Just a sandwich!

Having a little boy in full-time kindergarten means having to pack a little boy's lunch every. single. day. for the next fifteen plus years. This is the one (and probably not the only) thing that I am not looking forward to, but its something that I accept and will try to do my best at.

Last week was our first week on lunches.

The first day, I made a signature ham and cheese wrap, with some grapes, a cheese stick, yogurt, mini muffins, and some fruit snacks.

The second day, I went with crackers, cheese, pickles, and ham in a little container, plus carrots and dip, a few other snacks thrown in.

The third day, I tried the bagel with cream cheese & jam, a yogurt drink, mini muffins, some pickles, and the standard snacks on the side.

On the evening of day three, the conversation I had with E at the supper table went like this:

Me: So how was lunch today?
E: It was good. But how come you put butter on my bagel?

Me: I didn't, it was cream cheese & jam.
E: But it wasn't toasted, you are suppose to toast bagels.

Me: So you want a toasted bagel another time?
E: Ya, toasted, no butter.

Me: What do the other kids in your class bring for lunch?
E: Just sandwiches.

E: So, can I just get a sandwich tomorrow?
Me: (surprised) Okay.

E: Not a wrap, not a bagel, just plain bread and stuff, nothing fancy.

Perhaps, I was trying to hard?

Friday, he got just a sandwich. Plain bread, some ham, cheese, and mustard.

Nothing fancy.
 
 

A couple of firsts!

The last 48 hours my big boy had a couple of firsts... just another glaring reminder that he's growing up way. too. fast.

Monday afternoon, my in-laws kept H for the afternoon so that PC and I could take E to his first movie at a movie theatre.  Not an overly huge deal unless of course you're three and a half and have never been to that 'big blue building with all the lights by the bookstore'.

PC scoped out Brave in 3D as a good movie for the first experience. At first I thought it might be a little too intense, but the 3D factor was a good call. I have to say, the last time I went to a 3D movie was well... the Muppets in Disney World, circa 1992. 3D movies have come a long way in 10 years!

There was a beary scary part midway through the movie where I thought E might not like it, but he actually laughed as we reminded him its not real, and just for pretend.  It turned out to be a really fun story and he's still talking about his favorite parts to anyone who will listen.

Great first experience at the movies... the traditional non-3D movie might be a bit of a let down the next time we go, given that E hasn't take off his plastic 3D glasses since it was over!

After the movie, we hit East Side's for a signature strawberry banana float and a bit of supper for the big kids! Then early the next morning, was E's first cleaning with the dentist.  I made mistake of telling him that he didn't have to tell the dentist about all the treats he had at the movies, and that it would just be 'our little secret', and since then, everything he talks about finishes with '...but that will just be our little secret right Mommy?' #parentingfail.

He's been to the dentist once before when he was two... but just to have his teeth counted. This was his first time going through the real deal with the cleaning and polishing, and he did fabulous.  I actually think he might be more tolerant than me with having someone clean his teeth - he literally just laid back and took it all in.  The hygienist was extremely patient and E seemed to appreciate her informing him of her every move.  On top of that he got a stellar report from the dentist (Dr. André Théorêt) and was rewarded with a bouncy ball and a bag of oral care treats, complete with his very own FLOSS (might as well have been a chocolate suckers by his reaction)!

 

All in all, a great first experience at the dentist... I have my doubts that it will be this easy with H, but ya never know!

 

24 pounds of TROUBLE!

If there was ever a boy who was put on this earth to keep me on my toes, I am pretty sure its my baby boy!

We are in that stage of discovery and independence, and while this is a great from a one year old's perspective, its wearing on my last nerve as a mother!

 It seems every time I turn around he is into something... I think he believes he was put on this planet to identify the baby loop holes in our house - and trust me, there are many of them!

I guess the biggest challenge for me is believing that he can and will get into something each and every time I am not all up in his grill. His older brother was not that kind of a kid, and still isn't. E's level of mischief is actually pretty pathetic as it isn't worth charting on the holy graph of mischief. However, I can see that H is making up for that.

I try not to compare my boys... because while they are brothers, they are very different personalities and as such require different parenting techniques. But I can't help it! For E, raising your voice just an octave or two got his attention and deterred him from any further destruction, but for H, raising your voice three octaves (or down right screaming your head off) doesn't do anything but encourage him to continue his actions. Once he has it locked in his mind that he wants to do something, I have yet to discover a technique that will change his mind.

This week, H discovered that he's tall enough to pull the door handle open that leads to the basement stairs. When E was in this stage, we kept the door to the basement shut and that was the end of it. We actually only installed one baby gate in the whole house at the top of the second floor stairs for E. But now with H, its a different story. He insists on opening the basement door and I can't trust that he won't instinctively go head first down the stairs, so we took new measures to ensure that doesn't happen - a second gate. 

