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Fri, Jun 27, 2008 11:55 PM
Well, I awoke this morning to Jack calling for me and telling me he was wet. (It was his usual time to be awake, about 7:30 or so.) He seemed to be calling to me from his doorway, but he didn't leave his room. I sure am glad that I did get those waterproof mattress covers. Two more of them are arriving in the mail, so I'll be able to have a spare handy for those middle of the night incidences. Until then we'll just have to improvise! Naptime was tricky, as expected. He didn't want to stay in bed, but luckily instead of getting up he just screamed from his bed. I tried laying down with him, but the novelty of that semed just too exciting, so I gave up and just let him protest for a while. He was tired and he did finally sleep.

Lauren, on the other hand, has been having a complete nap strike. I'm trying not to push it if she goes to bed at night on time, but I think she's getting a little sleep deprived. She's in such denial! Even when she can't keep her eyes open and she's falling over, she'll say "I am NOT tired!!!!" And tonight she was upset that I didn't let her sleep on TOP of her new (mostly decorative) quilt. Then she said she wanted her old bed back! Yup, that's my girl, creature of habit. Well, she has been sleeping in her crib ever since she can remember, which is at least 17 months longer than Jack. I have been enjoying reading them their stories on the big beds, because all 3 of us can fit comfortably, unlike sqeezing into the rocker.

Otherwise, today was the last day of this session's music class. I was thinking during class how they've both come a long way with their participation. At one point they were dancing around with such joy and lack of inhibition, I just felt so happy for them that they can feel so free. I'm wondering if the class will work for our schedule in the Fall because Jack's MyGym class is on the same day. I'm also wondering how much to schedule on top of school. I was thinking that Jack might enjoy soccer, and I'm pretty sure Lauren wants to continue ballet. That's a lot of activities right there!

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Thu, Jun 26, 2008 10:19 PM
Operation Big Kid Bed is a success! Phew!! Despite preparing for months on end, it still seemed to take all day, and they still both went to bed late. It only occured to me at about 5PM that I didn't have waterproof mattress covers, which are an absolute necessity with Jack's tendency to wet the bed. So a quick trip to the store solved that problem. The big mistake I made was insisting on washing them once I got home, because it took forever and held us up considerably. The only good thing about it being so late when they finally got in bed, is that they were both so exhausted! Jack didn't make a peep and Lauren only got up once to go potty. I think we may still have some period of adjustment with Jack getting up. Naptime could be especially tricky. It's a big transition from a crib tent to a full size bed. The other thing I'm worried about is them jumping around like they're on a trampoline! It's not as treacherous since they don't have headboards or footboards yet, but it still worries me. I decided to put rails on Jacks' bed because at the moment his bed sticks out into the middle of the room. He's the more fitful sleeper of the two, and I don't want him rolling off onto the floor! Lauren's bed is in a corner, so it feels more secure. It just seemed simpler than COMPLETELY rearranging his room. Plus, since we moved the desk out, I'm hoping there'll be room in there now for the train table.

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Wed, Jun 25, 2008 11:08 PM
We finally bought the big kid beds today! The cargo space in the mini-van is already paying off. We actually managed to get two full size pillowtop mattresses inside the van, and we tied the box-springs onto the roof. I'm now seeing how much the roof rails come in handy too! We got home after the kids had already gone to bed, so we couldn't put them in their rooms yet. So I'm now laundering all their bedding in preparation for installation tomorrow. I'm not really sure where the bed-rails are that are supposed to convert Jack's crib into a bed, and we still need to buy a bed frame for Lauren's bed, so I'm thinking at first we may just put the boxspring and mattress directly on the floor. That way they're not too far off the ground, eliminating a lot of the worry of falling out and climbing down etc. They may not even need step-stairs. Of course, if they were higher up and had side rails, they may not feel as inclined to get OUT of the bed. But we may not have a choice while we're trying to figure it all out!

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Mon, Jun 23, 2008 11:47 PM
Last night Jack woke up crying about jellyfish in his bed. It's the first time he's had a bad dream and he's told us about something specific. There's a scene in Finding Nemo where they're going through a field of jellyfish, so I think he was thinking of that. I think he may have felt his legs wrapped around the blanket or been grabbing his elephant that he sleeps with, and thought they were actually in the bed before he fully woke up.

