The power of positivity

Okay Superman was watching "The Secret" on Netflix the other day and we got to talking about our relationship and things we are going to try to do to make things run more smoothly. We started talking about the power of positive thinking. I am a believer in this, partly because I am somewhat of an empath and if I am around someone who is putting off negativity it seems to really make me much more negative. Plus if you approach things with a positive outlook, even the bad stuff doesn't seem so bad. In any case we are both making an effort. It is difficult for me to not be sarcastic. That is pretty well ingrained in my personality, but I'm really trying. Another thing is that we are recognizing that neither one of us is stupid and we see and know what needs to be done (honestly he's worse about this than I am) and not making things sound like commands. On that note I am very aware that keeping the house nice and clean enough for company is something that I need to work on. It isn't easy with two highly active little boys needing mommy, but I'm working on it. One step I made on this today is that I am starting the FLYLady method. So today I shined my sink- actually I shined all three sinks and I will do it before bed tonight, and every night hereafter if I can keep up with this. Since I pretty well cleaned the kitchen the other day it was really nice. Kind of a shining jewel of the clean room instead of a water stain speckled mess. Well. I'm going to try to blog more often. Tomorrow my FLYLady baby step is to get dressed to lace up shoes first thing in the morning. Meaning I dry my hair, fix my face, get dressed and put on socks and shoes before I do anything else. Taking care of me first- it is a challenge after all. If I keep this up I may have to get more non-stretch pants lol.

Changing habits and breaking personal barriers

Well, I guess I'll start this by saying that I love my Superman and while we are compatible in almost every way there is one on-going battle in our house, housekeeping. More specifically my seeming inability to have the house clean when he gets home from work. I really want to be that perfect wife and mother, a crunchy June Cleaver. I just can't seem to get myself wrapped around the tasks that need to be done. I'd rather screw around on the internet or play with my kids. It isn't that I sit around and do absolutely nothing. I get enough  laundry done that we have something to wear each day and the dishes get done (though they need it right now), but toys get scattered. Clutter piles up and I have become clutter-blind. I let it sit. I determine "more important things" to do. It doesn't help me any because when the house looks bad I feel really bad about it. I beat myself up over it all the time, but I seem to have lead in my butt when it comes to getting stuff done. The boys want attention-need attention. I need my "sanity time" to connect with other adults, even if it is only on Facebook.
I am making progress. I have been getting toys picked up most nights. I do pick up through the day and vacuum at least once a day. With a crawler that is a necessity.  I am breaking things down into more manageable tasks and getting it done. Laundry isn't so bad if I fold it and put it away as soon as I bring it up. It actually gets done if I sneak downstairs two or three times a day. I still have a strong distaste for the fact that the laundry is in the basement, but oh, well. I am working on unplugging more often and getting it done. I can get online afterwards. I need to fix this because it seems to be the one thing that causes fights for me and Superman. Getting passed my own laziness has been the biggest thing. He helps more when he's home too. There is more give and less take. It helps a lot.
Housekeeping isn't the only thing that has suffered since having the boys. There are other things I have neglected as well. I actually have not finished reading a book since Will was born. I started one while I was pregnant and I still have not finished it. I don't take the time to do things like I should. My priorities are a little screwy, but I'm getting things sorted out.Part of learning to Roll with it is learning to get things done regardless of the obstacles  in my way. Unfortunately the biggest obstacle is myself. This is true with housekeeping, weight loss, diet, lots of stuff. I could really be doing something if I hadn't been in my own way for years now, but then again I may not have my boys. That is another story all together.

For Sale: Sassy two year old

Okay, so the title is a bit extreme. I'm not REALLY going to get rid of him. He's my baby he always will be, but where did all this come from? He's gotten so sassy for a kid who can't really say all the words he knows and wants to say. Last night I told him it was time to go potty (a routine at bedtime), and he snapped back at me, "NO! SHUT UP!" Seriously?! Telling ME to shut up! I couldn't believe the nerve of this kid, but he's only two. He doesn't really know what that means.
 He doesn't really know that it is rude and improper. Where did he hear it? (Honestly I know that answer. We are not innocent of having fights in front of our kids, and we really should be more respectful to each other). Tonight, however, I couldn't tolerate the behavior. I had both boys in the bathtub, and Stinkbug was throwing water- really throwing whole cups of water all over the bathroom. I told him  no and he started getting sassy again. I told him to stop or he'd have to get out and that is when it happened- He HIT the baby! I tried to make him say sorry, but he completely refused. So, I pulled him out of the tub and wrapped him in a towel. He threw himself in the floor and cried. then after he got dried off and I had Turtlebug out and dressed in pajamas I went to lotion him up and put him in his. I got him lotioned up, and went to grab his pull-up and jammies and what did the little shit do? he peed in the floor in his room! When I got back he pointed at the puddle and proclaimed "Mommy I peed." I told him no, told him we don't do that and  that he needs to do that in the potty. He hasn't done that in months! Was he just being Willful? I don't know. I'm so frustrated. I put him in bed. He was upset.
I know he's jealous and he wants more attention. He keeps trying to get in his brother's walker and I keep telling him no and taking him out. I tried to tell him he'd break it and it would hurt him, but he is persistent. I want to nurture the good side of persistence, but this is too much! I'm going crazy. I know, I know it's the "terrible twos" and it will pass. . . eventually, but I miss my sweet baby. I really feel like I'm failing him..I'm trying to be better at keeping up the house. Now that the little one is crawling and oh, by the way starting to pull up on things to stand (yippee), I have to. I have to keep the floors cleared of dropped food, and keep small or broken toys out of his reach. I have to keep up with the laundry so we have clean clothes to wear, I have to keep up with the dishes and kitchen messes so we don't get bugs and we have a safe, clean place to fix meals, I have to prepare nutritious meals for the boys so they have their needs met, and I am struggling to do all this, give both boys the attention they so badly want and need, and maintain my sanity. I don't know what I'm going to do. I just know I need to keep trying, and try not to cry in front of them because of this.

