So - I'm up to my elbows in busy this blustery March season! Besides the planting, planting, planting going on at the Bryan Family Farm, I'm part of a planning committee that is hosting a conference on student-run clinics at UNMC. This is no small feat when we've grown from a regional conference involving 20 people to one that is now "global" with the recent registration of a guy from Australia! There is also a BIG banquet ($60 per plate and mashed potatoes served in martini glasses). I'm kind of the "details" and go-to person for the whole thing. The students dream and I make it happen. Hey - with a $30,000 budget just for the food, alone, I can make miracles happen!
The part of busy March I'm very excited about, though, is the "We Surround Them" party we've got going this Friday! For those of you familiar with my infatuation with all things Glenn Beck, not to mention my inadvertant passion for politics (I keep trying to stay out of politics, but they keep being stupid and it just compels me to get involved - I'd really rather live a quiet life at home with my garden!), none of this will surprise you...
The "WST" party is a movement promoted by Glenn Beck via his radio and TV program to prove to America that those of us who believe in God, country, family and being self-reliant, not to mention totally disgusted by the way things are going in Washington, are not alone in our views as the media would have us believe. We're rallying the masses and asking everyone to raise their voices. No more standing by while our lives are turned upside down.
My only role in the party that is happening this Friday is that I have the distinction of being the first and only person to register to host a party for about a month. It suddenly picked up momentum when someone in a neighboring community contacted me about getting together to watch the show this Friday at 4 (CDT). By the end of the day, we had about 5 more people interested in joining us. By the weekend, there were 50 people and as of today, there are more than 131 people confirmed coming and 30 "probably"s! We've got a room rented at a local pub with a big-screen TV to watch the show.
What's the moral of the story? One person really can make a difference!
My next campaign may be to abolish Daylight savings altogether. I don't care which time we go with ("spring ahead" or "fall back") - but just PICK one! Trying to adjust Adam's schedule has been difficult to say the least! I really miss my carefree days when he just went to bed because it was bedtime!
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Friday, February 27, 2009
Boys and their noise!
Um... yeah - -I dedicate this to my sister-in-law's blog (she wrote my my nephew giggles when he makes a bodily function noise). And then I remembered another Adam-ism this week. He was sitting in his high chair and would pass a little bit of gas - then giggle. Apparently the giggle "shut off" the gas-passing mechanism, because he would have a little more gas pass and giggle again. This continued about 5 or 6 times in quick succession and while he thought he was all alone. I was hiding around the corner both bemused and amused that at such a young age they've already figured out the fun noises the mortal body makes!
It's all fun and games until someone loses a balloon...
I have to admit - I've got the greatest kid around. I came home from a day-long support staff retreat for work yesterday with a punch-balloon in hand (they'd used it for decoration) knowing that a certain ball-obsessed kid would probably appreciate it. Sure enough, when I got him up from his nap (forgetting that the punch-balloon was in the living room chair waiting for him), he went running into the living room, stopped dead in his tracks, yelled "BALL!", and ran straight to it as if it was the greatest thing he'd ever seen in his little life! (And, maybe it was...) That kid played with the balloon for the next 6 hours until bedtime - - he wouldn't even eat his dinner!
I had a tense moment, though, when his balloon got too close to the cactus. For his first birthday, he got a punch balloon. It lasted about 20 minutes until the cactus made it explode. Talk about a melt-down! He kept handing me the pieces of it over and over, sobbing the whole time, expecting me to be able to mend it. This time, though, I have back-up just in case it comes to an untimely demise! Of course, I don't have pics of him playing with it, but will tonight. I'll just attach other pics to help you get your fill.
Adam getting his fill of Tardis birthday cake. Mommy said "no blue frosting", but daddy slipped him some when she wasn't looking. He CLAIMS he didn't hear me...
Adam really liked the feel of blue frosting being SQUEEZED between his fingers. He then got the brilliant idea to rub his hands together like he does to suds up the soap and rub the frosting in his hair like shampoo! (You can't really tell much from the picture, but it was all over in his hair and ears!)
Finger-lickin' delicious!
"What?"
