Parenting Toddlers

Happy Memorial Day weekend everyone. Hope you are all spending some quality relaxation time with the family. Don’t worry, the laundry will be there in a few days, I promise.

Here’s the Sunday Sixteen for this holiday weekend!

1. Alex’s took his very first steps all on his own this week. He walks like a pro everywhere, but still refuses to let go except for these few steps so far. He insists on at least having someone’s finger to hold on to, though he hasn’t figured out yet that the finger isn’t really helping him any.

2. Yesterday I got a tick bite. Haven’t so much as seen a tick in almost a decade, and sure enough, I get bit when I’m pregnant. Lyme disease can cause all sorts of problems for a developing fetus, some of them very, VERY serious, so were being very watchful for any symptoms at all. Luckily, so far we seem to have escaped safely. Please pray for my little developing one that things stay that way!

3. Because of #2, I have moved into SUPER CLEANER mode. Everything that can possibly get bleached or washed or changed or wiped, etc. is getting it. The idea that a tick got on me just makes me feel …. ewww …. yucky.

4. On better news, hubby and I went out and got ourselves a new mattress this weekend!! It is superbly comfortable and they’re delivering it today!! I can’t wait.

5. Alex’s favorite foods this week, blueberries, beef ravioli, grilled turkey and cheese, and steamed veggie mix (green beans, carrots, corn and lima beans).

6. Still no morning sickness for yours truly!! I’ve had one or two bouts of feeling a bit queasy, but it only seems to last a few minutes and disappears as fast as it appears.

7. Easy recipe for this week: Cream Cheese and Chive Pasta Skillet. I’ll post the recipe for everyone in the next day or so.

8. Best Mom Beauty helper: easy enough, a new Simmons Beautyrest Pillowtop Mattress! I need to catch up on my beauty sleep!

9. To date we have had no more ear problems, no fevers, no anything since Alex’s ear tube proceedure. I know it’s only been a couple of weeks, but it’s a big step since we couldn’t go more than two days without something previously!

10. Alex has suddenly become deathly afraid of changing stations in restaurants or gas stations, or even the mall. You know what I’m talking about, those fold down from the wall changing tables that are available in most public restrooms. Alex has suddenly started getting upset and clinging to me for dear life whenever I try to use one to change him. I’m guessing he’s got more depth perception and suddenly realizes he’s high up?

11. Standing in the bathtub has become a challenge once again. Alex understands he’s not allowed to stand in the tub, but he continues to push the envelope and then get extremely aggravated when he’s made to sit down every time regardless.

12. I think we’re in the process of moving from two naps a day down to one. It’s hard to tell though, since Alex’s only meltdown mode is usually late evening around 6pm, at which time it’s only an hour or two before he goes to bed for the night anyway.

13. I can tell I’m getting well into my second month of pregnancy, because I am suddenly getting extremely tired. It’s funny, I’m up and ready to go in the morning, but by the time Alex’s nap time comes around, I could fall asleep standing up!

14. Unfortunately, as of the end of the month, I won’t be here at Parenting Toddlers anymore. I’m simply getting too swamped with my part time work, keeping up with Alex, and especially staying rested during this pregnancy. I will continue to post when I can on my personal blog, Toddler Tactics, so feel free to check in and visit Alex and I there when you get a chance.

15. I miss sushi. Did you know you shouldn’t eat sushi when you’re pregnant? Actually, from what I’ve researched, it turns out there’s pretty much about the same risk of getting sick when you are pregnant as there is when you’re not, but when it comes to pregnancy, I’ve just never been a big risk taker.

16. This is the last official Sunday Sixteen, hope you enjoyed them!

Did you know that kids, toddler’s especially, are more likely to actual eat more veggies if they are home grown in their own backyard? Apparently being involved in the growing process, helping mom weed, or helping water, etc., can lead to healthier veggie eater along the way.

Personally, Alex is just going to have to learn to deal with the store bought variety, since I can, quite quickly and proficiently, kill any living plant that comes within a ten mile radius. What can I say? It’s a talent I’ve had all my life. You should have seen MY terrariums in school. They were easy to pick out, they were usually solid brown and mushy.

But if you’re not blessed with the oh so desirable black thumb that I have, you may want to consider starting your own little backyard garden. It just might get your toddler eating veggies, and can always make for fun upkeep along the way!

It’s time for the Sunday Sixteen! And what a busy week it has been! Keep your tray tables in their upright and locked positions, this is going to be quite a ride!!

1. We found out Wednesday that Alex is going to a big brother sometime next January. Surprise!

2. Alex took his very first steps last night. He’s already flying through the house pushing his toys, and we knew his delay in walking was most likely related to the fluid in his ears. Last night he took two wobbly steps to the coffee table. Hubby and I made a HUGE deal about it, and I have a suspicion that it will increase by leaps and bounds from here on.

