I can't believe that a month from today our baby girl will be two years old. Not a baby at all...but I still think of her as my baby. I guess I probably always will.
So what's Rebecca like at 23 months old?
She speaks in sentences more and more now, though they're often missing a word or two: "What doin', Mommy?" she asked me the other day. Or "Watch Wiggles now, Mommy?"
She dances a lot, mostly to The Wiggles, of course. She tries really hard to jump, but can't get her feet off the ground. Jumping right now means she goes up on her tiptoes.
She naps from about 12:30-2:00 pm (or 2:30 on a good day). She goes to bed at 7:30 pm, and usually wakes up anywhere between 5:00 and 5:30 am. Ugh. I refuse to get her up until 6:00, though, so that means we have to listen to her fuss, unless I go in and tell her it's still nigh' night time, in which case she complains, tries to get me to get her up to change her diaper (which I don't do, unless it's a messy one), and then lays down for another 15-30 minutes. When she goes down, she falls asleep immediately, and she rarely puts up a fuss about going to bed, which is nice. I just wish she would sleep longer. This morning I didn't hear her until a little after 6:00, though, so that was a happy morning for me.
She's getting more picky as an eater, which is NOT making me very happy. She's always been a great eater, and now she's barely eating anything. She also has some digestion issues going on, so that could be part of it. I took her to the doctor last week because there were three mornings where I had gone to get her up and she had thrown up in bed at some point in the night. She acted fine during the day, and didn't ever have a fever, so I didn't know what was wrong. She also had some issues with her messy diapers, and I won't go into detail there, but things just weren't right. The doctor put her on Miralax, and things seemed to get better, but then early this week she got super fussy, obviously not feeling good, and my husband noticed that her stomach was really bloated, and her diapers were not quite right again. She's always had a little bit of a tummy sticking out, but it was sticking out much more than normal. I called the doctor the next day and the nurse said to have her eat more fiber, keep up the miralax, and we'd see how things went. She's been less fussy, but her tummy is still bloated, her diapers still aren't normal, and there are some other issues as well. The doctor said if the fussiness comes back and I can't get the diapers regulated with the miralax to bring her in, so we'll see. I may end up taking her back next week, since she continues to not eat much and things don't seem to be a whole lot better. I was suspecting a food allergy--possibly dairy or gluten--but what do I know. My husband is having some of the same symptoms she is, and Rachel's thrown up several nights in the last week, too, so it could just be some sort of weird virus. Time will tell, I guess.
She adores her big sister and wants to do everything Rachel does. If Rachel's dressing up, Rebecca wants to dress up. If Rachel's playing with stuffed animals, she wants to, too. The funny thing is, the same is true for Rachel. Whatever Rebecca is doing, Rachel usually wants to do, too! They fight over toys (and especially over my lap!)--I didn't think I'd have much of that with such a big age difference between them, but I guess it's inevitable, no matter what the age difference.
She loves to be outside. This weird weather lately has been tough on her--there are several warm days where we're outside a lot, and then it'll get cold and not a nice day to play outside, and she just doesn't understand why we can't go out and draw with chalk (one of her favorite pasttimes, though usually she just carries the chalk around the driveway and smears her chalky hands all over her clothes!) or play in the sandbox.
She loves milk, sweets, hugs, The Wiggles, her pink blanket, her Wiggles guitar, being barefoot, coloring, and being tickled. She is a super sweet girl and still a little stinker, though she's getting a little better at doing what she's told. We love her dearly and can't imagine life without her. (I asked Rachel a few weeks ago if she remembers when it was just Mommy, Daddy, and Rachel, before Rebecca was born, and Rachel says no. So she really can't imagine life without her little sister!)
Friday, April 27, 2012
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
an interview with Rachel
I saw this interview somewhere on the internet a few weeks ago and saved it so I could ask Rachel the questions. If I remember, I'll ask her again every once in awhile to see what changes. Most of them didn't surprise me, but a few of them made me laugh. So here's a glimpse of Rachel at age 6:
What is your name? Rachel
How old are you? five....no, SIX!
Who is your best friend? Taylor
What is your favorite color? red
What is your favorite animal? lion
What do you want to be when you're grown up? an author and an illustrator
What is your favorite movie? I don't know....I think I like all the movies that are for me.
What is your favorite book? Ponyella (We had this recently from the library, and she had me read it over and over and over.)
What makes you happy? When I go to Disney World
What makes you sad? Not going to Disney World (This one made me laugh....guess she's going to be sad for a few more years!)
What is your favorite thing to eat? Ice Cream (When asked what kind she said Chocolate.)
What is your favorite game to play? Candyland....I mean, games on my LeapPad
What is your name? Rachel
How old are you? five....no, SIX!
Who is your best friend? Taylor
What is your favorite color? red
What is your favorite animal? lion
What do you want to be when you're grown up? an author and an illustrator
What is your favorite movie? I don't know....I think I like all the movies that are for me.
What is your favorite book? Ponyella (We had this recently from the library, and she had me read it over and over and over.)
What makes you happy? When I go to Disney World
What makes you sad? Not going to Disney World (This one made me laugh....guess she's going to be sad for a few more years!)
What is your favorite thing to eat? Ice Cream (When asked what kind she said Chocolate.)
What is your favorite game to play? Candyland....I mean, games on my LeapPad
Monday, April 23, 2012
finicky feet
Feet have been the bane of my existence for as long as I can remember. First it was my own feet. I've always had narrow feet--so narrow that regular, medium width shoes would fall off my feet. Growing up we had a really hard time finding me shoes because narrows were few and far between, and always more expensive. As time has gone on, narrows are even harder to find. They just don't make them. And if they do, they're usually not really "stylish." Since having children, my feet aren't quite as narrow as they've always been, and I can often make do with medium width shoes, but only in certain shoes. I'm still very hard to fit. It doesn't help that they're a size 10 or 10.5 (a size they hardly even make!). Bigger sizes are always harder to find, so I usually don't even think about finding them in a narrow. Sometimes I can find them online, but that's not very often, and they're usually way more than I want to spend.
Enter my children. Two more sets of finicky feet. Rachel's inherited my narrow feet. There are about three brands that even make narrow shoes for children, and you can usually only find them online. And they cost an arm and a leg. I find as many of them as I can that are gently used on ebay or in resale stores, but it's like going on a treasure hunt, trying to find them. And she grows out of them way before they wear out. So I HATE spending the money on shoes she won't wear for long. But I've always told myself that I can justify it because Rebecca will be able to wear them eventually.
