not want to share me. Feeling like a punching bag, I just started to get them off of my lap when Pierce peed all over me. I was more shocked than anything since he has been doing fantastic at no accidents, running to the potty when he wakes up, and being vocal about it. So I could keep my composure, I sent Pierce into the bathroom to clean himself up (keep in mind he was still screaming at me), and placed Carter in their room so I could have hands free. I made a bottle for Carter, and tucked Pierce back into bed with strict instructions that he could not come out until he would either talk to me or he was done crying. And then I left the house and went out on the deck. I can handle tantrums pretty darn well when I see them coming, but I have never had both kids at once in full out tantrums. Wow, is all I could think. Then I thought some more on how can I calm these guys down. I heard less and less tears, and I was only out there for 2 minutes. Then I remembered how much Carter liked dancing earlier today, so I popped in more music. That got a smile out of him, and after about 2 songs and hearing Carter and I dance like elephants in the house, Pierce came out with a big "Mommy, I want a hot dog." I was already in the middle of making Shepard's Pie, but I was not going to argue with the child. I wanted to save Halloween night from an epic tantrum. He climbed up in his chair, and was looking for something to do. I whipped up 2 muffin trays with 1 whole filled with flax seed, another brown sugar, and another with kidney beans. Then I gave each child a melon baller and told them to have fun scooping and pouring. And it worked! They stopped screaming at each other, being cranky, and they started LAUGHING at each other and WORKING together. Yay for this mom! I will remember that for now on, and maybe all of the other blog reading is paying off. :)
After dinner Dan came home and went to bed because he was exhausted, and I got the boys ready for trick or treating. I certainly was not going to limit the boys since it was just me, and Pierce was looking forward to it. We caught up with one of Pierce's friends just by running into them, and went as a group. It made the night most memorable for the boys, and they had so much fun. It was great to hear Pierce say "Trick or Treat" at every door with his friend, and making sure he said thank you as well. Even Carter said thank you to every person. Not a lot of candy was given out this year, but that is alright by me. Less sugar for my sweet enough boys, and nothing for my waist line. After trick or treating we stopped at Auntie Pat and Uncle Johnnie's house and the boys went wild just playing with them. Pierce was even more excited since he helped give out candy to the other kiddos. And he learned how to fix a sit and spin too. lol.
Now we are home, and the kiddos are in bed. Pierce already thanked me for a great day, and you have to know it was a great day when your 2 1/2 year old thanks you for it. You also have to love when he randomly walks up to you and whispers "I love you Mommy" like he did today. I learned that when you look through the eyes of a child, it makes everything in your world special too. And each day I live like that, is the best day I could ask for. To them everything is new and exciting and as I peel back my layers, I feel like I am starting to shine this beautiful youthful light and it is awesome. So Pierce, as much as you thanked me for an awesome day, I need to thank you and Carter for the perfect life. Tantrums and all. I will always love you boys to the moon and back. Always.
Once we picked up Pierce from school, Carter passed out, which gave Pierce his one on one time he has come to expect after school. Originally I was going to read some books and do a lesson with him, but he begged and pleaded for Yo Gabba Gabba and I gave in. Finally Pierce fell asleep, and I took some much needed me time. I uploaded pictures and took advantage of Shutterfly's promotion of 101 free pictures. Then I do not know what happened in our house.
It started with Carter; he woke up screaming at the top of his lungs. I picked him up, and he fell back asleep on me. Then about 30 minutes later, Pierce wakes up screaming as well. He comes in and wakes up Carter by climbing on my lap, then they are hitting each other because they do not want to share me. Feeling like a punching bag, I just started to get them off of my lap when Pierce peed all over me. I was more shocked than anything since he has been doing fantastic at no accidents, running to the potty when he wakes up, and being vocal about it. So I could keep my composure, I sent Pierce into the bathroom to clean himself up (keep in mind he was still screaming at me), and placed Carter in their room so I could have hands free. I made a bottle for Carter, and tucked Pierce back into bed with strict instructions that he could not come out until he would either talk to me or he was done crying. And then I left the house and went out on the deck. I can handle tantrums pretty darn well when I see them coming, but I have never had both kids at once in full out tantrums. Wow, is all I could think. Then I thought some more on how can I calm these guys down. I heard less and less tears, and I was only out there for 2 minutes. Then I remembered how much Carter liked dancing earlier today, so I popped in more music. That got a smile out of him, and after about 2 songs and hearing Carter and I dance like elephants in the house, Pierce came out with a big "Mommy, I want a hot dog." I was already in the middle of making Shepard's Pie, but I was not going to argue with the child. I wanted to save Halloween night from an epic tantrum. He climbed up in his chair, and was looking for something to do. I whipped up 2 muffin trays with 1 whole filled with flax seed, another brown sugar, and another with kidney beans. Then I gave each child a melon baller and told them to have fun scooping and pouring. And it worked! They stopped screaming at each other, being cranky, and they started LAUGHING at each other and WORKING together. Yay for this mom! I will remember that for now on, and maybe all of the other blog reading is paying off. :)
After dinner Dan came home and went to bed because he was exhausted, and I got the boys ready for trick or treating. I certainly was not going to limit the boys since it was just me, and Pierce was looking forward to it. We caught up with one of Pierce's friends just by running into them, and went as a group. It made the night most memorable for the boys, and they had so much fun. It was great to hear Pierce say "Trick or Treat" at every door with his friend, and making sure he said thank you as well. Even Carter said thank you to every person. Not a lot of candy was given out this year, but that is alright by me. Less sugar for my sweet enough boys, and nothing for my waist line. After trick or treating we stopped at Auntie Pat and Uncle Johnnie's house and the boys went wild just playing with them. Pierce was even more excited since he helped give out candy to the other kiddos. And he learned how to fix a sit and spin too. lol.
