Challenges

This past week, and really, if I'm being honest, the past three weeks, have been extremely challenging for me.  To give a very brief back story, Ryan's work asked if he'd be willing to travel every other week to CA for the next 2-3 months, beginning on August 19.  After much consideration and prayer, we agreed this was a great opportunity for him, even though it would bring many challenges, both for him and for the family.

Well, over these past few weeks, Reagan has been giving me a run for my money.  He is challenging everything I ask him to do, refuses to listen to me, and throws temper-tantrums up the wa-zoo!  Ok, I may be exaggerating a little on the temper-tantrums, but I'm not at all when it comes to obeying and listening to me.  This past week - the first week Ryan was traveling - was exceptionally difficult.

Every morning, we go through the same routine.  The very first thing I do is change his diaper.  Now, Reagan doesn't want his diaper changed.  He kicks and screams as I try to set him on the changing table.  "What's caused the sudden desire to stay in a soaked in a diaper," I wonder?  Or when it's time to get dressed in the morning, he runs away to the opposite side of the house, giggling the whole time.  I count to three, but that only raises my blood pressure and doesn't help him obey.  Or when it's time to leave the house, I tell him to sit on the bench so I can put his shoes on.  This, of course, prompts another round of running away as well as screaming "No!!!!!"  What gets to me the most; however, is actually getting into the van.  Reagan knows he's not allowed in the back row, and yet that's the only place he goes.  He'll even tell me "Don't go the back seat" when we're walking to the car, but sure enough, as I strap Kyleigh into her seat, I find him sitting and smiling in the back seat.

I am at my wits end, here.  We've tried discipline (and I mean several rounds of discipline) and it doesn't seem to phase him.  I've tried time-outs and he'll go and stand in his time-out location, but it doesn't change his behavior the next time around.  As recently as this morning, I've started taking away some of his "privileges" (ie, watching a movie).  We'll see how this turns out.

I feel like this is spinning out of control...and quickly.  I've gone back to my Entrusted with a Child's Heart curriculum for guidance.  It seems like I'm on the right track, but Reagan is not leaving the naughty track and jumping onto the right one!!  One thing is I'm definitely trying to begin my days with prayer.  This is something I should be doing anyway, but often forget.  I ask the Lord to give me patience with Reagan's continued disobedience.  Some days I do better, some days I don't.  It's a constant challenge.

I often find myself in an internal struggle of holding onto these times and wanting to pull my hair out.  Over these difficult weeks, I've been thinking of the poem "Wet Oatmeal Kisses" by Erma Bombeck.  If you've never read this poem, seriously, Google it and be humbled.  I know I am every time I read it.  So as I reflect on this challenging time right now, I do not ignore the fact that this is challenging and it's okay to acknowledge the challenge.  But, I also try to dwell on the fact that this time with my children is fleeting and one day, they will be grown up and I'll look back and think "Why did I let my blood boil over climbing into the backseat?"  One day, I'll look back.  That's not today :-)

A New Phase

We've had a bit of a breakthrough at our house these days.  Within the last few weeks or so, Reagan and Kyleigh have been playing together.  Like, they can be in Reagan's room talking, laughing, squealing, playing together!  This brings about a few emotions within me.  First, PRAISE THE LORD!  There is a moment during their awake hours where I can be in one room and BOTH kids are happily playing together in a different room.  It brings me great joy listening to Reagan say "C'mon Kai-ee (his version of Kyleigh), let's go.  Here Kai-ee.  Play with me, Kai-ee."  I am starting to believe what so many people told me over the last year: "They will be great friends because they are so close in age."  For the first time, I can actually see this becoming true.

The second emotion; however, is a little bit of sadness.  There is a little part of me that thinks, "They are growing up so fast.  They don't need me as much anymore."  Now, I know this is a bit of a stretch because they very much still need me.  However, there was a time not too long ago when Kyleigh had to be in the same room as me at all times.  If I left for just a moment, she would scurry into the room or she'd cry until I came back to pick her up.  I know this is a natural progression of growing up, but there are moments - some moments - when I desire them to stay my little babies forever!

When I do enjoy those precious moments of listening to them in another room, I also realize it's not always happy play.  We've also entered another phase in the last few weeks - the tattle-tale phase!  Reagan often leaves the room to come and tell me, "Kai-ee hit my head.  Kai-ee touched my jams.  Kai-ee is breaking my floor (ie ripping apart the alphabet puzzle mat)."  Legitimately, Kyleigh has entered her own phase of hitting (and hitting a lot!), so I appreciate that Reagan comes to tell me he's been hit.  However, he takes this to the extreme!  As with all new phases, you learn how to deal with the kids' ever changing personalities!

Life is definitely changing in our house.  It's all great and I love it, but I also realize how quickly time is passing.  It's so cliche, but it's so true!

Reagan and Kyleigh - July 2013

My notes from July 2013:

Reagan:

• Getting much better at counting
• I asked him who his best friend is and he said JT
• We (finally) moved him to a big boy bed!
• One day, all morning he told me, "I'm so tired" This was hilarious coming from a 2 year old
• He'll show me his coloring and then says, "That's so pretty"
• Managed to lock himself in Sue's bathroom with the light off, but wasn't phased by it at all
• Playing independently better
• He has a few stories almost memorized and he'll read them aloud to himself or Kyleigh
• He is growing a lot in his understanding of concepts
• Asks many questions: "What's that?" "Where did that come from?" "What are we having?"
• He's been showing concern for others (when I throw up due to morning sickness or have been coughing a lot)
• Very possessive of a few things (primarily his phone, but also his "beet")
• He doesn't like it when Kyleigh crawls on me; he'll scream "That's MY mommy!"
• Throws tantrums a lot when he doesn't get his way
• Identifies his drool (so gross)
• Wants to race Kyleigh around the house on his car

Kyleigh:

• Starting to climb (found her on the side table in the breezeway, as well as into the dishwasher)
• Becoming much pickier with food
• LOVES to throw her food on the ground
• Says "Uh-ooh"
• Much more difficult to feed; she changes her mind daily about what she likes
• Can walk backwards fairly well
• Barely starting to wave (not all the time, but occasionally)
• Starting to like books better (Peek-a-Who, Brown Bear, Mr. Brown Can Moo, Can You?)
• Will come and sit in my lap if I'm on the floor
• Loves to crawl all over me
• Learning how to follow commands (ie, go get your milk)
• Scrunches her nose when she smiles big
• Walks all over the place; I can't keep her in one spot
• Starting to throw tantrums; she'll sit/throw herself down on the ground when she doesn't want to do something
• Seems to understand a lot of what we tell her to do, but doesn't always do it
• Showing an interest in feeding herself with a spoon
• Does not like to drink her milk
• Needs to be in the same room as me - all the time
• Laughing more
• Takes apart Reagan's alphabet floor daily
• Finally lowered her bed
• Likes to dance when music is playing
• Favorite toy is still the plastic Easter eggs
• Gets on Reagan's firetruck and presses the buttons, but doesn't go anywhere
• Grunting as loud as possible is her main form of communication (crying is her other one)