I'm 2 1/2!!!

Natalie is officially 2 1/2 today!!!! I continued the tradition of getting a cupcake for her to celebrate. I didn't make it to the cupcake place on Friday or today, so I picked some up from Sam's Club and they were HUGE, so all 4 of us shared 1! Natalie could pick from carrot cake, chocolate, coconut, or red velvet...she chose...carrot cake!

I decided I was going to try an idea I found on Pinterest about asking 20 questions...they suggest starting around 3 and now I know why...most of the answers I got were 'NO' even if 'no' didn't make sense, plus it took a long time to get through all the questions and I gave up after #15 :)

1. What is your favorite color? pink
2. What is your favorite toy? baby
3. What is your favorite fruit? melon
4. What is your favorite tv show? George
5. What is your favorite thing to eat for lunch? crackers
6. What is your favorite outfit? dress
7. What is your favorite game? George
8. What is your favorite snack? crackers
9. What is your favorite animal? giraffe
10. What is your favorite song? Jingle Bells
11. What is your favorite book? Curious George book
12. Who is your best friend? Allison and Max
13. What is your favorite cereal? NO
14. What is your favorite thing to do outside? play tools (got a new tool bench today at a garage sale)
15. What is your favorite drink? juice

We'll see what she says at her 3rd birthday in February...

After I got home from volunteering at our church for a clothing/toy swap and after Natalie woke up from her nap, I gave her and Aubrey a bath and then let Natalie pick out ANYTHING she wanted to wear out of her closet. She perused it all over, then decided quickly on this dress. I have to admit...I thought for sure I would have a girl dressed in something crazy, but she has good taste :)

 

On our way home from the run, Rebekah, the girls, and I stopped at a yard sale and I found this tool set for $5!  I was not going to get it, but I could not get Natalie away from it. I think it's great that she wants to play with tools and you can see from Bobby's face, he likes it too. What I think is even more cute is a girl who picked out a dress and said her favorite outfit is a dress, likes to play with tools. I guess I shouldn't be too surprised, since her favorite toy as a baby was a hammer as well!  She also got 2 books about diggers and dumpers too...Natalie is a perfect mix of girly and tomboy...I love it!

Natalie also picked out Aubrey's outfit as well :)

 

Rusty had a wild burst of energy in our yard while we were playing this evening. Too bad this is blurry, but you get the idea!

 

 

Catching Daddy!

 

Aubrey catching Daddy, too!

Bobby ran the Warrior Dash this morning and Rebekah, the girls, and I made a last minute decision to run a 5K in Sullivan called Miles for Miles. All the proceeds went to a guy for his medical expenses and travel. It was a nice run with 2 killer hills. I HATE running with strollers, no matter what kind they are, but we had to since Bobby was at a race that didn't allow strollers. Rebekah was booking it and I was just barely keeping up, but we ended up finishing 1st (Rebekah and Natalie) and 2nd (me and Aubrey) in our age division 25-29! How cool is that. Our pace was right at a 10 minute mile. We just started seriously running together (mainly in the mornings) for the last month or so. It has been such a blessing to have Rebekah as a running partner. Even though she smokes me at races, we are pretty evenly matched on our regular days!

 

Our official race results: 

Rebekah - 35th of 107 30:22.3

Brandi - 37th of 107 30:34.8 

Online Parenting Seminar Notes

On Facebook on the PYK (Parents of Young Kids) group I belong to through our church, another mom posted info on a free webinar and when I saw these words: Get Kids to Listen Without Nagging, Reminding, and Yelling; I was all about it!

I normally don't listen to webinars, but the title of this really caught my attention and I watched it for the entire hour. There is a yearly fee to get involved with the full program that I don't know I am ready to spend a bunch of money on, but the webinar was very good!

I took notes during it, and wanted to keep them on my blog so I could reference them in the future (don't expect to necessarily understand my notes, but hopefully I will understand them as I look back on them!)

I am definitely a YELLER and lose my calm much too often! I hate yelling at the girls, but I find myself doing it way too much!

Here are my notes:

Biggest areas of toddlers where there is a power struggle:
mealtime...yes
potty...oh my goodness yes!...thought for sure Natalie would be potty trained by now, but nope!
bedtime...YESSSS!!!!!!