He's not pleased about it, but at least I can safely contain him to the first floor and do so with peace of mind. Of course... restricting him only triggers the 'what kind of trouble can I cause under her nose' button, and it turns into issues like these... 

But such is life... with a busy boy!

He's not all trouble all the time, every now and again, we are pretty pleased with his actions... like last weekend, before the baptism, he decided to take his first unassisted steps... in the presence of Grandma & Grandpa B too!



We love him to pieces... we just hope, like all parents of a busy boy, that its JUST A PHASE!

 

Little Reminders

I love this...

I love this because it says so many simple things, and yet is a little reminder of just how precious my boys are to me... and even more than that, how important my job as a parent is to them.

These last few weeks my mind has been working overtime. My boys are so young, and its up to PC and I to guide them through the big wide world! Right now, I have more thoughts than I can possibly address -  thoughts that keep me up late at night, thoughts that are just there, and thoughts that remind me that I'm an adult now, with two children, a loving husband, and a lot of responsibility.

I actually sit back in amazement that my parents did all of this for my sister and I, and are still living to the tale!
 
Like anyone, I want what is best for my family... and I want my children to grow up feeling safe, and loved, and that we did the best job we possibly could for them.

Every decision we make as a parents has a consequence for our children... some decisions are harder than others, but my honest belief is, if you are doing what is best for them, then you are doing the right thing.  I have a hard time remembering this when it comes to my decision-making.

The line above that gets me (besides the 'stop yelling') is the one that says 'realize how important it is to be a child'. I think I tend to forget that one.  Childhood is SO important, and I want my boys to have fun, to sing, to dance, to laugh, to play, to learn, to grow, to discover, and above all else, be safe and healthy. I want this for them, because I want what I was given as a child and then some.

I'm rambling, but when I saw this canvas online, I thought it really hit home for me. Life is challenging, and being a good parent is hard work. In addition to my professional job, I have bigger responsibilities to my family, and ones that I want to fulfill by doing nothing but loving them and doing what is best for us as a family.

Can you tell I'm not ready to go back to work yet... at ALL?!
T minus two months and NOT counting!
How's that for a little reminder!

Kids in bed by 7? Dream ON!

PC asked me a riveting question the other night: How (the hell) do people get their kids in bed by 7pm?

And we both looked at each other and responded at the same time: I. have. no. clue.

Seriously... no freaking clue how people have their kids fed, bathed, teeth brushed, stories read, and lights out by 7pm. I know there are a TON of families that do it - but we are not one of them, and frankly, we never will be.

The earliest we are all in the door throughout the week is probably 5:15, but its more like 5:30, 5:40. If dinner is planned ahead, its probably ready and on the table by 6:15ish, but if its not, then we are looking at 6:30 to 6:45 most nights.  We often finish eating when Wheel of Fortune is on, which airs every night at 7, so what does that tell you. We eat late... we always have, and we probably always will - that's how we roll.

If you are keeping track, its now after 7 and we are still at the dinner table in our house... then if its bath night, that takes us anywhere from 7:30 to 8, then we have to get pjs on, teeth brushed, and coax a 2 y/o onto his bed (which really isn't that hard unless he's full of energy from supper).  Now we are talking 8:20 to 8:30ish, and then its story time. By the time we read a couple of books... its closer to 9pm before we call it lights out for the night. And that's only if I'm in drill sargent mode, with my bull-horn on repeat.

I don't really know what I would do if there was some law that stated kids must be in by 7pm... I don't think we could do it, unless we went without supper or a bath which are not options. We also try to fit some quality time in there too, which happens more so on the non-bath nights, but regardless, a 7 pm bedtime would be more than a real challenge, it is down right impossible here.

In a couple of months when we get H on the same type schedule we'll have two boys to run through the paces - so then the question will become: How (the hell) do you get two kids in bed by 7 pm?  And I know the answer will remain a mystery here.

There are two key factors when it comes to solving this mystery... there's PC and I, and then the boys.

I have to admit, and it probably comes as no surprise to those who know us well, but PC and I are slow movers. Even when we are rushing, we are slow moving... and I kinda fear we are going to pass this trait on to the boys whether we consciously know it or not. Even now, E (like any 2 y/o) takes his sweet time when getting ready to go anywhere... and we let him, because even when we say 'ready to go?' we really mean 'ready to go in another 5 minutes'.

The good news is that the boys (who knows what H will be like, but E for right now) is fairly even tempered and easy to get along with, even at the end of the day. Even when he's exhausted, he can still be quite an enjoyable little boy, and this is truly a plus, but its also part of the reason I think its closer to 9pm every night before E is fast asleep - because he's not kicking up a royal fuss. Most nights, when we actually turn the lights out, he goes to bed with a goodnight kiss and hug and that's the last we hear from him until the next morning at 7:30 or 8 am - and that is perfectly fine with me.

I know there is no parenting rule that says kids must be in bed by 7, but I do know there are people that pass the 'wow, those kids are up late' type judgment on others, but I really think, you do what works best for you, and right now, the 8:30-9 pm bedtime is working for us, and until we have school-aged children and early school mornings to contend with, this is how its gonna be!

