Some Big Milestones

I meant to write this post Sunday night, but you know, life happens!

We had a few big milestones occur this past Sunday, September 15.  Let's start with Reagan.  A little while after he woke from his nap, he said he wanted to go potty.  I looked at him with surprise and lead him toward the bathroom.  He sat on the toilet for about 5-7 minutes, but never managed to actually go. Then, a few hours later, he said again he wanted to go potty.  I took him back to the bathroom and left him alone for some "privacy."  I came back into the bathroom a few minutes later and he had pooped!  I couldn't believe it!  He actually pooped on the potty!  Only a mom of a toddler who is at the beginning stages of potty training gets excited about poop :-)

Now, moving onto Kyleigh.  After much internal debate, I am officially recording 9/15/13 as Kyleigh's first word.  Well, actually, three words!  She's been on the brink of saying words, but I'm finally convinced she can say three words: "Mama," "Bye-bye," and "Amen."  She doesn't pronounce the word fully, but it's definitely clear what she's saying.

Two big steps in our house this weekend.

The Last Two Weeks

Wow!  How can two weeks go by so fast?  For months, we've been planning and preparing for Ronnie and Jerry to come renovate our basement.  And in the blink of an eye, they are gone.

Ronnie, Darcy, Jerry, and Carol arrived exactly two weeks ago today.  We were on the go constantly and I am still in shock that I'm sitting in the breezeway, alone, writing the post.  It seems like forever ago and yet, just yesterday.

While the ladies were here, we went to Wrigley for a heart-wrenching Cubs game.  They were up the whole game and lost it in the top of the ninth.  Ah, the Cubs!  We also went downtown the next day.  Boy, was that a day.  It started off on the absolute wrong foot, literally.  It was raining when we arrived and Carol almost slipped three times.  So the first place we stopped was Macy's on State to buy new shoes.  We kept thinking the storm would pass, but TWO painful hours later, we finally had the opportunity to enjoy downtown Chicago. The last full day the ladies were here, we went shopping!  I found a dress for Jeffrey's wedding and a super cute pair of capri jeans.  All in all, it was a successful shopping trip.  Taking them back to the airport on Tuesday was really (really) hard.  I think for the first time, Reagan understood that Mimi was leaving and going back to CA.  It was difficult for me to explain what was happening, but we got through.

Meanwhile, the guys were making great progress on the basement.  Everyday, I felt like they were accomplishing so much.  They worked at least 8-10 hours everyday.  I don't know how they managed to keep their energy up!  One thing I do know is they like their treats!  We (including me and the kids) took a coffee and treat break everyday at 10a.  Reagan now thinks that his first snack of the day should be a donut!  It's going to be difficult transitioning him out of the sugar based treats back to his normal health-ified snacks.

Back to the basement.  The guys worked for 6 days straight before taking a break.  Their fishing trip was cancelled and I felt so bad for them.  They seemed truly okay with it, but I wanted them to be able to go.  Instead, on Saturday, all the guys - including Reagan - went to Cabela's for a few hours.  They seemed to really enjoy their time, and thankfully, they took the rest of the day off.  Unfortunately, Ryan had to leave early Monday morning for Santa Barbara.  So, he said goodbye to his dad and Jerry Sunday night.

As far as the kids go, it was a long two weeks.  They were off their normal schedules and routines and definitely didn't sleep very well.  There were even some days when neither kid took a nap.  The first week wasn't so bad because I had Darcy and Carol here to help.  However, the second week was a little harder, but we managed.

As far as the basement progress goes, they finished the bathroom (except installing the vanity, but that's because we haven't picked one out).  It looks so much better and I'm not creeped out by walking into it anymore!  Jerry finished all of the electrical work and it's so much brighter than before.  Once again, I'm not nearly as afraid to walk downstairs because I can actually see!  The guys were able to frame all the walls and then hung the sheetrock.  Jerry was able to get through almost all the taping + one coat of mud.  They also finished hanging all the doors and completed the little alcove going into the laundry room.  Finally, on the last day they were here, Ronnie installed the cat door into the garage.

Wow!  Like I said, they accomplished a lot in a short amount of time.  We just need to have someone come in and finish the mudding/sanding of the sheetrock and then we'll paint and put trim up.  And viola!  We'll have a finished basement!  We are so grateful for all the hard work and sacrifice the guys did on our behalf.  And, of course, the ladies too, since they let us have their husbands for 2 weeks!