"Get away from my cake, man. I need my fix!"
I had a tense moment, though, when his balloon got too close to the cactus. For his first birthday, he got a punch balloon. It lasted about 20 minutes until the cactus made it explode. Talk about a melt-down! He kept handing me the pieces of it over and over, sobbing the whole time, expecting me to be able to mend it. This time, though, I have back-up just in case it comes to an untimely demise! Of course, I don't have pics of him playing with it, but will tonight. I'll just attach other pics to help you get your fill.
Here is the Tardis cake (Doctor Who series) I made for my friend, Tabby. By the time we got to eat it, it was more like the "leaning tower of Tardis" - but she seemed pretty delighted nonetheless...
Adam getting his fill of Tardis birthday cake. Mommy said "no blue frosting", but daddy slipped him some when she wasn't looking. He CLAIMS he didn't hear me...
Adam really liked the feel of blue frosting being SQUEEZED between his fingers. He then got the brilliant idea to rub his hands together like he does to suds up the soap and rub the frosting in his hair like shampoo! (You can't really tell much from the picture, but it was all over in his hair and ears!)
Finger-lickin' delicious!
"What?"
"Get away from my cake, man. I need my fix!"
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Oh NO!
Adam has learned a new word this last week. It's the dreaded word that every parent hates to hear. "No!" Clear as a bell, the kid knows exactly what he is saying. It completely caught me off guard when he whipped it out on Saturday. Then, as if correct usage in response to, "do you want to go to time out?" wasn't enough, he occasionally practices it while he's playing quietly and happily. He'll sort of say it to himself. I was getting ready for church when he came into the bathroom muttering, "No, no, no, no, no" over and over, apparently working on intonation and inflection. Believe me, the message is clear!
The Calm Before the Storm?
So - I realized last Friday night after putting Adam to bed that I've got it pretty good. And then I wondered if it wasn't the calm before the storm? Since about the 2nd week of January (after we detoxed from the holidays), Adam and I have a pretty good bedtime routine. At 8:45, we say prayers with daddy before kissing, hugging, and sending him out the door to his night job. From 9-9:30, Adam and I watch "Style by Jury" while getting ready for bed on the commercials. Then, at 9:30 sharp, I excitedly yell, "Who's ready for night-night?," and make up a night-night song while chasing him up the stairs and race him to his room. Sometimes I win, sometimes he wins. But, the point is, he ALWAYS goes!
Once we're in his room, he runs to his crib and then anxiously reaches for me to pick him up. I ask him what we do when we go night-night and half of the time he remembers and immediately folds him arms or hands to say a prayer. Occasionally he gets our routine out of order and when I ask him what we do before we go night-night, he leans in and gives me a kiss. Either way, we say our prayers (I say "amen" and he says an emphatic "ga-ga!"), then he gives me a hug, a kiss, and then leans toward the crib prompting me to put him in where he gets all snuggly into his blankets. And that's it! I walk out, turn out the hall light and don't hear a peep out of him for the next 10-11 hours! What bliss!
Strange Bedfellows...
I get parenting tips and development updates from babycenter.com each week letting me know what's normal and what's not for kids. I've been watching for Adam to pick a favorite toy or item that he MUST take everywhere, such as a blanket or stuffed animal, but he never really latched on to anything other than "big bear" (a 2-foot tall purple carebear) - but even then he didn't NEED it like the air he breathes.
Until this week...
A couple of nights ago, he broke with routine (see above) and didn't go to bed without a peep. He was very anxious after I had put him in his crib and inconsolable. I went back into his room to investigate and thinking he wanted me, I asked if he wanted another hug and reached for him. He shook his head and yelled "no!" - so I followed his gaze to try and figure out what he wanted.
And then I saw it - the stupid boot that he carries with him everywhere! And since then, he and the boot have been inseparable. He had frequently carried and played with it up to this point, but now he apparently can't function properly without it. So, I gave it to him, he grabbed it and then snuggled down into his blankets. That was it. He just wanted his boot. When I went to check on him an hour later, there he was snuggled in tight with the boot under his chest.
