Toilet.. Toothpaste... TADA TERRIBLE TWO'S!

Oh. My. Goodness... !!!!!!!!!!!

Just the other day I was grazing over and painting you a broad picture of what a two year does and let me tell you... my sweetie pie, Hanny, decided to do the "terrible two's" justice and give me a TON of material today! Seriously, Hannah, I have three children older than you - I do not need anymore examples! Lol this little girl is.. WOW.. just wwwoooowwww!!!

First of all, Hannah is a very sweet girl. Super smart, very loving, funny, well-rounded... and typically she doesn't get into as much mischief as she has over the past couple weeks. Today, however, topped everything she's ever done. lol Here it goes...

We are potty-training her and she wanted to go to the bathroom (around 11:30a) so I sent her in there to go poop so she could earn some chocolate lol before, she would get some chocolate for peeing but, now that she has that down pat, she has to work a little harder for it. Anyway - she went into the bathroom and, since I was preoccupied with Micah (12 week old), I asked Leah (4 year old) to go check on her and see if she needed help...

Leah walks back out after checking and calmly says, "She's dunking her underwear in the toilet."

=-0 whaaaaaaaaaaaaat?!?!?!

I had to put the baby boy down, get one of the girls to watch him, and ran over to see what she did.

At this point my darling little girl was swinging the dreeenched underwear around in circles like a lasso. TOILET WATER = EVERYWHERE!

I was sooooooo angry, man! I yelled out in shock, "HANNAAAAAAAAH!!!!!!!!!" I actually woke up my husband who is a night-worker. Whoops :-/ I was soooo mad though!

I quickly put her in the shower (water wasn't turned on yet) and left her in there for like 10 mins before I washed her so I could clean up the bathroom. Toilet water was alllll over the toilet, her potty-seat cover (which was taken apart), the floor, both the stools, and, of course, all over the rugs that my mother-in-law sweetly washed for me YESTERDAY.
 ----I have this theory that every time I wash the bathroom rugs that they will get peed on or somehow dirtied within a day or two. Never faaaailllssss lol

After getting a load of laundry washed, cleaning the bathroom, and scrubbing her down, I calmly told her why it was so naughty. I felt bad cuz she was crying from me yelling and telling her that what she did was bad. "I'm sorrrrrry momma :(" I made sure to hug her and give her love after the situation.

For the next 8 hours she was very well behaved and sweet. Ahem, there were a few more good hours that she planned to use for her tempted two-year old self, though!

We had some friends and their daughters over today and literally 15 minutes after they left Hannah was up to something again! I had sent her into the bathroom to brush her teeth and sent Jake (6) after her to assist her since she's little and I know she might feel inclined to play with the toothpaste. Well... she felt inclined and she went with where her feelings told her to go! lol

She squeezed out a good amount onto the counters and floors... I made her and Jake clean it up (he shouldn't have been messing around, but he was! Lesson learned).

I got the kiddos to bed and, since they've been putting up an amazing fight over the past couple nights, I waited in their rooms till they seemed like they had given up. I went upstairs to nurse Micah and everything was silent for a while. Turns out that during this half-hour of silence, Hannah was having a blast in the kitchen!

My purse was on the ground, things were pulled out, her face was covered in 24 hour lipstick - yay!!! - and she got into the cabinets and started eating food lol my darling daughter.... I couldn't help but laugh.

This is exactly how I found the stuff laid out

Cabinets open, nice pile of goldfish that she kindly gave to herself

She ate 4 packets of fruit snacks and I think cookies, too

I am SO tired right now and didn't really wanna get out of bed to write this BUT I felt like I should share her adventures for the day haha

I hope Hanny got her craziness out of her system cuz I don't know if I can handle another day like this again for a while lol

Goodnight!

Dinner for them AND dinner for me?!

How often do you find yourself making dinner for the kids and then sitting there, watching them eat it, while you're starving to death? I know that a lot of children are picky and want to eat a handful of specific things, so I'm on a mission to change that with my kids.

I do my best to make food that they'll eat and that I will want, too. Something that's nutritional, filling, tasty, and not packed with too many calories per serving so that it will not make me gain weight when I'm working to get my fat butt well... not fat anymore ;)

Tonight on the menu I took a recipe from Giada from the food network and adapted it for my family :) Here's a picture of the finished product:

 

Ingredients*:

• 1-2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast (I'm sure dark meat, sausage, pork, or even shrimp could be an alternate choice of protein. Make it your own) cut into bite size chunks (marinated from the store is optional, but what I used tonight) - season as you wish with your favorite seasoning
• large onion diced
• bunch of asparagus cut into half an inch pieces or so
• 1-2 cups of frozen peas (don't need to be defrosted) depending on how much you like peas
• 1-2 cups of carrots cut into small pieces so they can cook easily and quickly
• 1 can of chicken broth (14 oz)
• 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella 
• Cup of cream cheese
• 6oz of Velveeta cheese 
• one pound of mini bow tie pasta (it's fun for the kids! Any pasta will do, though!)
• salt or (what I prefer) onion salt - my secret seasoning for vegetables of any kind (yes, even onions haha)

