Where did I leave off?

Oh yeah, before naptime. Hmm, things got much rougher after naps. Neither of them slept long so I knew it would be a long evening. At one point Max asked if he could go upstairs and watch Willy Wonka. Heck Yeah!! So I put it on for him and Alex decided to stay up there with him. A bit later Max came down and was asking for cartoons in the basement again. I said that was fine, but he had to go get Alex. Next thing I know I can hear Max puking through the baby monitor. I rushed upstairs thinking he was sicker than he seemed only to find out that Alex "did something gross to the chair." I started panicking thinking it was poop or something. Phew, I was lucky. It was just caramel dip from McDonalds. It was all over the front of Alex, drizzled all over the chair cover on the kitchen chair and spots on the floor. Max has such a weak stomach I guess that grossed him out. It didn't bother me, but it sure was sticky to clean up. Alex still smells like caramel and I've given him two Popsicles since then. I know, I'm a terrible mother, but his teeth hurt him and the Popsicles make him feel better. At least that's what I tell myself.

Anyway, diverting any more crisis, Max played on his Smart Cycle and V-smile and I put Alex to bed. Since then, Max is watching cartoons while playing with my hair. His favorite thing to do. I even bribed him to pick up some toys by telling him he could have chocolate milk. Bad mommy award again, I know, but I had to get through the last few hours of this weekend somehow.

Since I posted pictures of Alex earlier, I thought it only fair to show off Max a bit. I got a cute video of him dancing this morning and Tim got one the other day of him playing his guitar and singing. He isn't very good, but we love him anyway!!


Photo Sharing - Video Sharing - Photo Printing - Photo Books

Photo Sharing - Video Sharing - Photo Printing - Photo Books

I'm sure I could write tons more since this is my only adult conversation today, but I really need a nap before work tonight. I'm going to lay down now and hope Tim gets home soon to put Max to bed. Thanks for reading today and hopefully I'm in a better mood the next time you hear from me.

New rule!

Tim can't work weekends anymore when I'm home. These kids are making me crazy. Max still has a bit of a fever until I medicate him. When he is feverish, he's a whiny-butt. Alex is clingy and teething and driving me up the wall. I can't even go to the bathroom by myself. Not that I've been able to in the last 4 years, but it's getting worse. He screams anytime I leave his sight.

Also, his new favorite word is "Mine" and he uses it anytime Max has something in his hands. If it is Alex's I feel bad and make Max give it to him, but half the time it's not even his. This is all going to end soon, right?? If Alex is as bad at 2 as Max was, I'm not sure I'm going to make it through the next 2 years. I'll be in the loony bin for sure.

Otherwise things are going well this weekend. Considering it's freezing and blowing outside and we are cooped up in the house. They do have awesome moments of playing alone or with each other. I got a great video of Max dancing to Lazy Town. It's still on the camera though so I'll have to post it later. He is such a ham. Here are a few pictures I took the other day.....

Goofball!









Max hamming it up!



Yes, his hair is definitely red!! It's not the lighting.

We have the sickies!!

Alex doesn't seem to be sick, but I'm sure it's right around the corner. He is definitely teething because I can see several swollen spots on his gums. He's been pulling on his ears and miserable so hopefully it happens sooner rather than later.

The sickies are all from Max. Tim called me this morning (unfortunately I was in a mandatory meeting) to tell me Max couldn't go to school today and I needed to hurry home so he could get to work. He had a fever last night and threw up once. I'm guessing now the throwing up was from sinus drainage because today is he coughing like crazy. His temp has gone from 102.9 when I first checked it a few hours ago, to 103.2 after giving him Tylenol. What's up with that?? Anyway, the cough medicine I gave him doesn't seem to be helping much either. I feel so bad for him. He has a headache and all over body aches. He keeps telling me he's cold, but obviously he's burning up. I have him in light PJs and let him use a blanket, but I'm sure that's contributing to the temp not coming down.

What a way to spend my two days off. I had plans to do lots of cleaning up around the house, but now I'm thinking I won't get to most of it. Tim has to work all weekend and he's been gone long days so I don't anticipate much help. Oh well, them's the breaks when you decide to have kids.

I just wanted to do a quick post, I'm off now to cuddle with Max and see if I can help him feel any better. I can hear Tim upstairs trying to get Alex back to sleep so I'm sure we are in for a long night!

Hope everyone reading has a great weekend!!

Yikes! Time for an update!

Max has been having a good week. When I told him Monday morning that he was staying home from school he was so sad. But then we told him we were doing something special with him and he was cool with it. We did end up taking him to the indoor waterpark in Shipshewana. He had a blast. Afterwards we went for lunch at an Amish restaurant and headed home. We played for a bit and then headed out to get Alex. We've been talking since we moved about getting a sectional couch for the basement and now that taxes are on their way I decided it was time. So, we stopped and did that on the way home. 3 years same as cash so I'll probably take my time paying for it since we have other bills to get rid of first, but it was the best purchase ever. It arrived yesterday and we all love it already. I couldn't get a good picture because it's so big, but here is what I could get....


Photo Sharing - Video Sharing - Photo Printing - Photo Books

Max has been behaving much better lately too. I think alot has to do with the changes that I've made as well. I am really loving this book that I'm reading about spirited kids. Not only am I learned ways to work with him, I'm learning alot about the way I work as well. I'm about half way through and I can't wait to finish it so I can read it again. I know that sounds silly, but I want to make sure I remember all this stuff and don't forget anything.

