This Mama needs some HELP!

The number one most misunderstood thing when it comes to parenting is the Terrible Twos.  The number one most misunderstood thing when it comes to 3-year-olds is bedtime.

You see, when Mike and I were new parents, we heard talk of the Terrible Twos phase.  You know, when your child turns two years old, she would throw temper tantrums and even though it wouldn't necessarily be ok, we would deal with it because, well, it was to be expected!  Then when your child turns three years old, she would magically go back to being that angel that she was before the T2 phase!  You know what I'm talking about, right?  Well my friends, I'm here to tell you that it is all a big LIE!

The Truth About the Terrible Twos

1. The T2 phase STARTS at age two-ish and lasts for at least two years.
2. You will look back on those newborn nights when your baby cried for a bottle and then went right back to sleep and think, "It really wasn't that bad!"
3. The child will NOT win the battle.
4. The parent will NOT win the battle.
5. Threats don't work.
6. Rewards don't work.
7. Punishments don't work.
8. It is a battle... With no clear ending in sight.
9. It will stop as suddenly as it started.

We are right in the middle of the T2 phase with Miss Taylor Max.  She is stubborn, she pouts, she whines, she cries, she throws herself on the ground, she screams.  The only thing is, she only does this at bedtime!  For some reason unknown to all other humans, she hates bedtime.  Apparently she believes that bedtime is just a myth and it is something that she doesn't believe in.  She also must think that her family is pretty dumb to believe in the concept of bedtime, because she doesn't like to let anyone else in the house get a full, restful night of sleep!  

When we talk about this with other people, the first thing we are asked is, "What time does she go to bed?"  Bedtime is 7:30.  Yes, it is early, but when you are a kid and need to wake up at 6:00 in the morning, 7:30 really isn't that bad.  Actually, 7:30 is her sweet spot.  Any earlier and she isn't quite tired enough and throws a fit because she isn't tired.  Any later and she is overly tired and throws a fit... for no reason except that she is tired.  We have the best chance of going to bed good if she is in bed at exactly 7:30.  On occasion, Jaden gets to stay up until 8:00.  Mostly to let Taylor cry it out for a half-hour or so, but also because she is past the T2 phase and "gets it."  We've tried rewarding Taylor with staying up a little later and it backfires almost every single time.

Mike and I have tried it all.  We have rewarded going to bed good.  We have taken away her Dora movies, her Maxine, her blankie, her stuffed animal... it does NOT work.  We have tried letting her cry.  We have tried closing her door.  We have tried reasoning with her.  It doesn't matter.  We have asked our parents, friends with kids, and even doctors for advice.  The answer always comes down to, "It is a phase and she will grow out of it."  We know this, but it doesn't make it any easier.

Jaden went through the same thing when she was 2½-3.  She cried and screamed at bedtime.  I remember it so well because Taylor was a newborn.  Between the two of them, Mike and I were getting no sleep at all.  I also know that Jaden grew out of it eventually.  

So, Mike and I are basically at the end of our rope.  We are about to lose it.  It is the most frustrating thing in the world.  I know that it probably seems like I am making mountains out of molehills, but I'm not.  It is hard to handle.  It is hard to know what is the right thing to do.  Right now, it basically boils down to the fact that she doesn't want to be left alone.  She wants either Mike or myself to stay in her room until she falls asleep.  I don't mind doing that every so often, but I'm scared that it will develop into a habit that will cause more problems down the road.  A few times this week, I have sat on her floor next to her bed and let her hold onto my finger.  She falls asleep almost instantly.  When she is snoring, I replace my finger with Maxine's (her favorite doll) arm.  It works, but I'm afraid it is only making the whole problem worse, because eventually we will have to not do that.  Then what?

I know that every kid goes through this.  I know that we will all survive.  I also know that she was pouting and throwing a fit off and on from 11:30-2:30.  We got less than three hours of sleep last night.  Tell me what to do next because I feel like it's time to call Supernanny!

"Oh, crap."

I'm tired.  This week has kicked my butt. 

