Dear Sheena

Oh my gosh, I can't believe how long it's been since I've checked on my blogs! I hope everyone out there is doing well.

As for the move, I think the girls took it well. When we first got here we let them spend a few days with Ricky's parent's so we could get their room finished. I really think that helped a lot. Their cribs were set up just like they were in Tallahassee and really the only difference was the decorations, we painted their room purple and went with the "big girl" room of Disney Princess instead of the Care Bear nursery. After a few days I think they started to realize that they were not going back to their own room. They got fussy for a few days and didn't want to sleep much, but that didn't last very long.

They've been growing in leaps and bounds lately, except for one area. They're not talking. They're walking...er...should I say running(!) now, but talking is just something they're not doing. I know for a fact they understand things because (for example) I can look at Olivia and say, "Clap for Mommy", and without doing the motion myself, she will do it. I can look at Emma and say, "Where is Cookie Monster?" and she will look around the playroom and find it. But I cannot get them to say anything but babble. I will sit down with them face-to-face and say, "Can you say 'mama'?" Nothing. Won't even try. Has anyone else had this problem?

All the milestone charts say by 19-months they should have a great vocabulary, but I know they are a little slower in other areas, so I shouldn't be worried that they are slower in talking. I mean, they both weren't walking until they were 16-17months old anyway. My mom didn't start talking until she was two either. Back to my point, has anyone had their kids not start talking right away?

Stephanie

Dear Sheena,

Potty training is harder on the mommy than it is on the kiddos, I'll tell ya that much! My suggestion is to SKIP the pull ups and start out with underwear right away and pullups for naptime/nighttime. I found that with the pull ups it was easier for Camden to go in his pants than it was for him to tell me and to get undressed, etc. So, he was not going as often while wearing pullups. When I started him with undies, he always tells me when he has to go potty. If time has went by and he has not told me, then I'll make him sit on the potty. We also got an M&M machine and every time he goes potty, we give him pennies, 1 for pee, 2 for poo, and he puts them in the machine and 3 or 4 M&Ms come out. This way, he gets a reward, but it's not a handful of M&Ms each time, the dispenser dispenses out very very few, which I LOVE! - then it's not "mommy's fault" that he didn't get that many, that's how much the machine gave him! LOL. It has worked great, and he has had very few accidents... moreso when I'm not paying attention or when we are off our normal schedule. I'm keeping my cousin's kid right now too and we are doing the same thing with him and it has worked very very well so far. Might I also suggest getting a stool and a seat for the big potty- the little potties are too messy, too unsanitary, and really just a pain! I love it that we just put the little seat on the big potty and all the "mess" gets flushed away. This also eliminates the transition from little potty to big potty, thus saving you time.

Staying home with the kids certainly has been an adjustment, but I'm getting used to it and loving it so far. Thanks for asking. I hope that we can get together and play sometime soon.

xoxox.
Jessica

It's Been Awhile... Dear Everyone:

Life is never ending and the amount of free time we have seems to get smaller and smaller with each passing week. I don't know how I find time to brush me teeth much less everything else I do every day. It's amazing that my house is not a complete wreck! I've missed you all very much and would like to try and slowly get back to blogging with you.

I am going to start potty training the girls but my problem is not knowing where to begin. Those of you with the bigger kids...any suggestions? They've used the potty before here and there and are really looking like they're interested but it's me who's a little lost at this point.

Sincerely,
Sheena


Dear Jessica:
I wanted to check in and see how things were going with the new baby and how her big brother is doing with the big change in the house.

Dear Mary:
I wanted to see how school for your kids was going this year and how you're holding up with the teen years.

Dear Stephanie H.:
How are things with going back to work after having a baby and what things did you expect that didn't happen and what things haven't happened that you thought would?

Dear: Stephanie G.:
You recently moved with your twins. How did that go? How did they adjust to the change of scenery?

Dear Mary,

Mary, Mary, Mary! The first thing us moms need to do is stick together and remind each other not to be so hard on ourselves. We don't all have time for everything! I think you've contributed a great deal and life does get in the way sometimes, so no worries!!!

I can only imagine how you feel having your oldest on his way out so soon. You are right, that year will be gone before you know it. I get weepy just thinking about my two year old going away to college someday. (Well I guess it depends on the day... he is supposed to be napping right now and he is playing t-ball (rather quietly) in the living room instead...)

