So Proud

{photo courtesy of Marian Lozano}

This little one has been potty trained for a long time, but until recently she was wearing Pull-ups at nap time and at bedtime.  At school, she doesn't wear a pull-up at nap, but she had a hard time staying dry during naps at home.  She tends to sleep longer here.

Over the weekend, I noticed that Hannah was waking up dry in the mornings quite often.  She's been asking to only wear panties to bed for awhile, but I was nervous to take the plunge.  To be honest, I wasn't really wanting to get up in the middle of the night to change sheets frequently.  But like I said, she'd been doing really well, and she was so excited to try.  We were running low on Pull-ups...maybe less than a week's supply left, and I just decided, "Who cares?"

Last night, she asked if she could wear panties to bed, and we decided to give it a go.  This morning, she was so excited because guess who woke up dry?

We're so proud of her!

{Note: Since last Thursday, we've had our share of accidents, but it's okay.  She'll get it.  And she's trying so hard!}

Growing Up

{photo courtesy of Marian Lozano}

Today was a hard day for my mommy-heart, but a very big day for my little man.  This morning, when we arrived at daycare, instead of coming with me to drop Hannah off as he usually does, and instead of waving to me from the front door as I drive away to go to work, he whispered into my ear that today he'd like to just go straight to his classroom to play with his friends before going to school.

Without missing a beat, I gave him a big smile and said, "Sure, Honey - of course.  I love you.  Have a good day!"  And off he went.  All smiles and proud.

I turned to go down the hall to Hannah's classroom, and my eyes welled-up with tears.  The other teachers that were in the hallway knew exactly how I was feeling.  They sympathized with me as I tried to be happy and kiss Hannah goodbye without crying my eyes out.  I made it back to my car before I really cried, but the way to work wasn't pretty.

It was too early to call anyone and I know it would have seemed silly to anyone else, but it was a very big deal to me.  I told Brad later this afternoon when I called him after work, and he said he understood why that would make me feel sad, but that he was happy for Jack.  That he's glad that he's becoming independent and braver.

And I am too.  I just wasn't ready.  It caught me off-guard, as I'm sure these things normally do.  

My baby boy is going to be six this spring.  And to me, six means he's no longer a baby.  He's out there, in the real world, going to school and making friends and riding buses, all without me.  And it's only going to be more and more like that as the years go by.  

I'm so glad that he's excited.  That he's enjoying more of his freedom.  And that it happens one little, teeny bit at a time.

{Note: The next day, Jack decided he wanted to come with me and Hannah.  Like I said, baby steps for both of us.}

Silent Sunday

{perfect family outings are, indeed, possible}

a sneaky pete and the sweetest thing

Occasionally, I let Hannah nap in our room.  It's only been successful a few times, but every now and then, when we're in a good mood, we'll give it a go.

Today it didn't go so well.  She was very wiggly, and eventually stated that she had to go get her pants. Somewhere along the way, she took them off, and went on with her day, until nap time.  I sent her in search of her pants and told her that she needed to come back right away.

I waited five minutes, and then I went in search of our tiny tot.  She was downstairs playing with Jack and watching TV.  I picked her up, took her into her bedroom, and put her into her bed.  She was already screaming and crying at this point, but I calmly explained that I had given her a chance to nap in our room and that she hadn't made a good choice.  Now she needed to sleep in her room.

I left the room and went downstairs to play with Jack.  Within a few minutes, the crying subsided and I thought that Hannah had fallen asleep.  A few minutes after that, Brad came downstairs, laughing to himself.

He explained that Hannah had ever so silently crept out of her room, walked down the hall, climbed up into our bed (trying ever so hard to not wake her daddy) and snuggled down.  While he did catch her red-handed, balancing herself on our bed, he didn't have the heart to send her back.  He laid next to her until she quickly fell asleep, and then came down to tell the tale.

This is how I found her when I went up to peek:

*****

Brad just came in from tucking Jack into bed, and as he walked into our room, he announced, "That is the sweetest thing I've ever heard."