Reagan and Kyleigh - August 2013

My notes from August 2013:

Reagan:

• Getting into the "one more" phase when it is time to leave a fun place - "one more time on the slide, mom"
• Says "no way nosee" instead of Jose!
• Favorite song is "Cruise" by Florida Georgia Line
• A little tattle-tale!  Tells me everything Kyleigh does
• Very polite! Says "Thanks, Mom" all the time, but only says "please" when we remind him to
• When he needs help he says, "Mommy, help you" instead of "me"
• Very bossy!  "Kai-ee no!" "Darby, come here"
• Holds my cheeks and gives me kisses on the lips
• "Mommy! That's my airplane right there, look," as he points out the window to an airplane flying over
• Very (very) disobedient while Ryan was gone on a work trip
• Says "another time" or "another day" when I tell him we can't do something that day
• When I told him he needed to put sunscreen on before going outside, he told me to put "ice cream on his face, his arms, and his legs"
• He picked up a MGD from a box and brought it to the table and said "Here, dad" and gave it to Ryan!

Kyleigh:

• Hitting a lot
• When I tell her it's time to eat (meal or snack), she walks over to the front door and stands or sits on the stone
• Grunts at everything
• Getting better at eating and drinking her milk
• Completely gave up morning nap by mid-August
• Backs down stairs or off the couch really well
• When you ask her to show love, she opens wide and gives kisses
• Starting to run (so cute!)
• Finally waving hello and goodbye
• Entered the door closing phase
• Likes to turn around and around and around in circles
• Close to saying her first word (hi and amen)
• Told her to throw her diaper away and she did it!
• Suddenly covers her ears with a funny expression for no reason multiple times a day
• Perfectly content laying on the floor (anywhere) and sucking her fingers

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)

Minivan Mama

It's official...we are minivan owners!  Ryan still isn't so sure about this, but I think he's beginning to come to grips with the fact that this was the best decision for our expanding family.  I got to that point a long time ago, so I'm happy we finally have our van.

Boy, it was an emotional week of trying to get this van.  A quick recap: we found one via private party and looked at it on Monday.  He was asking way to much for the base model, so we continued our search.  We looked at another one on Tuesday evening and we both loved (as much as Ryan could love a minivan) it.  It was a 2008 and top of the line model in really good condition.  We called the guy back on Wednesday morning and he wouldn't accept our offer because he owed more money than we were offering.  I was bummed, but understood.  I found a great deal from a dealer on Wednesday and spoke with a sales rep and he said he had people coming to look at it that night.  I called back Thursday morning and the van sold Wednesday night.  I was again really bummed.  Thursday night we looked at yet another van.  This one was promising - within our price range and in fairly good condition.  The only problem is that the AC didn't work.  The salesman said he would have it looked at on Friday and let us know.  We even negotiated a price with him.  Very surprising for a salesperson, but we had to call him.  He gave Ryan the runaround, so I spent a good portion of Friday night looking for more options.

Oh boy, Friday night was fun.  I ended up finding a really good deal about 1 hour 45 minutes away.  I called the dealer and, of course, it sold 5 hours earlier.  I continued my search and found 9 vans for Ryan and I to vet.  We crossed off a decent number and picked 1 that we thought was a "too good to be true" deal in Elgin.  It was a 2008 with only 30K miles on it.  It was a little steep on our price range, but given the low miles, we were going to take a look at it Saturday.  I spoke with the dealer and he said they would run it through inspection first thing in the morning and we could come around noon.  Perfect!

Saturday morning around 9a, I received a call from one of the dealers I contacted in Joliet (about 1 hour away).  They had an 2006 with 72K miles on it and it was on the lot for viewing despite the fact it hadn't gone through inspection yet (they just received it two days earlier on a trade-in).  I asked how much and it was surprisingly very much in our price range.  So, Ryan and I decided to call the Elgin dealer and postpone our visit until the later in the afternoon.  We wanted to see this one in Joliet first since it seemed to be a better fit financially.  Turns out, we really liked it and bought it!  We both love the color (officially, Slate Green Metallic Ocean Mist Metallic, but it looks more like a very light grey/blue color) and both the exterior and interior are in good condition considering it's 7 years old.  We negotiated with the dealer and were able to walk out the door paying $200 more than our goal.  Not too shabby for dealing with a car dealership.

Minivan Mama (as Ryan now calls me)