Why couldn't he just need a blanket to carry around like normal kids? At least Rachel's sheet was a little more snuggly than an outgrown workboot! : )
The Calm Before the Storm?
So - I realized last Friday night after putting Adam to bed that I've got it pretty good. And then I wondered if it wasn't the calm before the storm? Since about the 2nd week of January (after we detoxed from the holidays), Adam and I have a pretty good bedtime routine. At 8:45, we say prayers with daddy before kissing, hugging, and sending him out the door to his night job. From 9-9:30, Adam and I watch "Style by Jury" while getting ready for bed on the commercials. Then, at 9:30 sharp, I excitedly yell, "Who's ready for night-night?," and make up a night-night song while chasing him up the stairs and race him to his room. Sometimes I win, sometimes he wins. But, the point is, he ALWAYS goes!
Once we're in his room, he runs to his crib and then anxiously reaches for me to pick him up. I ask him what we do when we go night-night and half of the time he remembers and immediately folds him arms or hands to say a prayer. Occasionally he gets our routine out of order and when I ask him what we do before we go night-night, he leans in and gives me a kiss. Either way, we say our prayers (I say "amen" and he says an emphatic "ga-ga!"), then he gives me a hug, a kiss, and then leans toward the crib prompting me to put him in where he gets all snuggly into his blankets. And that's it! I walk out, turn out the hall light and don't hear a peep out of him for the next 10-11 hours! What bliss!
Strange Bedfellows...
I get parenting tips and development updates from babycenter.com each week letting me know what's normal and what's not for kids. I've been watching for Adam to pick a favorite toy or item that he MUST take everywhere, such as a blanket or stuffed animal, but he never really latched on to anything other than "big bear" (a 2-foot tall purple carebear) - but even then he didn't NEED it like the air he breathes.
Until this week...
A couple of nights ago, he broke with routine (see above) and didn't go to bed without a peep. He was very anxious after I had put him in his crib and inconsolable. I went back into his room to investigate and thinking he wanted me, I asked if he wanted another hug and reached for him. He shook his head and yelled "no!" - so I followed his gaze to try and figure out what he wanted.
And then I saw it - the stupid boot that he carries with him everywhere! And since then, he and the boot have been inseparable. He had frequently carried and played with it up to this point, but now he apparently can't function properly without it. So, I gave it to him, he grabbed it and then snuggled down into his blankets. That was it. He just wanted his boot. When I went to check on him an hour later, there he was snuggled in tight with the boot under his chest.
Why couldn't he just need a blanket to carry around like normal kids? At least Rachel's sheet was a little more snuggly than an outgrown workboot! : )
Thursday, February 5, 2009
I'm Famous!
First Glenn Beck. Now this:
Published Wednesday February 4, 2009
My Wacky Job: Many layers to building a career in cake
BY BRYAN REDEMSKE
WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER
After the "I do's" and the dress, the cake is among the most important details of a wedding.
Brides often have a very specific look in mind. It's up to Sarah Bryan to make it happen. By day, Bryan coordinates the Sharing Clinics at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. In her spare time, she creates custom cakes.
It all started about two years ago when a co-worker told Bryan about a cake-decorating class.
"I was pregnant and bored," Bryan said. "I thought, 'Why not?' I absolutely loved it."
The class set Bryan on a path she hopes will someday lead to full-time cake making. She operates Creative Cakery out of her home near Fort Calhoun, Neb.
Bryan will usually bake a cake the night before it's needed, then frost it the next morning. While that sounds pretty straightforward, each cake presents its own challenges. The first is color.
"I always ask brides to go to a paint store. They usually have a certain color they're seeing. They can look through all of those colors and find the exact one."
And then there's the transportation. Cake and frosting aren't the most durable mediums in the world.
"That's the most nerve-racking part of the whole process," she said. "You get it just right, then you have to take it somewhere."
In case of emergency, Bryan always has a fix-it kit. It contains a full recipe of frosting, plus the necessary tools to make repairs. So far, she's had to repair only one "disaster."