3. Alex’s favorite foods this week: Old El Paso Mexican Skillet meal (made this for the family and Alex absolutely wolfed it down), greek gyro (from the Greek Festival downtown yesterday), and diced peaches.

4. My little man is chatting away these days. He makes all sorts of sounds, and even more words, especially “HI”, “Dad-dy”, “One”, “Two”, and “Three”.

5. I found that counting the snaps on his outfits when I’m changing him helps cut down on the flailing around to get down. Plus Alex has started mimicking me when I count, so he’s actually learning his numbers too. If you have a wiggling little one during changing time, give it a shot.

6. With this pregnancy so far I haven’t had any real symptoms (knock on wood) so far. We’ll see how long that lasts. With Alex I had horrid morning sickness for almost six months. Hopefully I’ll skate through this time with little to no morning sickness. Wouldn’t that be great!!

7. Pandora, our cat, has been all about loving me like crazy this past week. I swear she can detect the change in hormones or something, because the usally rather stand offish cat also mothered me like crazy the whole time I was pregnant with Alex.

8. Diesel has found a new home. It was time, and especially with our upcoming summer situation, I think he be much happier. His new family is very nice, and Diesel really seemed to take to them well. They also live here in town so we can check in every so often and see how he’s doing.

Alex’s Get Away with Anything Face

9. Best Mom movies this week: Deja Vu. Still haven’t seen it, but I want to, and I’m a big Denzel fan, so I know it’ll be good.

10. Best Mom beauty helper this week: Palmer’s Cocoa Butter. If you can deal with the smell that long, using Palmer’s on my tummy every night kept me from getting any ugly stretch marks when I was pregnant with Alex. I’ll be using the same stuff again with this pregnancy. My husband is not a fan of the “beachy” scent, but he’d be even less of a fan of big stretch marks, so he lives with it. Plus who really wants to contradict a pregnant woman anyway?

11. Greek Festival. We visited the Greek Festival downtown yesterday here in Greenville. Except for the scorching sun, it was a total blast! They had dancers, cultural exhibits, authentic food (which was awesome) and even play areas for the kids.

12. My toddler is becoming more independent every day. He knows when he wants to get down, when he wants to get dirty, when he wants to eat, etc. And he’s certainly not shy about letting us know it, even if it’s at the top of his lungs.

13. Alex has developed a new habit of raising his arms to anyone who stops to talk to him. Strangers, family, it doesn’t matter. You’d be amazed at how many people are more than willing (and deleriously excited) about picking up Alex when he does this. So far, as long as the person doesn’t look too sketchy, we’re just rolling with it. We’ll definitely have to teach him about strangers in a few years, but for now, it’s better for me (especially right now!) that he doesnt mind spending time with friends.

14. Last night was Alex’s first full bath since his surgery (he’s been getting wiped down with the “ready bath” wipes that work without water) and we had to use the ear plugs the doctor gave us. Luckily, they seemed to work really well, we relatively easy and Alex didn’t seem to mind them in the least.

15. Alex’s favorite book this week, Winnie the Pooh’s Sleepytime Hum from the Winnie the Pooh’s Sweet Dreams collection. It’s a board book that talks about sleeping and dreaming and getting ready for bed. Alex loves to turn the pages, and though it has a good amount of words, it’s still short enough to keep Alex’s attention. Perfect for his before bed story.

16. I know I usually do the must read blogs of the week, but as you can tell, this has been one crazy week. I simply haven’t had the time to check everyone’s blogs out. But I should be back in the saddle and ready to go for next week, so be prepared!!

I have to admit I woke up this morning feeling pretty sorry for myself. I didn’t sleep well at all last night, just couldn’t get comfortable for some reason, and this morning came way too early. I have tons of work to catch up on, both around the house and writing related. Alex was whining, the dogs were scratching at the door, and the cat was yelling at me to get her breakfast already. I thought seriously about just getting in the bed and pulling the covers up over my head. But as a mom, our instincts will not allow us to do anything except what needs to be done. We go about the day, making sure our little ones are taken care of, doing loads of laundry, wiping down kitchen counters to prevent germs, adding things to the grocery list to make sure everyone has what they like to eat. We are pretty impressive CEO’s when you really start to think about it. And as I started thinking of myself in that light, I realized I have so very many things to be thankful for.

I am thankful:

- that I have a roof over my head and plenty of food to eat
- that my family and I have good health
- that I have a loving husband who is excellent at making me laugh
- that I have an adorable son who thinks sharing a banana with mom is the neatest thing ever
- that I have pets who give me affection and warn me every time the UPS man comes to the door
- that I have this new, amazing little life growing inside me
- that I can still find the most enjoyment out of the little things, like legos, sloppy kisses, and sleeping toddlers

As a mom and a wife, our job is often a thankless one. But if you look a little deeper, the rewards are immeasurable. If you get a spare minute today, take a moment to make up your own list. You’ll amaze yourself at how truly blessed you are.