                             This is my Stinkbug finding new and creative ways to get into trouble.

I haven't done anything today

Oh, the chance to breathe, and yet I know that there is sooooo much that I need to get done. I've not yet picked up toys, vacuumed the floors, loaded the dishwasher, put laundry away (or washed anymore for that matter). I haven't done a whole lot yet today, but I have done a lot. I fed the boys breakfast, took them for a walk, went to the drugstore to pick up a prescription, fed them lunch, played outside on the swings, then pushed the baby around in the Cozy Coupe while Stinkbug rode his push-along 4 wheeler in the yard, drew with sidewalk chalk, on the front walk, wrestled both boys into the house and got them both down for a rare everyone-at-once nap. Oh, I also called the landlord because I discovered that someone tried to force our sliding glass door open while it was snowy out and pushed it off track, so it's stuck. I hope that gets fixed soon so I can use my clothesline. Well, I took time for myself instead of getting anything done now and sounds like my LO is awake so IF I can get him back to sleep I think I might try to accomplish something.....No I don't do anything lol

Waiting...with random thoughts of the day.

Well the weather is bad and Superman was at work today. He's a good half hour late getting home already and I'm beginning to get worried. I know it's probably just a matter of him getting held up at work and the guy he rides with taking his time, but still, I worry.

 I got both of the boys down for bed and they both got baths tonight. It was badly needed. I hate to admit it, but I'd let Stinkbug go without for a few nights and he was starting to smell like a foot. That's bad.I know better, but he had been so tired at bath time and he's been having such trouble with dry skin that I've been letting him not take a bath. I really just need to work on making sure I put lotion on the poor kid morning and night.

I got more done today than I did yesterday, but still not as much as I need to get done. Superman is off 4 days this week though and I need to make sure I get caught up during that time. I also need to make sure I get over to visit my dad and step-mom at their new house, which means Stinkbug gets his allergy medicine the night before so we don't have to hit the med neb when we get home. Stinkbug has allergies to cats (among other things) and Dad and S. have 4 of them. They keep their house clean, but Stink loves cats (and all other animals too) and has to give them hugs, pet them and generally mess with them. Unfortunately this leads to wheezing, difficulty breathing, and until we got the nebulizer it meant trips to the ER for breathing treatments, but now we can take care of it ourselves. Fortunately though if he gets the Zyrtec the night before we avoid all problems entirely.

Wow, this is the most random post I have written to date. It did manage to kill a little bit of time though and Superman hasn't made it home yet. I guess the worrying goes hand in hand with being a mom and an army wife. It is the civilian job he's late getting home from though.

Till the next

Bunny.

How do you get a two year old to eat vegetables?

I don't think there is a right answer to that question. There certainly is no easy answer. There may not be an answer at all. I am getting creative. Aside from hiding them in other foods, today I fried some plantain. That might not sound too exotic to some people, but here in white bread Missouri where I can't even find quinoa in the store it is on the creative side. Okay, so technically it is a fruit, let's not split hairs here. I am going to see if he'll eat it. I rather enjoyed it. Stuff like that is a treat for me, arguably the most adventurous eater of the family. (Okay so Superman has eaten and enjoyed far more things than I have, but he lived in Korea for two years for crying out loud!) I hope Stinkbug enjoys it. I really would like to see him trying more things. Today plantain, tomorrow - who knows maybe veggie burgers!

-Bunny

48 Hours Facebook Free. I'm giving it a shot!

I would by no means consider myself to be addicted to the social networking site Facebook, but I do waste way too much time on there! I decided today to go 48 hours without logging on and see how much I can get done if I am on the computer that much less. So far I have gotten a LOT of cleaning done. Now naps are over and I have to go get my oldest from his crib so he can have his snack and I can fix supper. It has been a very productive afternoon. I think this will convince me to spend less time on there, but I'll probably still log in once every other day at the very least. I do have 3 pages to keep up after all. (personal page, page for my blog, page for my home business that I'd like to really get going (but don't know if I'll have the time)). Well, anyhow. I have to pry myself off of here and get more done. This is an experiment that may very well help me learn to balance things a little better. Wish me luck!

-Bunny