"I had this layered cake with chocolate ganache filling. By the time I got to the hall, the top layer had dislodged from the bottom. It was 5 inches too short. I had four hours to get it done, so I repositioned the cake, peeled off the parts that were screwed up and then redecorated."
Here, Bryan draws out the branches of what will become a cherry tree complete with blossoms.
Sarah Bryan runs Creative Cakery out of her home near Fort Calhoun, Neb. Bryan makes custom cakes in her spare time, but she hopes to turn it into a full-time business.
Published Wednesday February 4, 2009
My Wacky Job: Many layers to building a career in cake
BY BRYAN REDEMSKE
WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER
After the "I do's" and the dress, the cake is among the most important details of a wedding.
Brides often have a very specific look in mind. It's up to Sarah Bryan to make it happen. By day, Bryan coordinates the Sharing Clinics at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. In her spare time, she creates custom cakes.
It all started about two years ago when a co-worker told Bryan about a cake-decorating class.
"I was pregnant and bored," Bryan said. "I thought, 'Why not?' I absolutely loved it."
The class set Bryan on a path she hopes will someday lead to full-time cake making. She operates Creative Cakery out of her home near Fort Calhoun, Neb.
Bryan will usually bake a cake the night before it's needed, then frost it the next morning. While that sounds pretty straightforward, each cake presents its own challenges. The first is color.
"I always ask brides to go to a paint store. They usually have a certain color they're seeing. They can look through all of those colors and find the exact one."
And then there's the transportation. Cake and frosting aren't the most durable mediums in the world.
"That's the most nerve-racking part of the whole process," she said. "You get it just right, then you have to take it somewhere."
In case of emergency, Bryan always has a fix-it kit. It contains a full recipe of frosting, plus the necessary tools to make repairs. So far, she's had to repair only one "disaster."
"I had this layered cake with chocolate ganache filling. By the time I got to the hall, the top layer had dislodged from the bottom. It was 5 inches too short. I had four hours to get it done, so I repositioned the cake, peeled off the parts that were screwed up and then redecorated."
Here, Bryan draws out the branches of what will become a cherry tree complete with blossoms.
Sarah Bryan runs Creative Cakery out of her home near Fort Calhoun, Neb. Bryan makes custom cakes in her spare time, but she hopes to turn it into a full-time business.
Nerdapalooza!
This last weekend, David and I headed off with our good friends (Joe & Tabby) to Des Moines, Iowa, for the Iowa Fruit & Vegetable Growers Association annual conference. As exciting as high-tunnel growing and proper sanitation sounds to the average non-grower, we had a BLAST!
The highlight of the trip was visiting Jennie & Kevin Heileson (Jennie is my cousin) and their family. They were VERY gracious hosts (so much so, we may just have to go back - that will teach them to be so hospitable) and Jennie is a fantastic cook! She just secured a spot on my "idol" list!
One of the perks of the trip was getting to split up our group and do whatever we want whenever we want. David hit the conference circuit all three days and the rest of us went on short adventures. It helps that Jennie's girls are close to Adam's age. We went to the Maytag Blue Cheese Dairy farm where we were fed cheeses of all kinds and shown the history and process of making their world-famous blue cheese. I even tried the stuff - and though I still don't like it because of the tanginess, I could appreciate the high quality. David, the blue-cheese fiend, got a wedge from Adam for his Birthday.
Addy, Daisy, Adam & Brinley at the Maytag Blue Cheese Farm in Newton, IA. Daisy is about 67 years old and made out of paper mache.
We also went to the Mall in West Des Moines and played at the play place there (as well as shopped and ate lunch until the various melt-downs indicated naptime). It was Adam's first exposure to slides and he LOVED it!
The highlight of the trip was visiting Jennie & Kevin Heileson (Jennie is my cousin) and their family. They were VERY gracious hosts (so much so, we may just have to go back - that will teach them to be so hospitable) and Jennie is a fantastic cook! She just secured a spot on my "idol" list!