Now we are home, and the kiddos are in bed. Pierce already thanked me for a great day, and you have to know it was a great day when your 2 1/2 year old thanks you for it. You also have to love when he randomly walks up to you and whispers "I love you Mommy" like he did today. I learned that when you look through the eyes of a child, it makes everything in your world special too. And each day I live like that, is the best day I could ask for. To them everything is new and exciting and as I peel back my layers, I feel like I am starting to shine this beautiful youthful light and it is awesome. So Pierce, as much as you thanked me for an awesome day, I need to thank you and Carter for the perfect life. Tantrums and all. I will always love you boys to the moon and back. Always.
We survived!
Yes we did. We survived with a couple of flickers of power, some cranky kids, and a momma who found lots of activities to do.
I sent Pierce to school in the morning, since the weather was not that bad. Carter and I took advantage to play outside, dance around the house, show off his walking skills, and do some cooking before the anticipated power loss. By the time I picked up Pierce my car was getting shoved everywhere, and the winds were decent. I sent both boys to their rooms, made them take a nap, and I folded a ton o laundry. Can somebody please explain the mystery of how 4 people can create so much laundry? Please?
After nap, we worked on the letter "C" and cut and paste things out of the magazines that started with C. We then made sensory exploration baggies filled with shaving cream and paint. The coolest part? Everything was contained so there was no mess. Great for the possibility of no water and power, right?
Then we just watched TV, played board games, and hung out as a family.
Today we went out and when I left with the boys this morning, I did not care where. Both of the boys were wild from being stuck inside yesterday. We ended up going to Rockwell, but there was a huge tree blocking the playground. So with a crying Pierce, because he wanted to play with his scooter, we arrived at memorial boulevard. On our walk, Carter was happy in the stroller watching everything around him, and Pierce rode his scooter over all of the branches that covered the sidewalk. And did I mention I also had the dog with us? Yup our 90 pound golden retriever who wanted every stick, squirrel, duck, and goose she saw. That brought multitasking to a whole new dimension.
Then we went to Page Park and played on the playground for 2 1/2 hours. The dog, kids, and I enjoyed an empty playground and played on everything possible. The few town workers that were there laughed at the dog going down the slides with the kids. We did balance beams, Pierce did flips off the rings, and Carter climbed everything in sight.
You would have thought it was nap time after. But nope. Not my children. Pierce I made take a nap, but Carter would not go to sleep for the life of him. So we stayed up, built towers with blocks, ran around the house, ate, and he occupied himself while I called the recreation department. (On a side note, the playground for Thomaston may be much easier to obtain than we thought. Yippee!).
Upon Prince Pierce's awakening (that was the attitude he has had all day), we went for a walk downtown where both boys played on the cannons. I need to remember the little stuff more often. That really is truly what matters to them. And how do I know this? He will not stop talking about that and the scooter.
Now it is after dinner, and I am down in the basement with Pierce while he creates a few new games. So far he has used the swing as monkey bars, played with his felt board, and is now using his golf clubs to play soccer hockey. Yup, he came up with that name too. And he has made sure I know he does not like me on the phone updating this. Carter is upstairs with Dan being super cranky since he has not napped.
I am going to sign off here for now. I hope everyone else fared the storm nicely as well. Here are my lasting words of wisdom that helped the last two days:
When you are frustrated or absorbed in the moment, step back. Take a deep breath to make room for the good that is going on around you. There is always something good. A smile, a scent of a candle, or the simple calming effect if a deep breath, it is there. Make room for it, and try to make that little good spread into a larger good. It will be all good.
I sent Pierce to school in the morning, since the weather was not that bad. Carter and I took advantage to play outside, dance around the house, show off his walking skills, and do some cooking before the anticipated power loss. By the time I picked up Pierce my car was getting shoved everywhere, and the winds were decent. I sent both boys to their rooms, made them take a nap, and I folded a ton o laundry. Can somebody please explain the mystery of how 4 people can create so much laundry? Please?
After nap, we worked on the letter "C" and cut and paste things out of the magazines that started with C. We then made sensory exploration baggies filled with shaving cream and paint. The coolest part? Everything was contained so there was no mess. Great for the possibility of no water and power, right?
Then we just watched TV, played board games, and hung out as a family.
Today we went out and when I left with the boys this morning, I did not care where. Both of the boys were wild from being stuck inside yesterday. We ended up going to Rockwell, but there was a huge tree blocking the playground. So with a crying Pierce, because he wanted to play with his scooter, we arrived at memorial boulevard. On our walk, Carter was happy in the stroller watching everything around him, and Pierce rode his scooter over all of the branches that covered the sidewalk. And did I mention I also had the dog with us? Yup our 90 pound golden retriever who wanted every stick, squirrel, duck, and goose she saw. That brought multitasking to a whole new dimension.
Then we went to Page Park and played on the playground for 2 1/2 hours. The dog, kids, and I enjoyed an empty playground and played on everything possible. The few town workers that were there laughed at the dog going down the slides with the kids. We did balance beams, Pierce did flips off the rings, and Carter climbed everything in sight.
You would have thought it was nap time after. But nope. Not my children. Pierce I made take a nap, but Carter would not go to sleep for the life of him. So we stayed up, built towers with blocks, ran around the house, ate, and he occupied himself while I called the recreation department. (On a side note, the playground for Thomaston may be much easier to obtain than we thought. Yippee!).
Upon Prince Pierce's awakening (that was the attitude he has had all day), we went for a walk downtown where both boys played on the cannons. I need to remember the little stuff more often. That really is truly what matters to them. And how do I know this? He will not stop talking about that and the scooter.
Now it is after dinner, and I am down in the basement with Pierce while he creates a few new games. So far he has used the swing as monkey bars, played with his felt board, and is now using his golf clubs to play soccer hockey. Yup, he came up with that name too. And he has made sure I know he does not like me on the phone updating this. Carter is upstairs with Dan being super cranky since he has not napped.
