I Never Thought I'd Say...

"Don't lick the dog!" I mean, seriously!? Fuss was petting our Beast and he licked her hand. She giggled and said, "Tickles." No big deal. I turn around for a second and when I turn back to her she has her tongue out leaning closer and closer to Beast. I yelled, "Don't lick the dog!" and she stops and stares at me like "who me?" Hubby was working on putting up a grid for a drop ceiling and he scoffed/chuckled/gasped all at the same time. He said, "I never thought I'd hear those words come out of your mouth."

That got me thinking about all the other things we say to our babies/toddlers that we never thought we'd say. Things like "Don't play in your poop" or "If you put it in the potty, it's gone forever!" The latest one was when Fuss threw her baby doll down the stairs at Daddy: "Don't throw the baby down the stairs! That's not nice!" Yep. Those exact words came out of my mouth. I have to admit, one of the better ones is during tantrums and she bangs her head off something then cries because it hurt: "Hurts, doesn't it? That's why you don't beat your head off things." (I know, I'm mean.)

What are some of the stranger things you have said to your kids? What were the circumstances behind that wonderful phrase?

Gaining Independence

I can finally say that Fuss is beginning to gain independence from me. Yesterday, she went to my MIL's and spent a few hours there while I did school work. When I went to pick her up, she cried and told me "no" when asked if she wanted to go home. Then, last night after dinner with my Mom and sister, Fuss cried wanting to go home with Mammy! Since Mom has a compact car, there wasn't enough room for Fuss's car seat with 4 passengers. We ended up allowing Fuss to ride around the parking lot with Mammy so she thought she went somewhere, then I "picked her up."

It was very bittersweet seeing my little Fuss waving at me and saying, "Bye, bye, Mommy!" On one hand, I'm really glad she's wanting to go with other people. On the other hand, Hubby and I have had her almost exclusively for the past 2 years! It's really hard to think that she wants to go to someone else. But that's my job. That is WHY I'm an attachment parent. I can rest assured that I have not pushed Fuss beyond her comfort zone too fast. I also must remember that, as she grows, I have to allow her the freedom to grow and become the amazing little person I know she will be. The amazing and frustrating Fuss is now ready to share herself with the rest of the world, secure in the knowledge that Mommy and Daddy will be by her side the moment we are needed.

I do have to admit, I'm not sure what I'm going to do with myself! It's been a long road, but I'm ready for the next leg of the journey...and I'm glad Fuss is too.

What Makes a Parent?

I was thinking this over yesterday while cleaning and getting everything ready for Thanksgiving with my Dad. Here is what I came up with:

1. A parent gives everything they have for the betterment of their child.
2. A parent does NOT need to be related by blood. They can be stepparents, adoptive, grandparents, and even in-laws.
3. A parent chooses to go without the things they want (and sometimes things they need) to give their child their needs and wants.
4. A parent works hard, whether in or out of the home, to provide a safe place for their child to learn and grow. A "home."

We don't always appreciate the parents we have in our lives. Honestly, I wish I knew more good parents. I am lucky to have many friends who are GREAT parents! I have to say "thanks" to the great parents who have shaped me and my life (you know who you are). And I will continue to strive daily to be a great parent. Even though, I will fall short some days, I know as long as I try, I will grow. Growing is all that matters.

Daylight Savings Sucks

You heard me right. I think DST sucks! It was originally designed with farmers in mind so they had an extra hour to work their crops. Sadly, in our tech-heavy world, we don't really have much need for the extra time to work the land like before. It really has lost much of its intended purpose. Now, it has been "modified" so we have a better grasp on saving energy. Really? How does this really help in the long-run? Especially since we are now turning to Hybrid and Fully Electric cars. Um...does anyone else see the irony? Don't get me wrong, I'm all for using less power and reducing greenhouse gases, I just don't think THIS is the way to do it!

I really wish the person who decides when DST begins and ends could have a newborn and/or a toddler. In all honesty, I wish good ol' Ben Franklin (who first came up with the idea of DST) could have had the responsibility of running a household and caring for children disturbed by the time switch. Yep, I AM that vindictive. To most, I'm sure it seems petty. A no-brainer. However, when throwing a toddler into the mix NOTHING is as easy as it used to be.