On Monday evening, Taylor wasn't feeling so hot.  We had just finished dinner and the girls wanted to go outside and play.  I went out with them to do a little yard work between swing pushes.  Taylor started moaning and rubbing her tummy.  I asked her if she was going to throw up... no.  I asked her if she had to go poop... no.  Touched her head... cool.  She's fine, just ate too much, right?  She climbs to the top of the slide.  I have my back to her as I am cursing the squirrels and/or bunnies for yet another half eaten tomato, when suddenly Jaden screams.  I turn around and am flashing back to the days of chillin' on the couch at Mom and Dad's watching Double Dare.  Taylor diarrhea'd down the slide!  I scoop her up and tell her to STAND STILL and don't touch the poop!  I run inside, lay a diaper pad down, and start running a bath.  I go outside and Mike is swatting flies away (why do flies like to eat poop??)  Taylor is upset and feeling a little crappy (hehe!)  I get her all cleaned up and back outside we go!  Now, what on earth do I do with poopy pants?  Teach those darned squirrels a lesson, that's what!  This is where it gets a little disgusting.  I sprayed her pants out right by my tomato plants because guess what Taylor had for dinner the night before... CORN.  Enjoy, my furry friends!  Bwahhaahhhahha (evil laugh)!

Well, apparently T had a little virus.  She was acting fine the next morning but didn't eat much of her breakfast.  Around noon, the babysitter called me.  Taylor was having "loose stools" again and wasn't feeling well.  I went to get the poor baby.  After her nap, she seemed to feel a little better. 

Jaden: "My tummy hurts."

Wednesday morning, I head to Walgreen's to pick up some children's Pepto.  Obviously Jaden wouldn't take it and Taylor cried because she wanted more.  No fevers + no throwing up = to the sitters.  Guess what?  They were fine!  No yucky reports for the day when Mike picked them up!

I went to Michigan for a little shopping trip with my mom that day.  I was literally two minutes away from home and Mike calls me, "You should probably go a different way because there is water coming up out of the street and kids (not ours) are playing in it."  I detoured around the block because the police had already taped off the water and were actually standing guard.  The girls had already eaten supper and were ready for bed.  We got them down and I went to make dinner for Mike and myself.  Spaghetti.  Small problem... the water had been turned off.  We called 311 and we were told, "There is a water main break on your street and because the children in the neighborhood were playing in the water, it needed to be turned off.  We wouldn't want a child to slip and be run over by a vehicle or drown."  So basically because parents have no control over their kids (or just don't care) we don't have water... nice.  They estimated that the water would be turned back on around 1:30 a.m.  We opt for Pizza Hut take-out.

After dinner and a little Big Brother, the storms start up.  It is pouring down rain and really windy.  All of a sudden, darkness.  The power went out.  J cries because the storms woke her up and she is scared.  It was really bad out.  We were tempted to go down to the basement, but I didn't want to wake Taylor up if it wasn't necessary.  So, Mike sat with Jaden and we both watched outside and listened for a tornado siren.  Eventually, the storm passed.  We called the electric company and they guessed that power would be restored around 2:30 a.m. 

No water.  No power.  Nice.

Everything was back to normal the next morning!  The shower spit some yellow water at first, but then it was ok!  After work, we came home and had spaghetti.  Mike's mom was on her way over so we could go to a meeting at J's preschool.  I went to do dishes and again, no water.  Luckily, it was turned on by the time we got home so the girls could get a bath. 

It's been a tiring week.

BUT, I did get some good news!  Disney Family Fun saw my post on the Hit The Road badge and loved our road map idea!  They want to feature it in their next issue along with a picture of my girls!  You all will have to go out and buy the October issue when it comes out so you can see these cuties:

Way to go, girls! 

TGIF...

Two of Them

When Mike and I were planning our wedding, I was also planning when I was going to have children.  I wanted four.  I was uneducated and unsmart.  I would think about how far apart I wanted our kids (all four of them) to be.  No more than two years!  I wanted to go from one baby to the next... Do the math.  That is like 8 years of pregnancy and babies!  Like I said, I was unsmart. 