Well, it’s done. Alex now has ear tubes, and his adeniods are floating somewhere in a jar waiting to be disected for the betterment of medical science. Either that or they just got thrown away in one of those orange bio-hazard bags. Either way, they are no longer lodged, swollen and irritating, in the back of his throat. And his ears are now drained of, in the doctor’s own words, “a WHOLE LOT of fluid in each,” and are vented with tiny little tubes. Recovery went as expected, he woke up upset and uncomfortable, but once we got home he fell asleep again, and upon waking was back to his normal busy little self. He’s eaten well, and thoroughly enjoyed being the center of attention for 24 hours straight. Today he’s essentially back to his normal self already, with the exception of a few raspy coughs here and there (they had to put a tube down his throat, so there’s probably some irritation), and a being a little more tired than normal, which is totally expected and understandable. If anything, I’m amazed at how quickly Alex has bounced back from all this. The procedure itself was fairly typical, but I’ll outline it for any of you considering having this done for you little ones.

6:50 am - arrived at the outpatient surgery center
7:00 am - filled out additional paperwork while Alex flirted with the other people waiting in the waiting room
7:45 am - taken back to the pre-op area - Alex switched his pajama top with a blue hospital gown, and got a ankle band with his info on it
7:50 am - We meet the nurse who will be with him throughout the surgery, his anesthesiologist (okay, I have NO IDEA if I spelled that right, but you get the point) who explained how things would work through the procedure, and his ear nose and throat doctor (who we obviously had already met) checked in as he is the one to actually do the surgery
8:00 am - by this time, Alex has figured out that something is going on, and he’s gotten very, very quiet. He sits quietly on my lap or hubby’s, and just watched the nurses run around doing things - flirting is still vital however, since whenever they get close enough he holds out his arms to them to be picked up (he got picked up and cuddled by three different nurses at last count, must be the big blue eyes)
8:10 am - Alex’s nurse takes him back to surgery, and hubby and I go out to the waiting room to nervously flip through random magazines that we won’t really be reading
8:45 am - still flipping and getting more antsy by the moment - I have interspersed pacing with magazine flipping - hubby just looks at me with a smirk (I can’t help it, he’s my BABY!!)
9:00 am - we are brought back and talk with Alex’s ENT doc, who explains that they did take the adeniods, and that there was quite a bit of fluid in both of Alex’s ears - he explains that Alex may have some blood tinged drainage from his ears for a few days, and that he needs drops three times a day for at least 7 days - we are also to keep water out of his ears completely until after his post op checkup at the end of the month
9:05 am - we are taken back to recovery to be right by Alex when he wakes up - he is sleeping, covered with a blanket the nurses warmed for him (guess it pays off to be flirtatious after all!) - he has an IV in his foot (for the deeper sedation needed to take out the adenoids), and a gizmo attached to his toe that reads his pulse and blood oxygen level
9:15 am - Alex starts waking up - he is understandably upset and confused, and sounds very, VERY raspy - Daddy holds him and once he is fully awake he is allowed to have apple juice
9: 30 am - the crying has subsided to mostly whimpering, and the pacifier definitely helps - we change Alex back into his pajama top, and head home - he falls asleep in the car almost immediately

And that’s pretty much it. Once we got home, we gave Alex Tylenol for discomfort and he laid right back down in his bed to sleep for almost three hours. When he woke, he was hungry, but otherwise smiling and happy like usual!

So you’re thinking about getting family photos made? Going to a sit down place or having a photographer come in? What will you be wearing? How will you dress the family? What if the kids get fussy? Should you get family photos once a year? Multliple times a year? Once a decade?

The answer is, there is no real answer. Every family is different. Some put more stock in pictures and mementos than others. Some have family who can’t visit often, making pictures an absolute must.

We recently got our family photos made, and I have to admit, we’re one good looking family. My guys are the best looking of course, with their matching blue eyes that would turn any woman’s heart to mush. I decided that since we were getting photos made by a photographer, and we were taking them outside at a local park, that white shirts would be best. And, if I do say so myself, it was a mighty fine choice. Just check these out!! (Some are a bit stretched, but I finally got tired of resizing and resizing over and over)

One Handsome Boy

Good Looking Family, Aren’t We?

There were actually baby ducks swimming in the creek below us!

We even got some great ones in black and white!

Long story short, it really pays to find a good photographer when looking to get family photos done. If you’d like to see more of our photographer’s work, feel free to check out her website here.

Until next time, here’s looking at you kid!

Another Sunday rolls around, but what a special one it is!! Happy Mother’s Day Ladies!! Where has the time gone? I did not think a single week could fly by so very fast. Next week is going to be even more hectic around here, but here’s wishing you and yours a nice, peaceful Sunday full of rest and relaxation!

THE SUNDAY SIXTEEN

1. This coming Tuesday Alex gets his tubes put in. With as much pulling on his ears and smacking at the side of his head as he’s been doing, we can’t wait until he gets some relief!

2. We got our family photos back and they are awesome. I’ll be putting in a link to our photographer’s website and posting some of the photos as soon as I can get them correctly resized to work on this page.