Except Rebecca doesn't have narrow feet like her sister!! She doesn't even have medium feet. She has WIDE feet. Just like Daddy (another hard to fit person in the family, but I don't usually pick out his shoes, so I don't have to worry quite so much about him). So I have a huge bin of expensive shoes that were Rachel's and none of them will fit her sister (unless her feet thin out--Rachel's started out wide, but by the time she was Rebecca's age they had thinned out--so far Rebecca's haven't). And wides aren't so easy to find either. Easier than narrows, for sure, but still not easy to find them inexpensively. Do you know how much I'd love to walk in to Target or Kohl's or Payless or somewhere like that and buy a pair of shoes on sale for my kids (or myself, for that matter)???? No, for me it's Stride Rite, Nordstroms, or the internet. (And Stride Rite and Nordstroms don't always come through, either--sometimes online, but rarely in the stores anymore.) Ugh.
So Rebecca's growing out of the shoes she got for Christmas, and the shoes I have from Rachel aren't fitting her. She'll get a new pair of tennis shoes for her birthday (hopefully I can put it off until then), but there's the question of sandals and dress shoes, and then shoes for fall....and on and on. If her feet don't get thinner so Rachel's old ones fit her, I don't know what I'm going to do. My husband doesn't understand why anyone needs more than two pair of shoes anyway, so I get no sympathy from him. (He has a pair of tennis shoes and a pair of dress shoes. That's it. Oh yeah, hiking boots--I guess maybe she's allowed three pairs, in his book.)
So there's my plight. If any of you run across narrow shoes (and now wide shoes, too!) for a good price, let me know. I'm ALWAYS on the lookout.
Enter my children. Two more sets of finicky feet. Rachel's inherited my narrow feet. There are about three brands that even make narrow shoes for children, and you can usually only find them online. And they cost an arm and a leg. I find as many of them as I can that are gently used on ebay or in resale stores, but it's like going on a treasure hunt, trying to find them. And she grows out of them way before they wear out. So I HATE spending the money on shoes she won't wear for long. But I've always told myself that I can justify it because Rebecca will be able to wear them eventually.
Except Rebecca doesn't have narrow feet like her sister!! She doesn't even have medium feet. She has WIDE feet. Just like Daddy (another hard to fit person in the family, but I don't usually pick out his shoes, so I don't have to worry quite so much about him). So I have a huge bin of expensive shoes that were Rachel's and none of them will fit her sister (unless her feet thin out--Rachel's started out wide, but by the time she was Rebecca's age they had thinned out--so far Rebecca's haven't). And wides aren't so easy to find either. Easier than narrows, for sure, but still not easy to find them inexpensively. Do you know how much I'd love to walk in to Target or Kohl's or Payless or somewhere like that and buy a pair of shoes on sale for my kids (or myself, for that matter)???? No, for me it's Stride Rite, Nordstroms, or the internet. (And Stride Rite and Nordstroms don't always come through, either--sometimes online, but rarely in the stores anymore.) Ugh.
So Rebecca's growing out of the shoes she got for Christmas, and the shoes I have from Rachel aren't fitting her. She'll get a new pair of tennis shoes for her birthday (hopefully I can put it off until then), but there's the question of sandals and dress shoes, and then shoes for fall....and on and on. If her feet don't get thinner so Rachel's old ones fit her, I don't know what I'm going to do. My husband doesn't understand why anyone needs more than two pair of shoes anyway, so I get no sympathy from him. (He has a pair of tennis shoes and a pair of dress shoes. That's it. Oh yeah, hiking boots--I guess maybe she's allowed three pairs, in his book.)
So there's my plight. If any of you run across narrow shoes (and now wide shoes, too!) for a good price, let me know. I'm ALWAYS on the lookout.
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
baby proofing
I never had to do a whole lot of baby proofing with Rachel. We put the plastic things in the outlets and locked the cabinet under the kitchen sink where the cleaning solutions are, but that's about it. We told her to stop doing something she shouldn't and she stopped.
This girl is another story.
I had to buy some of these this morning:
She's figured out how to open doors, and is constantly trying to get into the bathroom (she'd love to play in there if I let her....). But the real reason I felt the need to get them is because right around the corner from the bathroom is the basement door, and I'm terrified that she'll open it and fall down the stairs. (That's not my door in the picture, by the way....I just got the picture off of google!)
But I'm not completely convinced that these door knob covers will stop her for long. I've seen how independent, stubborn, and persistent she is when she wants something--she'll figure them out. But hopefully it'll hold her off for at least a few months, while we continue to work on obedience. Then by the time she figures out how to open the door even with the covers, she'll be more obedient, and stop doing things she's not supposed to do when I tell her to (she's getting better at this....but still has a way to go).
Remember I mentioned that she now loves the Wiggles? Loves is an understatement. It's become an obsession. She talks about them non stop and plays her Wiggles guitar all the time. We're all pretty sick of it and try to hide it whenever we can! We have a Wiggles book that used to be Rachel's and she looks at it over and over. I was able to catch this really brief video today while she was watching The Wiggles. As soon as she saw me recording, she stopped and was more interested in the camera, but you can get a glimpse of what she does when she watches (she's either dancing, like you see, or sitting in her pink princess chair you see there). She's too funny!
This girl is another story.
I had to buy some of these this morning:
She's figured out how to open doors, and is constantly trying to get into the bathroom (she'd love to play in there if I let her....). But the real reason I felt the need to get them is because right around the corner from the bathroom is the basement door, and I'm terrified that she'll open it and fall down the stairs. (That's not my door in the picture, by the way....I just got the picture off of google!)
But I'm not completely convinced that these door knob covers will stop her for long. I've seen how independent, stubborn, and persistent she is when she wants something--she'll figure them out. But hopefully it'll hold her off for at least a few months, while we continue to work on obedience. Then by the time she figures out how to open the door even with the covers, she'll be more obedient, and stop doing things she's not supposed to do when I tell her to (she's getting better at this....but still has a way to go).
Remember I mentioned that she now loves the Wiggles? Loves is an understatement. It's become an obsession. She talks about them non stop and plays her Wiggles guitar all the time. We're all pretty sick of it and try to hide it whenever we can! We have a Wiggles book that used to be Rachel's and she looks at it over and over. I was able to catch this really brief video today while she was watching The Wiggles. As soon as she saw me recording, she stopped and was more interested in the camera, but you can get a glimpse of what she does when she watches (she's either dancing, like you see, or sitting in her pink princess chair you see there). She's too funny!
Sunday, April 15, 2012
fashion show
Rachel invited me to a fashion show tonight up in her room:
(She handed me the invitation at 7:15....it started at 7:17!) (And yes, I know we need to work on writing the "sh" sound!)
The fashion show included several songs she made up--one about each outfit. Each had an accompanying dance, too. It was quite a show.
I don't have a video of the fashion show, but here's a video of my little ham. Yesterday was our "Camp In" at the local science museum for Girl Scouts (that's why she has her uniform on). The older Girl Scouts spend the night, but Daisies do a day camp. Anyway, one of the moms captured this "news cast" that Rachel performed. It's just typical Rachel, wanting to be the center of attention and making up silly songs. Everyone there thought it was so funny. To me it is just Rachel being Rachel! Enjoy my crazy girl!