I am going to sign off here for now. I hope everyone else fared the storm nicely as well. Here are my lasting words of wisdom that helped the last two days:
When you are frustrated or absorbed in the moment, step back. Take a deep breath to make room for the good that is going on around you. There is always something good. A smile, a scent of a candle, or the simple calming effect if a deep breath, it is there. Make room for it, and try to make that little good spread into a larger good. It will be all good.
Sunday, October 28, 2012
What a fantastic weekend!
I honestly do not believe we could have crammed anymore into our weekend. Upon arrival at my mom's house on Friday, we were greeted with homemade manicotti and pumpkin cake. Yum is the least descriptive word I can come up with. And of course the boys were so excited to be at Ga's house, sleep was a struggle to obtain. While attempting to convince Pierce sleep was a good thing, rather than a horrendous mommy trick, Carter was upstairs yelling "kitty!" and dancing to the same son over and over on his exer saucer. It was hilarious!
Saturday morning, the comedy continued as both boys went bounding up the stairs yelling "ga! ga!" Again they were so excited to be there, that eating did not happen. Never fear, however, since Pierce saw us near a Dunkin Donuts and asked in a rather grown up way, "may we please stop and get some chocolate munchkins? I'll share with Carter". How do you say no to that? With two satisfied and happy children, mom and I finished our trip to Salem to attend one of the largest book sales I have ever seen. An entire gymnasium just full of very well organized books. I made a trip to the health section, and then the music section. The music part was awesome: I scored 3 piano lesson books and an entire collection of Mozart songs for Dan to sing. Then we went off to the children's section where I found some amazing workbooks for Pierce and Carter, and also a plethora of holiday themes books. It was also in this section that Pierce climbed up the stroller one too many times, flipped it, and landed on his chin, giving himself an instant bruise and a hefty scrape. Yup, that's my kid. But he was quickly distracted from tears through the use of my phone, and a reminder that we were headed to the aquarium after.
Upon completion of the book fair, and Carter constantly hooking the stroller with his feet while in the backpack and laughing, we headed on down to Mystic Aquarium where the boys could wear their costumes and walk around. Pierce insisted on being a monkey and squeezed his body into his costume from last year. I attempted to put Carter into his sea turtle costume, but he must of had a growth spurt from the beginning of the month. It no longer fit, and thankfully I brought Pierce's shark costume as well.
The boys had a blast checking out all of the marine life. Pierce's favorite exhibit is the sea lions. I do not understand why, but he loves those things. Carter was amazed with the lobster exhibit. There was a tunnel he could crawl through, and the glass allowed him to be eye to eye with the lobsters. Carter also decided that the aquarium would be a fantastic place to show off his walking skills. He held onto one of my hands, and walked a fairly large portion of it. Pierce helped put Carter too. "Carter give me your hand. You hold onto my hand, like this Carter, and I will help you walk. You have to walk now Carter. Please let me help." That was completely in provoked, and full of pure innocence. And it worked. Carter held on tight to Pierce's hand and walked for a bit. Pierce was smiling the whole time and so proud of Carter.
After we left the aquarium, we traveled back to Hebron with 2 sleeping children in the back. It was nice to talk without little ears around. Once home, I cleared the deck and lawn of all potential hazards in anticipation of Hurricane Sandy. We then watched The Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown, and played with glow sticks. They had a blast with glow sticks, and were dancing around the deck. I then cut up the glow sticks and dumped them in bubbles to make glow in the dark bubbles. It did not work as well as I was hoping, but the boys thought it was totally awesome. I think I need more glow juice next time.
Today we ventured out in an attempt to find water(ha! That was funny!), fill the tanks of gas for the generator, and to purchase plumber's epoxy for a pipe that decided to break last night. Dan was a great help and kept Carter with him at mom's house. Pierce asked for Carter almost the entire time we were out and missed his brother so much.
We got back home, fixed the pipe, filled the gas tank on the generator, and then traveled back to Thomaston to clean all toys here and so I could upload pictures too! Once I left for work, Dan made a homemade pumpkin pie, Pierce played with his trains in his playroom down stairs, an Carter apparently did laps across the living room walking. I cannot believe I missed it.
Now I am finally getting the chance to lay down, exhausted to the bones and should really be headed to bed. I hope everyone stays safe during Hurricane Sandy, and hope we do not lose power like last year. I can hear the wind already, so who knows what is going to happen. Good night all!
Saturday morning, the comedy continued as both boys went bounding up the stairs yelling "ga! ga!" Again they were so excited to be there, that eating did not happen. Never fear, however, since Pierce saw us near a Dunkin Donuts and asked in a rather grown up way, "may we please stop and get some chocolate munchkins? I'll share with Carter". How do you say no to that? With two satisfied and happy children, mom and I finished our trip to Salem to attend one of the largest book sales I have ever seen. An entire gymnasium just full of very well organized books. I made a trip to the health section, and then the music section. The music part was awesome: I scored 3 piano lesson books and an entire collection of Mozart songs for Dan to sing. Then we went off to the children's section where I found some amazing workbooks for Pierce and Carter, and also a plethora of holiday themes books. It was also in this section that Pierce climbed up the stroller one too many times, flipped it, and landed on his chin, giving himself an instant bruise and a hefty scrape. Yup, that's my kid. But he was quickly distracted from tears through the use of my phone, and a reminder that we were headed to the aquarium after.
Upon completion of the book fair, and Carter constantly hooking the stroller with his feet while in the backpack and laughing, we headed on down to Mystic Aquarium where the boys could wear their costumes and walk around. Pierce insisted on being a monkey and squeezed his body into his costume from last year. I attempted to put Carter into his sea turtle costume, but he must of had a growth spurt from the beginning of the month. It no longer fit, and thankfully I brought Pierce's shark costume as well.