3. Alex has learned how to pull himself up on the couches. Every day is full of up, giggle, down, giggle. Up, giggle, down, giggle. And so forth.

4. Best Mom movies this week: Dreamgirls. There is some seriously amazing singing in this film. Jennifer Hudson proves that American Idol judges don’t know jack squat.

5. Alex’s favorite foods this week: homemade macaroni and cheese (just like his mom), Gerber Graduates Turkey Stew, White Cheddar Cheez-its, and of course, strawberries.

6. New words we’ve tried this week: puppy, apple, and please (which comes out more like peas).

7. Hubby found out this week he’s going to have to work the summer in Charleston. Good on some points, but Alex and I will still miss him like crazy during the week when he’s not here!

8. Alex continues to get himself stuck between the slats on his crib (with or without his bumpers, it’s the same). He has the worst looking bruises on both his legs (he usually gets stuck up around his thighs). He’s only 16 months. To me that’s too early for a toddler bed right? But I don’t think I can keep running the risk that we’ll have to cut the crib to get him out next time, or that he might break his leg flailing around to get loose. So now what do I do? Any tips?

Alex and his Daddy

9. Everything needs to be clean according to Alex. He cleans off the coffee table with one big sweep of his hand. He’s cleared out the DVD rack, the bookshelf, the toybox, and even the drawers in his room (apparently the clothes should be out and on the floor, NOT neatly folded in the drawers).

10. Alex got his first “professional” haircut this week. We went to a Snip-Its here in Greenville, and he was a perfect angel! They even used the buzzer on him and all he did was giggle!

11. Muggy, muggy, muggy. It’s been rainy, hot, or both here this week. Not sunny enough for the little pool, but still okay for occasional wagon rides around the block.

12. Alex’s favorite book this week, Baby’s First Library ABC by Yo-Yo Books. It’s a board book, and teaches the ABCs. Very colorful, very durable, and apparently, also very interesting to a 16 month old.

13. I got a neat little latched basket for my sewing stuff for mother’s day. It’s so neat. Before you get the wrong idea, I don’t sew as in darning, I just do cross-stitch. Don’t got thinking I’m domestically talented or anything.

14. Great Saturday for yard sales! We hit a few community yard sales and racked up! New toys for Alex, a golf bag, a pitcher for the excessive amounts of sweet tea I drink every week, and a game called Fact or Crap. Anyone played this?

15. We’ve started doing time outs when Alex misbehaves. So far it usually just ends up with more screaming, and Alex never sits in one place very long, but he is definitely getting the idea that he did something wrong.

16. Best Blogs to read this week - Mama Doggy Love - her post What’s In a Name? had me rolling, it’s so much like my hubby and me, only with the roles reversed! (except for the sleeping in of course), Plus her Poopy Girl reminds me so very much of my own Abby Labby. Toy Bender - he keeps me updated on all the IMPORTANT toys, more specifically, the ones I remember from when I was a kid! Just For Kids - this one has some awesome links, and some great, great posts.

Ever have one of those?

A Lap Day is when your toddler doesn’t want to do anything at all except warm your lap. Toys are not interesting, and in many cases simply cause for frustration. Changing diapers or going potty is suddenly an even bigger issue than ever before. Eating is a battleground. The only thing that makes your little one happy is snuggling with you on the couch, watching Sprout or PBS.

Alex is having a Lap Day today. And though it certainly puts everything I plan to do on hold, I have to say, I don’t mind that all that much. Lap Days can be fun for Mommy’s too. It’s nice to be reminded every once in a while how very important we are to our little ones.

Remember those pearls of wisdom your parents always had? You know, things like “Your bed is not going to make itself!” and “It doesn’t matter if you WANT to take a bath, you still HAVE to take a bath.” At the time I remember these things just chapping my nerves. Probably because I recognized them to be right, and didn’t appreciate the fact that ‘right’ and ‘what I want to do’ were not the same things. One particular favorite of my father’s when I was growing up was “Whining about it isn’t going to get it done any faster.” And, at the risk of sending him into gleeful convulsions of laughter and multiple renditions of “I told you so”, I have to finally admit he was right.

I can only admit that now as a parent though. The daughter part of me still rebels at HAVING to vacuum, or HAVING to do the dishes, even in my own house.

But my son is now determined to teach me (rather thoroughly I might add), that when he doesn’t get what he wants, or when he has to do something he doesn’t choose to, whining (often at the top of our lungs) shall commence. It works rather like an alarm clock really.

Step one:
Alex has somehow snatched the phone off the table and is gleefully dialing 911 or any other random number to tell them all about his “Diesee” dog and his “kitty cat”.

Step two:
Mom tells Alex we do not play with the phone, the phone is not a toy. When this gets ABSOLUTELY NO RESPONSE WHATSOEVER, Mom has to take the phone away from Alex.

