Potty Training

I don't wanna...It's time consuming, messy and time consuming...oh and messy.

Have I mentioned I don't want to? Oh, I have? Ok.

Kaia is starting to get more and more interested in potty training. This morning for example she insisted on wearing underwear from 8 until 11. She sat on the potty a half a dozen times but only succeeded in peeing and pooping (once each) in her pants. Ugh. YUCK. At 11 it had been about an hour since I last got her to agree to try sitting on the potty (have I mentioned she is stubborn?) and she insisted in putting a diaper on after finally trying and not succeeding. So I put one on her. I'm not really sure if it is worth pushing or not. She really only does things on her own terms and I'm worried if I push, she will dig in her heels. I guess she's only two... I still have time... some...

Any tips and tricks you want to share with me?

My Spare Time (hahahaha)

I've been wanting to start sharing something here. It's what I do in my spare time. I know, that sounds like some kind of mommy joke. What spare time? I tell you, it's spare time I've started really forcing myself to take. Just a little bit of time when I'm not working or in the evening after the kids are in bed. It's made a world of difference to me and my mental state. So...what do I do? I create. I digital scrapbook, or digi-scrap for short. It is such a good release for me. Want to see? Here are some of my latest creations (linked to the kits I used to create them):

This hobby of mine has led me to a wonderful opportunity to design pages for the amazing kit creators at 9th and Bloom! This month for Halloween there is some exciting stuff happening that I think you should check out, especially if you like to digiscrap or you are looking to get into it!

Stuff

I am being overwhelmed by stuff. Kid stuff to be more precise. Toys, clothes, drawings, crafts, books, Legos, schoolwork....stuff.

This is my fall project. Get rid of and organize the stuff. One room at a time. I've started with Stinkerbells room. She is 2. There is no reason to still have 6 month clothes in her closet is there?

Got any links for great organizing ideas?

Some People Make Me Sick

So I was Stumbling around the internet when I came across this great blog by a mom raising a little boy who likes pink and to play with a purse, to put it simply. Her post was a response to one written by an extremely close-minded Catholic mother who feels she can't even take her kids to the park because her state allows gay marriage and now, in her opinion, they are everywhere and rubbing their, I don't know, "gayness?" in everyone's faces. She doesn't want to explain it to her kids so she's staying home.

Can I just say how sick it made me feel to read this? I literally almost threw up. This is the world I have to explain to my kids thanks to people like her. I am going to have to explain why some people choose to hate other people because of things that don't affect them or anyone else. I mean, how does it affect her to see two people who love each other and love their children playing at the park. Really? If I was her I'd be more worried about my kids wondering why I was such a hateful bitch than why little Johnny has two mommies. She can hide behind religion all she wants but the bottom line is, she is choosing to hate without reason and that is disgusting.

Alright, I'm done ranting. Back to your regularly scheduled programming....

Someone Make This For Me

Stinkerbell LOVES her tubs. Like really really loves them. She has one just about every day, at her insistence. Here's the thing though. She much prefers to play in there with the water running. Once the tub is full and I shut it off, it isn't near as much fun. Some days, if I'm playing around on the computer trying to finish something important, I've been known to let the water out and start again. Wasteful and wrong, I know.

So, here's what I need. Some sort of apparatus like they have in garden fountains and what not, that will cycle the water out of the full tub and back down through the faucet so she things that it's still filling up. Then I think she might stay in there longer than 10 minutes. Wouldn't that be nice???

Potential for Disaster

I was recently lucky enough to win tickets to see Ovo by Cirque du Soleil. Thank you Ironic Mom! The downside was I was gone to Vegas the week before and didn't have time to make plans to take anyone with me. My mom casually suggested taking Stinkerbell. Um, what? She's 2....and yeah...she's 2. At first I thought this was the worst idea ever. I mean, can you say, "Hello glaring strangers who paid good money for their seats. Have you met my screaming 2 year old who won't sit still?" If anything had the potential for disaster it was this idea.

The more I thought about it and the more I realized how hard it was going to be to find 3 people who didn't have plans for Saturday, aka tomorrow, the more I started thinking, what the hell. She's been golfing twice, which involves just sitting in the cart fooling around and being as quiet as a two year old can be while Nana and Papa hit their shots. Surely this would be similar, right?

I followed this up with a good Google search: 2 year old and Ovo which lead me to discover that
1. It was a kid friendly show - they provide booster seats for the under 4 feet tall set
2. It was a matinee - if you don't like kids do not go to a matinee....ever
3. Other kids ranging from 17 months to 3 years old (a relevant age range, I thought) had enjoyed it
4. I still had one ticket left
5. The ticket was free so if I had to leave....