The boys had a blast checking out all of the marine life. Pierce's favorite exhibit is the sea lions. I do not understand why, but he loves those things. Carter was amazed with the lobster exhibit. There was a tunnel he could crawl through, and the glass allowed him to be eye to eye with the lobsters. Carter also decided that the aquarium would be a fantastic place to show off his walking skills. He held onto one of my hands, and walked a fairly large portion of it. Pierce helped put Carter too. "Carter give me your hand. You hold onto my hand, like this Carter, and I will help you walk. You have to walk now Carter. Please let me help." That was completely in provoked, and full of pure innocence. And it worked. Carter held on tight to Pierce's hand and walked for a bit. Pierce was smiling the whole time and so proud of Carter.
After we left the aquarium, we traveled back to Hebron with 2 sleeping children in the back. It was nice to talk without little ears around. Once home, I cleared the deck and lawn of all potential hazards in anticipation of Hurricane Sandy. We then watched The Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown, and played with glow sticks. They had a blast with glow sticks, and were dancing around the deck. I then cut up the glow sticks and dumped them in bubbles to make glow in the dark bubbles. It did not work as well as I was hoping, but the boys thought it was totally awesome. I think I need more glow juice next time.
Today we ventured out in an attempt to find water(ha! That was funny!), fill the tanks of gas for the generator, and to purchase plumber's epoxy for a pipe that decided to break last night. Dan was a great help and kept Carter with him at mom's house. Pierce asked for Carter almost the entire time we were out and missed his brother so much.
We got back home, fixed the pipe, filled the gas tank on the generator, and then traveled back to Thomaston to clean all toys here and so I could upload pictures too! Once I left for work, Dan made a homemade pumpkin pie, Pierce played with his trains in his playroom down stairs, an Carter apparently did laps across the living room walking. I cannot believe I missed it.
Now I am finally getting the chance to lay down, exhausted to the bones and should really be headed to bed. I hope everyone stays safe during Hurricane Sandy, and hope we do not lose power like last year. I can hear the wind already, so who knows what is going to happen. Good night all!
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| Passed out in the car on the way home. :) |
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| Hello my Juno! You are an awesome whale. |
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| Hello! |
Friday, October 26, 2012
A quick update.
Yesterday was a much better day for the boys. We started the day by heading over to the skate park at Rockwell Park. I cannot believe how much of a little dare devil Pierce has become. I figured he would stick to the flat parts, like the deck, or not even attempt it. Nope, my son tried going off a 4' ramp, right off the bat. Obviously, I stopped him in his tracks, and yes he did have a helmet on. Instead we worked on the little hill and flat parts. He did fall a couple of times on the little hill, and was kind of discouraged about it. My method of teaching consisted of A. you are going to fall, and that is okay. Just shake it off. B. Let's start by going a 1/4 up the hill, then a half, etc. He was so excited when he could finally do it without falling! Carter joined in too, by laying backwards and using the hill as a slide. That was hilarious. After about 90 minutes of being in the skate park, some big kids showed up with their BMX bikes, and I explained it was their turn now. Despite the protests, I finally convinced him he was not ready to hang out with the big kids. But both boys watched them very intently, and I could see the wheels turning in their minds.
Then we went for a little walk and scooter ride to check out the excavator and dump truck. From where we were standing, we saw one excavator. Imagine our surprise when we saw 3 excavators as we arrived to where they were digging! Man the boys were excited. Carer's eyes just lit up, followed by a long and dramatic, "Whoa!" And since we were at Rockwell, per Pierce's request, we also did the fitness course as well. That kid is going to have abs of steel for the rest of his life if he maintains his love of fitness. I think I also have a fitness buddy too!
When we came home, Carter went to bed (the kid was exhausted) and Pierce and I made a jalapeno kiwi relish for our shrimp last night. We also painted some left over glass jars orange, and let those sit downstairs to dry. Then we moved on to painting our feet, making a path of footprints across paper. The best part was that Pierce and I were able to be silly together, have that bonding time he so desperately needs, and the mess was made in the basement. Not in the main part of the house. :)
Later that afternoon, we went to this amazing tag sale at the Church of the Immaculate Conception in Waterbury. We found an AMAZING solid oak table with sides that fold out. And it is the perfect height for the boys. Can anybody guess what that is being turned into? If you thought train table, you are correct. And it was a steal at $15. Ya for not having to make one, and we already know it is sturdy. Yippee! Then we came home, I finished cooking dinner, and we hung out as a family. The boys were very happy to have daddy home, and rough housed with him, giving me a small reprieve so I could get things cleaned up and ready for today.
So far today, we have managed to head to the bank where the boys entertained everybody in there. Carter was of course saying hi to everyone, Pierce saw his beloved tellers, and I was able to get my errand done without having to worry about what they were getting into. I am finding, or rather figuring out, more and more that there really is a magical appeal to small town living. Yes, it is a pain to have over priced stores and nosey people that know your whole family. But, that knowing your whole family tidbit, does come in handy when you are out and about. It makes you feel welcome, comfortable, and just proud to be a part of the town.
What I am not proud of in our town, is our lack of things for children under 5 to do. The main playground we have here is at the local elementary school, which means you cannot use it during school hours. There is a small playground downtown where the little league fields are, but it is disgusting. There is drug paraphernalia, broken parts, and just over all run down. This morning, three other fine ladies and I came together to figure out how to update and renovate that play area. It is going to be a challenge, since that has always been THE teenage spot to partake in some not nice extracurricular activities. But it needs to be done. Seeing as there are generations of people living in this town, a growing population of youngsters that need a safe place to play, it has to be done. Step one is calling the town and park office, which I plan to do on Monday. I am really excited for this project, and the other ladies are too. Funding this project is going to be the hard part, since nobody wants a tax increase, nor do we truthfully expect the town to cover it. But if we can see this come together, and revitalize the downtown even more, that would be FANTASTIC!