CASE IN POINT: Fuss woke up around 2 a.m. coughing. I ended up with her cuddling in my bed for about an hour before putting her back in her crib to ramble around for another 30-45 minutes before finally falling asleep again. Mommy normally is up until around midnight, so this means I got only 2 hours of sleep before she woke up. Awake another 2 hours, then slept when I realized she had passed out. She proceeds to wake up at 8 a.m. for the day. Logic tells us she should have slept until at least 10 a.m. since her normal waking time is 9(ish). That. Did. Not. Happen. Daddy comes home at 7 a.m. after working a full 13 hours (due to the time change) and needs to sleep for the following night's work. Joy. Mommy, exhausted, puts in a DVD for Fuss for quiet time so Daddy could sleep. We go to a birthday party (just me and Fuss) for my cousin and we're there for a couple hours. Craft show. Home. Fuss is very clumsy all day due to lack of sleep (and her refusal to nap), gets a bump on her head...again. We finally chill in the evening watching Disney movies prior to bed. Fuss starts her "I'm not tired! I'm gonna run and jump and play and go crazy!" routine an hour and a half before bedtime. Forty-five minutes before bedtime, she's rubbing her eyes. I ask who she wants to take to bed and she says "puppy" then asks for her binky. She was completely out in less than 5 minutes. And we still had 15 minutes before bedtime. Oh well. You win some, you lose some. I just hope she sleeps all night tonight!

So, again, WHY do I hate DST? 1) It really messes with our schedules here in regard to Fuss. When her schedules are messed with, we have a Super Fuss for about a week. 2) It makes it that much harder for my dear hubby to work nights. The poor man was a zombie this morning. 3) It's just a freaking pain in the butt! I hate having to go around my house and change every stinking clock! 4) Parents don't actually get an extra hour of sleep. Babies wake up at the SAME TIME even when the clock says otherwise. *Put that on a sticky note in your reasons NOT to have children yet column.* ;-)

What are your views on DST?

Toddlers and Tantrums

Yesterday was an interesting day. As was today. Why? Because Fuss took full advantage of the fact that she is (nearly) 18-months-old and decided it would be fun to throw tantrums at every possible moment. Not only that but, apparently, she has undergone a growth spurt recently and is SUPER clumsy! I am not joking when I say that I'm amazed she doesn't have a concussion after the last 2 days. She has slid and fallen into a chair, walked into a door, thrown a tantrum and hit her head on the ground while falling down limp, and tripped on her own feet and fallen into the coffee table! The worst part is that this isn't even remotely a complete list of all the things she's done the last 2 days alone. My mother-in-law always says, "God made them with short legs for a reason." Looks like she was right! LOL.

For the tantrums, we have had battles over hand-holding (which led to her going limp, slipping from my grasp, and banging her head on the floor in the mall), leaving a store, going IN a store, going the "wrong" way according to Fuss, and food. It amazes me how many things can seriously set her off. You would think that when I give her the food she requested she would be happy, right? Not in Toddler Town. By the time you have it prepared, she no longer wants "pasta." Now she wants "cicles." *sigh*

We also had a battle today over whether she was actually going to come with me to go home. Yup, right in the middle of JoAnn Fabrics I walked away from my 18-month-old daughter because she refused to hold my hand and walk with me. Before you go all psycho, though, I was only about 10 feet from her and within eyesight...including within eyesight of this very angry-looking old woman who must have thought I was THE worst mom in the world at that particular moment. What happened? Fuss got called by her first and middle name in a firm voice and I told her, "Let's go!" She came running to me. No muss, no fuss. We even left the store with her tagging along peacefully. (Contrary to your belief, Old Woman, I am her mother and I DO know what I am doing!)

Tonight, we endured yet another joy of toddlerhood: pushing bedtime. Fuss actually took a nap today for an hour and a half, so I didn't mind too much. However, it is exceedingly irritating when you are putting your little one to bed and she goes through a list of things to stay awake (already): Daddy? He's at work. Potty? You don't need to go now, you just went. Eat? You just ate. NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, DOOOONNE! I am learning that some nights I just have to hold her still in my lap until she gives up and passes out.

So, what are some of the lessons you have learned since becoming a parent? This is by no means an all-inclusive list! LOL. I will be posting soon about the loss of naps and how that has affected our household. What a crazy journey parenthood is!