(She handed me the invitation at 7:15....it started at 7:17!) (And yes, I know we need to work on writing the "sh" sound!)
The fashion show included several songs she made up--one about each outfit. Each had an accompanying dance, too. It was quite a show.
I don't have a video of the fashion show, but here's a video of my little ham. Yesterday was our "Camp In" at the local science museum for Girl Scouts (that's why she has her uniform on). The older Girl Scouts spend the night, but Daisies do a day camp. Anyway, one of the moms captured this "news cast" that Rachel performed. It's just typical Rachel, wanting to be the center of attention and making up silly songs. Everyone there thought it was so funny. To me it is just Rachel being Rachel! Enjoy my crazy girl!
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
a bouncing birthday
I think I could sum up Rachel's birthday yesterday as "heaven" in her eyes.
It started when she ran down the stairs at 6:00 AM (sooooooo excited!) and with cinnamon rolls for breakfast (her request).
She was taking a birthday treat to school (Birthday Oreos--the ones they made for Oreo's 100th birthday that have sprinkles in the icing--also her request), so I drove her to school for the first time. Who knew that Mommy taking you to school was such an exciting thing? She talked non stop the whole way about how people would be so surprised that she wasn't on the bus and that she didn't have to get in the line of bus riders at the end of school because I would be picking her up, too (also her request--I would've rather had her ride the bus home because I was really busy getting her cupcakes ready, but she really wanted me to pick her up, and I decided that her birthday only comes once a year, so I indulged her, and picked her up).
While she was at school I worked the entire time on getting her cupcakes iced. She wanted a rainbow of cupcakes with sprinkles, and I made the mistake of suggesting we make the cupcakes with rainbow layers, too, like I had seen online once, but had I known how time consuming it would be to make them, I never would've suggested it! (I spent all afternoon on Easter making those layers!)
After we picked her up from school we (Rebecca, Grandma, Grandpa, and I) went out to lunch--for pizza, her request, again, even though we would be having pizza again at her party that night! I didn't realize that when I agreed on pizza for lunch!
Grandma and Grandpa's birthday present to her was her first trip to Build-a-Bear Workshop, so we went there after lunch. Oh. My. Goodness. She was so thrilled with the whole process. I really wish we had remembered the camera, because she was just giddy the whole time. We talked her into this rainbow bear (because she wanted to make a Smurfette, but my mom really would've rather had her make a bear) and then found out that she was the very first person to make that bear, because they had just gotten them in! She name her bear "Ella," and picked out her lovely tutu, shoes, tiara, wand, and bows on her ears. She came home and played the rest of the afternoon with Ella and Lila, her pony that she had gotten for Easter from Grandma (Rachel's the one who named her Lila).
After a very brief rest time (and nap for Rebecca), it was time to get ready for the party.
And she had a ball!
I won't put her friends' pictures on here, since I don't know how their parents would feel about that, but there were about 15 kids there and their parents. It was a perfect size, and they all were completely worn out by the end, after all of their bouncing, running, sliding, and so forth.
The party hostess who worked there said this was the best behaved group she'd ever hosted! That just made me smile.
Rebecca was really too little to enjoy all of the bounce houses, but her loving cousins, Ethan and Emma, took her into one of the houses a couple of times so she could enjoy it.
This is how she spent the rest of the party....walking around with balloons,
drinking from a cup (instead of a sippy cup--quite a novelty!),
and following around her big cousin, Emma, who she adores.
She also helped the party hostess push the cart into the party room....
After bouncing and a group picture, it was time for pizza and cupcakes.
And then presents. She loved them all.
She was so, so excited about this birthday "throne."
On the way home from the party she was sad it was all over, but was really excited to play with all of her new things. When we got home she opened her presents from us (largely unexciting, since much of it was stuff she needed, and not toys!).
A tired but happy little six year old went to bed last night, cuddling with her new bear. What a day!
All in all, I think it was a success.
It started when she ran down the stairs at 6:00 AM (sooooooo excited!) and with cinnamon rolls for breakfast (her request).
She was taking a birthday treat to school (Birthday Oreos--the ones they made for Oreo's 100th birthday that have sprinkles in the icing--also her request), so I drove her to school for the first time. Who knew that Mommy taking you to school was such an exciting thing? She talked non stop the whole way about how people would be so surprised that she wasn't on the bus and that she didn't have to get in the line of bus riders at the end of school because I would be picking her up, too (also her request--I would've rather had her ride the bus home because I was really busy getting her cupcakes ready, but she really wanted me to pick her up, and I decided that her birthday only comes once a year, so I indulged her, and picked her up).
While she was at school I worked the entire time on getting her cupcakes iced. She wanted a rainbow of cupcakes with sprinkles, and I made the mistake of suggesting we make the cupcakes with rainbow layers, too, like I had seen online once, but had I known how time consuming it would be to make them, I never would've suggested it! (I spent all afternoon on Easter making those layers!)
After we picked her up from school we (Rebecca, Grandma, Grandpa, and I) went out to lunch--for pizza, her request, again, even though we would be having pizza again at her party that night! I didn't realize that when I agreed on pizza for lunch!
Grandma and Grandpa's birthday present to her was her first trip to Build-a-Bear Workshop, so we went there after lunch. Oh. My. Goodness. She was so thrilled with the whole process. I really wish we had remembered the camera, because she was just giddy the whole time. We talked her into this rainbow bear (because she wanted to make a Smurfette, but my mom really would've rather had her make a bear) and then found out that she was the very first person to make that bear, because they had just gotten them in! She name her bear "Ella," and picked out her lovely tutu, shoes, tiara, wand, and bows on her ears. She came home and played the rest of the afternoon with Ella and Lila, her pony that she had gotten for Easter from Grandma (Rachel's the one who named her Lila).
After a very brief rest time (and nap for Rebecca), it was time to get ready for the party.
And she had a ball!
I won't put her friends' pictures on here, since I don't know how their parents would feel about that, but there were about 15 kids there and their parents. It was a perfect size, and they all were completely worn out by the end, after all of their bouncing, running, sliding, and so forth.
The party hostess who worked there said this was the best behaved group she'd ever hosted! That just made me smile.
Rebecca was really too little to enjoy all of the bounce houses, but her loving cousins, Ethan and Emma, took her into one of the houses a couple of times so she could enjoy it.
This is how she spent the rest of the party....walking around with balloons,
drinking from a cup (instead of a sippy cup--quite a novelty!),
and following around her big cousin, Emma, who she adores.
She also helped the party hostess push the cart into the party room....
After bouncing and a group picture, it was time for pizza and cupcakes.
And then presents. She loved them all.
She was so, so excited about this birthday "throne."