* This meal is intended for a large family (8+). Cut the amounts of the ingredients in half and it should feed a family of 4-6

Directions:

1. Bring large pot of water to a boil and cook pasta as directed - drain water
2.  Saute chicken on medium-high heat until browned on both sides in a large saute pan. Chicken does not need to be cooked thoroughly to move to the next step
3. Add onion and carrots and cook till tender (at least 5 mins). If you prefer a bite to carrots, add them after a few mins :)
4. Season the vegetables - I do a few generous shakes of onion salt. I don't go overboard (you don't want to over-season and make it salty) BUT DO NOT BE AFRAID TO PUT SOME SEASONING IN IT! You season that food! Make me proud! ;)
5. Add asparagus and frozen peas. The asparagus will cook and peas will thaw quickly. 
6. Add chicken broth and bring to a simmer-low boil for several minutes to allow flavors to combine.
7. In a large mixing bowl, add the pasta and veggie/chicken combination together.
8. Add the three cheeses and mix well! Taste and check for flavor - add salt if needed.
9. ENJOY!

 

My 2 year old assisting with stirring

 A side note: As shown above - if you involve your children in cooking and teach them about all the different foods and why we eat them (i.e. chicken is protein that helps make us strong, vegetables give our bodies vitamins to fight against germs, pasta is a carb that gives us energy to play, etc.) then they get excited and are more willing to eat what you give them. Allow them to stir or show them what you're doing, step by step. I've recently gotten my kids to try eggplant, squash, and zucchini and.. get this.. THEY LIKE THEM ALL! At least they will eat it, knowing it's good for them AND can taste good :)

Oh ya! And according to my app, Lose it!, this meal is about 400 per serving. A little more than a serving fills me up and about half a serving fills up my kids. You can adjust the amount of calories very easily by lessening the amount of cheese as well as increasing the amount of vegetables and chicken (or other protein) to pasta ratio.

Bedtime... what's that?

Haha in the words of Jim Gaffigan, children often ask, "Bed time? What's that? No.. I don't wanna do that!"

Tonight, as I started putting my kiddos to bed, I couldn't help but laugh as I heard the words of my favorite comedian go through my head. It's true - every SINGLE night my children seem confused about bed time. It's as if they have never heard of it before. They act hurt and betrayed that I would cast such a punishment on them!

As mothers I know that we are all counting down the minutes to bed time and celebrating in our minds... fantasizing about what we are going to be able to do when they're sleeping! Ooooo I can do so many things! I can DO THE LAUNDRY or wash some dishes OR... EAT DINNER!!!! Oh wait - that doesn't sound fun either... but at least I won't have little ones pulling at my dress as I'm pulling out my hair!

Isn't it true, though?

I have set up a schedule to get my kids to bed - children like and thrive off of routines. I guess when I'm tired and distracted, though, I'm kind of setting myself up for trouble. Tonight was one of those nights where I was just hoping that they would go to sleep without requiring me to linger in the hallways. Perhaps it's because I have three girls (2, 4, and 4) in the same room... but I kinda hate bed time when I don't have the energy.

If Hannah isn't jumping on the bed, crashing into Leah, or Lily isn't flipping off the bed and getting stuck on the floor with her legs flailing over her head (yep... happened tonight) then I don't know what bed time is! Thank goodness my six year old, Jake, actually understands consequences to the point of making a good decision and staying in his room. Hannah - the two year old - doesn't think too much about it and it's all downhill from there... she and the twins go nuts every night and throw a little party in their room.

Tonight I had to separate all three of the girls. I left Leah in her bed, had Hannah lie down on the couch in the family room with me, and made Lily go lie down on the bed in the playroom. It took me an hour and a half tonight to get them to sleep! Every time I thought they were asleep I'd hear someone laugh - or cry - and sat there in disbelief. Come on, girls! It's ok to give in and sleep! It's no wonder that, on nights like this, once they're in bed I really don't wanna do the dishes or any laundry... I am SO drained that I just wanna lie back and watch some tv and relax or something! I was way too tired to work out tonight :-/

Lily was telling me, just before I sent her back to her room (she had probably been in the playroom for a half hour) that she liked sleeping in there so she could read and "learn how to sleep." lol four year olds... She happened to forget, however, when she somehow landed on the floor with her legs over her head. I asked her if the book taught her how to sleep the wrong way. I was just too tired to be upset anymore - I laughed :)

On the days when they are cooperative I've noticed that I:

• Tell them ahead of time to get ready and don't rush them
• Keep it as calm and stress free as possible
• Read or sing a few songs to them
• Pray with them
• Turn the lights off and give consequences for actions ahead of time

I guess throwing them in bed and running doesn't work... They're not gonna stick!

Oh and how convenient for this post! Apparently their dreams aren't helping tonight! I hear someone rustling around, whimpering. It's ok... I'll go look in the playroom for a book to teach me how to have good dreams ;)

The 2 year old whirlwind

Allow me to open up with AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!

