Help! My Little Kid is Turning into a Big Kid... And I'm not ready for it!

It all started with a trip to Chicago...

Amelia at the Brookfield Zoo near Chicago. 

Ok, no, it all started long before that. The whole thing started when we had kids. When Amelia was a newborn, people assured me that I'd miss my baby when my baby turned into a toddler. But here's the truth... I haven't missed a single SECOND of babyhood. I feel like a horrible cold-hearted person for saying it, but there you go. I am not a fan of the newborn and little baby stage. But let me tell you guys... I have been loving this toddler stage with Amelia. I love talking with her and listening to her developing vocabulary, watching her learn, admiring her drawings... it is harder in many ways, yes. She is in the "terrible" twos (come on guys, who came up with that name? They are more challenging yes, but not terrible. What a horrid thing to say.) so she is pushing boundaries, we've had to start real discipline, but the bad times are so worth it for the good ones that come along.

 

So I have been loving this stage with Amelia, and I have been really looking forward to Victor getting closer to this stage as well. Not hurrying him, but I'd be a liar if I said I wasn't excited.

But chaaaaaange is here... a couple of weeks ago at Amelia's 2 year old check up, our pediatrician recommended that we get rid of Amelia's pacifier (or in our house, her "bobble"). I knew this was coming, so it didn't really even throw me. But we decided to wait until after visiting my brother-in-law in Chicago to work on transitioning them away. I had already made my declaration that I was done buying replacement bobbles for any that may be lost, so when we couldn't find the ones we came EXTREMELY close to being done while on holiday in poor, unsuspecting uncle Pete's house. We found one, however, and were going to not give it to her, but she started running a fever and we melted a bit at how miserable she was. But the first day we were home (Tuesday) we took her bobbles cold turkey. This wasn't the plan. I was going to have them just for bedtime, but my confident husband voted that we just take them. So we did. And now, she has been bobble-less for several days. She has been taking it like a champ. Today, she didn't mention her bobble even once! The story is that her bobbles heard that she was so big that she didn't need them anymore, so they went to find a little baby who needed a bobble. That's the story, and I am sticking with it.

The lack of bobble has spawned another change and one that I SURE AS ALL HECK was not ready for... Amelia has stopped napping. I am trying to hang on to a quiet time at least... clinging to the cliff's edge by my fingernails. But I will win this one. I need a break in the afternoon, I just do. I am a happier, pleasanter mommy if I have had an hour to myself. So we are trying to establish a quiet time. More on that later, maybe. For now, that's all I can really say about it.

The other change that threatened was "the big girl bed". This didn't end up being a permanent thing, thank goodness. But the facts were that we had one "pack-and-play" at Pete's and it was big enough for Victor, and too small for Amelia. So, she was in a big girl bed for the weekend. It didn't go horribly, but it could have been better. I am not looking forward to this transition, which I am sure will come at the most inconvenient time possible. But the second that she starts trying to climb out of her bed, I don't have a choice. (Well, technically yes, I do have a choice, but chaining your children in bed tends to be looked down on.)

And now, after just a few days after one big change in her little life, we are staring down the barrel of potty training. Oh lordy... I don't want to give up diapers... but the facts are these... She has gone on the potty before, therefore, she CAN do it, but mostly she has been taking her diapers off by herself and going commando... Diapers, as I am sure you are aware, are only useful when they are being worn, child! Come on! But I am so torn, because I have asked her so many times, and she flat out doesn't want to sit on the potty, but this diaper-less-without-the-benefits-of-the-potty thing has got to stop. And it starts tomorrow. If she isn't ready, she isn't ready, and I know and I understand that, but we are giving it a go this weekend. Pray for our immortal souls.

Mostly, this post has all been about Amelia, but she isn't the only one growing up. Oh my goodness, you guys, my son's babyhood is on fast forward. When he came home a little over 2 months ago, he was underweight, he only wanted his bottle, would refuse anything offered by spoon that wasn't a paste (and didn't eat much of that) and could barely sit up by himself. He's already gained several pounds, officially putting him on the charts (he was too little to even have a percentile on the growth charts before). Now, he won't have a hearing for anything that he doesn't see on everyone's plate (though he still takes his bottle whenever he can.) Now he can not only sit up by himself, he went straight to belly crawling, to crawling, to pulling himself up on things, to trying to walk and stand independently all in a little over 2 months! People, my son is incredible! I am so proud of him, and so blessed and honored to be his mommy. I just can't even tell you. But he's still such a little baby to me... and that's why this post is titled as it is, even though maybe it should be "Help! My Little Kids are Turning into Big Kids... And I'm not ready for it!"

