Archive for May, 2010
Birthday party weekend
Posted by: | CommentsWe just survived 3… yes, THREE birthday parties! And, alone without DH to help. He had to go to visit his mom who fractured her leg and is sick among other things. We are hoping Pnemonia isn’t also on the floor. But, we will wait and see after her visit tomorrow.
Anyway, the first was a dance party. The kids were adorable in all the little Tutu’s!!!!! Both Bree and Zane really got into the class and enjoyed having a ball with their friends. I never would have thought about a ballerina party, but it was a blast for all the little 3 year olds!
The second was a party at an indoor playground. It was the same place Bree and Zane had their 3rd birthday. Overall, they had fun, but Zane resumed his position as my cling-on. Therefor, I couldn’t step one inch away from him. I think it had to do with knowing only a few kids there, being worn out (as it ended at bedtime), and having Daddy away. They had a good time and Zane was super excited about the Tractor cake!
The 3rd one took place today. It was at a local museum, Marbles. The kids have only been to this museum a handful of times, because it is $5 a person (including for me). I never understand why they charge the parents. It’s not as though we would go there just for ourselves… and they won’t let us just drop them off! Oh well. Anyway, there was so much to explore and do! They especially had a blast at the water station, the art activities, and building little cars. They went FULL SPEED for the 2 1/2 hours we were there!
Unfortunately, I have no idea where my camera is. So, I didn’t really get any pictures. Just know, they had fun… I had fun… and we are all pooped. 
Getting your child to eat- The finger game
Posted by: | CommentsYes, I know it is hard to believe, but I am actually posting TWO DAYS in a row!!!!!
A friend of mine found one of my tips helpful and told me to post it on here. So, here it is… hope it helps.
My kids are different eaters. Bree will try just about everything with a little encouragement. The only thing she regularly dislikes is peanut butter. Zane, is like his father. He knows what he likes and sticks to those items. Sometimes, it is hard to get him to eat all together. He is so long and lean… and constantly on the go. So, I came up with a simple game that works really well with him.
I hold up my hand with 5 fingers. He only has to make sure he takes 5 bites. Each time he takes a bit, a finger goes down. Often, he will end up eating more than the 5 bites. However, it is a great visualization for him and he knows that is all that is required. It helps him to have some control, I think.
Anyway, my friend’s child has sensory issues, was a micro-preemie, and has had problems gaining weight. He LOVES this game!!!! She said when he says he is done, after only a couple bites, she asks if he wants to play the “finger game”. He always does… and he always eats at least 5 more bites.
Hope it helps with your picky eater!
Long overdue updates
Posted by: | CommentsCall it chaos… call it being a twin mom… whatever… I am a slacker. I said I would start doing more posts… and I didn’t. But, you can’t succeed if you don’t try. So, off I go again.
The twins are now 3. If you have twins, you will find that each age brings more joys. Some things get easier. And some things get more challenging. They can now play together, ride their trikes, and have a WONDERFUL imagination!!!!!
One of my favorite stories is of one day when we were at a mall play area. There was a little boat. The kids were in the boat acting like they were fishing. Bree was giving me the fish and I was pretending to eat them. Well, she passed, to me, what I thought was an imaginary fish. Bree started yelling, “NO MAMA NO!!!! Don’t eat the STICK!!!!!!” I laughed so hard!!!!!!
Zane is a little comedian. He loves to say things that make people laugh. One day he was making an annoying squealing sound. I asked him kindly to stop… numerous times. I tried ignoring. He just continued. I said, “Zane, you are being a little pest!” He said, “Na… I’m just a kid!”
The fits are less often. Now that they can speak well, they let you know what they want. They can also understand reason (most of the time). However, when they DO throw a fit… it seems they are louder and a little more aggressive. We have done quiet time in their rooms for moments like these. With the tot clock timing their 3 minutes, it gives them a time to separate themselves and cool down. Then, when they come back we talk about it and give hugs. So far, it seems to be working.
2 days ago we moved the kids into twin beds! This was a HUGE step for us!!!! They still fit in their beds, but Zane was getting a little long and DH and I were finding it harder and harder to lay down with them. OK, I’ll admit, the move to the big beds was more for our comfort, but they had to move sometime!
Anyway, Bree has done AWESOME!!!!! She LOVES her new bed and the new arrangement of her room. Zane. Not so much. He has a little more trouble with change.
2 nights ago it took a couple hours to get him to sleep. At 1 a.m. he came out of his room, hysterically crying. He said his room was “scared” (ie. scary). I couldn’t even get him back in his room, much less into the bed. So, he slept with DH in our bed while I slept in the living room.
Last night he was exhausted and fell asleep about 8:30… not to bad really. However, about 11:15 he woke up. I was just about to go to bed. I put him back in bed and laid down. He got up, I put him down. He got up… you can guess how this continued. About midnight I was falling asleep. He got back up and wouldn’t stop crying. Once again, he finally went to sleep in our bed.
I don’t want this to become a routine. I’m all about the family bed. However, he has been sleeping in his own bed for years. I don’t want to change things now. I know if I let this continue it will become the norm.
So, DH and I have agreed on the Super Nanny training. We’ll put him in bed. When he gets out I’ll remind him it is time to sleep in his own bed. After that, I’ll just put him back over and over. I’ll do tonight. DH will do tomorrow night. Wish us luck! lol
