I'm not sure what to think about this past week. From the twins toilet papering the house, to attempted potty training, to giving up said potty training, to spending hours on the computer trying to figure out how to get home for Christmas, to utter meltdowns and naughty children, to feeling like my husband and I are just two people who pass each other as one comes in the house and the other leaves....it's been a little exhausting. (It crossed my mind to say that my husband and I are just two people who sleep next to each other for the few hours that our unconscious time overlaps, but then realized that Ryan's even been getting the boot from the bed for all his tossing and turning this week. Hmm.)
Here's our potty party for the drink and pee doll when he was successfully potty trained. Yeah, too bad we didn't make it that far for Cash. He peed in the toilet twice over the space of a few days and otherwise just held it all day until we put a diaper on him at night. We happened to visit the pediatrician this week and she said to go cold turkey and just do the underwear. We tried that, and it ensued in a whole day of sobbing to just wear a diaper. Then we went with her other piece of advice which was if he's holding it until he has a diaper on, he may just not be emotionally ready. And we went back to diapers. I didn't want to traumatize the kid, and I was thinking he may be embarrassed from the few accidents he had and I guess we'll just re-visit this later. I was a little surprised when she said he may not be ready, since he's almost 3 1/2 and is pretty much the last kid his age I know in diapers, but whatever. It doesn't bother me to have him in diapers. Then I can change him at my convenience, not his. :) And it's not like it gets me out of the diaper stage anyway.
The twins are naughty as usual, bucking around and screaming so I can't get them strapped in their car seats, going limp when I try to pick them up when they're refusing to come in the house and would rather stay out in the parking lot or in the hallway, refusing to hold my hand, running off when we're out, climbing up on everything, and little daredevil Phoenix attempting all the stuff that's meant for like 8 year olds on the playground. And still being cute when they're not naughty. Good thing.
And then this morning Cash had a total and complete meltdown when I cut his hair. Ridiculous. He asked for me to cut his hair when he saw me cutting the twins, so I thought great, he really needs a haircut. Then when he saw his hair going in the garbage, he went totally ballistic screaming at me to put it back on. I tried reminding him how we just talked in family home evening about how our bodies grow and we have to cut things like our fingernails and hair because they get too long and then they grow again. Trying to be reasonable was totally not working, so finally I thought maybe I should just humor him and pretend to put his hair back on. Nothing else was abating him, so I tried it. It didn't work. He laid down on the floor kicking and screaming, totally freaking out. He kept yelling about the hair in the garbage, which I had actually buried under everything in there, so I went and showed it to him - that there was no hair in there and then the tantrum turned to freaking out for the next 30 minutes about the "missing hair ... wahhhhhh ..... waaaaaahhhh .... sob ... sob ... sob ... scream!!!!" Oh my goodness. Did I know motherhood was going to involve such bizarre episodes?
To end on a positive note, I finally got us tickets home for Christmas! I was soooo sad thinking we wouldn't be able to go this last year - last because after this we'll have to buy 5 tickets instead of just 3 with two lap-riders so we probably won't go. But I've looked every day since June and tickets have been $600+ each. But thanks to talking our manny (just kidding, the friend of mine that babysat our kids) into taking a lap-rider on his way back from Utah (he's going home for the holidays too and his dates were much less expensive than when Ryan has to come home) and using two different sets of miles - I made it work!!! (And I made sure he knew it would be the worst flight of his life.) So since I'm feeling rather festive now, here's the past week's fashion show to ring in the season:
Who would have thought last season when I bought size three jammies that the twins would be wearing them this year!?
And wow, check out the snug-ness of these size 2T's! That's some serious chub-cling!
And now I will go attend to the three children that have been shrieking at my feet for 15 minutes while I tried to do just one little post at what I thought was the end of their naptime. And I will try not to think about the fact that Ryan is working late tonight and so I will have to deal with these bundles of joy all by myself all day today. And the M&Ms are gone. And I'm still in my pajamas.
