Yep, I lost it.
To fully explain we have to go back to last night....ok, really we have to go back before Christmas.
Every once in a while, Matthew and I get fed up with all the toys, stuffed animals, and baby dolls all over the house-mostly it happens when the girls sit arguing, fighting, and screaming over one when they are surrounded by what seems like hundreds.
We constantly remind them there are other toys to choose from. Threaten to throw away the 'other' toys if they just don't love them enough to play with them anymore...but never follow through.
Idle threats...
Well, just before Christmas I hit the breaking point.
Madison was having a particularly selfish day and not sharing. I asked her to pick her favorite stuffed animal and tell it goodbye because it was going to live with another child. I said this would continue to happen if she continued this behavior until all the animals were gone. She chose Beckett the Panda- the bear she and Kennedy won in a drawing at a Border's children's reading time. She cried as she hugged Beckett and I put him on top of the overflowing Goodwill bag.
Unfortunately, Christmas, shop orders, and prepping for our trip kept us super busy and Beckett, along with our Goodwill bag sat in the laundry room for weeks. Madison didn't believe Beckett was really gone for good because she saw him almost every day.
When we got back from our east coast trip, Matthew and I did a little quick 'cleaning' while the girls were in the tub one night and cleared out some of the broken, baby, or unused toys. We had a throw out pile and another Goodwill bag. We quickly loaded my trunk before I could change my mind (why am I so attached to some of these things?!) or the girls took notice.
No harm, no foul- the next day I made the drop unbeknownst to the girls.
Everything was going smoothly until Madison started school this week learning about the letter 'P'. She was trying to decide what to take as her 'share' when her teacher helper recommended a panda. humpf- thanks a bunch!
Madison asked about Beckett when we got home and I reminded her he went to live with another little boy or girl. She fell over into a huge crying fit. We talked about how some children don't have any of the nice things she does and they needed Beckett more. By this time we were close to nap time so she went to bed and forgot.
Last night she was grossly overtired, nestled in her bed when out of nowhere she started crying... 'mama....mama...mama'. I went into their room thinking it was Kennedy crying. As I walked in Madison popped her head up and cried, 'I Want BECKETT!'
I lost it.
I used the 'mean voice'.
I looked her square in her eye and started in on 'the speech'. You know the one....
'Madison Elizabeth-you stop crying RIGHT NOW. You are being a selfish, selfish brat. Beckett went to live with another little girl or boy and this is why. You have so many nice things you don't even appreciate. Do you know, there are lots of little children who don't have the nice things you do? They don't have mommies and daddies, or a nice big house, or beds full of animals and babies like you do. They don't have little sister's to share with or a million toys like you do. You need to stop being so rude, and so mean and go to sleep RIGHT NOW!'
I walked away shaking I was so mad. Then I realized what I'd done. Not the speech-though it was not one of my finer moments-but before that.
I spoiled my child.
Both of them for that matter.
They never (EVER) want for anything. They have more clothes than their closets can hold, more toys than Toys R Us, practically every animal Build-a-Bear makes, dress up coming out their ears-I have turned my girls into selfish brats.
How do I fix this? How do I make them understand how good they have it? I know my parents felt this way about my brothers and me when we were younger, but I'm pretty sure it wasn't this bad.
Tonight it happened all over again. Both girls throwing fits over one little piece of a wooden toy set (Melissa and Doug's Birthday Cake set). The set has at least 10 of the exact same piece (cake toppings)- but they both wanted THAT one. I walked away from the dinner dishes, over to where they were playing, asked Kennedy to give me the piece, say goodbye to it, Madison did the same, then I walked it over and threw it away (most of these little round discs were already thrown away or lost because Kennedy used them as teethers when she was younger). Then we had 'the speech' again.
How to I make them understand? How do I get them to appreciate what they have? How do we make the fits stop? How do we get them to share without tears?
How can we fix this?
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
12:30am
Last night at 12:30am I was up, working on my personal blog and updating the shop with new products.
Kennedy started fussing a little...wimpering, then quietly calling, 'mama...mama'.
Typically we let her cry it out a little in the middle of the night instead of running right in to pick her up.
Well tonight, maybe 60 seconds went by and she went from the quiet fussing to the super irritated, 'MAAHH ME!'
She sounded like she was scolding me.
I couldn't help but laugh- then run in to quiet her from waking her sister.
When I rushed it she announced, 'I has go tee tee on da potty seat'
I scooped her up, ran her into the bathroom, clicked on the florescent light, plopped her on the potty seat, then looked at her sweet face. Her eyes were still shut. She bobbed her head down on my shoulder, hugged me, then went potty right there on the potty seat- in the middle of the night.
I wiped and put her back together, carried her back to her room and put her back in her crib with not so much as another peep.
I'm still not convinced she was completely awake, but WOW! Day 5 of full time big girl panties and she's already a pro!
Go Kennedy!
Kennedy started fussing a little...wimpering, then quietly calling, 'mama...mama'.
Typically we let her cry it out a little in the middle of the night instead of running right in to pick her up.