So, the decision was made. She was coming with me.

This was the best decision I could've made. She was amazing! Sure she was yelling a little bit, "OOOHHH! What is that guy doing?", "Look, Mom, he's jumping!", "WOW! Look! Look!" But it was just enthusiasm for the amazing show. I figure it was the two year old version of Ooohing and Aahing. She also climbed back and forth from her seat to my lap but she only kicked the lady in front of us once so that was a success. I was the only one made slightly uncomfortable by her presence and that was made up for by the look on her face while she watched the show. She danced in her seat with the biggest grin on her face trying desperately to clap along with the beat like the rest of the audience. That memory right there is worth more than money. More than what anyone who might've been annoyed by here paid for their seats. Only a true grump could've looked at the little girl filled with joy and been angry. And if they did? I didn't see them. And if they did? I feel sorry for them.

So, thank you Cirque du Soleil for an amazing performance. I've never ever been disappointed by one of their shows (this is my third one). They are amazing and breathtaking and full of wonder. I'm so glad I got to share this with one of the little people I love the most.

Have you ever taken your kids somewhere you were worried about their behaviour and had them completely surprise you?

Third Day of School....Who knew?

Well I didn't cry on the first day but I cried today....

McQueen wanted to take the bus today so I told him we would try it. We got up this morning to a rainstorm. Awesome. So I drove him to the bus stop and he sat in the car watching for the bus. At the first bus he jumped out and went and lined up with the kids....well, it was the bus for the Catholic school so I called him back. Great. So that started his anxiety about getting on the wrong bus. He was already nervous but this made it worse. So his bus pulls up and I tell him that's the right one and he goes to get in line. The kid in front of him couldn't get his umbrella shut to get in so McQueen kept trying to get by. Then all of a sudden he just couldn't try anymore. He came flying back to the car in tears that he missed me to much and why can't I just drive him. My heart just smashed. He was too scared? Why did I make him do it?

So, I calmed him down and drove him in. All the way he was adamant that he would still take the bus home because his friend would be on it then and so it would be ok. So, I'm proud that he wants to try again...but what if he breaks down again? I won't be there?

I walked him to class and while he was at his locker I talked to his teacher. She assured him that she walks each kid right to their bus and makes sure they get on the right bus. She does this for them every day until Christmas. I love her. She was awesome reassuring him.

When I went to leave he came running over in tears. He didn't want to stay. I was shocked. He has never once done this when it came to playschool or even the last few days of kindergarten. But I think, today, with the bus incident, it just got to him. It was too much for him to handle on his own. I did get him calmed down. I did get him to agree to stay. But it hurt. I wanted to just bring him home. I don't want him to feel the anxiety that I do when I'm in a new situation. I've tried so hard to hide that from him, and here it is anyways. I know how he feels. I know how hard it is to make yourself suck it up and do it. I didn't want to make him.

So, now I'm worried that he is going to ride the bus home after school in tears. I hope not. I'm sending him all the brave/calm thoughts I can. I know he will surprise me. I know he is braver than I am.

Where Did I Go?

Wow, I disappeared for a month. What the heck? Where have I been?

The truth is...I've been nowhere. I got bogged down in life and I've finally managed to dig my way out. I've been going through some things at work and these incidents really got to me. I lost a little faith in people actually.

However, it's time to look at the brightside. It is time to fight back.

This image has popped up a few times while I've been stumbling around the internet and it really puts it all in perspective, doesn't it?

Motivational Monday

4 pounds down!!! Wooooooooo! I am pretty excited...I am also determined. I will not gain it back this week. No more roller coaster. I am going to be good. Why is being good so hard? You would think that our bodies/minds would want to be healthy... but darn it...sugar, salt and fat are just too good.

Anyways, I found a great breakfast recipe I want to try.