Step three:
Alex’s face crumples into the epitomie of horror and frustration. This is usually paired with a glare that clearly says “How DARE you!” The mouth opens.

Step four:
The alarm begins to sound. The shrill whine escalates until even the animals are running for cover, trying desperately to escape “THAT SOUND”.

And so on and so forth, until something else, usually yet another item we aren’t supposed to be playing with, catches Alex’s eye and the entire process begins again.

Wanna come visit?

Happy Sunday everyone! And happy almost birthday to my hubby!! Love you sweetie!!

Here is this week’s Sunday Sixteen:

1. When did you take the bumpers off your toddler’s crib? We took Alex’s off a short time ago because he was climbing on the bumpers and then getting his legs caught. Now, he has no bumpers to climb on, but he’s still getting his legs caught. He’s only getting caught in the mornings or right after naptime when he’s trying to get out. Thoughts?

2. We got pictures made this past week and the few that I’ve seen so far are absolutely wonderful! I love that I have such a photogenic son!

3. Alex and Diesel are once again inseperable this week. It’s a good thing too, because Alex’s affection and Diesel’s dedication to him in return is the only thing that keeps my diaper cream eating dog in my good graces.

4. Alex’s favorite foods this week - French Toast Bites, fresh pineapple, cooked ground turkey mixed with extra sharp cheddar cheese.

5. Best Mom Movies this week (not toddlers allowed) - sorry, no new ones this week, yours truly hasn’t had a chance to watch any!

6. I checked my weight this morning, and believe it or not, I weigh less right now than I have since before we got pregnant with Alex. Not by a lot mind you, but enough that I’m excited about it. Guess the weight really does start falling off when you start chasing a toddler around!

7. Alex’s favorite book this week is Planes at the Airport by Peter Mandel. It’s a scholastic book about different types of airplanes and what they are used for. It’s a hard board book with lots of pictures, what’s not to like?

8. Best Mom beauty helper this week - the Venus Breeze Razor. This thing is awesome. My legs have never been so smooth.

9. Monday we’ll be going to Alex’s pre-op appointment for his ear tubes. The doc just makes sure his lungs and heart are fine, and he’s in good shape to go under general anesthetic on the 15th.

10. Monday is also my hubby’s birthday. Happy Birthday Hubby!! I love you.

11. Cinco de Mayo has got to be one of the cheapest holiday’s you can celebrate. Mexican food is generally pretty cheap anyway, and add the Cinco de Mayo specials on top of that and voila! A fun evening out for less than $30.00!

12. I want my pool weather back. I’m sick of the rainy, cold days we’ve been having for the past week. Plus Alex is getting antsy being cooped up inside, and when Alex is antsy, everyone is antsy.

13. This past week we had some great posts, so if you’re looking for some good outdoor fun, or if you want to hear more about the super smart little toddler who called 911, visit those posts and check them out! Don’t forget to bookmark the Carnival of Family Life we hosted this past Monday. It’s got tons of useful parenting tips and lots of great stories as well.

14. Next weekend is mother’s day. What do your families have planned, if anything?

15. I’m addicted to hot teas lately. I have all sorts, regular decaf, chai teas, green teas, etc. If I keep going like this I’m going to turn into a tea leaf.

16. Best blogs to read this week (in my opinion) Pinks & Blues Blog - these ladies have all aspects covered, kids, parents and adults. They also have some awesome contests going on, so check them out! Parents Behaving Badly - I’m warning you, this one is hard to read, and not for the faint of heart since it deals with the horrible things that parents do to their kids - but it certainly helps me be a little more tolerant when Alex is having “one of those days”. And last but certainly not least, is Dadcentric. These guys are an absolute riot, and it’s nice to get things from a Dad’s point of view every so often.

What beautiful weather we’re having!! Every day is gorgeous (if a bit on the sweaty side) and I look forward to getting outside, even when it’s only for a few minutes. Over the course of this past month Alex and I have found all sorts of fun things to do outside. Come join us, won’t you?

Personal Pool Party - Sizeable blow up pool from Target, $9.99. Random pool toys, $2.99 (mostly scrounged from the bottom of the toy box as anything waterproof). Hours of fun in the water, PRICELESS!!

Walk around the block - use a stroller, use a wagon, use a tricycle, whatever you have on hand. Great exercise for mom, and fun for the little ones too!

Weed party - take your toddler outside and make a game out of them holding a plastic bag for you. As you weed the garden or flower beds, let your little one count each weed that goes in the bag. Or better yet, if your aim is semi decent, try it basketball style. Try to avoid nailing your little one in the face with a root, and be prepared for a thorough bath time later, but revel in the gales of laughter you’ll induce.

Picnic lunch - take a picnic to your local park. Let your little one help pick out what you’ll take along. When you get there, spend time looking for four leaf clovers, or picking out funny shapes in the clouds. This is a great one for the weekend when the entire family can go along!

