Jackson has chosen the winner of my Free CD giveaway. And the winner is……..drum roll, please
The Martin Family with
I’m a nut in a rut
Jackson looked through the song titles without knowing who submitted what and he liked this one the best. Don’t know if that’s the most diplomatic way to go about it, but that’s what we did. So congratulations, Martins. I hope this CD drives you as crazy as it has driven me! Jackson will personally deliver the CD to your house.
I realized that I haven’t posted a recent update to the Mikey sleep situation. The child who used to tantrum and throw toys for an hour and a half is now going to sleep willingly in his bed with no screaming and no baby gate! I can hardly believe it myself. He has been doing really great since my last post about the sleeping thing. We tried lots of different things before we found a combination that finally worked for him.
Here’s what we had to end up doing:
- Cut out his nap completely. This is pretty hard. He hits a wall around 3:00 and it’s very hard to keep him awake. And it’s really hard to be with him all day without a nap. If you have a two year old, you know what I’m talking about. His nap used to mean break time for me. But I had to let it go.
- Removed all the toys from his room. We put about 20 various plastic weapons in the attic. And we moved their toy bins into my office. We moved everything else that had to stay in the room out of his reach. Maybe someday the toys will be able to go back but for now, this is how it has to be.
- Got rid of the baby gate. Mikey hates being gated in his room. It really sets him on edge and just royally ticks him off. Instead, now we gate the hallway and I sit on the floor in the hall outside his room. He knows I’m there and it gives him comfort. After 10 or 15 minutes, sometimes more, I get on with my life. A few nights ago I had to sit in the hall for quite a while and I was able to think of a nice, long honey-do list.
And that’s it. The transformation is absolutely amazing. We used to dread bedtime. Instead of it being a calming time for everybody, it was just horrible. Mikey would scream until he physically could not scream anymore. And Phillip and I both felt totally hopeless. By the time Mikey finally fell asleep it was late and we were too drained to even spend any time together. We tried a lot of things that didn’t work. We considered advice from trusted friends and tried different things. Finally, at least for now, Mikey is going to sleep willingly and calmly and happy. And tonight, for the first time, both boys fell asleep in the same room at the same time.
Mikey’s Occupational Therapist helped us realize that we needed to set a goal for him. Our goal was for him to go to sleep in his bed without throwing fits and with no gate. I think we have reached our goal. I think if my son can make this kind of transformation, any kid can. But you may have to be willing to make some changes that you’d rather not make.
I had a weird dream last night. I went to some other country with a bunch of people from church. When we arrived at a place to change planes, I got separated from the group. And for some reason I left the airport. I got totally lost in some foreign country. My cell phone was dead and I couldn’t communicate with any people I encountered. Someone stole my camera and my purse and I had nothing. But in the dream I was much more upset that someone stole my camera than anything else. I didn’t feel sad, worried, or even lost until my camera was missing. When I woke up I was so relieved that my camera was safe. Maybe I’m trying to tell myself that the camera and the business means more to me than it should. Interesting.
Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week. However, MckMama has much bigger things going on in her life right now than Not Me! Monday. Her son, Stellan is very sick. Pray for Stellan.
So the other day I didn’t totally forget that the blinds were open in the living room! Nuff said!
I also didn’t let my kids jump on the trampoline in their underwears. And I sure didn’t go for a walk up and down the street with Mikey in nothing but his underwears. Nope, not me! My kids never go outside unless they are fully clothed and wearing shoes.
I also surely did not feed my kids hot dogs for both breakfast and lunch on Sunday.
Also, I couldn’t NOT give someone directions to my own house!! I know how to get here. Really. I do.
And…yesterday after a reasonably successful 2 hour outing with boys, I didn’t press my luck and try to go to the grocery store with them. I know Mikey’s limitations. I can see his melt downs coming from miles away. I didn’t have to call Phillip and tell him that he needed to come pick Mikey up…NOW. And then I most certainly did not continue the rest of my shopping trip pushing around the cart with the kiddie car on the front of it with no kiddies in it. I didn’t receive far more “looks” about the empty car cart than I did the screaming flipping out child. And then as I was leaving Kroger I did not give a friend a “dismissive smirk” instead of waving back. I really didn’t.
