Sorry for the lack of posts to my faithful readers. We have misplaced (or maybe the kiddos have misplaced) our camera charger. So, the camera has been dead for over a month, and I finally got around to ordering a new charger which should be here on time for our family trip to Pennsylvania. I will tell you what, the timing of this trip could have not been more perfect. We are wiped out and need a good vacation. Poor Scott. He heard from so many that the last year is great because you don't have as much work, you know how to study for exams and it's just laid back. Well, his professors have piled on the reading, close to what he had first year, so he does not get much of a break from that. On top of all his schooling, he started working as a clerk for a small Family Law Firm and on TOP of that, he is always online looking for work and applying for jobs. He is up long hours, has long days and on top of that, he is a husband and dad who never checks out on us either. He is always willing to set aside his work for his family which I am very grateful for (I don't try and deter him too much).
I am still watching Ada's best buddy, Tristan, during the week and they keep each other entertained, which makes me very happy. It does keep me busy and I find myself getting more and more excited for nap time each day so I can shut my eyes for a few minutes and I am pretty lucky that both kids are awesome nappers. I feel like I am a step behind in keeping my apartment clean. It usually always starts off in good shape in the morning and by lunch time, there are toys everywhere, food on the floor (from the kids tossing what they don't want) and just your everyday mess. I know it is what to be expected but I can't help but get frustrated a little bit because who doesn't want an imaculate house all day everyday? My running/exercising has pretty much gone down the drain. I am lucky if I can get 2 days of running/walking in a week. I find myself getting so preocupied with the future lately. We really are in major limbo right now with the job search and it worries me. I am not stressed, really, I am just always thinking about where, what and when! I want Scott to find work that makes him happy. I am just ready to stop thinking about all of it, though. To give my mind a well needed break.
On to Ada. I waited to write some incerpts on her until the end so you would have to read through our boring lives first (unless you do what I do sometimes and scroll to the good stuff. Just kidding). Ada, Ada, Ada. She is something, she really is. She started Nursery last Sunday and did not even blink an eye when we dropped her off. She went right to the toys and started playing. I was told that during singing time, she totally payed attention, was happy and played well with the other kids. Today was a different story. The first thing I heard when I walked in to pick her up was that she struggled today (She was totally fine when I dropped her off). She was put into time out for pushing a little boy off of his chair (he is about 6 months older than her, but she is bigger), there was hitting and yelling. Sigh...where did she get that from? Scott and I were both such good little kids (At least from what our parents told us). Ada has a temper, that is all there is to it. If she doesn't get what she wants, she will show you just how upset she is. I try not to give in too much to all of her demands, but it is hard not to some days. I think that she is discovering how to get taken out of Sacrament Meeting. She is realizing that if she is just REALLY loud, then we will give in and pull her out. Once out of the meeting, she will run for her life and scream with delight. This has to stop. I am considering just taking her into a room and holding her on my lap and teaching her that it is way worse out of Sacrament then inside. Any thoughts on that? Don't get me wrong, Ada is also one of the happiest, most fun loving babies, but I guess with that comes the hard stuff too.
Well, this post turned out to be really long and wordy. It felt good to just type it out, though. So much is going through my head that it was needed. Hope everyone is doing well out there in the Blogger world.
20 comments:
I feel you in more ways than one with this post! The last year of law school DRAAAGGGGSSS.... And then there is the Bar, so no short relief after that! Wouldn't it be nice if they just said "You spent three years of your life with crazy amounts of work and studying..poof you are a lawyer!" As for taking Ada out and sitting in a room with her, that is what we do with the twins. They make horrible echos by both being loud at the same time. We've always tried to show our kids it is no fun being out of sacrament mtg. That is where the snacks and books stay, haha. :)
Hey! I feel you ont he mind racing about where, when, what! We are trying to sell our house and *might* be in escrow some time this week, meaning we need to find a rental. But then again if we don't open escrow then we don't really need tobe looking. UGH. I'm just so sick of not knowing where we will be living in just a few short months. So - I can relate.
As to taking Ada out of Sacrament, an older gentleman in our ward once told Scott andI NOT to put the kid down. So if you take them out for being loud, you hold them. The whole time.They want down. You tell them no. They may cry so you just keep holding her but walk away so no one hears her crying. Pretty soon she'll be saying she wants daddy (or mommy, whoever is in the chapel) and you tell her that she can go see daddy when she's quiet. It has worked for us like a charm! Also, I find that the fewer toys I bring Owen, the better behaved he is. It definitely is challenging, though!!
Sounds like you're doing great! :)
Sorry about the weird typos, there's something wrong with my space bar. LOL.
We don't have the out of sacrament issue anymore because we have 2 and the one realizes that they can't play with the other if they are taken out. Before that though, I would take Ty into a room away from the chapel and sit with him on my lap and hold him firmly but not hurt him. So, he couldn't really move. He hated it and changed. I also read a talk by a general authority once that said that you should talk to them in their ear at a very low level about why we have to be quiet and good in the chapel. They have to calm down to hear what you are saying and they 'get it' really fast.
Good luck! That's no fun at all!
I like these good update posts. We had such major issues with Emmy and Sacrament meeting. The few things that helped were sitting by other families with young kids she could sit by and not letting her run around when we did have to take her out. It really stinks at first, but I think it'll help. Good luck!
Lindsay, thanks for all the wordy words, it was great to read about your life. I can't believe all the stamina you have to handle TWO toddlers during the day. Wow! I love hearing about how the kids entertain each other though, and I often wish Tate had his own little playmate more often during the day.