Popsicle races - Enlist the help of a few toddler friends for this one. Popsicles must be eaten outside, at the quickest rate of speed possible. Give inexpensive toy prizes for the quickest finished, the messiest face, and the biggest number of licks it takes to finish. Clean up washcloths are a good idea for this one as well.

Park visit - absolutely no cost involved. Only prep time involves packing a quick snack and juice to take along. A kid can get absolutely famished after a good bit of climbing around the jungle gym.

That’s just a few of the wonderful ideas that Alex and I have come up with so far, and our list will no doubt continue to grow as the summer progresses. In the meantime, enjoy that clean air, and don’t forget the sunscreen!!

kids activities, pool party, picnic

So here’s the basic idea behind Tackle It Tuesday. Pick a job, any job, that you’ve been putting off. That heinously large, funky smelling pile of old laundry for instance. Or straightening that dusty, dank garage that doubles as nirvana for any number of spiders. Take a picture of it and post it on your entry. Then, make it a point to “Tackle It”. Even if you don’t get it totally done, you’ve accomplished something. You’ve made a dent. You did A LOAD at least. Then, take another picture. Update your post with the after picture and VOILA!! You have just successfully completed your first Tackle it Tuesday!!

Now knowing me, you all know I have to be different and bend the rules just a bit. My task for today is to steam clean my living room carpet. Now, I could take a random picture of my living room and post it, but you aren’t really going to see the lovely random dark spots of mystery fluid that polka dot around this place. Plus it takes a while to load pictures from my camera, and I have somewhere to be shortly. So, as much as I love you all, you gets no pictures today. I will however, make it a point to get back on this afternoon and update you as to the stupendous job I do (when and IF I get it done), which has my carpet looking so good you could eat off of it. But don’t. Because then I have to do this whole thing over again, and I just don’t have that kind of energy.

Tackle It Tuesday

Carnival of Family Life

Welcome to the Carnival of Family Life!!! I am floored by how many wonderful posts have been submitted this past week, and I’ve bookmarked a good many of them to refer back to! I have to say, there are some pretty talented writers out there, and some even more talented parents! Just for easier access, I’ve categorized this weeks submissions into a few large sections. Kids - Glorious Kids, Family Finances, Relationships, and Parenting Tips. Make sure and check out all the submissions this week. I have, and I’ve enjoyed every one!

Come along on a carnival ride, just follow Alex!

KIDS, GLORIOUS KIDS

WhyMommy gives us a heartwarming peek at her newest addition with Toddler Planet posted at Toddler Planet.

My Wealth Builder shows everyone how to get in touch with their inner bubble blower at Being a Big Kid - Frugal Entertainment

Megan Bayliss brings us along to visit an adorable little guy in How Much can a Koala Bear? posted at Home Schooling Aspergers.. Some must see pictures included!

Emma Honey presents healthandfitnessfactorfiction.com » Blog Archive » Carnivorous Questions posted at healthandfitnessfactorfiction.com.

Dexie gives us a first hand look at a mom’s heartbreak when she realizes her baby just isn’t a baby anymore with … And Then He’s 9 posted at Superwoman.ca.

Matt Finley shares a hilarious post about the tactics behind a successful water fight at The True Innocents » Blog Archive » The Setup posted at The True Innocents.

Lena reminds us why we all hate “mean girls” at The Cheeky Lotus: Mean Girls posted at The Cheeky Lotus.

Anna presents REMOTE CONTROL FOR YOUR TEENAGER « On The Ponderosa posted at On The Ponderosa.

Denise gives us a great riddle with Happy birthday, sweet 17! « Let’s play math! posted at Let’s play math!. See if you can figure it out!

Joan presents Maybe I’m in the Top Ten posted at Sleepless Juggler, an adorable look at why she’s only “probably” the best mom ever.

Julee reflects on Kidney Donation - Our Journey Part One posted at Homeschool Daze.

DeputyHeadmistress takes us for a ride down Memory Lane posted at The Common Room. I’m pretty sure I can come up with a pretty long Lost, Stolen and Strayed list just based on Alex’s activities around here!

Lill Hawkins reminds me why I don’t ever want Alex to grow up with Would You Like a Little Squeeze With That Whine? posted at News from Hawkhill Acres.

Csara gives us true flashbacks with Fifteen things that remind me of childhood posted at Baby Talkers. I remember my very own Cabbage Patch Doll, I think she has arthritis nowadays.

Kerri wraps her mind around the reasoning behind mass marketed toys with American Idol Happy Meal Toys posted at Play Library.

Lisa Mitchell reminds us all about the ups and downs of pregnancy with My Pregnancy: Week 9 posted at Let’s Talk Babies.

Mary (mert) presents Anna-isms posted at Almost Somewhat Positive.

MyBestInvest teaches us about Expanding the family vocabulary posted at My Best Investments. I was feeling a bit crooky myself last week!

FAMILY FINANCES

Rachel Starr Thomson gives us a run down on the pros to owning a family run business with Family Business: Pros to Embrace posted at Inklings. Plus the pictures are just yummy looking!