On the way home from the party she was sad it was all over, but was really excited to play with all of her new things. When we got home she opened her presents from us (largely unexciting, since much of it was stuff she needed, and not toys!).
A tired but happy little six year old went to bed last night, cuddling with her new bear. What a day!
All in all, I think it was a success.
Monday, April 09, 2012
six
Dearest Birthday Girl,
You've been talking about this day since before you turned five! Last year you wanted a birthday party with friends, and I told you that when you turned six you could have one. So here we are! It's finally the day!
In the fall you went to a birthday party for our neighbors at a bouncing place. On the way home you asked me if you could have your birthday party there. I told you that we would see, but you didn't stop talking about it for months. So tonight you'll finally have your bouncing party with your friends and cousins, and I hope you LOVE it. You invited your whole class, plus your cousins and some other friends....we're still waiting to see how many people come. (Some have RSVP'd, and I told some people that siblings could come....we could have quite a crowd on our hands! But no matter who comes, I know you'll have a great time.)
This has been an exciting year for you.... first year of school, first year of Girl Scouts, first lost teeth (and four more are loose!).... A year of lots of firsts! You're learning to read and write, and get so excited when you read things all by yourself. Several times a day you tell me, "Mommy, I know how to spell _______," and then you spell it for me, so proud!
At six years old you're still in love with playing dress up and princesses. You love to pretend and I marvel at your imagination. You love to dance in the family room in your princess dresses, watching yourself in the glass of the fireplace. Your markers continually run dry because you love coloring and drawing so much. Mostly you draw princesses, rainbows, and flowers. Your room is littered with pages and pages of your drawings, and every so often I make you go through them and keep only your few favorites.
Lately you've enjoyed playing outside again in the warm weather. You play in the sandbox, pick leaves off of the bush (to make "gumbo," you tell me), pretend all kinds of things up in your clubhouse, and draw with chalk.
Most of the time you love being a big sister to Rebecca. You often just come up and give her a hug and a kiss for no reason. You love going in her room in the morning when she wakes up, and Rebecca gets SO excited to see you when you walk in. You like to boss her around, and you get annoyed with her, too, usually when she's bothering things you're trying to play with, but for the most part you love her and are a good big sister to her.
You're still the pickiest eater I know, and dinner times often result in tears (yours, mostly, but sometimes mine, too). I'm really ready for you to outgrow this stage. You also get really upset about certain things, like having your hair brushed when there are tangles in it, having Daddy or me try to touch your loose tooth (or anything else that hurts a little bit), or being woken up from a nap (you've finally given up your nap, which you were still taking almost every at day this time last year, but once in awhile, usually when you're sick, you still fall asleep during rest time, and when you get up you're usually crying and really whiny).
But you are also the sweetest girl I know (well, you and a certain sister of yours), and I am so proud and thankful that I get to be your mommy. My favorite moments of the day are the first ones in the mornings when I sit on the couch with you on one knee and Rebecca on the other, all of us still waking up, and you both wanting to be close to Mommy. Though sometimes I'd really love to have my own space, I know that these days of you sitting on my lap are numbered, so I savor them and love the times when you still want to be cuddled.
You're scared to go to first grade next year. Whenever it comes up, you get really sad, so I try not to mention it. When I ask you why you're scared you tell me that it's because you're going to miss me too much. It makes me cry just thinking about it, because you have no idea how much I'm going to miss you, being gone all day, instead of just in the mornings, but I know you're going to love it, once you get there and get used to it. You're such a social little girl, and love riding the bus to school so you can talk to your friends. I know that once you have lunch and recess time thrown into your day and more time to socialize, you'll be in heaven.
Six years sounds like a long time, but they've gone by in a flash. I watched your birth video a few weeks ago for the first time in years, and watched myself cry tears of joy as I caught my first glimpse of you. Today I cry more tears of joy, thinking about what a blessing you are to me, and how happy I am that you are my daughter.
I love you so, so much. Enjoy this exciting day, sweet girl!
You've been talking about this day since before you turned five! Last year you wanted a birthday party with friends, and I told you that when you turned six you could have one. So here we are! It's finally the day!
In the fall you went to a birthday party for our neighbors at a bouncing place. On the way home you asked me if you could have your birthday party there. I told you that we would see, but you didn't stop talking about it for months. So tonight you'll finally have your bouncing party with your friends and cousins, and I hope you LOVE it. You invited your whole class, plus your cousins and some other friends....we're still waiting to see how many people come. (Some have RSVP'd, and I told some people that siblings could come....we could have quite a crowd on our hands! But no matter who comes, I know you'll have a great time.)
This has been an exciting year for you.... first year of school, first year of Girl Scouts, first lost teeth (and four more are loose!).... A year of lots of firsts! You're learning to read and write, and get so excited when you read things all by yourself. Several times a day you tell me, "Mommy, I know how to spell _______," and then you spell it for me, so proud!
At six years old you're still in love with playing dress up and princesses. You love to pretend and I marvel at your imagination. You love to dance in the family room in your princess dresses, watching yourself in the glass of the fireplace. Your markers continually run dry because you love coloring and drawing so much. Mostly you draw princesses, rainbows, and flowers. Your room is littered with pages and pages of your drawings, and every so often I make you go through them and keep only your few favorites.
Lately you've enjoyed playing outside again in the warm weather. You play in the sandbox, pick leaves off of the bush (to make "gumbo," you tell me), pretend all kinds of things up in your clubhouse, and draw with chalk.
Most of the time you love being a big sister to Rebecca. You often just come up and give her a hug and a kiss for no reason. You love going in her room in the morning when she wakes up, and Rebecca gets SO excited to see you when you walk in. You like to boss her around, and you get annoyed with her, too, usually when she's bothering things you're trying to play with, but for the most part you love her and are a good big sister to her.
You're still the pickiest eater I know, and dinner times often result in tears (yours, mostly, but sometimes mine, too). I'm really ready for you to outgrow this stage. You also get really upset about certain things, like having your hair brushed when there are tangles in it, having Daddy or me try to touch your loose tooth (or anything else that hurts a little bit), or being woken up from a nap (you've finally given up your nap, which you were still taking almost every at day this time last year, but once in awhile, usually when you're sick, you still fall asleep during rest time, and when you get up you're usually crying and really whiny).
But you are also the sweetest girl I know (well, you and a certain sister of yours), and I am so proud and thankful that I get to be your mommy. My favorite moments of the day are the first ones in the mornings when I sit on the couch with you on one knee and Rebecca on the other, all of us still waking up, and you both wanting to be close to Mommy. Though sometimes I'd really love to have my own space, I know that these days of you sitting on my lap are numbered, so I savor them and love the times when you still want to be cuddled.
