The Kids' Log: January 27-February 2, 2013

I came bearing pictures! A round of applause, please. The weather has been cooperating here and that makes for wonderful play dates at the park on Friday. It's especially nice now that Desmond can join the fun since he got his own pair of kicks these week. He likes sand. a lot. He digs his fingers in it and sucks the sand off. ick. It gives me warm fuzzies to watch them together even if it last a millisecond (more on that is a minute).


I needed cheering up after getting the disappointing news that the buyers have backed out of buying our home in Dallas. I am ready to be done with it come what may.

Toddler Log: 3 Years and 24 Weeks Old
Marlie's challenging behavior continues. It's not just the extreme defiance that is draining, it's the all out meltdowns when I ask her to do anything. It's to the point I dread engaging her because I know what's coming. I even witnessed her do it at school, which is where is is usually on her best behavior. I arrived earlier one day just in time to see her crying over having to clean up the toys she'd been playing with. I try to remember the tips from the books I read, but honestly, in the heat of the moment when I have a nursing/crying/wiggly baby in my arms I don't have the brain cells how to communicate on her level. I just want her to eat her meal and brush her teeth without the push back. I feel like every interaction from eating breakfast to getting ready for bed has become a hostage negotiation. sigh. Someone suggested she's feeling displaced by her brother now that he's an active little person and not a sleeping blob anymore. I can see that, especially when she resorts to baby talk. We each spend as much one-on-one time with her as possible. What we are working on is getting them to play together but she's not having it. She wants all of our attention and all of the toys to herself (not possible). She even asked me if I could leave the baby in the car when we went to the park. How can I get her to see him as a playmate and not competition for affection?

On a positive note, she had a great time at her first gymnastics class. I am hoping this will be a good outlet for her and she will start acting like her normal self (which isn't an angel by any stretch, but she was not a mean girl).


Baby Log: 42 Weeks Old
Boyfriend received his first pair of shoes this week and he has been walking outdoors ever since. He also learned a new word this week! I am "Na Na." It's not mama, but I'll take it. It took a minute to realize he was calling me when he first said it, but there is no misinterpreting when he says Na Na while reaching for me! We embarked on the rocky road of transitioning him to his own sleep space. He starts out in a co-sleeper next to our bed and then his daddy moves him to the crib in the kids' room. It's going swimmingly! Yeah, right. On his worst nights he wakes up realizing he's not in our bed and starts screeching like a scalded cat. His best night was Friday when he slept on his own from 8 pm- 2 am, so there is hope!