Do you find it hard to get your kids in bed at a decent hour or is an early bedtime just come naturally to your household?

Know More Do More

Know More, Do More.

I stumbled upon this site, via Twitter, and a blog that I read from time to time.

For a quick recap, Know More Do More was created from results of a survey by the CCPN that indicated that there is a gap between parents’ perceptions and the reality of their children’s weight, physical activity levels, and eating behaviours.

An example of this is:
Perception
Parents in the region generally think their children are active or very active.

Reality
87% of children in the region are not getting the recommended 90 minutes of physical activity a day.

This whole know more, do more challenge is really inspiring. Know More Do More is providing families with tips and tools to help change their perceptions, and change the reality of our children's health in this region.

Don't get me wrong, this is not every family's reality, some of our children are super healthy, but on the other end of the spectrum, childhood obesity is a concern in this country, so there are families out there that need the help and hopefully welcome a challenge like this.

This whole challenge got me thinking more about a topic I have been talking over with friends lately. The idea that there is so much pressure these days on parents to get out and do things with their kids, and I don't mean that in a bad way, but I find myself lately searching google and asking pro-parents about what I can be doing with my son to get out and get active with him.

As a new-ish Mom (someone please tell when I should stop referring to myself as a new Mom, because I don't know, but that's a whole other post), I want to give my son the chance to experience everything the world has to offer, but I also like to spend a weekend here or there doing nothing but catching up on household chores and some shows on the PVR. Those weekends are few and far between lately, and when they do happen they are not without guilt. E is a fairly easy going kid, he doesn't require much to entertain himself, but still, if 10 years down the road he hates anything that screams physical activity and only loves the TV, I will be so mad at myself.

I am just having trouble finding the happy medium between being on the go and having evenings and weekends filled with activities for E, versus downtime, all the time. I want E to grow up to be a well-rounded child, and I know this is my responsibility - but the pressure to find that balance is challenging to say the least.

I don't remember growing up in a household where my Mom and Dad were barking out 'this weekend we are going to go on a scavenger hunt, then to a picnic in the park, and then to Cosmic Adventures', etc. Yet, I felt like we did things, like go bike riding, and canoeing and cross-country skiing, and have lunch on our patio, and tea parties with friends, etc. But I don't think my Mom thought, 'Geez, I have to get out and do something with my kids or else I'm borderline under-serving them as a parent'.

I often see my neighbors carting their kids off early in the morning on weekends to get somewhere (that somewhere I presume is an activity), while E and I are happily eating our breakfast or playing 'roll the ball' back n' forth. I have no desire to get up and get moving on weekends, or else it would feel like a work week to me, yet part of me wishes I had something to take E too.

Maybe its just the age he's at now... or maybe its my sheer laziness. I hope its first one, rather than the latter, but I know its maybe a mix of both. This is why I think the Know More Do More challenge can be inspiring, not only to me, but to other parents in this situation who want more to do, but just don't know what that activity should be.

My favourite saying on the back of the Starbucks cup is The Way I See It #198:

"You can shower a child with presents or money, but what do they really mean, compared to the most valuable gift of all - your time? Vacations and special events are nice, but so often the best moments are the spontaneous ones. Being there. Every moment you spend with your child could be the one that really matters."

I think this saying really breaks down challenge I am having in getting out and doing more with my son, versus just spending quality time with him doing nothing overly exciting. Know More Do More breaks down this challenge too because it allows parents to use simple ideas such as a dance-off with your kids or a game of tag in the backyard, to help families build healthier lifestyles and in still healthier habits within their children as they grow older. And really - what could be better than that?

Phantom Crying

Since I have been home with E, I have become a victim of phantom crying.

I can't seem to put E down for a nap and walk up or downstairs without thinking that as soon as I am out of earshot - he is crying for me.

This easily happens to me at least 20 times a day.

It goes from one extreme to the other ... I hear the phantom crying, so I rush to E's bedside only to see that he looks so still that I wonder if he's actually breathing. To this end, I have to hold my finger under his nose until I feel the hot air on it to convince myself that he is in fact only sleeping.

I am not sure if its my guilty conscious thinking that I shouldn't be doing anything else in a day but tending to him, or if its just plain old new mother paranoia... but its becoming fairly annoying.

I swear if I lived in a glass house... my neighbours would think I am a crazy woman as I am constantly dashing up the stairs at lightning speed and then once I see he is still sleeping, I am casually walking back down the stairs as if nothing happened.

The same goes for when I am in the shower... sometimes I think I hear him screaming, so I shut the water off in the shower, but when the water stops... I don't hear a thing.

Does this happen to anyone else or just me?

How long does this phantom crying phase last... I am hoping that I settle in soon - but in the meantime its the start of a great weight loss program, climbing the stairs all. the. time!