Even though he has been behaving, this week hasn't been without it's incidents. I got a call yesterday morning that there was an accident at school. Max and Cullen (of course) were playing and Cullen accidentally knocked Max down. When Max fell, he hit his forehead on the floor and got a huge bruise. They iced him up and he was fine, but they wanted to let me know. When I went to pick them up, darned if Alex didn't have a report of his own. He was in the infant room for awhile and pulled a high chair down on top of himself trying to climb into it. He also got a bump on the head, but his wasn't as bad. I guess I should be thankful that neither of them required stitches or a cast. I don't doubt that will come soon though.

Tonight is my 4th night in a row and I am beat!! I did sleep pretty well today though, so I'm hoping to make it through this one last shift. I have the next two nights off and then I work every night next week except Tuesday. YUCK!! Having a midweek break will definitely help though. And I really shouldn't complain because Tim is definitely getting the raw end of this deal. Alex is cutting his fourth tooth. You can see it, it just hasn't broken through. He has been up quite a bit every night. Tim doesn't have the "mommy" ability to fall right back to sleep so he's pretty tired too. And working longer hours than usual. If I don't get enough sleep, only I am to blame because at least the house is quiet and empty when I'm here. It's just too bright!

I guess for now I don't have much else to add. I'm sure I've missed something, but Lost is on and I need to get to watching it so my mind is there instead of here. Since I'm off all weekend I'll try to catch up better then.

SuperBowl Sunday

Not sure if there is a time stamp on this post, but if there is, you read it right. It's 4am and I am wide awake. I had to work at 11 and I'm having sinus issues to I took an allergy pill. It was slow so they sent me home, but my brain is racing so I can't sleep. I figured I should come post since I'm always too tired during the day.

First off I'll update on Max. The day after my last post he decided he wasn't staying at school when Tim got there to drop him off. I got home just before they left so I'm sure that had something to do with it. Tim told him he would have to stay in his room, no toys, to TV all day and he still chose to come home rather than stay there. Tim decided to stay home as well because A) he was mad and B) he knew I needed to sleep and wouldn't be able to enforce Max staying in his room. We sat down and had breakfast with him. Lots of questions trying to find out what in the world could be wrong that he didn't want to be there. His answer continues to be that Cullen doesn't like him, won't play with him, etc. After breakfast he spent 2.5 hours in his room while I slept. Tim said he came out for lunch and then went right back up for his nap. At lunch time Tim talked to him some more but he still didn't have much to say. I woke up when he was getting up from his nap. He spent the rest of the afternoon and evening reading books, coloring, and hanging out bored in the living room because we wouldn't let him play on his computer or watch cartoons. He couldn't wait to go back the next day!!

I talked to the director and his teacher when I went to pick up Alex. I was curious to see if they noticed something that maybe he didn't tell us about, or we didn't notice. Everyone is pretty confused, but Tim and I decided that having company two weekends in a row and lack of sleep probably had a lot to do with it. His teacher said that she has seen Cullen say things to Max that most kids would probably ignore, but Max just reacts more heavily. He is mean to all of the kids sometimes, but at the same time, he and Max have spurts where they love to play together and would be angry to be separated. She also said that Max seems to do really well in groups of 2 or 3, but when the whole class does something together he has a little harder time. He's also quite particular about change. He has "his" seat and if anyone else sits in it, he freaks out. A little OCD maybe? Haha! He's also very in tune with the daily schedule and lets Sarah know if she's falling behind. He can't even tell time, but he'll point out all day long that it's time to do such and such and she said he's usually right on the nose.

I've been reading Raising Your Spirited Child and it is all beginning to make sense. He is more perceptive, energetic, intense, and a few other things than most kids. I'm finding that only 100 pages in I understand him a whole lot better. If I can think before I speak, he and I could probably get along a lot better and I may be able to help him adapt to change and other issues better. I'm hoping I continue to get as much from this book as I read on as I have so far. I think Tim is even going to read it when I'm done. I'd love to have his teacher read it too, but I'm probably just going to have to convey the important parts to her. He did great the rest of the week and has been better at home too. I honestly think he figured if he came home he would get to play and have fun with mommy. We told him what would happen and we were very good about holding to that. But we didn't just ignore him either, we made sure to talk to him and get him to talk to us. We want him to know that we love him no matter what, but sometimes his actions aren't acceptable. He needed to test our threats and we passed, but it worked out for all parties involved.

Alex has been having a rough time the last few nights too. He had his 15 month well check on Tuesday. He is in the 10th percentile for weight and 25th for height. Little peanut! He had to have two shots and it's either those, teeth, or possibly another ear infection, but Tim said he has not been sleeping the last few nights. He wakes up crying quite often and isn't as consolable as he usually is. Normally we stick a pacifier in his mouth and he goes right back to sleep. When I got home tonight I checked on them first and Alex is sleeping cuddled up to Tim right now. It was so sweet. I'm hoping it's just teeth. He had a few days where he didn't eat very good. Add that to the crankiness and not sleeping and I'm thinking it is teeth. That's a good thing though because 3 just doesn't seem like enough for someone who likes to eat as much as he does.

I guess I don't have much else to update on. I'm pretty sure that Monday we are going to keep Max home from school and do something fun with him. I think he needs a mommy/daddy/Max day, and since it was Tim's idea we'll most likely do it. If he makes it through the next two nights, it will also be day #7 waking up dry so maybe we'll let him pick out a TV. I want to get him one with a timer and built in DVD player so we can control how much he is able to watch. I want to limit it to 30 minutes each night before bed, and he'll have to start going to bed earlier. I'm not sure he'll notice though and it will be a nice evening break for me. Tim also wants to take him to an indoor water park about an hour away from here so I'm sure that's where we will be heading.

Hmm, I need to post more often because I feel like I've been typing forever. If I updated more often I probably wouldn't have so much to talk about all at once. We have no plans for today other that watching football this evening but I should get to bed anyway. If I stay away for too long, let me know so I can get back in here quicker!