We went swimming in our pool this morning and Jack actually got in the water! Both of them did very well, although ever since Lauren found out she can stand in the shallow end, she doesn't swim as much as bob around on her tippy toes. Jack has taken to swimming along the edge of the pool with one hand up over the side, which is also a bad habit. If I stand out in the middle of the pool, they like to swim out to me, and from there I'm trying to get them to remember to turn onto their backs to breathe. Jack was shivering at one point so that's when I decided we should get out. Now he's been couhging a little bit, so I'm worried he's getting whatever Lauren had. It's always something!

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Sun, Jun 22, 2008 11:50 PM
Saturday we went to a bowling birthday party for Nicholas, a friend from playgroup. I was remembering two years ago going to a party for Thomas in the same bowling alley when Jack had just learned to walk. I can't believe how much time has gone by in-between! Lauren kept saying that she doesn't like pizza, so I ordered her some chicken fingers and some mozzerella sticks, but they took about 10 minutes, and in the meantime Lauren (gasp!) ate a piece of pizza! It did look like especially good pizza, so I don't know if that was why she made an exception to her pizza embargo, or if it was just becasue she was hungry and that's what was in front of her. The lesson for me, of course, is to try to stop catering to her food whims!

Then last night we went out to dinner and it actually went OK. No major meltdowns, and I did manage to eat my entire meal instead of giving up and taking it home in defeat. I could do better at providing them things to entertain themselves with. They usually get bored with crayons after a few minutes, and they start to play with other things on the table. They did eat fairly well so that was encouraging! I think that Lauren is going through a growth spurt at the moment.

Today we had storms all day, so we were stuck inside. I had big plans to go get the beds (mattresses)for the kids, but that idea had to be on hold during some torrential downpours. Lauren and I had some fun play-dough time while Jack was napping. We've been bathing them at bedtime in our big bathtub in our master bathroom which seems like a small pool to them. I had been looking for a big oval bathmat to put in there and haven't found one anywhere. I finally put two bathmats together which seems to work fine. I'm wondering at what point we need to stop bathing them together. I don't think we're quite there yet, but I guess they'll get to the point where they're too big. Plus maybe they won't want to at some point. But actually for now they still seem to enjoy the company, so we'll continue for the time being.

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Fri, Jun 20, 2008 11:08 PM
So, It's official. I really am a soccer Mom. I did it. I bought a mini-van (Honda Odessey)on Wednesday. I thought I was just going in for a test drive, but they had exactly the model I wanted and they gave me the price I wanted, so they wouldn't let me leave without buying it and I had no argument left at that point! Traded in the old Volvo and good riddance because that car was becoming nothing but grief! The kids are excited just to have a new car. My favorite feature is the automtic dual sliding doors. I haven't really revealed the dvd feature to the kids yet because I don't want demands to watch it every time we go somewhere! The main reason for getting the mini-van is the need for a third row so that we can car-pool to school in August with other neighbors, especially Taylor down the street. But the cargo space will certainly be helpful for all kinds of upcoming projects.

Lauren's cough is all better so we finally let them back into the pool yesterday. Jack got to try out his new pirate ship float and he loves it! There's a water gun amd a blow-up sword and he can pretend to steer the wheel. We couldn't coax him out it and actually into the water - but at least he was ON the pool, if not really IN the pool.

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Tue, Jun 17, 2008 11:00 PM
Yesterday I called the doctor to check on how exactly I should go about getting more iron in Jack's diet, and I asked about Lauren's cough. She's doing a lot better, but there still is a little bit of a cough lingering. So he asked me to bring her in this morning. That meant I had to take her along to Jack's MyGym class, which was packed, so they couldn't allow her to join in. Even though I brought the portable DVD player with the Little Mermaid (per her request) and a coloring book and crayons, there was a lot of whining from the sidelines. There was even another older sibling there to keep her company, an 8 year old girl named Avery, but it didn't seem to be enough. I think she didn't like it at all that she wasn't the center of attention. So she was naturally thrilled to be the focus during her doctor visit which was immediately after class. He said that she still sounds a bit tight(whatever that means?) in her chest but that we should continue the breathing treatments (just twice a day)until the cough disappears once and for all.

Jack actually did very well in class for the most part, listening during circle times and participating in all the skills and songs and dances. We had a few moments here and there where he was shrieking for apple juice, but I was thinking back to how it was when we first started and how far he's come. I think it's going to be a good preparation for pre-school in the Fall.