Now the kids are napping - or rather Pierce is watching Disney Junior and just taking a break. I guess you can call it my bad mommy period since I am in the computer room typing this and he is in the living room? Or perhaps you can call it a moment of quiet and sanity. I think I will go with the later option. We have a busy weekend coming up, starting with a trip to my mom's house when Dan gets out of work tonight. On that note, I am going to go pack, fold the monstrous pile of laundry in the living room, and get ready for an adventure. I mean, all of life is an adventure. Why not enjoy the ride?
Then we went for a little walk and scooter ride to check out the excavator and dump truck. From where we were standing, we saw one excavator. Imagine our surprise when we saw 3 excavators as we arrived to where they were digging! Man the boys were excited. Carer's eyes just lit up, followed by a long and dramatic, "Whoa!" And since we were at Rockwell, per Pierce's request, we also did the fitness course as well. That kid is going to have abs of steel for the rest of his life if he maintains his love of fitness. I think I also have a fitness buddy too!
When we came home, Carter went to bed (the kid was exhausted) and Pierce and I made a jalapeno kiwi relish for our shrimp last night. We also painted some left over glass jars orange, and let those sit downstairs to dry. Then we moved on to painting our feet, making a path of footprints across paper. The best part was that Pierce and I were able to be silly together, have that bonding time he so desperately needs, and the mess was made in the basement. Not in the main part of the house. :)
Later that afternoon, we went to this amazing tag sale at the Church of the Immaculate Conception in Waterbury. We found an AMAZING solid oak table with sides that fold out. And it is the perfect height for the boys. Can anybody guess what that is being turned into? If you thought train table, you are correct. And it was a steal at $15. Ya for not having to make one, and we already know it is sturdy. Yippee! Then we came home, I finished cooking dinner, and we hung out as a family. The boys were very happy to have daddy home, and rough housed with him, giving me a small reprieve so I could get things cleaned up and ready for today.
So far today, we have managed to head to the bank where the boys entertained everybody in there. Carter was of course saying hi to everyone, Pierce saw his beloved tellers, and I was able to get my errand done without having to worry about what they were getting into. I am finding, or rather figuring out, more and more that there really is a magical appeal to small town living. Yes, it is a pain to have over priced stores and nosey people that know your whole family. But, that knowing your whole family tidbit, does come in handy when you are out and about. It makes you feel welcome, comfortable, and just proud to be a part of the town.
What I am not proud of in our town, is our lack of things for children under 5 to do. The main playground we have here is at the local elementary school, which means you cannot use it during school hours. There is a small playground downtown where the little league fields are, but it is disgusting. There is drug paraphernalia, broken parts, and just over all run down. This morning, three other fine ladies and I came together to figure out how to update and renovate that play area. It is going to be a challenge, since that has always been THE teenage spot to partake in some not nice extracurricular activities. But it needs to be done. Seeing as there are generations of people living in this town, a growing population of youngsters that need a safe place to play, it has to be done. Step one is calling the town and park office, which I plan to do on Monday. I am really excited for this project, and the other ladies are too. Funding this project is going to be the hard part, since nobody wants a tax increase, nor do we truthfully expect the town to cover it. But if we can see this come together, and revitalize the downtown even more, that would be FANTASTIC!
Now the kids are napping - or rather Pierce is watching Disney Junior and just taking a break. I guess you can call it my bad mommy period since I am in the computer room typing this and he is in the living room? Or perhaps you can call it a moment of quiet and sanity. I think I will go with the later option. We have a busy weekend coming up, starting with a trip to my mom's house when Dan gets out of work tonight. On that note, I am going to go pack, fold the monstrous pile of laundry in the living room, and get ready for an adventure. I mean, all of life is an adventure. Why not enjoy the ride?
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
Exhausted.
I cannot believe that Wednesday is done and over with already. I mean, really, where did this week go? Let's see if it will all come back to me as I recap. :)
As I recall, yesterday did not have too much of consequence that occurred. Learning happened, but nothing to run and write down in the baby book. We started out our morning by making homemade cheese crackers. Since we are learning about the number 3, the letter C, and the shape of a diamond this week, those were the cookie cutters we used to make our crackers. Pierce shredded the cheese, and had a blast watching the remainder of the ingredients turn into a ball in the food processor. Carter and Pierce rolled out the dough and went to town cutting it and eating it. To see the recipe that we used, please follow this link:
After we made our delicious crackers, we went to story time at Litchfield Library. Pierce was perfectly behaved, did all of the songs, participated in the felt board, and even tried to corral his brother at one point. He did it very politely too. "Come on Carter, come sit like I am. That is how you are supposed to." Carter was my wild child, and was EVERYWHERE at story time. At least he is cute about it, and the other parents did not mind. I mean, after all, he is a baby still.
We came home to do nap time, and I was able to clean the basement and put it all back together. After nap time, the boys went downstairs to play on their chalk table and enjoy their awesome hang out spot that was all cleaned up. They went nuts playing down there, and I realized just how nice it was to have a spot that I did not have to clean right away. It was like a breath of fresh air. Then, I went to work, and I have no idea about the rest of the night.
Today was a day of growth and frustration. We all woke up late, which put us all in a rush to get out since Pierce had school. Carter and I went to goodwill to grab Dan some pants and me some shirts (that whole adjusting to your post pregnancy body thing), and then we went to Page Park for a nice little stroll. When I arrived at school to pick Pierce up, he lashed out, refusing to go, and even attempted to kick me at one point. I figured a nap would reset his little body, but nope. He woke up in a horrid mood with a tantrum so epic, I had to bring him to Dan's work so he could talk to Daddy and calm down. I have not had one that bad from him in a long time. Thankfully Carter was pretty mellow through it. Carter also did not nap today, so he slept in the car on the way to Dan's work. I then brought both boys to the playground to let them play, and they had so much fun. Pierce figured out how to walk across the balance bridge without holding on, and Carter figured out how to crawl across it. Then both boys were just climbing everything in sight, followed by going down slides head first. Oops!