As for the sacrament meeting tricks, just like I thought that it's not too early to try time outs, I'd say you're right about making leaving the sacrament room NOT FUN. Ada is definitely smart enough to know what she's doing to get out of the meeting and head for running-around time in the foyer. So, sitting still with her in a quiet room sounds like a good plan to me! After all, you're not asking her to sit still the whole time on the bench, just to be relatively quiet. If she needs a break from being quiet, I'd say take her out for a little walk, but not to let her run and have a great time. That can be saved for Nursery. Right? I don't know. Truth is, if I were you, I'd probably give her 5-10 minutes of running around time in the foyer or the mother's lounge in the middle of each sacrament meeting. I'd just pray that I could hear some of the talks through the loud speaker while we're out there. So, maybe my advice isn't worth too much after all ; ). Good luck!
I love the movie. It made me laugh.
So, they don't come more LOUD and boisterous than McKenzie, and when she would get to be too much in Sac. Mtg, that is EXACTLY what I would do. Take her into the YW room, put her on my lap, and hold her arms down with mine for about three minutes or so. I would tell her we were going back inside and I expected her to be quiet or we would come right back here again. Ask anyone...we WOULD go back in. Sometimes three or four times a mtg, but look at her now, five years later...only KINDA loud! :) It works!!
My dad tells me he did that to me during a meeting I was being really loud in. (must have been 3 or so yrs old) He took me on the couch and held my arms down tight while I sad on his lap. Then I PEED all over him...hmm..back fire!!! :)
Wow, thanks for the tips everyone. Lori E, you make me laugh. I love sitting behind you guys because Kenzie will do anything to get out of Sacrament meeting. It always somehow involves Fisher too. We are going to start taking Ada into another room and sitting her on our laps. I hope she isn't too young to catch on.
Lori C, I can't believe you peed on your dad. That is hilarious! I think that Scott would flip if Ada did that to him!
Lindsay, you've inspired me to write a journal type entry on my blog...it's good to hear how you guys are doing...you're so lucky to have such an awesome husband...as for nursery...I seriously can't believe they do timeout in nursery! I've been taking Saige to nursery for a month or so (I was staying with her since she wasn't 18 mo. yet.) Just about every kid in there (including Saige) pushes, and screams and does everything they can to get what they want! IT's normal...it's totally AGE APPROPRIATE! Any child development class will tell you that! Of course you encourage and model and teach etc. etc. etc.
But please know that there is nothing out of the ordinary with Ada! And time out in nursery is wacked! (unless the kid is three and knows better!) Love you guys! Love the video of ADA!!!
alright I just read all the comments, after I wrote mine...You know how I like to disagree, right? In my (humble) opinion Ada is too young to take out to the hall or room and hold on your lap. She's too young to get what the heck you're doing. One comment said her dad did that to her when she was three (good age) and another said it took like five years for her kid to "get it." Like Jenna said, it's probably good to let her run around in the foyer about half way through. You can't expect a one year old to sit and be quiet for over an hour! forget it! Bring new toys, whisper in her ear, sit by other kids she can watch, but when she needs a break, give her one for goodness sake. When she's older you can explain to her why you're taking her out...then she'll get it! Okay, I'll get off my soap box now! ;)
One more thing...I think you're being way too hard on yourself. You're an awesome mom! Love ya girl!
We are SO EXCITED to see you guys!! 3 more days!!
I think I should have put THIS ":)" after the 5 years thing. I was just kidding!
Having Sadie enter Nursery was fantastic! She went through a month phase after having gone easily to Nursery to suddenly refusing to go. We lucked out in that it didn't last long. She loves it again.
I know how you feel with life and the future. Part of me struggles watching my spouse work hard because I think I could help alleviate his burden if I went back to work. Not something I want to do necessarily but because I want to relieve my spouse's load. I have to remind myself that the here-and-now is just a blink in time and that faith helps secure our future as well as our presence of mind. All will be well. It's just the waiting that kills us, 'eh?
LOVED your blog!!! LOVED Ada "dancing" "twirling"!!! ha ha ha Very Funny! I agree with Lisa. You have to do age appropriate things. She might have to get some wiggles out, but the other ideas are great as she matures a little--a few months, year. Each child is different, but I think by the time they're three, they should be able to be entertained IN Sacrament Meeting.
Maybe I'm forgetting things. ha ha ha
Church with kids is sooo hard, but one thing I learned early on is that it is NEVER funner outside Sacrament than in. Zoe's just barely one so I can't really justify not letting her down when we go out from Sacrament meeting, but I think by 18 months they "get" it a little better. If there are snacks and toys in sacrament, there are NONE outside. She still might be a little too young, but by 2 for sure, no running or even getting off my lap if we have to leave Sacrament meeting.
good luck with the job search. I hope you have a great time in PA too.
I have spastic kids, and the one thing that has always worked is taking them out to sit in a dark room away from the chapel. It gives them a minute to decompress, but you also need to read your childs cues. If she's tired or bored than do what works for her. Ada and I spent a lot of time in the mothers room or the relief society or primary rooms so we could hear while she stretched her legs. We don't let either of them run in the halls or foyers so that they learn to be reverent around the chapel. THis is such a fun and crazy age and it can be difficult at times, but try not to get discouraged!
Wow. I am having a challenge with Kate's reactions when she doesn't get what she's hoping for, too. Good luck! I'll have to read through your comments to see what advice people gave you. Have fun in Penn! :) And I really hope Scott finds a fabulous job and that you get to move back to California! :)
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