Halloween... or the day everyone eats themselves into a sugar coma

I know that this is coming a bit late (I have an issue with posting things in a timely manner,) but bear with me.

I am more or less the Halloween version of Scrooge. I don't really like the whole eating yourself sick with (individually wrapped) pieces of candy business or the ghoulish, evil looking characters running around... the random acts of vandalism... The closest I'll get to watching a horror movie to get into the festive mood is watching Phantom of the Opera for the umpteenth time... are you getting my drift? Halloween isn't really my thing.

I will, however, confess to a soft spot for the dressing up to go trick or treat-ing bit... who didn't like to dress up as a kid? But even then, when I was little, I hardly reserved "dress up" time for Halloween and trick or treating. It was more or less an all the time thing.

So even while I do like the dressing up, I wasn't going to forgo my buying stuff ban for Halloween. But I'll admit, I felt guilty about it. So I tried (rather hopelessly) to come up with some ideas for costumes that didn't involve me buying stuff. I came up with a few, but as most of them required me making something or other and the fact that I didn't start thinking about it until the night we were to to trick or treating... well... it wasn't looking good for Amelia and Bini.

Enter Josie (my mom) to save the day. Unwilling, I assume, to let her grandchildren out in halfhearted attempts at costumes, she sallied forth to The Fancy Unicorn (the best children's consignment shop in our area) and found 2 costumes that exactly fit my kiddos. Bless. So thanks to Josie, my children are saved. And I must say, they had a really fun time. Victor Bini debuted as an adorable little kitty cat, while Amelia was a bit more fierce with a leopard costume.

Amelia in her leopard costume.... She didn't have much patience with the hoodie part with the ears, no matter how adorable it was.

  

 Its always so much easier to get a picture when the subject is sitting still, wouldn't you agree?

I really think that Amelia and Victor would have been just as happy in the (not really) costumes I would have provided. Victor Bini I am sure would have been, he was mostly pushed around in a stroller all night and didn't take part in the actual trick or treating at all. Amelia would have too, but (and maybe I am projecting a little bit here...) I think it was really special for Amelia to have a costume that looked like it was trying.

Am I saying that she needs a special-for-the-occasion Halloween costume every year? No, of course not. I am fairly confident in saying I will never buy a brand new costume. (I am more of the make it yourself or buy it secondhand type of person.) But putting forth a little more effort and interest in something that your kids will clearly enjoy makes a big difference in how you see it too. Something for me to keep in mind next year... and more than a few hours before Trick or Treat. 

Of Weddings, Car Rides, and Kangaroos

 I got to pet a kangaroo. No, really, I did. Look at the picture. Look at it, I say! Kangaroos are precious and shockingly soft. Ok, now I will continue...

On Monday, my family and I returned from Nashville, Tennessee, where my brother and (now) sister-in-law held their wedding. I wouldn't have missed it for the world, but I have to admit that getting my whole family down there was quite an ordeal. 2 kids, one of them 1 year old and the other just 2 years old in the car for 12 hours is a mighty undertaking. It involves many stops, car toys and snacks, and more than a little bit of fussing. But we made it!

Andy's parents (so, my in-laws) are incredibly wonderful and generous people, and decided to rent a 4 bedroom house a few days in Nashville so that we wouldn't have to rent a hotel. ("We" included my family of 4, Andy's brother and his wife, and Andy's other brother and his girlfriend. And Andy's parents of course.) This was wonderful in theory, of course, but we forgot to account for the generous spirit of each of the other family members in turn.

You see my brother lived in Pennsylvania (where we are now) before he moved to Tennessee, and a lot of friends that he invited came from here. So when we had a house and a group of people who couldn't afford to both travel to Tennessee and stay there too, a house to fit 10 rapidly was accommodating 14 instead. Which doesn't seem like a lot more, but let me tell you, it made for a full house.

