Yesterday Sam said, "Mommy potty!" the proceeded to strip his lower half. Then he proceeded to play (for a half hour or so), eat dinner (for a half hour or so) and play some more, all without producing any potty. For the past few weeks Jason and I have been trying to motivate Sam to use the potty some (he hasn't wanted to use it at all) so I started with jelly beans and told Sam he'd get 2 jelly beans. He was not interested in jelly beans. So we said if he started using the potty he would get a car. Still nothing. But last night all of a sudden, after running around half naked for a good hour or two, he ran to the potty, produced some potty and said, "I get a new car!"
To make the event more momentous, Jason took him to Target to pick out a new car. I then made a chart so Sam could start earning stickers to work toward future cars. When the boys got back I told Sam about the system. He earns a sticker every time he uses the potty and when he reaches 5 he gets a new car. Jason had purchased a number of new cars so Sam knew there were some waiting for him. Sam then went to the potty and started straining and grunting to produce more to work toward a car. The poor kid. Jason and I were stifling laughs in the kitchen while Sam was straining and working at producing something, anything. We told him to try reading a book or magazine, but he preferred to strain and grunt. He eventually did pee and earned a sticker and we talked about how many stickers he had remaining. He seemed to understand that he had to get some more stickers for him to receive a new car.
Fast forward to this morning. Jason and Sam went downstairs for breakfast while Matthew and I got ready upstairs. I heard Jason leave and Sam was by himself downstairs. I couldn't hear anything, but figured he was probably eating breakfast or something like that. However, when Matthew and I made our way downstairs, Sam ran over to me and exclaimed, "I get new cars!" He had found the stickers for the potty chart and filled in two rows. I told him that was cheating, but he said it wasn't. Explaining cheating to a two year old is not easy, so I just told him that he had to earn those stickers and they didn't count toward a new car. For some reason, his actions really remind me of Jason...
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
The good and the bad
This morning Sam didn't come in to our room punctually at 6:40AM which he usually does, which is when his clock turns yellow. I thought maybe he was sleeping in as we had gotten to bed late last night. At around 7AM I heard his door open, but then he never emerged in our room. I waited a few minutes thinking he had maybe gone downstairs (which would be very unusual), but didn't hear him downstairs talking to Jason or anything like that. At 7:10AM I decided to check his room and found him reading by the sliver of light coming through his window shade and still in bed because the clock was blue. It hadn't turned yellow at 6:40 like it's supposed to. I went over to the clock and manually changed it to yellow at which point Sam excitedly got out of bed and exclaimed, "My clock is yellow!" Our color-changing clock has obviously worked.
That was the good. Now for the bad. Due to Matthew eagerness to climb up stairs, but inability to climb down them without serious injury, we now have gates at the top and bottom of our stairs. A few times a day Sam, Matthew and I all trek up the stairs, full of giggles and excitement. However, Sam likes to encourage Matthew to climb up the stairs more often. Sam sometimes stands on the stair-side of the gate at the bottom of the stairs and Matthew, of course, eagerly crawls over to him. Matthew then pulls himself up onto the gate and shakes it like a convicted felon while Sam laughs and encourages him. I usually rush over at this point to get Matthew down (the gate is up one stair) so he doesn't fall backward and hurt himself. Sam never played on the stairs like this before, just when we installed the gate. What's even worse is that Sam will hold the gate open for Matthew to climb through, which he of course, does eagerly. To Matthew it's a game. He gets to climb up the stairs and Mommy runs after him which he giggles about. After a few times of Sam holding the gate open, me retrieving Matthew and him giggling, Matthew realizes that it's not a game, but actually he's being restrained which results in crying and screaming. I have not figured out how to deter Sam from holding the gate open. Time outs don't work. Spanking doesn't work. Nothing works. He just keeps doing it. Any suggestions?
That was the good. Now for the bad. Due to Matthew eagerness to climb up stairs, but inability to climb down them without serious injury, we now have gates at the top and bottom of our stairs. A few times a day Sam, Matthew and I all trek up the stairs, full of giggles and excitement. However, Sam likes to encourage Matthew to climb up the stairs more often. Sam sometimes stands on the stair-side of the gate at the bottom of the stairs and Matthew, of course, eagerly crawls over to him. Matthew then pulls himself up onto the gate and shakes it like a convicted felon while Sam laughs and encourages him. I usually rush over at this point to get Matthew down (the gate is up one stair) so he doesn't fall backward and hurt himself. Sam never played on the stairs like this before, just when we installed the gate. What's even worse is that Sam will hold the gate open for Matthew to climb through, which he of course, does eagerly. To Matthew it's a game. He gets to climb up the stairs and Mommy runs after him which he giggles about. After a few times of Sam holding the gate open, me retrieving Matthew and him giggling, Matthew realizes that it's not a game, but actually he's being restrained which results in crying and screaming. I have not figured out how to deter Sam from holding the gate open. Time outs don't work. Spanking doesn't work. Nothing works. He just keeps doing it. Any suggestions?