Apparently, Brad was rubbing Jack's hair and telling him that his mommy used to do that to him when he was little.  He told Jack that he hoped he had sweet dreams.

Jack, sweetly, said, "You, too."

Brad asked him what he would dream about if he had sweet dreams, and Jack?

Jack told Daddy, "You."

Brad is completely sure that he'll remember that moment for the rest of his life.  Rightly so.

We have a tiny turtle...

...his name is not Tiny Tim.  It's Shelton.

Let it be known that for the last several months, our house has been pet-free.  Well, with the exception of the two fish, one in each kiddo's room.  And those are pretty new, too, actually.  We've only had them for a few weeks.

But today was exciting for Brad and the kids because their new turtle arrived from Wisconsin.  Brad's been pretty lost without his reptile hobby, and I think he wanted a little friend to take care of.  He's been researching online for weeks, and slowly, tanks and lighting and filters and heaters and stands starting arriving at our home.

The kids have known the turtle was coming for a few days.  Last night, Brad came in and told me that he and Jack had settled on a name.  Shelton.  SHELton.  Turtle shell?  Yes, I also thought it was pretty creative.  This morning, when I woke Jack up, I asked him if he knew what today was.  I was looking for Friday, but instead, he looked up at me, all excited and sleepy, and said, "Turtle day!"

When we got in the car to go to school, Hannah began to tell me about how Daddy is the only one that can stick his hand in the water.  "Am I going to put my fingers in the water?  No, I'm not.  Is Jack?  No, only Daddy's going to put his fingers in the water.  Not me."

They were excited.

I could barely get them out of their car seats fast enough when we got home because they just couldn't wait to run down to the basement to see their new turtle.  They just stood there for about five minutes, at eye level with Shelton's tank, watching in awe.

{Note: He looks gigantic in this picture, but his shell is only four inches long.}

*****

On another note - Hannah's good mood about the turtle didn't last for very long.  I can't remember exactly what made her melt down, but I know that she went into a tailspin that was so horrible it made me forget how it started.  We had originally planned to take the kids out to eat and to get some fish for Shelton, but I knew deep down that Hannah should not get to go out to eat post-tantrum.  When she behaves poorly, there should be consequences, and this is something we're working on.  I was able to convince Brad that he and Jack should go out together and have some special Daddy/Jack time.  Jack was so excited about this idea!  I think Brad felt bad leaving me at home with Hannah in her current state, but they finally left, and they had a great time.  Hannah felt sad that she missed the opportunity, and hopefully, that will entice her next time to be on her best behavior.  I'll keep you posted.

They went to eat at Red Lobster (Jack ate an entire plate of popcorn shrimp), and then they stopped by the pet store for some turtle snacks.  When they got home, Jack was beaming from having spent special time with Daddy and for having been rewarded for being good (and not with tangible things).  And I got to eat my favorite meal from Red Lobster and feel good about sticking to our guns and making tricky decisions.

Tantrum aside, it was a good night.

Hannah's first take with the animal game

Tonight, Brad and I were playing The Animal Game with Jack at bedtime when I looked over and was face to face with Hannah.  She'd apparently hopped out of her bed, walked into Jack's room, and waited patiently to be noticed.

It was too adorable not to include her.  She listened to us finish my round (my animal was the flamingo again), and then I thought, "Why not?"

"Hannah Bear, think of an animal and keep it in..."

"Giraffe."

"No, no - keep your animal a secret.  Don't say it out loud.  Think of a new animal, and we'll ask you questions."

"Okay."

Jack asked, "What color is it?"

"Pink and purple.  I have three powers."

So I asked if it was a unicorn.  Or a butterfly.

"No, it's a giraffe!" she shouted.

We'll keep working on it :)

ungrateful

I'd like to think that I'm a grateful person - that I take time to appreciate the things I have.  That I recognize how lucky I am.  That I say thank you.  Often.

But for some reason - and I have to say I'm embarrassed to write this, and at the same time, I feel guilty about writing this - I sometimes fear that we are raising ungrateful children.  It seems to both Brad and I that lately when we do something nice for the kiddos, they want more.  They don't say thank you for what they have,  they want one step further.  And they melt down when they don't get that extra step.