One of the perks of the trip was getting to split up our group and do whatever we want whenever we want. David hit the conference circuit all three days and the rest of us went on short adventures. It helps that Jennie's girls are close to Adam's age. We went to the Maytag Blue Cheese Dairy farm where we were fed cheeses of all kinds and shown the history and process of making their world-famous blue cheese. I even tried the stuff - and though I still don't like it because of the tanginess, I could appreciate the high quality. David, the blue-cheese fiend, got a wedge from Adam for his Birthday.
Addy, Daisy, Adam & Brinley at the Maytag Blue Cheese Farm in Newton, IA. Daisy is about 67 years old and made out of paper mache.
We also went to the Mall in West Des Moines and played at the play place there (as well as shopped and ate lunch until the various melt-downs indicated naptime). It was Adam's first exposure to slides and he LOVED it!
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
The things I love...and a few that I don't
There are things I love. I'm not talking the deep and meaningful things like life, my family and such. I mean the superficial things that for one reason or another just trip my trigger. Here's a working, and in no way complete, list...
1. At the top of the list, today, is Facebook. I was perusing the activities of my friends (updated profile pics, posted items, etc.) when I saw that a darling friend of mine had a newly posted album from the work she does in Iraq (civilian, not military.) So, I started perusing. I can't help it. I live vicariously through her work in the Middle East. If she is reading this, yes, I think she is the biggest super-stud EVER!
As I was perusing, I came across the following pic:
I did a double take. I did a triple take. I thought, "can it be that my worlds are colliding? Is that a picture of Elisha with a bunch of military guys - and is that my cousin, John in the middle? Golly - it looks like him if he grew a moustache..."
So, I asked her right away - and sure enough, somewhere in Iraq in the middle of the night is a friend of mine laughing, too, because somehow our paths have crossed, again!
2. I loved the recent series, "Momma's Boys." Such mindless entertainment! I don't usually go for that kind of thing. First of all, most TV bores me. Secondly, 'reality' TV bores me more than regular TV. And things that bore me annoy me. Thirdly I just don't get into cultural phenomena all that much. It's almost as if the more society says I just have to love something, the less inclined I am to participate (mommy must breathe a sigh of relief to know that peer pressure has the exact OPPOSITE effect on me! - - may I be blessed to have children exactly like me!)
I can proudly say that I have never seen "Titanic" or "Forrest Gump" for those exact reasons.
So, leave it to me with the overdeveloped sense of propriety to get hooked on something as wacky as "Momma's Boys" - but I did. I watched the first episode by accident, found out that it was only going to be 6 episodes long, and got hooked. But I have to say a couple of things about it. First of all, I can't believe there is a population of young ladies out there willing to behave the way they were on the show. Obviously the show was after ratings and probably targeted the biggest low-lifes out there, but nonetheless. I really developed a love for the shelter I live in!
But I had to cheer when the good girl got the prize! Go Mindy for sticking up for yourself and yay to Jojo for making the right decision and picking the girl instead of your headcase momma.
The things I don't love?
My Nintendo DS Lite. I got it as a "thank you" for some volunteer work that I do. It was a grand gift, but after having it in my clutches and getting minorly hooked on "Virus Buster" - I've determined that it totally bores me. I'd rather get lost in my books and herbs. So, I'm selling it. Believe me - I gave it a chance. When I first got it, I just stared at it for days wondering what the heck I was going to do with it. Then my mom loaned me some of her favorite games to show me what great potential it had. I had a fun with the games a couple of times, but soon found that well, I was bored. So, I'm selling it. I'll be listing it on Craigslist unless someone near and dear wants it. It's a pretty metallic pink and almost unused.
I know. I'm a social anomaly. I'm not ashamed. :)
1. At the top of the list, today, is Facebook. I was perusing the activities of my friends (updated profile pics, posted items, etc.) when I saw that a darling friend of mine had a newly posted album from the work she does in Iraq (civilian, not military.) So, I started perusing. I can't help it. I live vicariously through her work in the Middle East. If she is reading this, yes, I think she is the biggest super-stud EVER!
As I was perusing, I came across the following pic:
I did a double take. I did a triple take. I thought, "can it be that my worlds are colliding? Is that a picture of Elisha with a bunch of military guys - and is that my cousin, John in the middle? Golly - it looks like him if he grew a moustache..."
