I should have known Thursday evening when my muscles started to ache and my throat was sore that the days to come would not go as planned.  A prescription did not help much for bouncing back and today, Monday, I am still not 100%.  It is probably  strep since Charlotte had it the week before last and Thomas was put on an antibiotic last week.  Dave needed medicine, too, and all three of us are still stuffed up.  Despite the sickness the weekend at my parent’s house was great since two extra sets of hands were there to help with the kids, not to mention feed us and entertain us.  One need only walk out the back door for a vacation.

Then Nana got sick.  There was no way my parents could keep both kids, as scheduled, this week with my mom lacking energy.  So we decided to bring Thomas back and let Sissy soak up the attention.  Her brother reminded me when we got home why having one almost 2-year-old is almost as tough as two.

So Dave’s Friday vasectomy is off because there is no way he can even lift Thomas the first few days after one and we’re not sure when Charlotte will return or who is going to watch the kids since their school/daycare ends Wednesday at 1pm!

Posted under Baby Thomas: Month 22

I’ve mentioned before that when Thomas was born he was fairly quiet and content in the surgery room.  I took it as a sure sign he was going to be my calm child.  How quickly they deceive you.  Monday Thomas threw a fit, worse than any his sister did at 22 months, that convinced me I better brace for what’s to come.  He is currently obsessed with DVDs and a portable player.  I got the latter out only to give Daddy a break from watching Jungle Book and other children’s DVDs on the big screen TV for the 100th time.  At first it was great, Thomas was pretty happy to sit and punch the buttons figuring out how to scroll through various scenes and songs to get to his favorites.  Of course this started to drive us nuts because he would regularly lock up the screen.  Then it got worse.  Now he wants to play with all the DVDs, take them out of their cases and switch them in and out of the player.  He still needs us to open the flap to insert the DVD and, with the attention span of a fly, constantly wants it changed.  So Monday I took a stand and withheld two of the nicer DVDs in an effort to save them from more toddler fingerprints and potential scratches.  Of course he searched through the pile and realized Mommy had withheld two of his favs.  Whining and pointing at the spot where we stack them ensued.  I told him he’s not getting them and he can play with the ones out.  He proceeded to kick the DVDs on the floor like a soccer player in a shootout.  I promptly snatched up the player, all the discs and cases and put them in the closet.  Now he was really mad.  He ran in the bathroom, slammed the door and pulled nearly all the toilet paper off  the roll before I stopped him.  Everyone who knows Thomas and hears this story is shocked, as he is usually a high-spirited yet kind and gentle little boy.  At least he used to be.  Would you believe a little while later in the bathtub I told him I loved him and kissed his head, he looked up at me and said, “DVD.”  Wow, already holding a grudge!

Posted under Baby Thomas: Month 22

1. Charlotte moved from the carseat to a high-backed booster chair this past weekend.  “I hate baby seats,” she proclaimed while looking at her brother still in one.

2. Thomas is chewing gum.  And he actually doesn’t swallow it.

3. Charlotte wanted Barbies for her birthday and is no longer frustrated with all the tiny accessories.

4. Thomas grabs a piece of toilet paper, pretends to wipe through his diaper, throws it in the toilet and flushes.

5. Charlotte told me she wants to go to kindergarten next year, not more preschool.

6. Thomas is asking for the foods he wants, like cheese or yogurt–and I can understand him.

7. Charlotte said riding the bus to school would be more fun than Mommy driving her.

8. Thomas rarely cries when I drop him off at daycare.  He even says the teachers’ names when we’re heading there.

9. Charlotte wants to read her books to Dave and me, no longer the other way around.

10. Thomas runs away and pouts.

Posted under Baby Thomas: Month 22

I am definitely not winning any awards for overachiever in the parenting department.  Sure I’d like to believe I do a lot of things well, but visit your local park or library children’s hour and what you overhear might confirm an average performance.  Last week I listened as two moms discussed potty training their 16 and 17-month-olds.  What?  I thought we were doing well just showing Thomas the potty chairs and hoping to convince him to use one later this summer.  And the bottle issue is still hanging over our heads.  Sippy cups abound at toddler hot spots we frequent, but I’m not opposed to breaking out the bottle every now and then when nap time approaches… yes, I’ll let my almost 2-year-old drink from it in public.  Meanwhile, one mom was telling another that her son’s sippy contains organic juice.  I’m just pleased pop is not in the picture for my two; a generic, store-brand juice does make the cut.  Charlotte asked for two “McDoubles” while placing an order at her swingset food stand.  Guess that means she’s been through a drive-thru a time or two.

Posted under Baby Thomas: Month 22

Charlotte’s birthday party went wonderfully.  No one cried, only one princess took her clothes off and I was not offended when a mom thought the pizza delivery guy had arrived and it was actually my husband!  One other bonus, I was in and out and up and down stairs so much all day that I ended up getting in a cardio workout.  I didn’t go as far as Dave and actually climb in the castle jumper, but he was protecting Thomas from giant wings and sharp tiaras.  Nana as Cinderella was such a hit.  She took shots of each guest in front of a castle scene taped to the garage.  During the party, photos were printed and placed in a cardboard princess frame in time for everyone to take them home.  Leave it to my mom to locate an incredible costume and come up with the picture idea.  She has the mind of a teacher, you know. 

The giant princess pinata was another highlight.  Even Thomas got in a few whacks. 

Personally, I was proud of myself for taking time Saturday night to transfer my pictures to the computer, post them on Facebook and order hard copies on-line.  But my goal was to post them here Monday, so the pressure was on from faithful blog readers.  Be sure to check out the new scrolling pics on the side of this page.