Prime example - today I took Jack and Hannah to see The Lego Movie.  It was Hannah's first experience at the movie theater, and she just couldn't wait for the movie to begin!  She talked about it all day.  We tried to make it to a late morning show, but they were sold out of all seats except for the front two rows (and that just wasn't happening).  So we bought tickets for a late afternoon show instead, and tried to go about our merry way.  It was a tiny bit tricky for Hannah to understand that we were going to come back, so she was upset initially.  But eventually, I think she caught on that after nap we'd go back.

The movie was adorable, and they both really enjoyed it.  I think Hannah may have liked Frozen more, but Jack had already seen it, and Hannah likes Legos, too.  They were excited about popcorn and chocolate and a fun outing with Mommy.  It was special.

Until the very end.  As they put on their jackets, I collected all of our trash.  On our way out of the theater, I tossed our things into the trash can, as any normal person would.  And Jack immediately burst into loud, splashy tears.  Immediately.

When I was finally able to get out of the crowd and wrangle Hannah back with us, I bent down to figure out what happened.  He was upset that I'd thrown away his fruit snacks.  (Apparently, I missed that there were fruit snacks hidden inside the kids' popcorn bags.)  I initially responded by saying we didn't get fruit snacks, but this only seemed to escalate the crying.  Finally, I understood what he was telling me, and realized I had, indeed, thrown out the fruit snacks.  I tried to explain that he should have said something or held on to his popcorn or told me about the snacks.  That he should've used his words instead of immediately crying.  He simply wanted the fruit snacks.

I felt bad that I'd thrown them away.  We went to the counter, and I explained, but they were not willing to give me said fruit snacks.  $11.00 later, we had more popcorn and fruit snacks in hand, and we were on our way home.

No thank you.  No I'm sorry.  The joy of the trip had been mostly shattered.  Hannah was still excited that she'd been to her first movie,

{she requested a photo with this snowman}

but Jack and I were quiet.  Not talking.

Then tonight, at bedtime, I read the story he picked out, and he was upset that it felt too short.  I tried to explain that I need him to be grateful for what he has, instead of always wishing for things he doesn't have or that he still wants.

I started to sing him a song (like we do every night), and he actually stopped me to say that he didn't like that song.  My head nearly exploded.  It took everything I had not to get up and walk out of the room.  Instead I sang the song he requested, told him I loved him, and then left the room.

I know that they can't get everything they want.  And I'm aware that they usually do.  For some reason, when they're disappointed, I'm disappointed.  But I know that they can't get everything.  The problem is, when they don't, the reaction to that is so bad that it seems worse for everyone.

I want Jack and Hannah to have happy memories.  I try to plan fun, family things for us to do often.  But when, at the end of the day, we end with tears and unhappiness, none of it seems worth it.

So gratefulness is something we're working on.  Any suggestions?  Cause we could certainly use them.

happy birthday, baby

Today is Brad's 35th birthday.

I think he wanted a little peace and quiet this weekend, so this morning, I packed the kiddos up and took them to the mall.  I had to do a return, Hannah needed some new jeans (size 3T!!!), and they could play and ride the train and the carousel.  We also picked out some work shirts and ties for Brad for his birthday.

We came home and took a little rest before we got ready for a birthday party.  Brad's family came over to celebrate with us, and we had a low-key dinner party.

It was nice, and I think that Brad felt special.  He doesn't love the extra limelight, but it seemed like he had a good time.  The kids were so excited to throw a party for their daddy and they loved getting to spend some time with Grandma, Grandpa, and Aunt Jess.

Happy birthday, Baby - we love you, and I hope that we made you feel special on your special day.

tonight

Today was a good day.  It's the first day in awhile when I haven't felt defeated, so that's always a good thing.

Pretty amazing since I made a new meal for dinner tonight and I'm the only one who liked it.  I've been trying to feed the little lovelies early, and then if they still want something else to eat, they can try what Brad and I are eating.