So, I asked her right away - and sure enough, somewhere in Iraq in the middle of the night is a friend of mine laughing, too, because somehow our paths have crossed, again!
2. I loved the recent series, "Momma's Boys." Such mindless entertainment! I don't usually go for that kind of thing. First of all, most TV bores me. Secondly, 'reality' TV bores me more than regular TV. And things that bore me annoy me. Thirdly I just don't get into cultural phenomena all that much. It's almost as if the more society says I just have to love something, the less inclined I am to participate (mommy must breathe a sigh of relief to know that peer pressure has the exact OPPOSITE effect on me! - - may I be blessed to have children exactly like me!)
I can proudly say that I have never seen "Titanic" or "Forrest Gump" for those exact reasons.
So, leave it to me with the overdeveloped sense of propriety to get hooked on something as wacky as "Momma's Boys" - but I did. I watched the first episode by accident, found out that it was only going to be 6 episodes long, and got hooked. But I have to say a couple of things about it. First of all, I can't believe there is a population of young ladies out there willing to behave the way they were on the show. Obviously the show was after ratings and probably targeted the biggest low-lifes out there, but nonetheless. I really developed a love for the shelter I live in!
But I had to cheer when the good girl got the prize! Go Mindy for sticking up for yourself and yay to Jojo for making the right decision and picking the girl instead of your headcase momma.
The things I don't love?
My Nintendo DS Lite. I got it as a "thank you" for some volunteer work that I do. It was a grand gift, but after having it in my clutches and getting minorly hooked on "Virus Buster" - I've determined that it totally bores me. I'd rather get lost in my books and herbs. So, I'm selling it. Believe me - I gave it a chance. When I first got it, I just stared at it for days wondering what the heck I was going to do with it. Then my mom loaned me some of her favorite games to show me what great potential it had. I had a fun with the games a couple of times, but soon found that well, I was bored. So, I'm selling it. I'll be listing it on Craigslist unless someone near and dear wants it. It's a pretty metallic pink and almost unused.
I know. I'm a social anomaly. I'm not ashamed. :)
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Our little Mozart!
Adam sneaks a chance to play the piano every chance he gets! I'm going to sit him at the Clavinova this weekend so that we can actually record his first "concert" to save for when he's older and a musical genius! It's the kind of thing that I think would be great to have for a high school graduation or something... I did get video the other day... I'll post that soon.
Christmas memories...
I got a new digital camera and camcorder for Christmas and have been duly warned that it better mean lots more photos and videos posted to our family blog. Here's the first installment. : ) (the header photo is a picture of Christmas using the panoramic assist)
Adam and Lyndon (my nephew who is two months older than Adam) in their matching Christmas jammies (Thanks, Gramma-E).
Sharing M&Ms...
Still Eating...
Did I mention that Adam LOVES M&Ms?
Oops... someone cut off his M&M supply!
Nice bedhead! (A little too much toddler-Christmas cheer?)
Daddy made his new hat!
Adam and Lyndon (my nephew who is two months older than Adam) in their matching Christmas jammies (Thanks, Gramma-E).
Sharing M&Ms...
Still Eating...
Did I mention that Adam LOVES M&Ms?
Oops... someone cut off his M&M supply!
Nice bedhead! (A little too much toddler-Christmas cheer?)
Daddy made his new hat!
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
My favorite images - Summer!
For those of us in the North missing temperatures (you know - anything above 10 would be nice!!!) here's my favorite memories of the past season...
It's the end of the world as we know it!
I typed all of this out last week, only to have it disappear into the expanse of the world wide web, so wish me luck (and try to hang on for the entire piece... I'll try to be entertaining!)
The end of my world, Part I:
On the first Sunday of the year, Adam demonstrated a new resolution of his own - or at least showed his resolved to show off some terrible-two previews...
He was getting pretty restless towards the end of sacrament meeting, so I got out his little bottle of milk I keep on hand to help settle him down and buy us time until we could go home and get that much-needed Sunday nap. He grabbed the bottle, took a swig, pulled the bottle out of his mouth, and then looked at me with a look that in hind-sight said, "I wonder how much trouble I'm about to get myself into?"