You're scared to go to first grade next year. Whenever it comes up, you get really sad, so I try not to mention it. When I ask you why you're scared you tell me that it's because you're going to miss me too much. It makes me cry just thinking about it, because you have no idea how much I'm going to miss you, being gone all day, instead of just in the mornings, but I know you're going to love it, once you get there and get used to it. You're such a social little girl, and love riding the bus to school so you can talk to your friends. I know that once you have lunch and recess time thrown into your day and more time to socialize, you'll be in heaven.
Six years sounds like a long time, but they've gone by in a flash. I watched your birth video a few weeks ago for the first time in years, and watched myself cry tears of joy as I caught my first glimpse of you. Today I cry more tears of joy, thinking about what a blessing you are to me, and how happy I am that you are my daughter.
I love you so, so much. Enjoy this exciting day, sweet girl!
Sunday, April 08, 2012
happy easter
Scenes from yesterday's (very chilly) egg hunt and today before church (trying to get Rebecca to sit still for a picture is quite a feat) ....
Saturday, April 07, 2012
a new obsession
Rebecca is officially obsessed with The Wiggles. It all started about a week ago, when Rachel was watching a show on Sprout, and The Wiggles came on after her show. Rebecca liked it, and kept asking for more. A few days later, Daddy got out an old Wiggles video we had for Rachel and put it in for Rebecca. Rebecca sat for several minutes to watch it. That's the longest she'd ever watched anything.
Over the last week she's asked for it over and over and over. I got a new one out of the library so we've alternated between them. And each time she watches it (once per day for the last week, I guess), she'll sit still for a longer amount of time. Today she lasted almost the entire video!
Most parents want to "unplug" their kids, and not have them watch as much TV, but since Rebecca hasn't been remotely interested in anything up until this point, I'm thrilled that she's finally interested enough in something to sit still so that I can get something else done for a little while!
So tonight I dug Rachel's old Wiggles guitar out of the toys that are put away in the basement. Oh. My. Goodness. Rebecca went crazy over it. She knew just how to hold it and danced while she played it--it's the cutest thing ever (I got it on video, and maybe one of these days I can put it on here).
I tried to put her to bed tonight and she kept crying, "'tar? 'tar?" because she didn't want to go to bed. She wanted to keep playing her guitar. She finally gave up her crying and went to sleep, but I'm sure tomorrow morning she'll be much more interested in her 'tar than she is in whatever is in her Easter basket!!!
It'll be a busy blogging week next week.... There are Easter Egg Hunt pictures to post (from this morning), tomorrow's Easter pictures, and Rachel's birthday pictures (Monday is her birthday). Exciting times 'round our house!!
Over the last week she's asked for it over and over and over. I got a new one out of the library so we've alternated between them. And each time she watches it (once per day for the last week, I guess), she'll sit still for a longer amount of time. Today she lasted almost the entire video!
Most parents want to "unplug" their kids, and not have them watch as much TV, but since Rebecca hasn't been remotely interested in anything up until this point, I'm thrilled that she's finally interested enough in something to sit still so that I can get something else done for a little while!
So tonight I dug Rachel's old Wiggles guitar out of the toys that are put away in the basement. Oh. My. Goodness. Rebecca went crazy over it. She knew just how to hold it and danced while she played it--it's the cutest thing ever (I got it on video, and maybe one of these days I can put it on here).
I tried to put her to bed tonight and she kept crying, "'tar? 'tar?" because she didn't want to go to bed. She wanted to keep playing her guitar. She finally gave up her crying and went to sleep, but I'm sure tomorrow morning she'll be much more interested in her 'tar than she is in whatever is in her Easter basket!!!
It'll be a busy blogging week next week.... There are Easter Egg Hunt pictures to post (from this morning), tomorrow's Easter pictures, and Rachel's birthday pictures (Monday is her birthday). Exciting times 'round our house!!
Wednesday, April 04, 2012
conversations
Rebecca's talking is ramping up even more lately. You can actually sort of have a conversation with her now. Here's one from earlier today:
Rebecca: "Mommy.....ahh done now." (as she was finished eating lunch)
Mommy: "Would you like to get down?"
R: "Des, peas." (yes please)
M: (I got her out of her booster seat.)
R: "Mommy....cars...me...minute."
M: "You'd like Mommy to play cars with you for a minute?"
R: "Des, peas."
So we played cars.....
Here's another recent conversation.
R: "Wawn Mower!" (she's currently obsessed with lawn mowers--I remember Rachel loving them at this age, too)
M: "Yes, I hear a lawn mower, too!"
R: "Dee it?"
M: "You want to see it?"
R: "Des, peas."
M: "I don't know where it is."
R: " 'ere'd go?" (Where'd it go?--with arms outstretched, palms up)
M: "I don't know."
R: "Mommy....died it." (Find it)
M: (I finally saw the neighbor across the street bringing his lawn mower back to his garage, and he turned it off.) "There's the lawn mower! He's all done!"
R: "Mo wawn mower?"
M: "No more lawn mower. He's all done now."
R: "Daddy....wawn mower....gahge....noise...times." (Daddy's lawn mower is in the garage. It makes noise sometimes.)
She definitely finds a way to get her point across! Sometimes I have to tell her that Mommy doesn't understand what she's saying, but most of the time, I can translate. She's out of luck if I'm not around, though. Daddy (and everyone else) has a harder time understanding her, though Grandma's pretty good at it when she spends a little bit of time with her.
Rebecca: "Mommy.....ahh done now." (as she was finished eating lunch)
Mommy: "Would you like to get down?"
R: "Des, peas." (yes please)
M: (I got her out of her booster seat.)
R: "Mommy....cars...me...minute."
M: "You'd like Mommy to play cars with you for a minute?"
R: "Des, peas."
So we played cars.....
Here's another recent conversation.
R: "Wawn Mower!" (she's currently obsessed with lawn mowers--I remember Rachel loving them at this age, too)
M: "Yes, I hear a lawn mower, too!"
R: "Dee it?"
M: "You want to see it?"
R: "Des, peas."
M: "I don't know where it is."
R: " 'ere'd go?" (Where'd it go?--with arms outstretched, palms up)
M: "I don't know."
R: "Mommy....died it." (Find it)
M: (I finally saw the neighbor across the street bringing his lawn mower back to his garage, and he turned it off.) "There's the lawn mower! He's all done!"
R: "Mo wawn mower?"
M: "No more lawn mower. He's all done now."
R: "Daddy....wawn mower....gahge....noise...times." (Daddy's lawn mower is in the garage. It makes noise sometimes.)
She definitely finds a way to get her point across! Sometimes I have to tell her that Mommy doesn't understand what she's saying, but most of the time, I can translate. She's out of luck if I'm not around, though. Daddy (and everyone else) has a harder time understanding her, though Grandma's pretty good at it when she spends a little bit of time with her.