As I'm TRYING to write this, I have a naughty little two year old girl alternating between grabbing at the mouse, standing up and switching the light on and off, and pinching my arms. She asks, sweetly, "is it too dark?" and proceeds to turn the light back on and then "strokes" my hair by ripping a few strands out. Talk about giving ME peace and helping me pick up the pieces right now! haha I love this little girl - but she's driving me CRAZY!

Do you have a child who is two or over? You know exactly what I'm going through and you're probably breathing a sigh of relief if your child is already done with that phase.

If you haven't experienced your child go through the terrrrrrrific twos yet, you're in for a treat! Your sweet little innocent baby will go from curiosity by looking at the new wonders of life to a jumping bean and crazy wildebeest!

The word "no" will be a dare to do what you said not to, you will be on your toes constantly pulling him or her out of a sink full of bubbles, a giant pile of clothes that had just been freshly washed and folded only minutes before, and suspicious odors in random places of your house. There could be an entire documentary that follows a group of two year old children to see what kind of mischief they're getting into now.

And let's not forget about the tantrums! Oh, that child rolling around on the ground? No... no no no... not mine! *walks away....*

So here it comes, the topic of today is the tantrum!

• How am I supposed to handle this little destructive hurricane that I call my child? Remember that every day is a new day and that yesterday is done and over with. Approach every situation with a deep breath and try to think clearly - am I handling this the way that I would have wanted my mom to handle me? Holding grudges against your child will not help.
• What am I supposed to do when I feel like I can't take it anymore? Whatever you do, don't get defeated. It doesn't hurt to walk out of the room. Try not to lose your cool - we all do it because I know I do, for sure... But to be constructive instead of destructive it is best to walk away and regain composure. When your child is occupied, go write out your feelings, talk to someone, listen to music and sing it out! Venting helps us more than we know.

• How do I physically handle tantrums? When my child is flopping around on the ground like a fish out of water, I usually leave her there and let her calm down. Whatever you do, DO NOT GIVE IN TO WHAT THEY ARE CRYING FOR!!!! This is where sooooo many people go wrong, in my opinion. The child is trying to get his or her way by throwing a fit, so let me stress... whatever you do, DON'T give in. It will teach them that in order to get their way, all they need to do is make a scene. 

If my kids throw a fit in a restaurant I immediately pick them up and rush them out to the front and talk to them there. Can it be embarrassing for my kid to be going nuts in public? Heck yes! But what matters more? Your public image? Or, how well you're raising your child?

If you face your child's spazzing out directly and head on, it's easier to get a handle on it rather than avoiding it and hoping it will stop on its own. My parenting style is HANDS ON! 

Bulls - grab them by the horns.
Children - hog tie and... oh just kidding. Let's try that again... children - pick them up, love them tenderly, discipline them firmly, and raise them with confidence.

My older four are sleeping now but my little 2 month old needs assitance so I will say goodbye for now and return at a time that is better for them, later ;) 

Me? Blog? YES! I'm here for YOU!.

Hello everyone! I was thinking the other day and it popped into my head... I should blog! I have a lot to say and maybe I should post it somewhere that people can voluntarily come to VS being forced to read it in my Facebook feed :)

Where to begin... well, first off, my name is Becca. I'm 26 years old and, get this... I have FIVE kids. I know I know - why? How? Really? lol well, yes.

I got married when I was 18 and we had our first child 10 months into our marriage - We wasted NO time! Jacob is 6 years now. We also have twin daughters, Leah and Lily, who are 4, a two year old, Hannah, and a newborn who is 2 1/2 months old, Micah. I don't even know where to begin on my family - so I'll hold off on all of our history.

To give you a little, however, I never imagined having this many children at this age. I assumed that I would start having kiddos when I was 23 or 24, but I had my fourth babe when I was 23 instead! And Micah - our fifth - didn't originally have him in our plans, either. What a blessing he is, though. I'll fill you in on our little miracle boy in a later post, in detail (look for my post that was published on Sept 16 - his birth story is there).

This is my first real blog, ever, so bear with me as I learn how to do this efficiently...

I'm here because I want to offer help, or maybe just funny stories, to mothers -- or anyone who is interested.

What do we do, as mothers? Well, along with the tremendous amount of love that we have for our children, let's admit it: we have an insane - INSANE - amount of responsibility. We are the cook, waiter, nanny, groomer, personal shopper, tutor, mentor, friend, spiritual adviser, taxi driver, maid, nurse, confidant... everything! It is our responsibility to solve all problems, come up with answers to the impossible, and do it with a smile and loving tenderness. So this is where I come in...

As stated above, I have five children. I have had boys and girls, c-sections and a natural birth, twins, a daughter with an eye problem, and a son (my baby) with a major heart defect combo (hypoplastic right heart syndrome and tricuspid atresia). I am a stay at home mom and a part time student. I have a ton of experience - at least up till 6 years and 1st grade. I am your mommy-answer-girl!

So here it is... a place for me to share info and a place for you to laugh :)