Cinnamon Quinoa Breakfast
Yield: approx 4 cups
1 cup quinoa, rinsed
3 cups unsweetened almond milk
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp allspice
1/2 cup raisins
1 med apple chopped small (save some for garnish)
stevia or agave to taste
1/2 cup raw walnuts, chopped
4 tbsp raw sunflower seeds
1 cup fresh organic blueberries
optional – fresh raspberries, fresh strawberries, chopped pecans or almonds, hemp seeds
Method
Combine quinoa, almond milk, cinnamon, allspice, raisins in medium sauce pan. Bring to a boil and then place lid on pan and reduce to low heat. After 5 mins stir in chopped apple and simmer for approx 5-7 mins longer. Stir and check for remaining liquid and if most is absorbed then remove from heat, leaving lid on pan and let rest for 5 mins to absorb rest of the milk. If when you peek, there is still lots of liquid, simmer for 3-5 mins longer but keeping a close eye over the pot as this mixture can easily burn if left to boil dry, then let it rest for 5 mins. Taste for sweetness and adjust to your liking with 3-5 stevia drops or a dribble of agave syrup. You may not need any additional sweetener as the raisins and apple do add a nice sweetness that may be just perfect for you. Be cautious as even these natural sugars will spike your blood sugar levels and you want to minimize this.
Top each serving with walnuts, sunflower seeds, blueberries and remaining chopped apple.

Yum, sounds good. Finally, a protein for breakfast that doesn't mean I have to eat a bunch of meat. Don't get me wrong, meat is good, just not early in the morning.

And last but not least, something motivational....

The Cutest Thing

Today when we were leaving my parents Stinkerbell was getting in on the goodbyes by saying, "Bye bye! See you! Thanks!" I thought that was so cute. However, it got ever more adorable.

We ran out into the icy cold and buckled her in as fast as we could. She was soooo tired from her horrible night of sleep last night so she was quiet in the back. She had her soother in and the only thing she said when I got in was, "Blanket." I told her that I was sorry because I didn't have a blanket in the car but if she could wait two minutes she could go in her cozy warm bed when we got home. As I was pulling out of the driveway I glanced back at her in my rear view mirror. She was leaned against the side of her car seat staring out the window. Her hand reached up and waved and in the tiniest, sweetest little voice she said, "Thank you Nana. Thank you Papa. See you..."

Motivational Monday

So all in all it was a nutty week around here. I was out of town Wednesday - Friday so we all know what that means. I was eating out and not doing it well. It also meant there was no working out to be had. So, I was expecting some pretty awful results when I weighed in tonight. Boy, was I surprised to find out I'm only up 1.2lbs. Maybe we are seeing some progress in metabolism??? One can only hope.

When I was in Calgary for teacher's convention I was lucky enough to get to go listen to a real Canadian hero, women's hockey gold medalist, Cassie Campbell. She was talking to us about how to be an effective leader. Using the experiences of an athlete fighting for her sport as an example. It was a really great talk.

She showed this video to start it off. I have seen it many times and it always feels me with an amazing sense of pride and brings tears to my eyes. I figure it was fitting today since I am finally starting to believe that maybe, just maybe, I can do this:

Motivational Monday

Here we are....another Monday. I survived another week working out and trying....oh I am trying...to eat better. To do better. I failed at the eating part this week but despite my best efforts at sabotage and thank you to the 30 Day Shred....I am down 2.9lbs. So I will celebrate. It could've been better but it could've been way worse. This week, I will do better. It will be hard but I am leaving all my cheating for the two days I am out of town.

So here is our motivation...

'It's not the size of the dog in the fight, but the size of the fight in the dog.'

- Mark Twain

Project 52 : February 5

Someday I'll get all caught up on this project. I am at least remembering to take the pictures. It is editing and posting that is slacking. The theme for this week was Reflection. I was trying to catch a reflection in the sunglasses Stinkerbell was playing with. It didn't really work but this pic was too cute to pass up:

The Most Difficult Meal of the Day

All this focus on losing weight and getting healthy and here I am, still not eating breakfast. I make plenty of great excuses about no time, no good food, makes me feel sick, etc. etc. Let's face it though, if I could just eat something in the morning I would probably eat less the rest of the day. I know I have a blood sugar crash right around 4pm and basically end up eating two suppers by the time I have a snack.

So, if you are out there and you are reading...what are your favorite quick and easy, healthy but filling breakfast ideas??

Motivational Monday

So, I am not weighing in today. Being that it is Valentine's Day and I just drowned myself in garlic butter...um...I mean went out for dinner and had crab legs and steak, I am not doing it. I will weigh in tomorrow morning. Now, I don't know that 10 hours will really make a difference but I feel like it will and well, that's all that matters. I do however have your daily dose of motivation:

Project 52: January 29

So, the theme I went with this week is sleep. Ahhhhhh, sleep, how I love thee.....

