A Mommy Thought Process...

9 months pregnant and feelin' it! So far today I have been to Costco, Kroger, the bank, made 18 sausage, egg, and cheese mcmuffins for Clint's breakfast, and started me and D's laundry. Suffice it to say, I am exhausted... So I think, Denton is watching TV, I will rest on the couch.

I lay down. and here is what happens...

1. Realize I am watching Wow, Wow, Wubbzy and see that the remote is across the room on Clint's chair.

2. Get up to get the remote and decide to refill my water bottle in case I get thirsty whilst resting.

3. Walk in to the kitchen and start doing dishes from my earlier cooking session because the sink is too full to get water.

4. Realize I am starving, walk in to the laundry room to get a granola bar (this is where I store the Costco size boxes of stuff)

5. Realize the laundry is ready to go in the dryer. However, the dryer is full of the hubby's clothes so I take those to the bedroom. Denton sees me and wants to have his cup.

6. Bring Denton his cup. Go back to the laundry room and change out my laundry.

7. Lay down on the couch with no water and no remote and realize.... I need to go to the bathroom.

Kind of afraid to get up again, I may never get back to the couch!

That is all.

Active Ignoring, my new favorite phrase!

Yesterday I had a parenting revelation. Well, I don't really know what to call it. That is probably somewhat appropriate. For about 6 months now, my son has absolutely refused to do a couple of things. Some of these things are, drink anything other than juice, not have his pacifier in his mouth, and brush his teeth. I know good and well that a child should not drink juice 24 hours a day and that a 2 year old with round teeth should probably give up his paci. It's not rocket science or anything.

Getting him to give up either is just NOT EASY! He is a pretty strong willed child. He knows EXACTLY what he wants at all times and if he doesn't get it he throws a big, fat fit. I don't know when it happened, but at some point we just gave up. We decided it was easier to give in than to fight. (I am not completely irresponsible, I do mix the juice with mostly water).

Long story longer, we had the 2 year checkup yesterday and the doc says he is healthy but his teeth are grody (um duh), he has to drink water, and he needs to ditch the paci before his teeth form a circle. I say "Well, look Dr. B, this isn't really something we have been able to do". She then said something that may very well have changed the course of my life. She said "Have you heard of active ignoring?" Well to start, no I guess I haven't because I thought she was referring to the way in which my children actively ignore me non stop. (You all know what I mean!).

I came home and googled it and tried it and Oh. MY. GOSH! It worked. I mean like WORKED! D hasn't had juice in his cup in a day and the paci is GONE!!! Fits, what fits? We even had a very enjoyable lunch with the doctor that Clint is buying the clinic from.

If you aren't actively ignoring your children, you aren't livin'! The gist is this: when said child begins to throw a fit, tell them the way whatever is is, and then pretend they don't exist. Easy as pie. Last night we didn't want jammies on. I said "We are going to wear them." I put them on and he immediately ripped the shirt half off, I went to the bathroom and got ready for bed and, when I came back, he asked me for help putting the shirt on, calm as can be! This morning he wanted to play outside, I said we have to get dressed and brush teeth. He said NO! I told him in that case we wouldn't be going outside and turned around. He ran and got his shirt and toothbrush. I mean for real. This might be a miracle.

That is all.

I'm not a "real" teacher.... - Musings of a homeschool Mom

Blog or rant, you decide. I am not angry really but I am curious. Why am I not considered a "real" teacher? What parent isn't a teacher in some respect? Your baby didn't pop out of the womb walking and talking and eating with a fork. Your children weren't born saying "Yes sir/ma'am" and "No sir/ma'am" or pooping in the potty. I mean, really, we are all teachers in our own right. Even those of us who spend most of our time at work. We spend weekends carting our kids to zoos and telling them the names of animals and evenings showing them the ropes of cooking, etc. We read books to our kids, color with our kids, and along the way, those kids LEARN things from them. So what is a "real" teacher???

Teacher is defined as a person who teaches. Am I less respectable as a teacher because I teach at home? Is it because I don't have a teaching degree? I am not a teacher, as I have been well informed since becoming a homeschooling mom, so I don't know what a REAL teacher does. Here is what I do. If there are real teachers out there, let me know if I qualify.

1. Obsessively research, study, and read about all types of curriculum for all subjects and learning styles in order to choose that which best fits my children.