Well tonight, maybe 60 seconds went by and she went from the quiet fussing to the super irritated, 'MAAHH ME!'
She sounded like she was scolding me.
I couldn't help but laugh- then run in to quiet her from waking her sister.
When I rushed it she announced, 'I has go tee tee on da potty seat'
I scooped her up, ran her into the bathroom, clicked on the florescent light, plopped her on the potty seat, then looked at her sweet face. Her eyes were still shut. She bobbed her head down on my shoulder, hugged me, then went potty right there on the potty seat- in the middle of the night.
I wiped and put her back together, carried her back to her room and put her back in her crib with not so much as another peep.
I'm still not convinced she was completely awake, but WOW! Day 5 of full time big girl panties and she's already a pro!
Go Kennedy!
Monday, January 17, 2011
Day 4-Potty Extravaganza
Yep- I know, we've been a little MIA here in family blog land.
As always, so much to catch up on, let's start with the present.
Today is day 4 of Kennedy in big girl panties full time.
You may remember a few months ago we gave it a go- but Daddy decided it was a bit too much commitment at the time, so back to diapers she went. Not because SHE wasn't ready- but because we were being lazy parents.
It's true. I'm not afraid to admit it.
Last Friday I decided it was time. She's been ready- and we needed to commit.
So, she woke up, ditched the diaper, tee teed on the potty seat, doned the big girl panties, and we headed off to school. One of the rules of Madison's school is that you must be potty trained before enrolling. Since Kennedy is not an actual student (remember she just goes to the 2-3 yr old class while Mommy helps with snack) they haven't pushed the issue with her.
Her teacher, Miss Kathi took her to the potty with the class twice during snack prep, but she didn't go either time.
She was a rockstar all day, though. One time she had 2 drops in her panties, so we changed them. Otherwise, she was dry all day long! We still put her in a 'sleeping diaper' at naptime and overnight but the day was fantastic! She even pooped in the potty seat a ton!
Day 2 we were all home- Saturday. She did great. Only one big accident in the morning. She got up, went on the potty seat, did what she needed to do, doned the big girl panties and went off to play. 10 minutes later she said her big girl panties were all wet. Seems we may need to do more monitoring first thing in the morning, Otherwise, another perfect day.
Then there is Day 3- Sunday. Uncle Dan and Cousin Lisa came in mid-afternoon Saturday to watch the Steelers game and ended up spending the night. Seems Kennedy was rather distracted by our guests as she had 3 major accidents before 10am. Then our friends, Angie, Chris and Noah came over and the accidents continued. 5 before lunch time....and not just tinkles. The afternoon was much better and the evening was perfect.
Today is Day 4- so far so good. One tiny accident, but it was after almost 2 hours of playing outside with Madison and Mommy in the dirt and mud (and on the swing set)
Seems diapers are quickly becoming a thing of the past around here....for real this time!
As always, so much to catch up on, let's start with the present.
Today is day 4 of Kennedy in big girl panties full time.
You may remember a few months ago we gave it a go- but Daddy decided it was a bit too much commitment at the time, so back to diapers she went. Not because SHE wasn't ready- but because we were being lazy parents.
It's true. I'm not afraid to admit it.
Last Friday I decided it was time. She's been ready- and we needed to commit.
So, she woke up, ditched the diaper, tee teed on the potty seat, doned the big girl panties, and we headed off to school. One of the rules of Madison's school is that you must be potty trained before enrolling. Since Kennedy is not an actual student (remember she just goes to the 2-3 yr old class while Mommy helps with snack) they haven't pushed the issue with her.
Her teacher, Miss Kathi took her to the potty with the class twice during snack prep, but she didn't go either time.
She was a rockstar all day, though. One time she had 2 drops in her panties, so we changed them. Otherwise, she was dry all day long! We still put her in a 'sleeping diaper' at naptime and overnight but the day was fantastic! She even pooped in the potty seat a ton!
Day 2 we were all home- Saturday. She did great. Only one big accident in the morning. She got up, went on the potty seat, did what she needed to do, doned the big girl panties and went off to play. 10 minutes later she said her big girl panties were all wet. Seems we may need to do more monitoring first thing in the morning, Otherwise, another perfect day.
Then there is Day 3- Sunday. Uncle Dan and Cousin Lisa came in mid-afternoon Saturday to watch the Steelers game and ended up spending the night. Seems Kennedy was rather distracted by our guests as she had 3 major accidents before 10am. Then our friends, Angie, Chris and Noah came over and the accidents continued. 5 before lunch time....and not just tinkles. The afternoon was much better and the evening was perfect.
Today is Day 4- so far so good. One tiny accident, but it was after almost 2 hours of playing outside with Madison and Mommy in the dirt and mud (and on the swing set)
Seems diapers are quickly becoming a thing of the past around here....for real this time!
January
The calendar says January 17, 2011
The current outside temperature in the Southern California High Desert is 77.7 degrees at 2 o'clock in the afternoon.
Did I miss the memo?
Is today opposite day?
The current outside temperature in the Southern California High Desert is 77.7 degrees at 2 o'clock in the afternoon.
Did I miss the memo?
Is today opposite day?
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