Sunday, April 01, 2012
Sunday in the sandbox
It turned out to be a beautiful, warm, sunny afternoon. We were cleaning the garage and getting the summer toys out of the basement. This led to opening the sandbox. I thought we were going to need to get new sand this year, but it turns out that after we took just the top layer of sand off, everything else underneath was fine. I cleaned up the sand toys and the girls got to work.
This was Rebecca's first time in the sandbox. She loved it (literally--here she is giving it a hug!).
She calls it Elmo (because of its red color and big, round, white eyes).
What a beautiful day!
This was Rebecca's first time in the sandbox. She loved it (literally--here she is giving it a hug!).
She calls it Elmo (because of its red color and big, round, white eyes).
What a beautiful day!
Friday, March 30, 2012
spring break update
I don't have much to say, but here's what we've been up to:
--We enjoyed our several days at Grandma and Grandpa's. It included a trip to the lake to throw rocks in (just like my brothers and I used to do when we were little), a trip to the children's science museum there, which Rachel loves, playing at the playground at the park (in the freezing wind), visiting with Great Grandpa, visiting with an old friend and her baby girl, and Rachel drawing lots and lots of pictures while sitting at Grandma's dining room table, listening to all of my old Disney records.
--The trip also included lots of bad sleep. The first night Rachel was up with a fever and I couldn't get back to sleep (that was the only fever she had with this sickness, though, so we got off easy!). The next night I just couldn't sleep. I've been having a lot of insomnia issues lately. It stinks. My kids already have trouble sleeping (Rebecca's back to waking up at 5:00 AM and then crying off and on until I get her up at 6:00), which makes sleep an issue for me, anyway, but when they DO sleep, I should be able to sleep, too. It's really frustrating.
--My husband finished up 10+ years at his job on Wednesday. The last several years have been just awful for him there, and he's been looking for another job for a long time. For awhile we thought we might have to move to another part of the country for him to find something, but thankfully he was finally able to find something closer to home. It's a 50 minute drive (one way), which stinks for our gas budget, but at least we don't have to move. On Monday he starts his new position. He was off yesterday and today for a couple of well deserved vacation days. I don't tell him enough how proud and thankful I am for him for working so hard in a place he's hated for so long, just to provide for us, but I am.
--My birthday present from him was a night away. It's tonight and I can't wait. I told him I just want to sleep. I don't really care what else we do, as long as I get to sleep without children waking me up. Sadly, I could very well be stuck in a dark hotel room with insomnia, but I'll be armed with Tylenol PM (and a flashlight and a book, just in case), so I'm really hoping that doesn't happen. We also plan to see a movie, enjoy some child-free, complaint-free meals, and explore some parts of our own city we've never visited.
--Rachel got her pictures taken yesterday (the spring school pictures weren't good, so we didn't order any, so I had her pictures taken at a studio yesterday for her birthday instead). They weren't that great either. Ugh. Thankfully I had a great coupon and only ended up paying $6 for the pictures I did order!
--We enjoyed our several days at Grandma and Grandpa's. It included a trip to the lake to throw rocks in (just like my brothers and I used to do when we were little), a trip to the children's science museum there, which Rachel loves, playing at the playground at the park (in the freezing wind), visiting with Great Grandpa, visiting with an old friend and her baby girl, and Rachel drawing lots and lots of pictures while sitting at Grandma's dining room table, listening to all of my old Disney records.
--The trip also included lots of bad sleep. The first night Rachel was up with a fever and I couldn't get back to sleep (that was the only fever she had with this sickness, though, so we got off easy!). The next night I just couldn't sleep. I've been having a lot of insomnia issues lately. It stinks. My kids already have trouble sleeping (Rebecca's back to waking up at 5:00 AM and then crying off and on until I get her up at 6:00), which makes sleep an issue for me, anyway, but when they DO sleep, I should be able to sleep, too. It's really frustrating.
--My husband finished up 10+ years at his job on Wednesday. The last several years have been just awful for him there, and he's been looking for another job for a long time. For awhile we thought we might have to move to another part of the country for him to find something, but thankfully he was finally able to find something closer to home. It's a 50 minute drive (one way), which stinks for our gas budget, but at least we don't have to move. On Monday he starts his new position. He was off yesterday and today for a couple of well deserved vacation days. I don't tell him enough how proud and thankful I am for him for working so hard in a place he's hated for so long, just to provide for us, but I am.
--My birthday present from him was a night away. It's tonight and I can't wait. I told him I just want to sleep. I don't really care what else we do, as long as I get to sleep without children waking me up. Sadly, I could very well be stuck in a dark hotel room with insomnia, but I'll be armed with Tylenol PM (and a flashlight and a book, just in case), so I'm really hoping that doesn't happen. We also plan to see a movie, enjoy some child-free, complaint-free meals, and explore some parts of our own city we've never visited.
--Rachel got her pictures taken yesterday (the spring school pictures weren't good, so we didn't order any, so I had her pictures taken at a studio yesterday for her birthday instead). They weren't that great either. Ugh. Thankfully I had a great coupon and only ended up paying $6 for the pictures I did order!
Friday, March 23, 2012
spring (?) break
Since it's been feeling like the middle of July lately, it's hard to believe it's actually only spring break, but it is. Rachel finished school today and is off until April 2. (Just as an aside, she's been asking for weeks how many more days it is until April, because of her upcoming birthday. When she found out that school didn't start again until April, she was ecstatic, because she knows it'll be almost her birthday.)
Tomorrow morning the girls and I are headed to Grandma and Grandpa's house for several days. Rachel's been talking about it all week, telling me the various things she plans to do there. All day yesterday she said, "Tomorrow we have to pack up for Grandma's house, Mommy." This morning before 6:30 AM she already had all of her necessities packed--a container of bubbles, Curious George, and a princess dress. (!!)
Tonight she asked me, "How many more hours is it until we go to Grandma's house?"
Some people take their kids to Disney World, or the beach, or some other fun, exciting destination for spring break. All Rachel needs is her Grandma and Grandpa's house (and bubbles, Curious George, and a princess dress!).
Sadly, though, she is getting sick. She's started her non-stop coughing, which always seems to be how her sicknesses start. My husband has been sick this week, so I suppose that's where she got it. We'll have to wait and see if Rebecca and I succumb. Unfortunately, we'll be subjecting Grandma and Grandpa to our germs, too. Hopefully it'll be something short-lived.
The weather is starting to turn here, though, and this week is likely to feel more like spring than the awesome summery weather we've been having. Ordinarily I'd be thrilled by spring temps, but now that we've been spoiled with the 80s, the 60s will feel COLD!
Tomorrow morning the girls and I are headed to Grandma and Grandpa's house for several days. Rachel's been talking about it all week, telling me the various things she plans to do there. All day yesterday she said, "Tomorrow we have to pack up for Grandma's house, Mommy." This morning before 6:30 AM she already had all of her necessities packed--a container of bubbles, Curious George, and a princess dress. (!!)