And with that, he spewed milk wherever it would spew with great glee and gusto. And a little giggle. I thought I was gonna kill him! The family across the aisle from us tried hard not to laugh. He was sitting on my lap at the time, so I scooped him up and found I had a fairly penitent 18-month-old buy the time we reached the kitchen and I could give him the "that was naughty" talk (trying the whole time to not burst out laughing, myself!)
The end of my world, Part II:
So, after the sacrament meeting incident (btw - he luckily didn't have the mouth-strength to get milk anywhere but on himself...), I knew that we had come to the end of bottles in Sacrament meeting. He was having a hard enough time taking to bottles publicly ever since he saw David's cousin's 5-month-old sucking on a bottle that looked identical to his. But, I admit, it has been my "keep-him-quiet" crutch while trying to teach him to enjoy playing quietly in Sacrament meeting.
And then it was Monday. We'd been steadily trying to get him "detoxed" after Christmas (I'll post our 12-step program as soon as I get it figured out). Even though it was the end of the bottle for Church, I knew that I still needed it to help coax him to sleep. Monday night, trying to get him back on schedule, I put him to bed at his pre-Christmas-crazy appointed bedtime of 9:00pm. Hoping to get him to be okay with this action, I lovingly prepared a bottle of warm milk.
He wasn't so thrilled. He SCREAMED. I ignored. He was shrill. I turned on "Mamma's Boys". Soon enough, though, all was still and he was sleeping soundly.
At 4:30am, though, he woke up with a little cry that I thought I could ignore, but soon he was pretty upset, so I got up to try to soothe him back to sleep. I found, however, that he was soaked. Having copious amounts of mommy-compassion, I changed him and his bedsheets in the dark hoping he'd go right back to sleep. I was little surprised that his diaper was pretty dry, but I figured that he'd somehow managed to just "bypass" the diaper. It's happened before.
After everything was changed, I put him back to bed, but he was not interested in sleep. I grabbed his bottle, thinking that some warm milk would help.
I took off the lid, filled the milk, popped it in the microwave, then put the lid back on. And that's when I saw it: the night before he had been so mad at me for putting him to bed, he'd bitten the tip right off of the nipple! He wasn't wet from wetting through his diaper - he'd been soaked with the milk that escaped! Suddenly, my compassion was replaced with a "just desserts" attitude (and, again, amusement - I know... really effective parenting!).
So, that was the end of the bottle. Entirely. Completely. My only regret is that I didn't get a picture of the damage before David threw it away.
The end of my world, Part I:
On the first Sunday of the year, Adam demonstrated a new resolution of his own - or at least showed his resolved to show off some terrible-two previews...
He was getting pretty restless towards the end of sacrament meeting, so I got out his little bottle of milk I keep on hand to help settle him down and buy us time until we could go home and get that much-needed Sunday nap. He grabbed the bottle, took a swig, pulled the bottle out of his mouth, and then looked at me with a look that in hind-sight said, "I wonder how much trouble I'm about to get myself into?"
And with that, he spewed milk wherever it would spew with great glee and gusto. And a little giggle. I thought I was gonna kill him! The family across the aisle from us tried hard not to laugh. He was sitting on my lap at the time, so I scooped him up and found I had a fairly penitent 18-month-old buy the time we reached the kitchen and I could give him the "that was naughty" talk (trying the whole time to not burst out laughing, myself!)
The end of my world, Part II:
So, after the sacrament meeting incident (btw - he luckily didn't have the mouth-strength to get milk anywhere but on himself...), I knew that we had come to the end of bottles in Sacrament meeting. He was having a hard enough time taking to bottles publicly ever since he saw David's cousin's 5-month-old sucking on a bottle that looked identical to his. But, I admit, it has been my "keep-him-quiet" crutch while trying to teach him to enjoy playing quietly in Sacrament meeting.
And then it was Monday. We'd been steadily trying to get him "detoxed" after Christmas (I'll post our 12-step program as soon as I get it figured out). Even though it was the end of the bottle for Church, I knew that I still needed it to help coax him to sleep. Monday night, trying to get him back on schedule, I put him to bed at his pre-Christmas-crazy appointed bedtime of 9:00pm. Hoping to get him to be okay with this action, I lovingly prepared a bottle of warm milk.