Ispf presents 5 Financial Lessons I Wish My Dad Had Learnt posted at Grad Money Matters.

Summer M. gives some great suggestions for Frugal homeschooling posted at Mom Is Teaching.

Mom & dad teach how to handle people who are “different” with Little People, Big Lesson posted at raising4boys.com.

Lyn has me rolling on the floor with her description of how one skittle can hinder an entire tee-ball game with The Green Skittle posted at Sleepless Juggler.

FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS

Vause gives us an inside look at the struggles of having a spouse in the military including the Military Divorce Rate posted at Active Duty Military Money and Matters.

Toe presents Borloloys, a wonderful look into what it means to be usurped as the youngest in the family, posted at kurokuroatbp.

Muse offers up a glimpse into the family bible contest and enjoying grandaughters at I missed the Bible Contest posted at me-ander.

Kailani helps us remember why our spouses really are a blessing with For Better or For Worse posted at An Island Life.

Karen presents PREPARING FOR ADOLESCENCE posted at PediaScribe Blog, and shows us that some one on one time with your child really is worth it.

Sara gives us all a good laugh with Conversation Between Me and Hubby Tonight posted at Suburban Oblivion.

PARENTING TIPS

NCN shows us all some Mad Carpentry Skills (Roof Rafters) on how to build a playhouse. Now if I can just print it out and get my husband geared up to get some work done …

Lil Duck Duck has the best Train Birthday Party Ideas to be found. I’ll be using some of these for Alex’s next birthday!

Erica Douglas gives all parents an amazing list on How NOT To Stifle Your Kids Creativity posted at Littlemummy.Com.

Randa Clay presents Thirteen free toys you probably already own posted at Free Stuff 4 Kids. Some really neat ideas in this one!

Megan Bayliss presents Bibliotherapy: Using Books to Help Children Solve Problems. posted at Child protection: serious business..

Frugal Journey offers up an awesome list of Free Toys for Older Kids

Leisa over at Down with the Kids provides everyone with a great review of her current favorite, Yoghurt DVD - just perfect for those expectant mommies out there!

Melitsa presents Play-Activities.com » Blog Archive » 11 Fun kid activities to do at Grandma’s house posted at Play-Activities.com. Alex and I will definitely be writing these down to take on our next trip!

Char Polanosky gives us a great printable activities list with Thirteen More Printables Sites posted at Printables for Kids - free word search puzzles, coloring pages, and other activities.

Summer presents Books books books! posted at Wired For Noise.

Stephanie offers us a look at the benefits of raising your kids to respect the world around them with So Much in Common posted at Stop the Ride!.

Praveen shows us you really can teach without saying a word at Refrain from Active Teaching posted at Tao of Simplicity.

Amanda Rose gives us a recipe that’s both good for you, and tasty for your kids with Chocolate Cinnamon Birthday Cupcakes posted at Rebuild from Depression Blog. My mouth is already watering!

Kevin presents Parenting Tips For Raising Emotionally Healthy Kids posted at More4kids Parenting.

Jessica Okon tells us about Free Movies At Summer Movie Camp posted at Wisebread. I am so looking into this as soon as possible!

Fun Playdates presents Make a Puppy Pinata Craft out of Recycled Materials posted at Fun Play Dates. What a neat party idea!

Kevin gives us all a wakeup call with Child Identity Theft posted at Identity Theft And You.

Stephanie offers some much needed tips for Washing Stuffed Animals posted at Work at Home in Progress.

And those are this weeks offerings from the Carnival of Family Life. We hope you enjoyed the Carnival and your stay here at Parenting Toddlers. Come back and see us again soon!

Bye Bye!

I know you’ve been waiting with baited breath since about Tuesday, so wait no longer …

Here’s the SUNDAY SIXTEEN!!

1. Stress stinks. And somehow I can make even housework stressful. I need to learn to mellow out when it comes to laundry, vacuuming, and all those other wonderful hassles.

2. Alex had his first swim in his very own backyard pool this past week. He loved every minute up until he had to get out. He also seems to think it is hilarious to put his face in the water and then open his mouth. You would think this might scare him, but no, I think he actually gets excited in a “Look what I can do!” way.

3. We sacrificed a tube of Desitin to Diesel’s ever growing appetite for diaper cream this past week. The dog has brain damage. He’s just got to.

4. Big news we found out this week - Alex has to have tubes put in his ears. This is scheduled for mid-May. I’m not crazy about the idea of him having to go under general anesthesia for the procedure, but I am excited that the prognosis post tubes is very good. We will hopefully see a drastic decrease in Alex’s recurrent ear infections and upper respiratory infections.

5. Alex’s favorite foods this week - Cheese balls. The child is addicted. He will actually bang on the pantry door and yell jibberish at me because he knows that’s where I keep them. He also likes cornbread and is on another avocado kick.