Tonight she asked me, "How many more hours is it until we go to Grandma's house?"
Some people take their kids to Disney World, or the beach, or some other fun, exciting destination for spring break. All Rachel needs is her Grandma and Grandpa's house (and bubbles, Curious George, and a princess dress!).
Sadly, though, she is getting sick. She's started her non-stop coughing, which always seems to be how her sicknesses start. My husband has been sick this week, so I suppose that's where she got it. We'll have to wait and see if Rebecca and I succumb. Unfortunately, we'll be subjecting Grandma and Grandpa to our germs, too. Hopefully it'll be something short-lived.
The weather is starting to turn here, though, and this week is likely to feel more like spring than the awesome summery weather we've been having. Ordinarily I'd be thrilled by spring temps, but now that we've been spoiled with the 80s, the 60s will feel COLD!
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
showing off for Daddy
Today was spring picture day at school. Rachel and I went shopping over the weekend for a dress--I had picked one out, but she didn't like it, so I took her with me to return it, and we picked one out together. The ones she liked I didn't, and the ones I liked, she didn't. So this dress was a compromise.
This morning when she put it on she was SO excited and couldn't stop looking at herself in the mirror, just thrilled with herself.
When she came home I told her she needed to change her clothes before she ate lunch. She didn't want to take it off and said, "But Daddy won't get to see how pretty I look today!" I told her I'd take her picture so he could see.
So here she is (minus the sandals, which she had already taken off)....
And here's Rebecca, just because when I took Rachel's picture, she wanted her picture taken, too. She wouldn't back up, so here's a close up of a sweaty Rebecca, after playing outside in this crazy-warm weather!
This morning when she put it on she was SO excited and couldn't stop looking at herself in the mirror, just thrilled with herself.
When she came home I told her she needed to change her clothes before she ate lunch. She didn't want to take it off and said, "But Daddy won't get to see how pretty I look today!" I told her I'd take her picture so he could see.
So here she is (minus the sandals, which she had already taken off)....
And here's Rebecca, just because when I took Rachel's picture, she wanted her picture taken, too. She wouldn't back up, so here's a close up of a sweaty Rebecca, after playing outside in this crazy-warm weather!
Monday, March 19, 2012
catching up
A couple of weeks ago Rachel had a day off of school. I was looking for something fun to do, and I remembered the little hands on museum we visited over the summer. We decided to try it out again and I'm just now getting around to uploading the pictures.
They had added something new to their children's area: an ice cream stand. Both girls spent the majority of their time serving me ice cream (and making me pay for it so they could use the cash register).
I didn't take a lot of pictures because I spent most of the time following Rebecca, but it was a fun morning.
They had added something new to their children's area: an ice cream stand. Both girls spent the majority of their time serving me ice cream (and making me pay for it so they could use the cash register).
I didn't take a lot of pictures because I spent most of the time following Rebecca, but it was a fun morning.
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
early birthday
I guess since Rebecca can't read the calendar yet, she decided to give me my birthday present a day early today.
-First, she slept until 6:55 this morning. I don't think she's ever slept that late. Rachel was up at 6:30, but she just hung out on my bed while I laid there with my eyes closed and talked to her, so I didn't actually have to get out of bed until 6:55. It was great!
-We surprised Rachel by picking her up from school today, I let Rachel pick the park, and we went and had a picnic for lunch and played in the 75 degree sunshine (in March! This weather is unbelievable!)! Afterwards, I guess because we wore her out, Rebecca took a nap until almost 3:00 (usually she's up by 2:00 or 2:30, so this was a treat as well!).
Of course, the birthday gift ended with the hour-long cry fest we had to listen to at bedtime (she didn't want to go to bed--maybe because she took a long nap?), but it was still a good day.
Hopefully this sleep will carry through into my actual birthday tomorrow.
-First, she slept until 6:55 this morning. I don't think she's ever slept that late. Rachel was up at 6:30, but she just hung out on my bed while I laid there with my eyes closed and talked to her, so I didn't actually have to get out of bed until 6:55. It was great!
-We surprised Rachel by picking her up from school today, I let Rachel pick the park, and we went and had a picnic for lunch and played in the 75 degree sunshine (in March! This weather is unbelievable!)! Afterwards, I guess because we wore her out, Rebecca took a nap until almost 3:00 (usually she's up by 2:00 or 2:30, so this was a treat as well!).
Of course, the birthday gift ended with the hour-long cry fest we had to listen to at bedtime (she didn't want to go to bed--maybe because she took a long nap?), but it was still a good day.
Hopefully this sleep will carry through into my actual birthday tomorrow.
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
losing sleep
Not only did I lose an hour of sleep with the time change, but Rebecca must've learned to read a clock or something, because she's decided to wake up even earlier. Instead of waking up at 6:00 or 6:30 like we thought she would (since it feels like her usual 5:00 or 5:30), she's waking up at 4:40 instead! Makes sense, right? Ugh.
The first day she actually did wake up at 6:00. But the last two mornings it hasn't worked. She was awake at 4:40, then again at 5:30, and then she woke up for good at 7:00 (I'll gladly take the 7:00, but why does she have to wake up at the earlier times?)
Rachel was up at 2:00 (this doesn't usually happen--she's not usually the problem), which woke me up, and then I couldn't get back to sleep. So I was awake from 2:00 until almost 4:00. Then Rebecca's shenanigans kept waking me up, so I didn't get much good sleep.
One of these days I suppose I'll sleep well again, but it sure seems like it's never going to happen.
The first day she actually did wake up at 6:00. But the last two mornings it hasn't worked. She was awake at 4:40, then again at 5:30, and then she woke up for good at 7:00 (I'll gladly take the 7:00, but why does she have to wake up at the earlier times?)
Rachel was up at 2:00 (this doesn't usually happen--she's not usually the problem), which woke me up, and then I couldn't get back to sleep. So I was awake from 2:00 until almost 4:00. Then Rebecca's shenanigans kept waking me up, so I didn't get much good sleep.
One of these days I suppose I'll sleep well again, but it sure seems like it's never going to happen.
Thursday, March 08, 2012
on eating
Eating has become a stressful thing. I'm referring mainly to the girls' eating. Rachel's always been a picky eater, but it just seems to get worse as she gets older. Here are the foods Rachel will eat, usually without any complaints:
milk
hot dogs
mac and cheese
pizza
peanut butter sandwich (no jelly...eats this almost every single day for lunch)
chicken nuggets
french fries
potato chips
Doritos
Goldfish crackers
bologna
cheese
crackers
graham crackers
yogurt
applesauce
apples (no skin)
bananas
grapes
strawberries
cantaloupe
pasta w/ tomato sauce (no meat)
ravioli w/ tomato sauce
garlic bread
ice cream
cake
cookies
brownies
candy
cereal (cheerios, or anything sweet, which I rarely buy)
toast
scrambled eggs
pancakes
waffles
popcorn
Actually, now that I've listed them, it looks like a lot more than it really seems. But notice that it's a lot of junk, and there really aren't many meals in that list (and NO vegetables!). That's why meal time is such a battle. Unless I make one of those meals on the list, I hear lots of complaints, and she sits at the table forever to eat her required three bites of each item on her plate. We've tried giving her a time limit, we've tried making her sit there until it's done, we've tried punishments, we've tried everything we can think of. It's still a battle.