Upon arriving back home, we had some more issues of listening ears being turned off. However, we did manage to have a fantastic bath time, followed by making an angel food cake with pineapple juice. The boys also had a jumping competition off of the step stool. Even Carter is now saying Whoa! And also sings "EIEIO" during Old McDonald. Both boys are now in their beds, and they are not asleep yet. Neither has made an attempt to escape, and they will fall asleep eventually. I am following suit and going to bed myself, with the hope that tomorrow is a better day. As aggravating as today was, just remember: it was only a bad day. It is not a bad life. And tomorrow will be different.
As I recall, yesterday did not have too much of consequence that occurred. Learning happened, but nothing to run and write down in the baby book. We started out our morning by making homemade cheese crackers. Since we are learning about the number 3, the letter C, and the shape of a diamond this week, those were the cookie cutters we used to make our crackers. Pierce shredded the cheese, and had a blast watching the remainder of the ingredients turn into a ball in the food processor. Carter and Pierce rolled out the dough and went to town cutting it and eating it. To see the recipe that we used, please follow this link:
After we made our delicious crackers, we went to story time at Litchfield Library. Pierce was perfectly behaved, did all of the songs, participated in the felt board, and even tried to corral his brother at one point. He did it very politely too. "Come on Carter, come sit like I am. That is how you are supposed to." Carter was my wild child, and was EVERYWHERE at story time. At least he is cute about it, and the other parents did not mind. I mean, after all, he is a baby still.
We came home to do nap time, and I was able to clean the basement and put it all back together. After nap time, the boys went downstairs to play on their chalk table and enjoy their awesome hang out spot that was all cleaned up. They went nuts playing down there, and I realized just how nice it was to have a spot that I did not have to clean right away. It was like a breath of fresh air. Then, I went to work, and I have no idea about the rest of the night.
Today was a day of growth and frustration. We all woke up late, which put us all in a rush to get out since Pierce had school. Carter and I went to goodwill to grab Dan some pants and me some shirts (that whole adjusting to your post pregnancy body thing), and then we went to Page Park for a nice little stroll. When I arrived at school to pick Pierce up, he lashed out, refusing to go, and even attempted to kick me at one point. I figured a nap would reset his little body, but nope. He woke up in a horrid mood with a tantrum so epic, I had to bring him to Dan's work so he could talk to Daddy and calm down. I have not had one that bad from him in a long time. Thankfully Carter was pretty mellow through it. Carter also did not nap today, so he slept in the car on the way to Dan's work. I then brought both boys to the playground to let them play, and they had so much fun. Pierce figured out how to walk across the balance bridge without holding on, and Carter figured out how to crawl across it. Then both boys were just climbing everything in sight, followed by going down slides head first. Oops!
Upon arriving back home, we had some more issues of listening ears being turned off. However, we did manage to have a fantastic bath time, followed by making an angel food cake with pineapple juice. The boys also had a jumping competition off of the step stool. Even Carter is now saying Whoa! And also sings "EIEIO" during Old McDonald. Both boys are now in their beds, and they are not asleep yet. Neither has made an attempt to escape, and they will fall asleep eventually. I am following suit and going to bed myself, with the hope that tomorrow is a better day. As aggravating as today was, just remember: it was only a bad day. It is not a bad life. And tomorrow will be different.
Monday, October 22, 2012
Back to normalcy..
Yes, vacation is over, and the Knowlton house is back to normalcy. Pierce made sure I knew this as he came bounding into our room at 6 am, announcing with a sense of urgency that is is school time. Much to his dismay, I had him jump back in bed for an hour, explaining that it was not quite time for school. He seriously laid there kicking his feet around for an hour, before I finally told him we could get up and start getting ready. I do not ever recall Pierce not giving me a hard time about eating breakfast or getting dressed. He even had Papa put his backpack on him, as he waited next to the glass door. It was so cute! And he had a field trip today, which made it even better.
His school took him to this place called Minor's Farm in Bristol. Apparently they have a bounce house, hay ride, pumpkin patch, and a "cow train." Pierce announced to his teacher, while on the train, that "See ya later! We are going on a long trip! Woot Woot!" He had all of the other teachers cracking up, and he was able to get a little bit of a longer ride than was planned. I am glad that my children have such an amazing sense of humor. I will give the credit to Dan on that one...I do not think there is one serious bone in his body.
While Pierce was happily at school and on his field trip, Carter and I took our own trip to Thomaston Dam. Nope, no moose this time. However, I did learn as I came across a flock of hunters, that it is hunting season. And so I will need to find a new place to walk where there are not lots of men walking around in bright orange vests with rifles on their backs. Carter and I did enjoy a nice 5 mile walk - so much so that he passed out for most of it in his stroller. :) After we were done, we traveled on over to the Thomaston Library and participated in one of our two favorite story times. As always, Carter was the lively one that was dancing, rolling, and doing everything but sitting still during the story. The great part is I no longer become embarrassed by it, and just go along with it. Once he sees me laughing, he usually comes back over to me, realizing that it is not going to get a rise out of Mommy anymore. At the end of the story time, they always break out toys to play with. This week he saw where Mrs. B placed the bubble wand, jet crawled over to it, grabbed it, and started yelling "Pop, Pop, Pop!" It was so incredibly cute!
