Do me a solid?

I just started writing about YA Fiction. And getting paid for it. Amazing. It's hard having to write in complete sentences and use grownup words, but I think I can do it. Anyway, the more people subscribe and read it. Or well, really, you just have to look at it. You can click on the little link and then take a nap, that's fine. As long as the computer thinks you're reading it, I'll make some money. So far I've made a whole dollar. So subscribe bitches! http://www.examiner.com/x-36817-Albany-Young-Adult-Fiction-Examiner

Are you watching Modern Family? You should be.

My girls have yet to fall asleep. The dishes have yet to wash themselves. But it's all good. My heart is filled with glee and I burst into song randomly. All is right with the world.

Read and post comments | Send to a friend

A-ha! Not the band

I *should* be on the treadmill right now but I am not. But I am also not eating the bag of cheese doodles in my closet so I think it's okay.

I've had a breakthrough. One of those breakthroughs I have to blog about right away. One of those breakthroughs that make me say "Duh." The best part of my new life--the social talking to people one--is that every once in a while one of  my mom friends will say something or do something that is so obviously want I need to hear (most often said unintentionally).

I've always felt that I had more control over SkyWalker when he was younger than I do over the Princess now and I never really understood why. I know that they are different children. He was much calmer than she is now (although he's CRAZY now). But I think I finally realized that I did this to myself. I'm not saying that she is out of control--she's not--or that she is "in charge"--she's not. But I often feel like I'm walking on eggshells with her or that everything is a struggle. Anyway, this is not an excuse, but I realized today that when I got pregnant with Chewie she was only 17 months old. 17 months! From that time until she was 2 I spent much of it with my head in the toilet. Pregnancy is hard enough without "morning" sickness that lasts for months. So at the very same time that she started to test the limits, I was at my weakest. I didn't have the energy. I couldn't fight TWO children when I was running to the bathroom. So I didn't. And there's also the fact that I have worried about her since I was 20 weeks pregnant with her--she has had THREE surgeries. She has gone under anesthesia THREE times. Been cut open. I think it's natural for me to want to just make her happy. She's also way more emotional than SkyWalker ever was and prone to tantrums over the most ridiculous things. So when I go upstairs in the morning to feed Chewie and she starts whining that she wants to go downstairs and I know what she really wants to do is watch Curious George and I really don't want her to, I wind up feeding Chewie downstairs even though I don't want to because I don't want to deal with a tantrum in the morning. I don't ever want to deal with a tantrum. There are so many things going on--I don't want the tantrum; she's more emotional and prone to it; she talks so damn well I forget she's only 2 1/2 and I think she will listen to reason; I just want her to be happy. I will frequently say "Stop the whining, I don't want any more whining!" as I am fulfilling whatever request she is whining about.

And then my friend mentioned how when her daughter is whining or crying she does not respond at all. Seems simple really. She just doesn't even listen/talk to her daughter at all. She doesn't try to reason or explain. So the last two days I have been standing my ground a lot more and I have been completely ignoring the tantrums. And we have had the most pleasant time. She eventually gets over it and moves on. I'm not rewarding her with the attention she's looking for with the crying. I think I keep forgetting that she's only 2 1/2 because of how well she speaks and I'm also forgetting that I can't use the same techniques on both her and SkyWalker. He's 5. He needs the explanation, he listens to reason most of the time, he's a big boy. She's still very much a little girl. 

I focus so much of my parenting behavior on SkyWalker and sometimes forget my Princess. Someone remind me of this 2 years from now when Chewie starts going crazy.

Read and post comments | Send to a friend

What the haps?

It's increasingly difficult to find the time to blog... sometimes I really feel like my entire day is spent feeding people and cleaning up after them. If it wasn't for the iPod touch I would never be online at all. 

1. Chewie is doing great with the solids. I am so glad I waited until 6 months. I just started her on lunch this week. I've done everything on my own, except the cereal and prunes. She's had peaches and pears and sweet potato and green beans. I think I'll start peas soon. I did prunes this past week and they definitely worked. She seems to have her brother's habits and if I can get her to like prunes now I can avoid the miralax later! She's still nursing great & sleeping great and I barely remember her not sleeping 12 hours a night. Which is why I need to blog more so I'll remember things like that. 

2. The Princess just got over a bad fever. It must have been a virus, but the only real symptom was the fever. Her urine was clear and that was the big thing we were worried about. She complained about her tummy hurting, but never vomited or had diarrhea. She is almost never sick so it's always weird when it's her... it was much better than when she was 10-11 months old though. At least this time she could communicate with me and tell me what was going on & I could see that she wasn't in any pain peeing. But 104 fevers are just no fun, regardless of the source. It's funny, whenever I see someone say something about a fever and it's 99 or 100 I feel like saying that Crocodile Dundee line "That's not a [fever], *this* is a [fever]!" It's tiring when the others are sick, but when it's the Princess there's an extra level of worry that makes it emotionally exhausting.

3. SkyWalker has been home for a week and goes back to school tomorrow and I think we are both glad. It's been a good break with Vader home a lot & holiday distractions, but we both need to get back to our routines. And the girls and I need to leave the damn house.

4. Vader and I saw Clutch at a local venue. I enjoyed the show, but Vader was disappointed that they played all the songs from one of his least favorite albums instead of a mix of all 6. I'm glad we saw them in NYC first because they were much better there. I spent half the night worrying about the Princess (it was the first night of her fever) but it was still good to get out.

5. Christmas was good. SkyWalker got a big boy bike. The Princess got a little girl rocking chair. Chewie got the shaft. No, not really, she got her first doll & lots of practical things. They were all happy with the socks & underwear in their stockings (Chewie got diapers in hers because Santa is wicked funny). Because SkyWalker was happy with the long johns & underwear & crayons & chapstick & non toy items, the Princess was too. Santa did good with the bike & rocking chair and a couple of small things, but the rest was up to us & it seemed to work out well. 

6. We HAD New Year's Eve plans, for the first time since before I was pregnant with SkyWalker, but alas we could not attend because of the Princess and her fever. I was bummed & seeing the happy fun pictures of everybody made me bummed more, but I'm focusing on the fact that we had plans at all & that I was prepared to leave my children (for the second time that week) to do so. Which is huge for me. We DVR'd the ball drop since we didn't stay up and then we all watched it together the next day.

7. 2/3 children are now awake. I'd better pee while I can.

Read and post comments | Send to a friend