Well, in our house, since Stinkerbell came along. Sleep can be hard to come by and you never know when it will be interrupted. McQueen had me spoiled. He slept in five hour stretches right from day one. I remember always getting in crap at the hospital for letting him sleep but honestly, it was the best thing I ever did. He never ever got out of his habit of sleeping at night and into the habit of eating every two hours all night long. He stayed a good sleeper and it wasn't long before he was a great sleeper. Now Stinkerbell, on the other hand, showed me what sleepless nights are all about. Here we are 18 months later and she will still throw in a bad night here and there just to keep us all on our toes. Cry it out, don't cry it out, nothing really works long term. She sleeps through just often enough to make the nights when she doesn't extra awful.

Now that McQueen is 5 he is go, go, go, all day long. It never ceases to amaze me the energy that seems to endlessly exist in him. He is always too busy for pictures and so, since he is my good sleeper, and since stillness is not something I often see from him:

Motivational Monday

Good news today!!! Woohoo!!! I am officially 3.7 lbs less than I was last week. At last some results. I am especially excited by this because I had a rough week last week. I only got two workouts in because I was overwhelmed by sick, nonsleeping children. I was sure that I would've gotten no where.

I actually missed my workouts. Who knew that was possible? So maybe we are getting somewhere. Maybe a lifestyle change is possible. Maybe when you take enough small steps forward you can eventually cross continents.

Say What???

We all know that little kids say the darndest things, but when you hang out with teenagers all day you quickly learn that it isn't something they've grown out of. I often get asked questions that I never ever imagined I would be expected to answer. It is amazing where their minds can wander too. So, I thought I would share these two lovely questions with you so you can laugh along with me. Let's be honest here, when you teach jr. high you learn to laugh, because it is that or go sit in the corner and cry.

"Do you think you could get crabs in your beard if you had one? Or just lice?"

and

"Do all people fart dust?"

Fix You

Let me start out by saying that I hope I never know what it is like to have my children suffer something serious. I don't know how parents survive stuff like that. Little things that you cannot fix as a parent are hard enough.

Tonight, my baby girl was asleep on my chest at 6pm. That NEVER happens. She has woken up the past few mornings a little stuffy but looking ok. By the time I get off of work, she has a fever and her eyes are so puffy and watery she can barely keep them open. Yesterday she fought very hard to stay awake until bedtime. Today, I brought her home and she was very quiet. Definitely not her usual chatty self.

There were two things she was adamant about. "Up," she ordered me. I couldn't snuggle with her on the couch. I had to stand. Ok. "Walk." For my sick baby girl whose swollen eyes and runny nose are hurting my heart because she is miserable and I want to fix it. This seems a small thing I can do. So, we walk. Around and around the living room....around and around the kitchen island. When Cam came home I got a small break while she said hello, and then she let me sit with her on the couch...with one condition, "Bounce." So, we cuddled up and I bounced my leg gently rocking her against my chest. Not 10 minutes later she was out.

Sleep pretty baby. Please get well.

Motivational Monday

'We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, therefore, is not an act but a habit.' - Aristotle

So, after week one of trying to get healthy I haven't lost any weight. I haven't gained any, but still...that is kind of a bummer. I really eased myself into it though so this week I will need to work a little harder at it. I was also thinking I should take some measurements. A friend of mine told me she found that more rewarding that watching a scale because even if her weight didn't change she would see results there. So I will do that tomorrow...first I need to find a measuring tape.

I think I need to be doing some type of workout every day. No more slacking off. So...in an effort to motivate myself I introduce to you...Motivational Monday. I will find some quote/video/whatever that I find motivational/funny/whatever. Maybe it will help us on our quest...

Project 52: January 22

The theme for this week was Tired. In this house, when we are tired, we have a "Pajama Day". I know it doesn't sound all that exciting but the kids really love staying in their PJs all day and watching movies and hanging out with Mom and Dad. Sometimes we cook, sometimes we order in, but either way we just spend the day enjoying each others company. They really are the best days.

Project 52 : January 15

Slowly but surely, I'm catching up. For my Week 3 photo I chose this one:

My theme this week was cold, so I figured...what cuter way to show this than a pic of my baby girl all bundled up. Doesn't she look impressed?

Project 52 : January 8

This is a sight I see a lot these days. My daughter bringing me some random item of clothing that she insists I put on her. Now that we've reached the stage of full blown sentences and diva princess attitude, there really is no denying her. She won't forget. She won't be distracted. She will just keep repeating..."Mitts on"...."Pants on"...."Socks on"...until you either go insane or give in.

I figure of all the battles to let her win, this is one I can live with. So she looks a little dorky with one of her brother's socks on over top of her footy pjs, or mitts on inside and only one boot, or layers upon layers until she declares herself hot. She is a girl through and through and apparently, her love of fashion starts early and she is going to set the trends...not follow them.