2. Purchase all required materials for the classes I have chosen for my daughter to take.

3. Provide my student and all other children and members of the family with three meals a day.

4. Plan weekly lessons from the curriculum I have chosen and try to plan projects and field trips around those lessons.

5. Teach those lessons.

6. Grade those lessons.

In addition, I find teaching moments in everyday activities. I care for my other children who are not old enough for school yet. I do my own school work. I manage my household. I plan outside activities with other children so I am not accused of not "socializing" my children. And, best of all, I face constant criticism for my choice to teach my own child.

While I watch all the non-homeschool friends post excited/heartbroken/nervous status messages about sending their kids off to school, I have taken on the 24/7/365 responsibility of teaching my child everything she needs to know morally and educationally to navigate this world. Yes, it is MY CHOICE. I fully understand that, I have mad respect for working parents who send their kids to school, I was one. I have respect for teachers who go everyday and teach unruly little monsters that they don't have to love because they don't share their blood. My gripe here is why am I not a "real" teacher? Where is the respect for me and those like me? Discuss among yourselves.

That is all.

As they say in Hawai'i ALLLLOOHHHAAAA!

What can I possibly say about Hawaii that is not cliche? This place is amazing. I don't even make plans, just sitting here in a chair next to the window, feeling the breeze is enough to make me happy. No doubt the comfortable temperatures help with my enchantment of this place, but it is just an overall feeling of peace and relaxation I feel here.

It may be hard for some of you reading this to believe that I have been living in a house for almost two weeks that doesn't even have any air conditioning! This is something that I would never endeavor anywhere else. From our first day here we have SO enjoyed the happy rain showers that start just as quickly as they end and usually produce the most vibrant rainbow your eye has ever seen. The sights, smells, sounds and people are like no other place I have ever been. It is hard not to instantly feel at home!

We have had some wonderful experiences since we have been here. One of the trips we took was barfragious though! My dear mother, who knows that I can not even drive on a highway loop with out getting sick decided we would all take a trip to Waimea Canyon a few days ago. To say the road was windy would be an understatement. Picture me for about 20 minutes with my hands over my eyes groaning "Please God let this be the end!" and you will know the experience. When we got to the top it was cold and rainy. My mom assured me it would be "worth it" to which I replied "If I see a freakin' unicorn in that thing it won't be worth it!". It was pretty but not something I would ever do again. I asked her why she subjected me to that horror and she said "It's a canyon, I figured you knew about the drive." Yes Mom, I have lived in or around Dallas Texas my entire life, of course I know ALL about CANYONS!! What a dork!

Not every second here has been pleasurable but I will save that for another time, if ever at all. Those of you who know me are free to inquire about my side of the story as I know there are a lot of malicious comments being made. I think those of you who really know me, know me well enough to know that they are lies though and will require no further explanation.

That nastiness aside, my children have been just as amazed as I have by the beauty of Hawaii and I feel like we will be making subsequent trips here in our future. I have enjoyed a scenic round of golf with my husband, wonderful dinners, a fabulous luau with my birthday girl, and so many laughs watching my son explore beaches for the first time. My step sister, daughter, and son's "sand fight" on the beach the other day will be a lasting memory for me. Seeing their brown little bodies splash through the waves laughing and giggling brings a smile to my face and happy tear to my eye just thinking about it. I would not trade this experience for anything and getting to share it with my Mom and grandparents has made it all the more memorable!

That is all.

Tales from Mommyland Part 2... There's a turd in the tub

Warning - the following story is graphic in nature, those with tender tummies should not read further.

It is amazing how a simple word uttered by a (almost) 2 year old can strike fear into the hearts of men...

Bath time. It is a time of peace. It is a time of quiet. It is a time when the baby is confined to the tub and Mommy can spend 15 minutes alone. We had ice cream after dinner tonight and Denton decided to eat it like a puppy dog. Afterwards he looked like a mutt with rabies so we needed a bath. I put him in there with his toys and turned the water sprinkler star on and retired to my crater on the couch to relax. The bathroom is directly off the living room and we can see Denton in the tub so don't call CPS or anything.

I was working away on a Pampered Chef party and I heard it... A small little voice, echoing off the tile walls of the shower... "Poo poo.... poo poo.... poo poo...." Clint and I looked at each other, eyes wide. "Did you hear that? Did he say... poo poo?" We ran to the tub to see what was the matter and there it was, floating right behind him like a tiny turd of doom. I grabbed the turd covered baby and ran to the master bathroom, leaving the toilet water tub to the hubby!!!

This is my first experience with a turd in the tub. I know that is surprising considering I have two children. My sweet, little, precious girl child never pooed in the tub. Denton has tried a couple of times but I have thwarted those attempts. I can say that I didn't love the experience. It was kind of gross, and a little bit funny...

Never a dull moment!

That is all.