The wedding itself was lovely. An outdoor ceremony moved indoors due to weather. It was a little tight maybe, but ultimately great. I wish we could have stayed for the reception. Also I wish I had pictures, but I had no camera. So there is that. Sorry, Ben and Jordan. I can't wait to see what other people took!

Then it was off to home. This drive was not to be like the first. The first was at night. The kids slept somewhat. The drive home was to be a brutal 12 hour trek through daylight with kids who would in all probability be awake. For the love. So finding rest stops was absolutely imperative. That is how we made it to Kentucky Down Under Adventure Zoo . And this, friends, is where we got to pet kangaroos.

Oh, also we fed rainbow lorikeets.

Anyways, the not spending money wasn't perfect this month, with weddings and trips and such, (Lets face it, I probably overspent my normal budget on stuff, in the end,) but the fact is that the money we spent went to things and people that we care about, not on random stuff. I have to tell you, that feels really great. And having a little leftover cash for a trip to the zoo was pretty great too.

I meant to post this yesterday, but we lost power last night, so it didn't happen. I'll have more to say about that a little bit later.

Of Blenders and Birthdays

Yesterday, my daughter, Amelia, turned 2 years old. Oh my goodness people. I don't even know what to say on the topic... Can my baby really be 2? 2!? Heaven forbid.

Well lets face it... Amelia is incredibly bright and fabulous, and in actions, attitude and mannerisms, she's been essentially 2 for awhile. But yesterday made it official. I have a 2 year old. And I may be a bit in shock.

Andy and I bought her birthday presents before this buy nothing experiment even started... (by the way, my little challenge is almost 2 weeks old today! Hooray!) and we got her what I am sure every 2 year old wants... a pillow and a blanket. The pillow is one of those "husband" pillows with the little arms on the side that you can lean against and the blanket is actually just a piece of material that Amelia decided that she loved when we were at the fabric store one day. For my son's one year old birthday less than a month ago, I made him a pillowcase and bought him an interesting little wooden toy. We didn't do all that much.

But people, we didn't need to. Now, I don't mean this in a "kids don't need as many toys as we think they do" (though this is certainly true) kind of way or that our kids have enough toys already and we didn't want to buy them any more (ok, this is true, too...) What I mean by "we didn't need to" is that we have the first 2 grandchildren on both sides of the family and even if we actively tried to prevent people from giving Amelia and Victor toys it wouldn't happen. They would still get toys

So on their birthdays, my kids get a whole heck-ton of toys. In many ways, I am really touched by this incredible display of affection for my daughter and son. They spent hard earned money on them after all, and gave them things that they thought that they would like.

So what is the problem here?

For a while now, I have been following blogs like Joshua Becker's www.becomingminimalist.com and Leo Babauta's zenhabits.net... There are so many other great bloggers on minimalism, that it is a travesty to just name two, but those are the one's that come first to my mind. The minimalist lifestyle appeals to me greatly, and I can't honestly say that I am thrilled about adding more to our already cluttered house. I have been battling clutter for just about forever, and I am sick of it. It is one of the reasons I am doing a little "buy nothing for a quarter year" challenge for myself. With a 1 year old and a 2 year old, time for serious decluttering sessions are slim pickings, and I think the only real way that my 5 or 10 minutes here or there will make a difference is if things stop coming into my house.

Why I thought this would work with Christmas coming up is beyond me. I am clearly a crazy person.

On the subject of toys... my poor blender broke yesterday. This was no small blow to me. I use my blender for everything, and I use it hard. Shakes, mayonnaise, icing, pancake batter, you name it, and my blender has blended it. (Possibly this is how it got in such a state.) And yes, the canister is being held together by gorilla tape. It has a massive crack down the side of it and it leaks horridly, even after the masterful tape-up. Actually, I thought that would be the first to go, but you can always get a new canister for a blender, and I was counting down the days until I could ask for one from my husband and reasonably call it an early Christmas gift. What I didn't count on was black, vile smelling SMOKE pouring out of it while it was running, and the engine refusing to stop until I forced it to by unplugging it. I legitimately thought it was going to blow up. So... now its been declared dead.

Which is a shame because I used my blender all. the. time. and I can't buy a new one lest I break a self imposed challenge rule. Never fear, though, I am now borrowing one from my mother-in-law, so I won't be breaking any rules. Yet. But I want to. Oh, do I want to.