The end.
26 comments:
Oh, your life is glamorous Jen, just about as glamorous as mine. I am so happy that James keeps pulling through for you. He is super nice! So this means that we can have a girls get together in Dec. right? We will have to plan that sooner than later.
Your twins are almost as big as Cash, or at least it appears that way in the pictures. What cute chubbies you have. I need to see them in person.
Darling! Adorable! I love them.
xoxoGrammy
I love your little guys! Their chub is to die for! And girl, I feel ya on the motherhood stuff. I'm about done with it today, too. Lane's at school late, and it's just one of those days. I'm glad you get to go home!! Hooray!
Hey, I'm still in my pajamas, too! Awesome. Except you seem to get way more done than me...it's days like this that I start crossing stuff off...baths first...
It's bad when the M&Ms are gone. I love that the twins appear (and probably come close) to be the same size as Cash. Too funny about the hair-meltdown. Some moments are just without reason. And good luck with potty training.
Cash is definitely not the last kid his age in diapers. I think Fritz will be in them until Kindergarten. ZERO interest in the potty.
Ugh. I feel for you. We had a day like that around here, too.
Not fun!! Hope something improves---and fast!!!
Hey Cameron was almost 3 1/2, if that makes you feel any better. And my niece was close to 4. There really are some advantages to having them in diapers, if you can get past worrying about people being judgemental about it (which I really doubt anyone is....) Cause then you have to nag your child to go potty everytime you leace the house, and everywhere you go you have to immediatly identify where the bathrooms are and the fastest route to get to them just in case your child says "I have to go potty NOW!" Loads of fun :)
Hang in there, it will get better, right????
Life sounds more exciting for you than for me. Sorry about the M&M's being gone. That's always sad!
This post slays me. Seriously. Please come live in my neighborhood.
My 4 year old has only been in underwear since she was 47 months old.
It'll happen when he is ready. And guess what? It is so easy when they are ready!
Just reading your post made me tired!
oh, potty training. it's such a nightmare. both of my boys were so difficult to potty train. i don't remember if you read my post about how Owen finally did it, but it had to do with a bucket of red vines.
http://limabeanhome.blogspot.com/2009/02/success.html
i am totally not trying to toot my own horn or make you feel guilty by giving you that link. just an idea when you decide you want to try again. cash actually seems a lot like owen--from what i've read on your blog, anyway. maybe i'm totally wrong. owen is shy, scared to try new things, a bit clingy, but also very sweet, lovable and not a troublemaker AT ALL. i hope you're not offended when i say that and compare our little guys. like i said, it's just what i've thought when i read your blog. cash just seems like a sweet kid who is happy when he's in his own space doing what he wants to do. good luck.
Oh the potty. I hate all things associated with potty training. Personally I find that grandmothers (or surrogate grandmothers) are the only ones that gave me grief about my 4 year old (or nearly 4) diaper wearers. I have tried every form of incentive, disincentive, bribery out there. And I found that there was a "magic button" with each of my boys. Once I found it, they were golden. But each had a different button--something they cared enough about to make the change. Because it is a HUGE change. They have to take their clothes off at regular intervals; they have to cede control to something else that interrupts everything fun (their bladder and bowels); AND they have to learn to change tasks quickly (very difficult for my difficult to transition boys). Once you figure out what Cash's magic button is, you will sing hallelujah, that is if you aren't still suffering temporary brain damage from banging your head against a wall (I should blame it for my mental lapses). But I would be really surprised if what works for him holds any interest for your other boys. Or who knows, maybe by the time Cash is willing, all three will go at the same time. It could happen. Find a happy place and get a little Zen about it, or at least find someone who's willing to deliver you some M&Ms. Good luck. Motherhood is NOT for wimps!
I've said it before, and I'll say it again: Jen, you're my hero.