Posted under Baby Thomas: Month 22

A year ago at Charlotte’s birthday party drenching rain came just as the 3-year-olds and their parents were arriving.  Nana and Aunt Bird kicked into teacher mode and saved the day with circle time and songs on beach towels in our cramped living room.  This time around, nothing but sunshine in the forecast and an inflatable castle jumper set to arrive an hour before the 4-year-old princess party commences tomorrow.  Can you sense my excitement?  The buzz around our house rivals preps for a garden wedding.  Daddy could be seen earlier this evening putting new mulch around the trees and fake tulips in the swingset flowerbox.  Nana’s Cinderella costume is gently hung in the guest room closet, ready to make its appearance in front of the castle facade on the garage for the princess photo op as the girls arrive.  The princess pinata, as tall as Charlotte, is stuffed with licorice and suckers and gum.  Pink rope will string it over the swingset for little Sleeping Beauties and Snow Whites to whack with a plastic bat.  The castle cake will feature 4 candles, marking the time that has passed since I was sitting at my desk that many years ago weighing in at 225 pounds!  Pizza, pop and juice boxes will round out the menu.  Pictures and details to come Monday.

Posted under Baby Thomas: Month 22

In a state of near desperation, Dave and I decided to give Charlotte a chance to go to Chuck E. Cheese if she did NOT get 10 checks on a chart we hung on the fridge.  Three days in she was up to 8, and blew it by Friday.  My mom, career teacher and elementary school principal, claimed we were setting her up for failure by expecting someone so young to adhere to a weekly and not daily goal.  The challenge was too lofty.  So Dave, career teacher and coach, is used to compromise and adaptation.  He deals with it every day as a high school special needs instructor.  Daddy came up with a reward system that allows her to build up to a goal with no time limit or stipulation on when she arrives.  It’s up to her to earn a “heart” on her chart.  So far she has 5.  If she gets to 10, we go to Chuck E. Cheese.  Almost every day there’s talk of her losing or gaining a heart based on her behavior.  We won’t take one away, just not add one if her attitude or actions don’t change for the better in a given time.  One thing I’ve noticed; some times she’d rather be bad no matter the consequence.  Screw the future prize when I can drive my parents to the edge on a regular basis.  This girl is a fighter, in so many ways.  I hope we have the stamina to make it through a lifetime of rounds.

Posted under Baby Thomas: Month 22

As I’ve matured, I’d like to think I can better control my emotions.  Then yesterday I started crying while speaking to a women’s group.  Two things were in play that contributed:  I was going on little sleep as Charlotte had a fever overnight and ended up home sick with Daddy AND I was addressing Christian ladies at my church.  So my vulnerability was heightened.  As soon as I started talking about not knowing if Dave and I would be able to have biological children, the eventual vasectomy reversal and vision I had shortly before the wedding of a woman in a rocking chair holding a baby I believed to be me, I lost it.  It’s okay to cry, I know.  But I was so proud of myself in recent years for being able to keep it together compared to bawl fests in the past.  I cried on set when my then news director and co-anchor retired years ago.  Not just a tear or two, water works live on air.  Then I cried talking to a past general manager, a man, about being pregnant.  So keeping my composure was something I was striving for after that.  Then came my visit to Cresco where a previous post mentioned me tearing up at a speech when Dave was in the room.  Add yesterday to the list and I am just brimming with raw emotion, apparently.  The funny part was Dave’s response when I called him after the church event and explained what happened.  “I knew you were going to cry.”  I swear he must know me better than I know myself.

Posted under Baby Thomas: Month 22

Thanks to the supportive comments many of you have posted and ideas I’ve heard from self help authors, probably for the first time in my life I have started to focus on all the good things I have been doing as opposed to beating myself up for the failures.  This mental breakthrough was only implemented Sunday, so it’s going to take some time to stick.  The concept is pretty simple.  Instead of getting mad at yourself when you say cheat on your diet or skip a workout, you celebrate all the things you have been doing right up to that point and use that self love to get back on track.  It already worked for me.  Saturday, midway through the garage sale, I took Charlotte to a friend’s birthday party.  Having not eaten all day, I naturally caved when pizza and cake appeared before me.  Then flush with cash and a neighbor girl willing to babysit, a dinner date with Dave led to more fat-laden food consumption.  I woke up Sunday morning and stepped on the scale to, no surprise, confirm that I have gained eight pounds since I started going off my diet a month ago.  Mind games ensued.  You already blew it Sunday, so let’s have another pig out day to end the weekend.  No, Tara, count your points today and begin the process of reversing the damage.  I chose the latter option only after I reminded myself of how far I’ve come and about all the positive things in my life I have to be healthy for.  A 60-pound loss since the day I gave birth to Thomas, I reminded myself.  And slow and steady definitely is the only way to win the weight race for me.  A quick drop and I can put that back on and more in fewer days.  But consistent, healthful eating and regular exercise works over the long haul every time.  You have a husband who loves you and always embraces the heavier you.  Your children have more energy than rabbits and need you to run and jump and play with them as much as your back and knees can take.  I thought it all through and I was convinced.  A morning jog with Dave and the kids was followed by an active, calorie-restricted day.  And, yes, a 5-point small cherry sundae at DQ is just as satisfying as a small Snickers Blizzard.

Posted under Baby Thomas: Month 22

1) A garage sale is so worth your time when you make good money off stuff you don’t want or need, $449 and a $10 check in 3 hours!

2) Your face can still burn even with SPF 15 lotion and a baseball hat.

3) Ask your husband before you let your daughter wash the SUV with glass cleaner.

4) Filling a giant princess pinata with candy is a glorious way to spend a Sunday night.  I seriously enjoyed it.

5) I still suck at Red Rover, just like in grade school.

Posted under Baby Thomas: Month 22