6. Best Mom Movies this week (no toddlers allowed) - The Holiday (with Cameron Diaz and Kate Winslet), and A Man Apart (with Vin Diesel).

7. Best body booster this week - walking regularly and Jergens Natural Glow daily moisturizer. I thought the Natural Glow was a wash the first time I used it (especially since I’m fair skinned) but turns out it works great if you use it regularly and get out in the sun just the slightest bit every few days.

8. Alex’s favorite book this week - Baby Faces. This is actually a board book with different baby’s and toddlers in it, making various faces. The names go along … happy, angry, silly, etc. Alex loves it, especially the happy and the silly pages.

9. We actually got the Baby Faces book through Brighter Vision Learning Adventures . They send a new package every month with new learning tools inside. A book, activity suggestions, learning CDs, etc. Each month is geared towards your child’s age. This first go around we got the Baby Faces book, a All About Me learning CD featuring the smash hit “Wiggle in My Toe” by Joe Scruggs. We also got stickers of the entire alphabet, a workbook that helps Alex learn different things like the parts of the face, concepts like tall and short, big and little, etc. Definitely take a look if you haven’t already, Alex and I can’t wait to get started.

10. I’ve become addicted to Sudoku’s. Don’t ask me why. I’m an english major, I hate numbers.

11. Hubby’s birthday is next week. Wish I had the money to do something super special for him, but it looks like that’s not going to happen. Guess I’ll have to find other, creative ways to wish him happy birthday.

12. In my Household Tips post from earlier in the week I mentioned that baby powder will get sand to slide right off you and your kids at the beach. I haven’t actually tried this out yet, but I’m so excited to do so I can barely wait to get to the beach. I’ve always loved the beach, and always hated tracking the sand everywhere.

13. Alex’s hitting seems to have stopped. We simply remained consistent, gave a firm NO whenever it happened, and if he was in someone’s lap when it happened and continued to hit, then we put him down to sit by himself. Since he’s a natural born cuddler, he was not a fan and quickly seemed to grasp the correlation.

14. Tomorrow marks two weeks since the horrendous tragedy at Virginia Tech. Please visit my list of victims and pray for their families. Not a day goes by that I don’t think of them and the senselessness that caused their deaths. All we can do for them now is make every effort to never forget.

15. I found out (from the horse’s mouth so to speak) this week that kids generally don’t need an eye exam (other than the basic one the pediatrician gives at each checkup) from a optometrist until they are around four. All kids should have one before starting kindergarten though. I found this out when I went in to make an appointment for myself and Alex started flirting with the doctor. He really has no shame whatsoever.

16. Best blogs to check out this week: Daddy Forever (I swear I don’t think I’ve ever read a post of his where I didn’t laugh out loud), Parenting Sites 411 (Alicia is awesome, and I love that she checks out all the thousands of parenting sites out there and then lets me know which ones are worth visiting. Saves me so much extra time to get laundry and vacuuming done), and Rockstar Mommy (she is an absolute riot, and I swear sometimes she’s living my life).

I knew it. Turns out I’m not really crazy after all. The whole time I was wracking my brain and insisting there was something “off” with my son, it wasn’t just the creepy little voices in my head. I wasn’t overparanoid just because I am a first time mom. Alex has fluid in his ears. And apparently enough in there that the ear, nose and throat doctor didn’t hesitate after looking at him to suggest he not only get tubes, but get them quickly. He compared it to going up on a mountain and feeling that pressure just before your ears pop. Only Alex can’t pop his ears, so the pressure just continues. It leads to more frequent ear infections and URIs, and might even be indirectly causing him problems with balance and walking.

Now if you’ll pardon me, I’d like to just snub my nose, stick out my tongue, and generally moon every single doctor who poo-poo’d me off when I said that Alex was not well and that something was bothering him ALL THE TIME. Not that he was sick all the time mind you, but that something was just not right. Something underlying that made him tired all the time, made him croupy sometimes, made him just feel blah. And now I feel fully justified in saying Kiss my ***, I told you so!!

Now that we’ve dispensed with the niceities, here’s what this means (and no doubt many of you toddler parents have been through this) for us.

1. Alex has to have an outpatient procedure in the middle of May to put tiny tubes in each eardrum.
2. He will have to go under general anesthesia. Not crazy about that, but luckily it is a very short procedure.
3. Once the tubes are in it should dramatically decrease the ear infections, upper respiratory sicknesses, and possibly the random asthma episodes as well (since these are most likely caused by the upper respiratory problems to begin with).
4. Final result, healthier, happier Alex and happier, much less testy mom and dad!

Sounds like a recipe for success to me!

I will add more posts updating everyone on what’s involved in this, so check back and keep posted in case you ever find yourself in the same shoes! And for those of you who have already gone the ear tubes route, please drop me a comment and let me know if you noticed any significant results afterward?

Also, don’t forget Monday will see the arrival of the Carnival of Family Life here at Parenting Toddlers. Get your family related posts sent in and check with us first thing Monday to see all the great topics!