We were married in July of 2006 and Miss Jaden arrived right on time in April of 2007.  Exactly nine months after we were married.  Baby #1, check!  She was a perfect baby!  She obviously had her baby moments, but she was not a fussy baby.  You could sit her on a blanket on the floor and she would play with her toys.  It was great!  In fact, she was so good, Mike and I seriously considered having only one child.  Then I had that little issue with my cervix and when I though of the possibility of not ever having kids again, I knew my family wasn't complete.  BUT, my little surgery did throw a little kink in my four babies, two years apart plan!  I had to wait about half a year past when I wanted to be pregnant to even try to get pregnant.  I was scared it wouldn't happen, but well... Nine months later, we welcomed Taylor Max to our family!

After our second child, we got smart.  We knew we could only handle two.  We knew that we could not let them out number us.  I got fixed and we are living happily ever after! 

However, the title of this post is not about the number of kids I have.  It is about everything else that comes with those kids.  We have to have the same of everything (or at least equal in the eyes of the beholders).  Taylor wants to take her Pooh to Annie's; Jaden has to take Tigger.  Jaden wants to play her Mobigo game; Taylor has to have her game.  Taylor is playing with the blonde Pop-On Pal; Jaden has to have a blonde Pop-On Pal.  Jaden wants to wear a necklace; Taylor has to wear a necklace.  Taylor makes me laugh at dinner; Jaden must make me laugh immediately after (on the same level of funniness).  It gets a little bit ridiculous at times!  If we don't have equality, there are real-life, wet tears.

They are crazy.  They can be a handful at times.  They love each other more than anything else in the world.  They make my heart smile... even when my mouth is not.

Happy New Year!

It's 2011!  Every year, I make it one of my resolutions to check something off of my Life List.  I figured, why not get this out of the way on day one of the new year?

Life List #30: Participate in a Polar Bear Plunge

As you can see, it was a little warmer than usual for January 1st.  Those 17 mph wind gusts were something fierce though!

My friend, Candy, was the only soul brave enough to conquer the icy St. Joseph River with me.  This was also on her Bucket List! 

Yes, that is a chunk of ice floating down the river we were waiting so patiently to dive into.

We all sang the Star Spangled Banner and took off running!

It was so cold, it HURT.

I felt like I was having a heart attack.

My chest was on fire.

I couldn't feel my feet.

It may have been the dumbest thing I've ever done...

and I CAN'T WAIT TO DO IT AGAIN!

I am SO making this an annual tradition!

In 2010, I crossed the following off of my Life List:

6. Plan a major event from start to finish

7. Start my own business

18. Collect all Statehood Quarters

27. Visit the Grand Canyon

35. Place a bet in Vegas

As far as other New Year's Resolutions go, in 2011, I resolve to:

1. Cross something off of my Life List

2. Lose 5-7 pounds

3. Get my freakin' family room ceiling fixed!

4. Read 40 books

5. Complete my 2010 Project Life album

Cheers to a prosperous 2011!

Oh yeah!  I have some winners to announce!  I randomly picked numbers using random.org, of course and the following people have won the featured prizes from my 500th post giveaway:

#15 - Renee wins the party hat and patch pattern from Becca at Blue Cricket

#27 - Jenny wins the charm and chain necklace from Sumo at Sumo's Sweet Stuff

#23 - Nikki wins the car air freshener from Jenny at Bisque It Pottery Painting Studio

#10 - Rachel wins the party hat and patch pattern from Becca at Blue Cricket

#20 - Lora wins the party hat and patch pattern from Becca at Blue Cricket

#7 - Kelly wins the octopus from Lorri's Etsy shop

#14 - Hobbyaholic wins the party hat and patch pattern from Becca at Blue Cricket

#29 - Cheeksb wins the party hat and patch pattern from Becca at Blue Cricket

#37 - Llama wins the gumball coin purse from Alycia's Yummi Etsy shop

#27 - Mrs. Huse Clifton wins Abby's Crafty Mama book

These 10 ladies, as well as the other 19 people that left comments will all receive a printable PDF of my Household Organizational Binder pages sometime this week!

Happy New Year!!