You go little one...

Weekly Weigh In

I think I will start a weight loss page on here so I can update everything I do and if you aren't interested you won't have to look over there. Look for a tab at the top saying Road to Health and I will update there after this.

So, I officially started today. It was hard because I was so tired after being sick and then being back to work. After supper it was so tempting to just curl up on the couch. However, knowing you were here reading along and expecting something from me I had to do it. It's working already. You are giving me just that small push I need just by reading along. Thank you.

So I did Week 2 Day 2 of the Couch 2 5k. It is a 5 minute warm up walk followed by alternating 90 seconds of running and 2 minutes of walking for 21 minutes and then another 5 minute cool down walk. It was easier than Week 2 Day 1 so I must be headed in the right direction.

Then I went up and weighed in on the Wii. It was bad, but not as bad as I was expecting. I am officially 169.1 lbs. I would like to lose 30 of this. We will see, we will see. I am about 10lbs away from no longer being considered overweight. I would be happy with that for a start.

I Need to Find a Way...

....to get back to healthy.

Kids are done. No more are coming. No more excuses about how I'm just going to get fat again, so what is the point. Stinkerbell is 18 months and although she is still not a great sleeper, she is better. It is livable. No more using tired as an excuse.

I keep getting sick. I've always gotten sick in the winter but this year has taken it to a whole other place. I've gotten every single bug that has gone around. I'm tired of it. Surely, if I eat better and exercise that will help.

But it's hard....being a mom, being a teacher....it's so hard. When I have "free time" (a.k.a. when I'm ignoring the list of things I should be doing) I just want to sit. I just want to be. I don't want to work up a sweat or feel the burn or run through the pain.

So, here it is. I'm asking for some help. You are going to keep me accountable.

The Plan:

Monday - weigh in day :P

Monday, Wednesday, Friday - C25k (couch to 5k) running program

Three days minimum - 30 day shred or P90X

Every day - eat better...start tracking calories again....maybe think about weight watchers if that doesn't work.

I will update here every Monday. Help me please...cheer me on, tell me your stories (I know so many of you are doing the same thing), help me.

Project 52 : January 1

One of my resolutions this year was going to be to participate in a Project 365. Knowing myself a little better than that though, I knew that would last all of 5 days so I decided to do a Project 52 instead. This way I didn't have to drag out the camera every day; just once a week. Most weeks I'm sure it will just be pics of the tiny humans. They are pretty much the biggest part of my life. I figure you all won't mind. I mean, they are cute.

I did find some themes I will follow too. However, since I just found them, the first few weeks are just randomness.

Now, without further ado, week one. This is my tiny little diva showing off her best crocodile tears:

Business Idea

I was laying in bed today trying not to die from the pain being caused by the infection in my sinuses. While I was busy just breathing, my mom was downstairs looking after my kids and cleaning my house. She is amazing.

It got me thinking though, why is there no call-in service for moms. You could call it Moms4Moms or something like that. They could be like substitute teachers only better. They could come over and make you soup and get the tiny humans to stop climbing on you and screaming in your ear. They could change diapers and do laundry and handle naptime. They could look under the couch, or in the tiny potty, for the sippy cup your daughter has taken to hiding lately. They could turn the Wii on for your son or dress him in his winter clothes and then undress him five minutes later. They could do the one million and one things you, the mom, would normally do in a day. They could be the ultimate babysitter. So, for the first time ever since you had your first baby (unless you have a mom as wonderful as mine who just so happens to have that day off and live close by) you could really have a sick day. Remember those? Sick days?

I had forgotten how wonderful it is to just heal.

Introduction

I've been meaning to start a new blog for a while now. I had one when my son was a baby but in the crazy, hectic whirlwind that is being a mom it soon became a ghost town. Since then there have been so many changes. I am now a mom to two little monsters and while this does equal more craziness, it also means I seek out and cherish my "me-time" all that much more.

Enter: blogging

I think this will be a great way to use my time to do something that will not only offer an escape but allow me to record this time in my life that seems to be zooming by faster than Lightning McQueen (any guesses as to my son's favorite movie). It truly seems like I had my second baby and blinked and now here we are exactly 18 months later and I have no idea how she went from my tiny little lump that never let me sleep to this walking, talking, opinionated princess who knows exactly what she wants and how she wants it.

Hopefully, you will enjoy taking this ride with me as I love, laugh, cry, scream and try to hold it all together.