And Jack did very well peeing on the potty this morning when he woke up! It now seems to be understood that he will get to pick out a monster truck at the store if he ever poops on the potty. Of course, that will be a HUGE leap forward, because at the moment he won't even admit to having pooped, even when I can smell that dirty diaper from across the room! I think we first need to get to the stepping stone of him telling me that he has gone before we can get to the point where he'll tell me he needs to go. I also need to get better at putting him on there at times when he's more likely to produce something. He's not always agreeable to sitting there, but he's not bad, considering it's just been a few weeks. I'm trying not to stock up too much on pull-ups, in the hopes that soon he will be in big-boy underwear. So far I think I like the Pampers better than the Huggies if I can just get over the way they smell. If I take them out of the package and let them air out they become . . . tolerable. I know, I know, I'm so picky. So sue me!

Mike told me today that he took the extra web-cam that we got for our trip to Barcelona to his office at USF. That means we can now do video-conference with him at his office! That should be good for those long days when he's gone all day and has a class at night. Isn't technology a marvelous thing?

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Sun, Jun 15, 2008 11:35 PM
Happy Father's Day to all the Dads out there, but especially to Mike. I know Lauren and Jack think the world of you every day, but especially on this day which is just for you! Today we allowed Daddy to sleep in late, which was probably the best present, then after a few more gifts we took him to a relaxed bruch, and then we spent a quiet afternoon at home. Not the most exciting day perhaps, but filled with fun and indoor remote control mini helicopter flights and watching the Bee Movie among other hi-lights. The best gift you give to the children is your presence, Mike, and you are so generous with it!They are so lucky to enjoy so much of your time.

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Fri, Jun 13, 2008 9:20 PM
Sorry for such a long blog drought! Our trip to Barcelona didn't allow too much internet access, then when we returned it was Jack's Birthday. Then we had Aunti Tati's departure (sniff) and Jack's party at MyGym. Then I had to deal with getting both Lauren and Jack to the doctor this week. Lauren has had a slight cough since before we left on our trip, but it worsened the whole week we were gone and once we returned, was actually keeping her from falling asleep at night. So luckily I was able to get her right into the doctor, and he said she had a slight bronchitis and also some fluid in the ear that could be the early stages of an ear infection. He gave her a breathing treatment with a nebulizer in the office, and then decided to lend us a nebulizer to take home. And he also gave her a three day dose of anti-biotics which is apparently helpful for lung infections.

So we've been staying out of the pool until the cough goes away, which is hard in this oppressive heat. But it's officially hurrricane season and we've been also getting some nasty storms at their usual 4PM time, right when we're up from naps and ready to play. Oh well.

Jack had his 3 year appointment and he's in the 95th percentile for both height and weight, 41 inches and 38 pounds. (He really is gaining on Lauren!) They said his iron is a little low, so I've been trying to figure out what to do about it. Oddly enough, their gummy vitamins do not seem to include iron. I might need to go back to the vitamin drops that we used when they were babies which have iron in them. I used to give Jack baby oatmeal every morning, but he's been refusing that for a while now, so that was probably a good source of his daily iron right there. Oh yeah, and I asked the doctor about a referral to an allergist because he had some very bad insect bites while we were away and he had some pretty severe reactions. He actually gave me a prescription for an EPI pen, which is frightening, but I suppose you just really hope it's never going to be so bad that you have to use it.

We went to a free movie on Thursday at the mall which was fun. I am most impressed by the fact that we spent the entire morning there and I didn't buy a single thing! The kids both loved the play area, we rode on the carousel, and we had lunch in the food court. Jack learned how to jump off this big hamburger thing in the play area with both his feet, and he then proceeded to do it about 100 times. He looked like Spiderman leaping around. I can't believe he didn't hurt himself, but the hamburger thing was padded and the floor was carpeted. I had a million heart attacks, but I did my best not to hover TOO much!

And the most exciting news is that Aunti Tati really gave us a jump start on the potty training! Jack has been peeing in the potty at every diaper change! Yipppee! Tatiana actually started using pull-ups all the time, so I don't think I should go back to diapers if we can help it. My main concern was that they're not absorbant enough, but since he's peeing so much more in the potty and I'm changing him more often, it hasn't been a problem at all. I have this huge bag of pull-ups that a neighbor gave me when her son finally was through with them. I still need to experiment with which ones to use. The Huggies still do leave a blue stain on his legs. I like the Pampers from the neighbor, but I wonder if they make them that way still. I also want to try the Target brand. Hopefully we won't stay in this phase too long and can go into actual underwear. But we need to deal with the poop issue first though. I refuse to wash out poopy underpants on a regular basis! We have until August 20 (first day of preschool) as a deadline to be working toward.

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