He wasn't so thrilled. He SCREAMED. I ignored. He was shrill. I turned on "Mamma's Boys". Soon enough, though, all was still and he was sleeping soundly.
At 4:30am, though, he woke up with a little cry that I thought I could ignore, but soon he was pretty upset, so I got up to try to soothe him back to sleep. I found, however, that he was soaked. Having copious amounts of mommy-compassion, I changed him and his bedsheets in the dark hoping he'd go right back to sleep. I was little surprised that his diaper was pretty dry, but I figured that he'd somehow managed to just "bypass" the diaper. It's happened before.
After everything was changed, I put him back to bed, but he was not interested in sleep. I grabbed his bottle, thinking that some warm milk would help.
I took off the lid, filled the milk, popped it in the microwave, then put the lid back on. And that's when I saw it: the night before he had been so mad at me for putting him to bed, he'd bitten the tip right off of the nipple! He wasn't wet from wetting through his diaper - he'd been soaked with the milk that escaped! Suddenly, my compassion was replaced with a "just desserts" attitude (and, again, amusement - I know... really effective parenting!).
So, that was the end of the bottle. Entirely. Completely. My only regret is that I didn't get a picture of the damage before David threw it away.
Friday, December 19, 2008
Mmmm... Candy... Part Deux
I made the mistake of treating my plotting, planning, observant one-and-some-change-year-old like an innocent, unassuming, incapable-of-climbing-and-plotting little thing this week. Let me explain.
Last night, he was extra-special good during dinner. He ate all of his dinner without fussing or refusing to eat. David and I enjoyed a pleasant and quiet meal. After cleaning up dinner, I gave Adam a few M&Ms as a little treat, then twisted up the open end of the bag and put them back on the table. Then I walked away.
I was gone from the kitchen less than a minute and this was what I saw:
It looks innocent enough, except that I was surprised to find him sitting on the kitchen chair. Of course, he was sitting quietly because he was deep in M&M bliss!
Does it look a little too messy for M&Ms? Well, here's what happened so far as I can tell... I gave him M&Ms (his FAVORITE). They were the mini-baking kind. I put the bag back on the table and walked away. He decided that he wanted more, and, being the big boy that he is - helped himself.
He pulled out daddy's chair from the table, climbed up, and found that he didn't need to get the bag, after all - there were M&Ms right there for the taking on the cookies that mommy just decorated! Wahoo!
So - instead of eating the cookie, he proceeded to pick off the M&Ms - first with his teeth (hence the chocolate around his mouth), and then with his fingers! I LOVED it! Of course, when he was done with the cookie pictured, I did draw the line at going after the rest of them (which he did attempt). Enjoy! I did!
Last night, he was extra-special good during dinner. He ate all of his dinner without fussing or refusing to eat. David and I enjoyed a pleasant and quiet meal. After cleaning up dinner, I gave Adam a few M&Ms as a little treat, then twisted up the open end of the bag and put them back on the table. Then I walked away.
I was gone from the kitchen less than a minute and this was what I saw:
It looks innocent enough, except that I was surprised to find him sitting on the kitchen chair. Of course, he was sitting quietly because he was deep in M&M bliss!
Does it look a little too messy for M&Ms? Well, here's what happened so far as I can tell... I gave him M&Ms (his FAVORITE). They were the mini-baking kind. I put the bag back on the table and walked away. He decided that he wanted more, and, being the big boy that he is - helped himself.
He pulled out daddy's chair from the table, climbed up, and found that he didn't need to get the bag, after all - there were M&Ms right there for the taking on the cookies that mommy just decorated! Wahoo!
So - instead of eating the cookie, he proceeded to pick off the M&Ms - first with his teeth (hence the chocolate around his mouth), and then with his fingers! I LOVED it! Of course, when he was done with the cookie pictured, I did draw the line at going after the rest of them (which he did attempt). Enjoy! I did!
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