Pierce took a nap today, after he purposely pooped in his pants. I made him clean himself up, and explained that it is unacceptable to purposely do it. I mean, he even told me he was going to, I just did not think he was serious. Carter refused to nap, so we stayed outside on this beautiful sunny day. We finished painting the chalk table, cleaned up the yard, watched Papa mow, and played with the Doggy. He was also extremely focused on walking everywhere, holding onto just one of my fingers. I certainly was not going to discourage that, and my back will thank me for it later. Once Pierce man woke from his slumber, we painted wooden pumpkins and learned about Kittens, since that is our theme of the week. Even Carter actually helped color in the kitten for about 5 minutes before he started eating the crayons.
I honestly could not tell you the rest of the day with the boys, since I had the joy of going to work. One day I can be a true stay at home mom, and that will be such a glorious day! However, I am now home and everyone in the house in bed...me thinks I should follow the same school of thought. Good night everyone!
His school took him to this place called Minor's Farm in Bristol. Apparently they have a bounce house, hay ride, pumpkin patch, and a "cow train." Pierce announced to his teacher, while on the train, that "See ya later! We are going on a long trip! Woot Woot!" He had all of the other teachers cracking up, and he was able to get a little bit of a longer ride than was planned. I am glad that my children have such an amazing sense of humor. I will give the credit to Dan on that one...I do not think there is one serious bone in his body.
While Pierce was happily at school and on his field trip, Carter and I took our own trip to Thomaston Dam. Nope, no moose this time. However, I did learn as I came across a flock of hunters, that it is hunting season. And so I will need to find a new place to walk where there are not lots of men walking around in bright orange vests with rifles on their backs. Carter and I did enjoy a nice 5 mile walk - so much so that he passed out for most of it in his stroller. :) After we were done, we traveled on over to the Thomaston Library and participated in one of our two favorite story times. As always, Carter was the lively one that was dancing, rolling, and doing everything but sitting still during the story. The great part is I no longer become embarrassed by it, and just go along with it. Once he sees me laughing, he usually comes back over to me, realizing that it is not going to get a rise out of Mommy anymore. At the end of the story time, they always break out toys to play with. This week he saw where Mrs. B placed the bubble wand, jet crawled over to it, grabbed it, and started yelling "Pop, Pop, Pop!" It was so incredibly cute!
Pierce took a nap today, after he purposely pooped in his pants. I made him clean himself up, and explained that it is unacceptable to purposely do it. I mean, he even told me he was going to, I just did not think he was serious. Carter refused to nap, so we stayed outside on this beautiful sunny day. We finished painting the chalk table, cleaned up the yard, watched Papa mow, and played with the Doggy. He was also extremely focused on walking everywhere, holding onto just one of my fingers. I certainly was not going to discourage that, and my back will thank me for it later. Once Pierce man woke from his slumber, we painted wooden pumpkins and learned about Kittens, since that is our theme of the week. Even Carter actually helped color in the kitten for about 5 minutes before he started eating the crayons.
I honestly could not tell you the rest of the day with the boys, since I had the joy of going to work. One day I can be a true stay at home mom, and that will be such a glorious day! However, I am now home and everyone in the house in bed...me thinks I should follow the same school of thought. Good night everyone!
Friday, October 19, 2012
A bit different from the norm...
Let me begin by saying that we have had a fair amount of fun since Wednesday. I knew it was going to be a rainy day today, so it was a must to spend the whole day outside yesterday. I would have to say Pierce's statement of the morning took the cake though. "Momma, I want to be a grown up. This way I can go to work with Papa and I don't have to stay home." I think once we spent 3 hours at Rockwell Park yesterday just playing, he changed his mind. Carter also changed his mind about crawling. He decided it was too cold to crawl along the ground, and held onto my hand and pretty much walked the entire time. He also attempted to climb the rope structure like Pierce did.
Later that afternoon we went for a walk in Woodbury, in search of a tower to check out the fall foliage. We met up with some awesome friends, and had a great time...but we never found the tower. Let's just say the moms were talking too much, and missed a turn somewhere. On the bright side, we did have an amazing tour of Woodbury's Main St. :) We came home, ate dinner, and did bath. I started making homemade pumpkin butter at 6 pm, and of course my sous chefs had to help. At 9 pm, we had 2 small containers of pumpkin butter that are to die for. Here is the recipe:
http://ohsheglows.com/2012/09/11/all-natural-pumpkin-butter-from-scratch-many-ways-to-use-it/
Even the boys gobbled it up this morning with their oatmeal. Mommy did too. And we had pumpkin butter sandwiches.
Today I was determined to get out of here and do something fun with these guys. We have been sticking local all week, and they have put up with a lot and no routine. Our escapades landed us at the Maritime Aquarium in Norwalk. We had so much fun, and there were so few people there that we were able to touch everything and see everything up close and personal. We touched sting rays and nerf sharks, saw all sorts of fish that are in Long Island Sound with us, and just ran and explored. Pierce was not in a stroller, and he did great! I am starting to trust him more and more out of the stroller, and he is appreciating it.
Once we left the aquarium 4 hours later, we came home, picked up Daddy, and went to Home Depot. I am addicted to pinterest, and have all sorts of projects laying in my head. I found a coffee table today at Goodwill (we arrived before the aquarium opened), and it is perfectly round. I am going to sand it, paint it with chalkboard paint, and have that be the arts and crafts table instead of using the kitchen table. We also finished pricing out the lumber costs to make Pierce an elevated bed with cubby holes underneath, and a train table. The boys LOVED Home Depot. I think it was a huge jungle gym for them, and at one point we found Pierce on top of the stacks of plywood.
Now we are home, and the boys are in the bath with Daddy. I can hear Pierce making waterfalls with the bucket of water, and Carter protesting any water going near his head. While it is awesome, I cannot help but think of a year ago tonight: I lost my father.
I am not sure how many people that read this knew my dad, but here are the basics. My father was 52 years young. For 12 years prior to passing, he struggled with dialysis and kidney failure. What ended up killing him in the end was liver cancer. I remember my father being this HUGE guy growing up. He was the father that all boyfriends were afraid of, just due to sheer size. However, he had a heart of gold, and was the best person I know.