We, too, are having MAJOR bedtime issues with our little one. He will not go to bed will not stay in bed and it's a major fit and battle EVERY NIGHT! What have you tried? We've resorted to laying down with him, which is NOT working because one of us ends up falling asleep, and then, there goes the evening.

And, yes, cleaning house is another biggie. I hate it so much, and without my iPod, I probably would only do it when company is coming over.

Hang in there... things will be on the up and up for you soon. Try to focus on the little pleasures of life! ;)

Jessica

Dear Jessica,

I'm sorry I've been such a slacker blogger here, after you were so kind to invite me along this adventure. I've really been doubting my ability to contribute, and fearing opening up about the things going on here.

Life is not at all what I expected it to be and I'm struggling to realign my expectations with the reality of it all. My middle child spent most of last year at boarding school. He's been home since school ended and we are struggling to all fit together as a family again, without dragging in all the baggage from before he left.

My oldest is heading into his senior year of high school, and I'm not ready for it. I tell him I am, but I'm sad that he's going to be leaving in only a year. A year I know will pass too quickly.

The little one is alternately a handful and an angel. We are having major bedtime issues for the first time in her life and it is wearing me out.

I spend too much time on the computer and not enough time around people. Or cleaning my house.

I am worried about my parents and the toll their health issues are having. It is difficult to come to grips with the fact that they are getting old.

I'm just ... worn out.

Yours truly,
Mary

Dear Sheena,

Oh I'm SO there with you, in every aspect. I've got the laundry issue too. I call it the mountain. Because seriously, Joe and Camden wear up to three outfits a DAY, each of us use towels at night and in the morning, and neither of them hang theirs... and when you add a daily dishcloth and scrubber on top of that you have MORE than one load. I've tried and tried to get them to cut down on the towel usage to no avail. It just ends up on the floor... and when a wet towel has sat on the floor, it's now considered "dirty" to me.

I WAS doing the "load a day" which worked BEAUTIFULLY when I was caught up. It's the catching up that's the hard part... and then a weekend away threw me off and I got "behind" and haven't gotten caught back up again. Now that's totally my fault because I've chosen to tackle other tasks that we need to accomplish before the baby gets here because I know I can get the laundry done at any time. The problem is it just keeps growing.

Laundry and dishes are two main things that you have to keep up with daily or they get out of control. The dishes part is so easy for me because I hate having things in the sink, so my kitchen is usually good. Plus it's a room that will always stay clean because it cannot be hidden... LOL :).

At any rate, I totally feel your pain-- and the advice that I can offer is to keep on slow and steady. I know it seems like you are doing the same things over and over again, but that's part of it. A never ending cycle of a mother's tasks.

And... if your laundry ever gets way out of hand, maybe we can get together (I'll bring mine) and we can get it all done in one day at a laundrymat. That works well in getting caught up in just a few hours. :)))))))))))))

Hang in here sweetie, I totally know what you're going through! :)

Jessica

Fellow Cleaning Machines,

I've been working really hard on cleaning and organizing the house (in preparation for our impending move and just because I finally can leave the girls in the living room for a minute and not be worried they'll spontaneously combust!) but sometimes it honestly feels pointless. I do and go all day long and when I stop and look around me it's as though nothing changed. The only time I really feel as though I've accomplished something is when there is a radical change. Like the other day I finally got our bedroom organized and cleaned out and put our new bed frame together with Ryan. Then, after it's over and done with, the high of the victory is gone and I'm back doing the same piddly stuff over and over again. It really can get you down if you let it.

My main issue is laundry. I hate laundry! Scratch that...I hate folding and putting away laundry. It's one of those chores that is tedious and time consuming. And it doesn't help that the girls think that any clothing in a laundry basket to be folded should be immediately over turned and strewn throughout the living room. Don't get me started on what they like to do to my piles of freshly folded clothes! I know it's something that everyone goes through and we all have our knacks with cleaning. Everyone has the same issues but some things just elude us more than others.

My next step is to get into our guest room (aka: the room you can walk about one foot into and then the trail ends and you realize you're completely surrounded!) I have cleaned this room out twice already and it just keeps getting cluttered again and again. This past year hasn't been the easiest to clean. With two infants time is precious and cleaning and organizing wasn't on the top of my priority list which I now know should have at least come in the top five. I need to get all our holiday decorations packed up seeing as how I still have Easter decor on my mantle and then start doing the FlyLady 5 minute room rescue (because as this point if I don't get it done soon it'll be a lost cause)!