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Friday, July 29, 2011

overstimulation

I never REALLY understood "oVeRsTiMulAtiOn" until I became a  Mother.  Yes, I could comprehend - cerebrally - what it means to be overstimulated but I did not UNDERSTAND what it means...there was not empathy for the child who is overstimulated....."just relax"....what exactly does that mean?? 

Then I became a mom and I so often feel like I am going to scream overstimulated. I didn't know it was possible but with 3 little people in my care, that I am responsible for, I am OftEn overstimulated....the constant noise, the constant chatter, the constant NEED....WOWSERS!!! I so often feel like my nerves are tapped to the hilt. 

So I wonder...is this me?  the "job"?  my kiddos?

I am working on figuring out how to "manage" this.  Sometimes in my "peaked" overstimulation my solution is "okay, quiet time now.  we are taking a bReAk....no talking..."  I hope my overstimulation does not scar my sweet Brady but rather teach him some self control, some patience, some appreciation for the quiet pauses in life.

BLAST OFF!!

Brady, Evan, and I sitting around the table eating lunch a couple of days ago...

B - "Mommy, how will we (Evan and I) die?"
Me - "I don't know buddy.  Hopefully that does not happen for a really long time; like when you are A LOT older."
B - "But how does Jesus come and get us?"  "Does he send a rocket down here to get us and then we blast off with Jesus to heaven?"
Me - "Not exactly."  "Our bodies are not going to heaven.  Just our spirits.  Remember when we have talked about that before.  It is just our spirits that will go to heaven to be with Jesus."
B - "So in heaven we do not have any bodies...just our hearts go up to heaven."
Me - "Kind of."  "It is hard to really explain and we do not know for sure exactly how that part will be because the only people that know are in heaven.  They are dead do they can't tell us."
B - "Right, Right."  "So I won't go there until I am a lot older."
Me - "I hope so."
B - "Are MiMi and PopPop old?"
Me - "They are oldER but not real old"
B - "Right.  They are not REAL old, not that old yet.  They are just a little bit old."

Oh the wheels are turning...I love these thought-out REAL conversations that we have.  Most of the time we have the mindless chatter where it is obvious that Brady just wants to hear himself talk.  These are the talks I know I will cherish.  The talks I want to remember for a lifetime.

Evan at the end of this conversation contributes with a boisterous blast off motion and sound effect...love him!

Sunday, July 17, 2011

"I don't wanta....."

Evan's famous words right now...even if it is something that he likes.  "Evan let's go eat lunch." E - "I don't want eat lunch."  "Evan, let's go pee pee." E - "I don't want go pee pee."  Evan apparently is exercising his will in enjoying letting us know what he "don't wanta" do.

Evan LOVES Woody from Toy Story.  He also like playing with the other characters, in particular Buzz Lightyear.  Buzz Lightyear's famous quote is "From infinity and beyond".  Evan has started saying that - this is his twist on it: "from insinitee an yon" with such enthusiasm and the best and brightest smile.

He now says EVERYTHING that we say, even if we do not understand it.  Some in particular tha I like and are noteworthy: "nuk" for milk (he uses this word for wanting any drink, even if he is drinking water; "belbum" (you're welcome); "baf" (bath); "backboes" (crackers); "Un wich" (Uncle Rich); "samsich" (sandwich); "ine cited" (I am excited); "an wait" (I can't wait)....love toddler-speak...so endearing : )

LOVE Evan such a sweet and cool kiddo!

Friday, July 15, 2011

Sweet Words

I sure do love when I receive unsolicited words of affirmation from my boys.  Thursday morning before heading out of our house, Brady climbed into my arms and said "I wish I could marry you, Mommy."  Very touched, I looked at him and said "Why do you say that, baby?"  "Because, Mommy, I love you."  Awww, thanks buddy!

After arriving in Atlanta for a visit, I asked Brady to help me with getting some things out of the van.  He followed me outside and I told him that I was glad he was my big boy helping me and that I had him as my big boy.  He said "I am happy that I have you as my mommy."  I said, "Yeah, why do you say that?"  "Because, mom, you are cool AND cute."  How sweet!

At MiMi & PopPop's house, Brady's boo boo was starting to bleed again so he needed a band aid.  We looked in the bathroom with MiMi and found one.  I said that is great MiMi has a band aid for you.  He said, "Yeah, I knew she would have a special one for me."  Love it!

After having a stomach bug through the night, Brady and I prayed for his belly to feel better.  He woke up and the stomach part of his illness was gone.  I said, "Oh, baby, we need to thank Jesus for your belly feeling better."  He said, "Yeah, mommy.  We asked Jesus to make it better and he said 'Well, alright'."  He said this all smiles.   Precious!

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

BIG BOY NEWS!!!

Evan is really taking to the idea of potty training (we introduced it over the past two weeks while Brady was in VBS) so I guess we are going to dive in now....full force : /  That is my mixed emotions face.  I have mixed emotions because, of course, I am so excited at the thought of getting Evan out of diapers....especially with another one in diapers.  I also am sad at the thought of my sweet lil' Evee growing up : (  I am also not looking forward to the work involved!  Let's face it...it is much easier to go out and about with 3 little kiddos when you don't have one trying hard to stay dry.  Since he seems so ready I need to move forward with it before I miss the "sweet spot" when he is so ready. 

Last night Evan moved out of his crib into his big boy bed.  He will be sleeping in the bottom bunk of Brady's bed.  This was quite emotional for me...he is only 2 - 25 months to be exact.  Brady was much older when he moved into his big boy bed.  Evan looked so tiny in that big, full size bed.  My baby not in his crib anymore...hard for Mommy.  With Brady's great bunk beds and large bedroom we had always planned for the boys to share the bedroom even if we had chosen to not have a third child.  With Maddox here we are going to use the nursery again for him.  With that in mind, we are moving Evan into his big boy bed a little sooner than we probably otherwise would have.  He was soooo excited about sleeping in his big boy bed.  One of my concerns definitely came to be...my fun-loving, loud, easily excitable little guy was very interested in the fact that his best buddy - his big brother, Brady was sleeping in the bed right above him.  We kept hearing: "Baydee" (Brady), "BAYDEE?".  We had to go in there several times and "threaten" him.  We had to tell Brady to ignore him, hoping the novelty would wear out and he would tire of calling for him.  Eventually it got quiet in there and he was out - so was Brady.  Daddy slept upstairs to make sure he was okay all night and so I could get a good, full night's sleep (what a sweet hubby).  At about 3 a.m. Evan called out because somehow in his sleep he got his arm caught in the slats of the bed above him.   He woke up at another time because he could not find his paci.  Then Chris said at 6:15 a.m. (he doesn't usually wake up until 7:30 or 8) he heard Evan again: "BAYDEE?"  Not a great night sleep, but a start.  Hopefully the novelty of sharing a room tires sooner rather than later.  We shall see.  

Hard for me to believe that my baby is potty training and sleeping in a big boy bed.

Update:  about 2 weeks later....the "novelty" is wearing off - good and bad....it is wearing off for potty training (not good) and the big boy bed and sharing a room with Brady (good).  With VBS over and us out and about Evan needed to be in a diaper, then being out of town for an entire week - I feel like we lost some ground with potty training.  The novelty is gone so the "fun" of being a big boy and using the potty is over.   So now - yea me! - I am working on reviving the excitement of potty training now that we are back in town.  This is my second least favorite parenting responsibility to date (sleep trainig being my first)!

At least we can put both boys to bed in the same room at the same time and within 15 - 20 minutes they are quiet and asleep and we do not hear from them until - the earliest - 7 a.m.  That, at least, is some progress so that is what I will focus on.