Phillip and I also don’t often talk about how nice it will be when our nest is empty. We enjoy every moment of this whole parenthood thing. We are never completely overwhelmed thinking that we have at least 18 more years before they’re kind of grown.
Also, I have to tell you that I’m totally ready to begin this homeshcooling school year. I’m organized with everything in its place and ready to go! Ha!!!
I’ve been following McMamma’s blog for a while now. She has a 9 month old baby with some very severe heart problems. He is in the hospital now and he is not doing well. Please pray for Stellan!
Maybe we all need a shirt like this. Some of us need it more than others.
So my husband and some friends of his are starting a band. I know that may sound a little weird, but the thing is that they’re all really really good. And they actually have brains and jobs and really nice equipment. Mostly I’m very excited for these guys to be doing this. They’re stretching themselves musically as well as building camaraderie with one another. I have my selfish moments occasionally (who doesn’t?) when I would like to have him home rather than practicing. But all in all, I think this is a very good thing that they’re doing and I wish them the best of luck. I don’t know the drummer but the other three guys are pretty talented and two out of those three are fairly likable. 
Here’s a link to their new website. It’s still sort of under construction. You should check it out.
Some of you know from reading this blog that we listen to this CD many times a day.
We get to listen to such amazing lyrics as….
What if you drew a giant circle
What if it went around all there is
Then would there still be such a thing as an outside
And does that question even make any sense?
and
Two hips for shakin’, two lips for kissin’
Too long I’ve been blue, because it’s you that I’m missin’
Two knees for kneelin’, two shoulders for shruggin’
Two cheeks to make a little grin while we’re huggin’
and
One named Polly had a parrot
The second named Polly had a parrot too
That’s the part that is confusing
And they were identical twins
and
Please can I have one Mr. Ichthyosaur?
No, you can’t, I’m saving them for friends
But you don’t have any friends
Yes, I do
No, you don’t
Yes, I do. Now be quiet
I’m trying to concentrate
And I think after listening to this CD so many times, I’m beginning to become ONE with it. We sing the songs from this CD all the time. Sometimes Phillip and I will even break into song together when the kids aren’t even around. It’s true. It’s sad. I know.
And I think you should have it too. Especially if you have kids under the age of 10. I have a special place in my heart for children’s music, especially children’s music that is clever and not dumbed down. And these guys are about as clever as it gets in my opinion. So I want to give one away!
So this is what you need to do to enter. Tell me one song that you remember from your childhood or that you have used with your own kids that you consider infectious. A song that when you hear it it sticks in your head for days on end. Just leave it in the comments section of my blog. Some of you read this stuff on my facebook notes and you can leave the comment there too. I will consider them all. I will let my 7 year old help me pick the winner because he’s sort of impartial. (btw if you’re reading this on facebook, I think you can click on the picture to get to my actual blog)
So get your friends to enter! I want to be reminded of as many obnoxious children’s songs as possible. I’ll pick the winner….let’s say on Wednesday, July 29th. If you want to include song titles but don’t want the CD, that’s cool too. Just tell me that you don’t really want it. But I think you’re nuts if you don’t want it! Even if you don’t have kids, you should have this CD!
It would be so cool to have a recent and awesome picture of the four of us hanging on our walls. I don’t need a whole slew of pictures to choose from. Just a few good ones would be great. I’ve got tons of pictures of just the boys and Phillip and the boys. And I’ve got a few of me with a boy or two but non of the four of us together. Before we had a Mikey we could always use the tripod and set the timer but he’s not a sit still kind of kid. I need to get someone with some aptitude who can like hold a heavy camera somewhat level and focus and push the button for us. It’s a little harder than you might think. Do you know anybody that could do it? In the meantime I’ll just have to settle for this family picture. I’m not actually in it but I’m represented because I took it. Does that count?
You have got to see this!! I think I would pay to be able to photograph this kind of wedding!
If you’re viewing this on facebook in my notes, you probably won’t be able to see it. Here’s the link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-94JhLEiN0
I write these posts.
Our 7 year old smarty pants who
has perfected the smirk
Here is a link to Jackson's blog.
He dictates, I type.
Our 3 year old menace with
the angelic face