Sunday, March 27, 2011
More night time woes
Well, Matthew has been sleeping like a champ lately. One night early last week Matthew was having a hard time and since he's no longer getting any food at night it's been somewhat of a hard transition. He was crying and crying and crying and although we tried a pacifier, he would not be pacified. Jason, of course, had no problem sleeping through his cries and screams, but I had to get out the ear plugs. Since then, he's slept without waking or without needing anything more than a quick pacifier help for 12 hours. Wow.
Sam, however, keeps on coming up with new strategies to disturb our sleep and his. Although he is mostly staying in his room until his clock turns yellow, he is not going to bed very well. His bedtime is between 7:30 and 8 and after the bedtime routine we shut off the lights and leave, but Sam has been getting out of bed turning on his light and reading. Or running around and jumping inside his room. On Thursday night I left for volleyball a little after 8 and noticed his light was on. Jason checked on him and shut his light off. On Friday night we didn't hear anything from his room, but when I went to bed at 9, I saw that his light was on and went in to shut it off and he had fallen asleep with is light on. Last night he was having a lot of fun. Jason and I checked on him three times and every time he got up afterward and turned on his lights. He was definitely tired but the freedom he enjoys being out of his crib and recently, being tall enough to turn on his lights, overcame any tiredness.
Part of me just wants to leave him alone because at least he is staying in his room. But the other part of me knows that a tired Sam is a very crabby Sam and not one I enjoy being around all day the next day. So we are going to prevent him from turning on his light. We thought of a few options, one of which we were sure was our ticket to riches and fame. Jason thought of a plate thing to cover the switch that was accessible to parents, but not to little ones. Unfortunately (or fortunately) you can buy one on Amazon (which we will), but tonight I went with Duct tape. I told Sam before bed that he was not going to turn on his light tonight because I was going to tape it. He was okay with that and even pointed to the tape I had waiting for the task. It's been over an hour and we haven't heard Sam yet. Maybe now our night time woes will be abated. Until the next thing comes along...
Sam, however, keeps on coming up with new strategies to disturb our sleep and his. Although he is mostly staying in his room until his clock turns yellow, he is not going to bed very well. His bedtime is between 7:30 and 8 and after the bedtime routine we shut off the lights and leave, but Sam has been getting out of bed turning on his light and reading. Or running around and jumping inside his room. On Thursday night I left for volleyball a little after 8 and noticed his light was on. Jason checked on him and shut his light off. On Friday night we didn't hear anything from his room, but when I went to bed at 9, I saw that his light was on and went in to shut it off and he had fallen asleep with is light on. Last night he was having a lot of fun. Jason and I checked on him three times and every time he got up afterward and turned on his lights. He was definitely tired but the freedom he enjoys being out of his crib and recently, being tall enough to turn on his lights, overcame any tiredness.
Part of me just wants to leave him alone because at least he is staying in his room. But the other part of me knows that a tired Sam is a very crabby Sam and not one I enjoy being around all day the next day. So we are going to prevent him from turning on his light. We thought of a few options, one of which we were sure was our ticket to riches and fame. Jason thought of a plate thing to cover the switch that was accessible to parents, but not to little ones. Unfortunately (or fortunately) you can buy one on Amazon (which we will), but tonight I went with Duct tape. I told Sam before bed that he was not going to turn on his light tonight because I was going to tape it. He was okay with that and even pointed to the tape I had waiting for the task. It's been over an hour and we haven't heard Sam yet. Maybe now our night time woes will be abated. Until the next thing comes along...
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Milestones
Sam's first kiss. We went to church last night for family dinner and movie night and the girl Sam's been inviting over grabbed him and kissed him. Multiple times. On the lips. Today I asked Sam what happened. "Bella kissed me. We ate popcorn together." That's the story. At church of all places.
Matthew's uttered his first noticeable "word" or "expression". He says "Ahh ahh ahh" and squeals a lot, but he recently started saying "Uh oh" when he (repeatedly) drops his drink during our meals and snacks. It often sounds more like "uh uh" but occasionally he gets the "oh" sound out pretty well. My little boy is growing up.
Baby Kirchhoff's heartbeat was heard strong and loud today. S/he is 10 weeks and was quite squirmy when the nurse was trying to find a heartbeat with the doppler thingy. Sam regularly looks for the baby in Mommy's tummy, but he has yet to find anything. "Where is it?" he asks. Matthew, for the time being, is unaware of anything, which is for the best. His world will be rocked soon enough.
Matthew's uttered his first noticeable "word" or "expression". He says "Ahh ahh ahh" and squeals a lot, but he recently started saying "Uh oh" when he (repeatedly) drops his drink during our meals and snacks. It often sounds more like "uh uh" but occasionally he gets the "oh" sound out pretty well. My little boy is growing up.
Baby Kirchhoff's heartbeat was heard strong and loud today. S/he is 10 weeks and was quite squirmy when the nurse was trying to find a heartbeat with the doppler thingy. Sam regularly looks for the baby in Mommy's tummy, but he has yet to find anything. "Where is it?" he asks. Matthew, for the time being, is unaware of anything, which is for the best. His world will be rocked soon enough.