Jack and Hannah were happy and so sweet to one another.  Jack's teacher had a birthday today and gave cookies to the students in order to celebrate.  And Jack?  He actually saved an Oreo for his little sister, and gave it to her promptly when we came in to pick him up this afternoon.

And his teacher told me that they were all sharing what love meant to them, and do you know what Jack-Jack said?  He said, "Hannah."  Be still, my little heart.

He actually congratulated her tonight and gave her a high five when she successfully turned on her music and turned off her light all by herself (with the help of a step stool).

And then, when he tucked her into bed, and I bent down to say goodnight:

     Me - Hannah Bear, who's the most beautiful girl in the whole wide world?

     Hannah - I'm am.

     Me - Who's the best, best? (I only asked her this because the other night at dinner, she happily  
     announced that we were all the best.  Daddy, jokingly asked her, "Yeah, but who's the best, best?"
     and, without missing a beat, she responded, "I'm am.")  So anyway, I asked her, "Who's the best,
     best?"

     Hannah - Daddy is.

And I'm not even upset.  How can I be upset that she loves her daddy so very much that he's just the best thing she can imagine?  I can't.  It makes me so happy.

Oh, happy day.

Seagulls vs. Blancos

We don't really do football around here.  It's not really our thing.

But we do do the Super Bowl.

I'm sure that football fanatics think this is annoying, but it's true.  We like the Super Bowl.  We used to watch the Super Bowl solely for the commercials, but within the last few years, we've actually started to watch the game in its entirety.  And we've enjoyed it.

It's one more reason to have a little celebration.  To be creative and do something special with the kids.  Create memories that hopefully will last a lifetime.  And there are just so many fun ideas on Pinterest!

So this year, when Jack came home on Friday talking about how his class voted on the team they thought would win, either the "Seagulls or the Blancos,"he was excited to hear that we were going to have a little Super Bowl party.

Hannah always thinks this means that it's her birthday and that lots of people are coming over.  I explained that it was just going to be us, and she seemed okay with this idea.

In fact, she got a little bit of what she wished for because Aunt Jessica came over to visit earlier in the day, and she decided to stay and watch the Super Bowl with us.  We had a really good time, even if our cheese platter didn't turn out the way we intended :)

Here's how the cheese platter should've looked:

Here's how ours looked:

Jack and Hannah decorated helmets:

My oh-so-fancy chalkboard:

Jack was peeking during my take on pin-the-football-in-the-field goal:

We had lots of fun, and I know that next year, the kids will look forward to our version of a kiddie Super Bowl party!

I love you just fine

This is what 8 1/2 years of marriage and two small children gets you.

What knowing one another for more than half of your life amounts to.

The reality of marriage is often very different from the ideal marriage we all think we see on TV.

I love you just fine.  This is a direct quote from my loving husband :)

We've had a rough week.  The kids (cough *Hannah* cough) have been especially tricky and our schedules are crazy.  We're tired.  I get it.

Today, sort of being silly, I was giving Brad a hug and telling him I love him.  He seemed disinterested - mostly a by-product of our current place in life, but still.  I was wanting more attention.  Maybe for him to even come up to me and say it first.  Does that even happen any more, I wondered.  I'm sure it does, but I couldn't remember when the last time was...

I proceeded to tell him that I love him more, but that's it's okay.  I told him a story I once heard about a much older couple that had been married something like 60+ years, and they had said the secret to a long, happy marriage is to never fall out of love with one another at the same time.  There's an ebb and flow to marriage, and I get it.  There are days I could strangle Brad for the way he puts the dishes in the dishwasher (SO MUCH WASTED SPACE!), but with that said, I'm sure there are things that I do that drive Brad crazy.  For one, he hates how I narrate my life aloud, but I can't help it.  I announce my plans all of the time.  It helps me stay focused and on task.

I digress.  Anyway, I told him that it's okay, and that I just love him more right now.

And Brad said, "I love you just fine."

Oh, I feel so much better.  Thank you.  We better be careful - my heart might just stop with all that flattery.