Oliver completely refuses to potty train.He's the same age as Cash. I want to be a baby he says. So that's that. I figure he'll come around eventually.
I hate potty training more than anything else.
That is so exciting that you get to go home for Christmas. YAY! Bella must be about the same size as your twins. She is fully in size 3T clothes now. Crazy.
I hear you on the no time with husband life. Even when Seth is home at night, I am on the treadmill with my earphones in and he is at the computer with his earphones in studying for tests.
It might be weird, but I can totally identify with how Cash reacted to his haircut. As a child (ok and a teen probably), I absolutely HATED change! For example, one day we decided to move my furniture around my room, to new places. Ok, so I kind of liked it at first (that day) but then decided that I didn't, and when asked if I wanted to just put it back... I think I screamed/cried that "it still wouldn't be the SAME!"
WHO KNOWS where that trait comes from, but we are related... so maybe he'll grow out of it (like I finally did)?
Katya
I forgot to add-that I didn't potty train Nash until he was 3 1/2. I too attempted it a few times and then gave up. In the end I was glad I waited-he just wasn't there mentally yet. It made it so much easier when he was ready! Canyon potty trained at 20 months and Coleman 2. They were all different. I do believe in going cold turkey though-straight to undies. I think those pull-ups confuse them. At least in my experience. Good luck with that!
I know many boys who do not fully potty train until well into their 3's, sometimes 4's, and my friend even had a 5 year old who still pooped his pants at least once a week. I don't know if that makes you feel better or worse....
Have you tried letting him watch his favorite movie and drink his favorite drink while sitting on the little potty? We just blocked out a full day one day and drank country time lemonade and watched movies, and had treats with each successful potty. I think the hardest part is just training their bodies to eliminate on command. But having them just sit on the potty while watching a movie and drinking ridiculous amounts of high-fructose corn syrup was the ticket for us. But it only worked because he was ready, and because I was ready to tackle it. Don't do it if you're feeling overwhelmed. Not worth it.
Boys are LATE. All my girls potty trained super easily and pretty early (like 2 yrs old). We didn't even start potty training Jacob until he was 3 1/2, and it took NINE MONTHS for him to get it.
Of course, I am typing this with one finger, since Jane (the child who has slept in her own bed all night a total of 6 - yes SIX nights this YEAR) is asleep in my arms - so they all have their thing.
Just bag it for now & wait until he is interested - it's tough enough then - why force it if he's not interested.
If James comes home with you, other passengers will for sure think they KNOW where your children got their curly hair. His hair is curlier than Ryan's! They won't have a clue the babies got it from you exactly! I am sending you a photo of you at that age - same hairdo!
xoxoGrammy
Thanks! I have a 19 month old who I freak out about because he feels so naughty. Thanks for helping me feel like we aren't alone.
Naughty or absolutely normal? Sometimes we expect too much of them and then think they are naughty.
xoxoGrammy
I feel exhausted by your week too. I guess I should enjoy that I just have a 4 month who is not mobile in the least. You are making me nervous for the future.
I know you're having a hard time, but your posts always make me laugh! We still have Sunbeam boys who will be moving on to CTR 5 in a couple of months in our ward who are still in diapers, so don't fret. It's a boy thing apparently.
I have been feeling much the same way. and with a third on the way, I'm sort of freaking out! Not quite sure how in the world I'm going to manage these two, plus a newborn!!! To make you feel a little better (or at least make you smile) we went in for tithing settlements yesterday afternoon. When Jada reached for her third piece of candy on the bishops desk, I took it back and told her no. Well, that was the last thing anyone heard at a normal decibel. Jada through one of the biggest and loudest tantrums of her life right there on the floor of the bishops office. I think even he was uncomfortable and flustered. No chit chat or anything. We got to business and then he "let us get back our family". Yeah! By then, all I could do was laugh. I think I was just hysterical after the week I'd had in dealing with mostly Trey!!!
Post a Comment