I wonder sometimes how she stays alive with how little she eats every day. It must be the vitamin she eats every morning (that's another story--there's only one brand of vitamins that she'll eat--I've tried different ones and she's so picky that only a certain kind will work--ugh). Lately, though, she's been saying she's hungry all the time. Growth spurt, perhaps? But when I try to get her to eat more of whatever we ate for dinner, or something healthy, she won't eat it. All she wants is junk/snacks, which I won't give her. So she goes hungry. I hate it--she's been in tears twice this week because she's hungry, but I won't let her eat what she wants to eat, and she won't eat what I've offered her to eat. I don't want her to be hungry, but neither do I want her eating more junk. I don't know what the answer is.
She's allowed to choose what she wants for breakfast (usually cheerios or toast, plus milk) and for lunch (almost always a peanut butter sandwich, sometimes bologna/cheese/crackers, plus fruit of some sort and milk). Dinner is my choice, and that's when we battle.
And then there's Rebecca. She's always been a really good eater. The problem with Rebecca is that she wants to snack all day long and when we sit down for meals, she doesn't want to eat. She'll eat most of the things we eat (though she'd really prefer most of the things on Rachel's list, she'll still eat many vegetables, meat, and fruit), but she doesn't like sitting in her high chair. She'd rather wander around and eat, which I won't let her do. Or at least sit there for a few minutes, enough time to eat a few bites, and then get down. So she fusses. So they're both fussing at mealtime, for one reason or another.
And then there's my husband. He swears up and down that he's not picky. In his defense, he will eat whatever I put in front of him, for the most part, but there really are very few foods that he enjoys (except sweets or seafood). And I want him to enjoy what I feed him. Anytime I try a new recipe (something I enjoy doing), he has to analyze it and know exactly what's in it. Usually he doesn't like it. He'll eat it, but he doesn't like it.
So dinner time is high anxiety for me. Do I try a new recipe to try and find something he enjoys? (I've actually found a couple lately!) But whatever it is, Rachel will complain, and Rebecca will want down. Sometimes I wonder why I bother. All I need to do is slap a pizza, pasta, or pancakes on the table, and everyone is happy. I could just alternate those meals and stop stressing (for a couple of weeks, anyway, until they'd get tired of it and start complaining again).
I really like to cook, but I can't enjoy it, at least not at this phase of my life, because my audience is TERRIBLE.
Just venting....there have been lots of battles lately and I'm just tired.
milk
hot dogs
mac and cheese
pizza
peanut butter sandwich (no jelly...eats this almost every single day for lunch)
chicken nuggets
french fries
potato chips
Doritos
Goldfish crackers
bologna
cheese
crackers
graham crackers
yogurt
applesauce
apples (no skin)
bananas
grapes
strawberries
cantaloupe
pasta w/ tomato sauce (no meat)
ravioli w/ tomato sauce
garlic bread
ice cream
cake
cookies
brownies
candy
cereal (cheerios, or anything sweet, which I rarely buy)
toast
scrambled eggs
pancakes
waffles
popcorn
Actually, now that I've listed them, it looks like a lot more than it really seems. But notice that it's a lot of junk, and there really aren't many meals in that list (and NO vegetables!). That's why meal time is such a battle. Unless I make one of those meals on the list, I hear lots of complaints, and she sits at the table forever to eat her required three bites of each item on her plate. We've tried giving her a time limit, we've tried making her sit there until it's done, we've tried punishments, we've tried everything we can think of. It's still a battle.
I wonder sometimes how she stays alive with how little she eats every day. It must be the vitamin she eats every morning (that's another story--there's only one brand of vitamins that she'll eat--I've tried different ones and she's so picky that only a certain kind will work--ugh). Lately, though, she's been saying she's hungry all the time. Growth spurt, perhaps? But when I try to get her to eat more of whatever we ate for dinner, or something healthy, she won't eat it. All she wants is junk/snacks, which I won't give her. So she goes hungry. I hate it--she's been in tears twice this week because she's hungry, but I won't let her eat what she wants to eat, and she won't eat what I've offered her to eat. I don't want her to be hungry, but neither do I want her eating more junk. I don't know what the answer is.
She's allowed to choose what she wants for breakfast (usually cheerios or toast, plus milk) and for lunch (almost always a peanut butter sandwich, sometimes bologna/cheese/crackers, plus fruit of some sort and milk). Dinner is my choice, and that's when we battle.
And then there's Rebecca. She's always been a really good eater. The problem with Rebecca is that she wants to snack all day long and when we sit down for meals, she doesn't want to eat. She'll eat most of the things we eat (though she'd really prefer most of the things on Rachel's list, she'll still eat many vegetables, meat, and fruit), but she doesn't like sitting in her high chair. She'd rather wander around and eat, which I won't let her do. Or at least sit there for a few minutes, enough time to eat a few bites, and then get down. So she fusses. So they're both fussing at mealtime, for one reason or another.
And then there's my husband. He swears up and down that he's not picky. In his defense, he will eat whatever I put in front of him, for the most part, but there really are very few foods that he enjoys (except sweets or seafood). And I want him to enjoy what I feed him. Anytime I try a new recipe (something I enjoy doing), he has to analyze it and know exactly what's in it. Usually he doesn't like it. He'll eat it, but he doesn't like it.
So dinner time is high anxiety for me. Do I try a new recipe to try and find something he enjoys? (I've actually found a couple lately!) But whatever it is, Rachel will complain, and Rebecca will want down. Sometimes I wonder why I bother. All I need to do is slap a pizza, pasta, or pancakes on the table, and everyone is happy. I could just alternate those meals and stop stressing (for a couple of weeks, anyway, until they'd get tired of it and start complaining again).
I really like to cook, but I can't enjoy it, at least not at this phase of my life, because my audience is TERRIBLE.
Just venting....there have been lots of battles lately and I'm just tired.
Wednesday, March 07, 2012
pigtails!
Rebecca's first pigtails!
I had a ponytail this morning (I don't, usually), and Rebecca was fascinated by it. I finally asked her if she wanted some, too. She said yes, so we gave it a try!
They're a little crooked, but what a cutie!
I had a ponytail this morning (I don't, usually), and Rebecca was fascinated by it. I finally asked her if she wanted some, too. She said yes, so we gave it a try!
They're a little crooked, but what a cutie!
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