One year ago tonight, I watched this shriveled shell of my dad take his last breath and slip off into the great unknown. I still have the horrid sound of the coroner zipping the body bag as they took him out of my mom's house. That is when I also lost myself. I have focused this year so much on acting like it didn't phase me that much, and that it is all part of life. What nobody realizes is that I have made myself so busy to try and forget about it, I have neglected myself. I have lost friendships over me not being myself, and I have almost lost my family. I am finally at the point where I am just angry with him for leaving my mom and I in a world, where we did not have enough of his knowledge yet. I still reach for the phone to call him, and it has been a year. Pierce asks about him all the time, and insists that he sees him and that he is with us in the car, at the house, wherever we go. I have my mixed feelings on it, and it depends on the day I am having.
I know I am usually not this straight forward and revealing in my blog, but I needed to put it on "paper." PLEASE, cherish the ones you have near you. Remember when your child is having a tantrum or you are having a bad day, it is only a bad day or moment. It is not a bad life, and you never, EVER, know what is going to happen tomorrow, or if there will ever be a tomorrow. Life is the most precious thing on earth, and we, as a society, take it for granted as we zoom down the highway, skip those pesky physicals, and decide to not take care of ourselves. The pain I have felt this year, is nothing I want any of you guys to feel. The reality of it is, that we will lose a parent, loved one, or sibling some day. As I leave you tonight, please do not feel bad for me. It is something I have to deal with and learn to accept.
To my mom (I know she reads this), thank you for everything in the last year. We have grown so close, and I treasure that relationship more than you know. Please do not think of yourself as a burden, or anything other than the amazing mom and friend that you are. You have gone through Hell and back, and I am proud to call you mom. I love you. And please do not ever forget that.
Later that afternoon we went for a walk in Woodbury, in search of a tower to check out the fall foliage. We met up with some awesome friends, and had a great time...but we never found the tower. Let's just say the moms were talking too much, and missed a turn somewhere. On the bright side, we did have an amazing tour of Woodbury's Main St. :) We came home, ate dinner, and did bath. I started making homemade pumpkin butter at 6 pm, and of course my sous chefs had to help. At 9 pm, we had 2 small containers of pumpkin butter that are to die for. Here is the recipe:
http://ohsheglows.com/2012/09/11/all-natural-pumpkin-butter-from-scratch-many-ways-to-use-it/
Even the boys gobbled it up this morning with their oatmeal. Mommy did too. And we had pumpkin butter sandwiches.
Today I was determined to get out of here and do something fun with these guys. We have been sticking local all week, and they have put up with a lot and no routine. Our escapades landed us at the Maritime Aquarium in Norwalk. We had so much fun, and there were so few people there that we were able to touch everything and see everything up close and personal. We touched sting rays and nerf sharks, saw all sorts of fish that are in Long Island Sound with us, and just ran and explored. Pierce was not in a stroller, and he did great! I am starting to trust him more and more out of the stroller, and he is appreciating it.
Once we left the aquarium 4 hours later, we came home, picked up Daddy, and went to Home Depot. I am addicted to pinterest, and have all sorts of projects laying in my head. I found a coffee table today at Goodwill (we arrived before the aquarium opened), and it is perfectly round. I am going to sand it, paint it with chalkboard paint, and have that be the arts and crafts table instead of using the kitchen table. We also finished pricing out the lumber costs to make Pierce an elevated bed with cubby holes underneath, and a train table. The boys LOVED Home Depot. I think it was a huge jungle gym for them, and at one point we found Pierce on top of the stacks of plywood.
Now we are home, and the boys are in the bath with Daddy. I can hear Pierce making waterfalls with the bucket of water, and Carter protesting any water going near his head. While it is awesome, I cannot help but think of a year ago tonight: I lost my father.
I am not sure how many people that read this knew my dad, but here are the basics. My father was 52 years young. For 12 years prior to passing, he struggled with dialysis and kidney failure. What ended up killing him in the end was liver cancer. I remember my father being this HUGE guy growing up. He was the father that all boyfriends were afraid of, just due to sheer size. However, he had a heart of gold, and was the best person I know.
One year ago tonight, I watched this shriveled shell of my dad take his last breath and slip off into the great unknown. I still have the horrid sound of the coroner zipping the body bag as they took him out of my mom's house. That is when I also lost myself. I have focused this year so much on acting like it didn't phase me that much, and that it is all part of life. What nobody realizes is that I have made myself so busy to try and forget about it, I have neglected myself. I have lost friendships over me not being myself, and I have almost lost my family. I am finally at the point where I am just angry with him for leaving my mom and I in a world, where we did not have enough of his knowledge yet. I still reach for the phone to call him, and it has been a year. Pierce asks about him all the time, and insists that he sees him and that he is with us in the car, at the house, wherever we go. I have my mixed feelings on it, and it depends on the day I am having.
I know I am usually not this straight forward and revealing in my blog, but I needed to put it on "paper." PLEASE, cherish the ones you have near you. Remember when your child is having a tantrum or you are having a bad day, it is only a bad day or moment. It is not a bad life, and you never, EVER, know what is going to happen tomorrow, or if there will ever be a tomorrow. Life is the most precious thing on earth, and we, as a society, take it for granted as we zoom down the highway, skip those pesky physicals, and decide to not take care of ourselves. The pain I have felt this year, is nothing I want any of you guys to feel. The reality of it is, that we will lose a parent, loved one, or sibling some day. As I leave you tonight, please do not feel bad for me. It is something I have to deal with and learn to accept.
To my mom (I know she reads this), thank you for everything in the last year. We have grown so close, and I treasure that relationship more than you know. Please do not think of yourself as a burden, or anything other than the amazing mom and friend that you are. You have gone through Hell and back, and I am proud to call you mom. I love you. And please do not ever forget that.
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