These are 3 main areas kids have the choice to cooperate or fight you

Then as your child gets older, here are the areas the power struggles shift to (oh joy!):
backtalk, attitude, homework, chores

Kids continue to do what works for them, they will continue if their behavior is giving them a hit of power (makes you angry, bent out of shape) they are going to use that behavior again and again

Misbehavior is not the problem, it is the symptom...kids are wearing a big sign that says they want to belong, have autonomy

They need to feel a sense of significance/belonging

Parent personality assessment...she mentioned this and I would love to take it, but couldn't seem to find it on the website

misbehavior is never just a kid problem...parents need to address their behavior too

strategies:

discipline- any strategy that involve blame, shame, pain (not effective for long-term behavior change, kids immediately shut down, protect themselves)
punishment- encourages lying

consequences (5 R's) best for ages 2.5 and older

Respectful (not involve blame, shame, pain) need to be calm/respectful when having those conversations, if you can't...wait until you can deal with it in a calm/respectful way

Related to the misbehavior (want that learning event to take place) example: not wearing bike helmet, lose bike for the day; don't brush teeth, change diet (no cookies, sugary foods...only veggies/fruits)

Reasonable in duration: throwing puzzle pieces 4 year old, lose puzzles for the day; teenager texting at the table, lose privileges for the week

*****Revealed in advance, so your child has the power to make a choice, make the appropriate behavior or the consequence

Repeated back to you...have child repeat rule and consequence of what happens...little kids: simple words

Media example: video games
stay calm, discussion with kids after dinner (calm and happy place) and reveal the consequences

"You know what, I've noticed we've had issues with video games. When I ask you to stop playing or put them away, you ignore me or there is a lot of grumbling/groaning..."

Avoid you always, you never...we've heard this a lot in marriage studies we've done too, but it's definitely a hard one to quit...for me anyway

"I'm sure we won't have any issues with this, but if you choose not to follow our rule, the consequence is..."

What to do if you child won't repeat back?! ...she may not be mature enough to use video games (pack them up for 6 months or so) in order to enjoy that privilege;

if you have a power struggle on your hands...parents have work to do to make child feel belong/significant

poor choice...implement consequence with dignity: no piggybacking ("i told you so")

"I see you chose to lose your video privileges, but I have the confidence you'll make a better choice next time."

child will learn and move on, even though they may not be happy, they had power to choose it, make a better choice next time

Parents don't get bent out of shape when they throw a fit (be prepared for the meltdown, ignore it as long as they are safe, walk away)...if you give in, you are reinforcing the behavior...be consistent (disengage, no responding) Once they are calmed down, then practice the do-over, the better choice next time

They may express dissatisfaction (not happy), trying to get you to change your mind, try engaging you in a power struggle

online course (toolbox for long term and short term)

Recovering yeller: learn to be calm, confident, and in control

if you can't find a consequence to meet the 5 R's, let it go, don't assume you always need a consequence (only use consequences 10-15% of the time)

give child more positive power

Calm Voice (put post-it notes everywhere, visual reminder)

Don't repeat or remind. Say it once. No 2nd chances.

It seems like I struggle with this multiple times a day...I really need to work on it and I hope I can take this information I heard tonight and make more positive changes for me and my girls!

My Awesome PJ Pants

I'm sad that my sewing class ended tonight...I really did enjoy every minute of it!  I'm hoping to take another one whenever they hold another class with the same teacher!

Tonight, we made pajama pants. Although mine are a little big in the waist, they fit and are comfy, perfect for sleeping in!  I made Bobby snap a couple pictures of me in them...they are silly I know, but look how awesome they are!!!!  They even have pockets and I had time to make a matching bag!  You know you're jealous and you want a pair too ;) Now Bobby just needs to buy me a sewing machine...wink, wink!

 

Natalie-isms

I thought I would share a few of the funny things Natalie has said lately:

Thank you so very much!

Knock, Knock
Who's There?
Aubrey
Aubrey Who? (I asked)
Aubrey knocking

How's work, Daddy? (sometimes she will ask me)

Hows day? (means how was your day)

Sure!

I scared (usually to any loud noise she can't see)

(at the end of singing the ABCs)...next time won't you sing with Nat-a-lie

She has also been making up her own songs and today she named one of her babies "Jingle"

There are so many more, but those are the main ones I could think of sharing tonight.

Oh...and how could I forget:

What's that??????? (this is said a gazillion times a day)!

Indy Zoo Playdate

The girls and I met up with Cassie and Gavin today to go to the Indy Zoo. We got there shortly after it opened, so it wasn't too hot or too crowded yet. By the time we left I would say it was crowded, but it definitely got a lot busier!  Cassie and Gavin had to leave by 11:30, but the girls and I stayed until around 1:30 to do the splash pad and the butterfly exhibit. We had a great time, but man can it be frustrating dealing with the girls all by myself. Overall they were very good at the zoo, except for Natalie not listening at times and wanting to walk instead of sit in the stroller, which is fine as long as she listens!  

After the zoo, I went to Plainfield to go to their TJMaxx and Target. Both girls were tired, which made shopping frustrating, but I found a couple of cute things. Oh the days without kids...things were so much easier, but probably not nearly as fun with all the girls' laughter and giggles :)

Sharks

 

 

 

 

The girls were on a double seated dolphin...I have never seen a double seated anything on a carousel

 

 

 

This is what I get when I try to take their picture together...lol!