Monday, March 21, 2011
New shoes and craft time
I also posted some pictures of our craft time yesterday. Sam was all about crafts yesterday and he usually could care less about crafts. But we did watercolor painting, and construction paper art. Sam would take the Elmer's glue or glue stick and dribble it on the paper, then exclaim, "I made a road!" and stick little bits of torn up construction paper on his road. Matthew contented himself with finger painting, which was a first for the little guy. Fortunately the stuff is non-toxic, because of course, it was going in the mouth. We had a lot of fun with our crafts and I think the kids are into abstract art these days.
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Dinner conversation
Tonight during our gourmet meal of fruit loops, chips and guacamole and chicken nuggets (for those who don't know, we are expecting Baby #3 and I'm not really feeling up to much cooking these days...) Sam commented that his butt hurt. It was a funny dialogue so I decided to include it here.
(Imagine all of Sam's words with a slightly painful whine)
Sam: Mommy, my butt hurts!
Me: What did you do to it?
Sam: I don't know...
Sam: Mommy, kiss it!
Me: Sam, I don't kiss butts
Sam: Mommy, rub it!
Me: Well, ok.
(Imagine all of Sam's words with a slightly painful whine)
Sam: Mommy, my butt hurts!
Me: What did you do to it?
Sam: I don't know...
Sam: Mommy, kiss it!
Me: Sam, I don't kiss butts
Sam: Mommy, rub it!
Me: Well, ok.
Friday, March 18, 2011
Sam's sick
I got a bug earlier in the week and now Sam has picked something up. After emptying the contents of his stomach after his nap around 3, he hasn't been able to keep anything down. Poor kid.
This is how it went down. After nap, I turned on a cartoon for Sam while I got Matthew some snack. Sam then came over to me crying and I picked him up at which time he released his stomach contents onto me and himself. I set him down, went to get some towels, took off my shirt and he added more to the floor. I had him sit down, then he got his jeans. Yuck. Yuck. Yuck. He then said, while crying extensively, "Mommy I burped!" and went through the litany of clothes that were dirty, "Mommy, my socks! Mommy, my pants, Mommy, my shirt!" Poor kid. I stripped him, wiped up the floor, and wiped him down with diaper wipes. During this time, Matthew ran out of his snack, but he was engrossed with all the action around him that he didn't start crying and fussing immediately as he usually does when he runs out of food.
Sam then said he felt better and wasn't sick. I wasn't so sure. I sat him down on the couch, covered him with a blanket and gave him a bucket, with the instructions to use the bucket if he had to burp again. We never really got that down, but every time he threw up after that he would start crying and asking for me so I was able to get to him quickly and hold the bucket for him. We tried some pedialyte, which didn't go over well, although Sam was eager to consume some. After a few bouts of not keeping the pedialyte down I decided he would not get anymore. Sam watched the Berenstein Bears cartoon for the next 3 hours.
When it was time for Matthew to go to bed around 6:30, Sam was downstairs watching cartoons. However, he managed to make him way up the stairs and inform me that he had to burp, at which time I quickly set Matthew down and ran Sam to the toilet. After doing his thing I returned to getting Matthew ready for bed, while Sam resumed his normal disruptive activities while I'm trying to get Matthew calmed down for bed, like slamming doors, screaming and the like. It was like he was not even sick. But he still was, unfortunately. He went to bed shortly after Matthew, and is sleeping soundly right now, we'll see how the morning goes.
This is how it went down. After nap, I turned on a cartoon for Sam while I got Matthew some snack. Sam then came over to me crying and I picked him up at which time he released his stomach contents onto me and himself. I set him down, went to get some towels, took off my shirt and he added more to the floor. I had him sit down, then he got his jeans. Yuck. Yuck. Yuck. He then said, while crying extensively, "Mommy I burped!" and went through the litany of clothes that were dirty, "Mommy, my socks! Mommy, my pants, Mommy, my shirt!" Poor kid. I stripped him, wiped up the floor, and wiped him down with diaper wipes. During this time, Matthew ran out of his snack, but he was engrossed with all the action around him that he didn't start crying and fussing immediately as he usually does when he runs out of food.
Sam then said he felt better and wasn't sick. I wasn't so sure. I sat him down on the couch, covered him with a blanket and gave him a bucket, with the instructions to use the bucket if he had to burp again. We never really got that down, but every time he threw up after that he would start crying and asking for me so I was able to get to him quickly and hold the bucket for him. We tried some pedialyte, which didn't go over well, although Sam was eager to consume some. After a few bouts of not keeping the pedialyte down I decided he would not get anymore. Sam watched the Berenstein Bears cartoon for the next 3 hours.
When it was time for Matthew to go to bed around 6:30, Sam was downstairs watching cartoons. However, he managed to make him way up the stairs and inform me that he had to burp, at which time I quickly set Matthew down and ran Sam to the toilet. After doing his thing I returned to getting Matthew ready for bed, while Sam resumed his normal disruptive activities while I'm trying to get Matthew calmed down for bed, like slamming doors, screaming and the like. It was like he was not even sick. But he still was, unfortunately. He went to bed shortly after Matthew, and is sleeping soundly right now, we'll see how the morning goes.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)