We went out to get some delicious seafood at Fant's tonight (and WHY didn't I know this place existed the first 4 years I lived here???) I had a pile of boiled shrimp on my plate, as well as some fried, assuming Amber would eat some of the fried ones.
WRONG! She only went for the boiled shrimp. "They're spicy!" I told her, but she dug in anyway. After one bite, she yelled out "SPICY!" but then kept going back for more. After 4 or so jumbo shrimp, she decided she was experienced enough to peel them herself.
I didn't think much of it--if she got some shell in her mouth, then surely she'd spit it out. What I DIDN'T think of was how much SPICIER the shell is than the actual shrimp...
Well, little Amber Claire took a bite and either got shell or got really close to some shell she left in there, and she went crazy! "SPICY SHRIMP!! SPICY SHRIMP!!!" she started screaming in the restaurant (though I only noticed one table to even take note of the fact that this kid was going nuts at the table next to them). The poor kid had tears rolling down her face, and I kid you not, she drank almost an entire styrofoam cup of water. She just kept sucking on that straw for about 2 minutes.
But did that stop Amber! Heck, no! She finished up that shrimp and came back for another after that! She was pretty miserable in the moment, but I'm glad she didn't let it ruin the whole boiled seafood experience for her!
Friday, January 14, 2011
Monday, January 10, 2011
Missing a mom gene?
As any parent would probably tell you about their own kids, I love my girls with all my heart. I couldn't imagine my life without the two of them in it! And of course, this lends itself to worry over their health and safety at all times. I SERIOUSLY don't know how I'd go on if something happened to either one of them. They truly are my life.
That being said, I just CANNOT get into this whole pregnancy thing. I mean, there's the excitement about a new kid coming... but I want that kid here now! Forget this 40 weeks of waiting--let's get the show on the road!!! And it seems like most women I hear about talk about how much they just LOOOOVE being pregnant. It makes me wonder--am I missing some mommy gene somewhere along the line?
I wish I did, but I just DO NOT enjoy being pregnant. I ABHOR the first half where I'm throwing up and feeling like a giant sack of poo (then again, who wouldn't hate that?) But beyond that point, I hate the toll it takes on my body--fatigue, sore feet, acne, swollen boobs, stretch marks. I hate that I look like a bus in sneakers at the end, and I hate the "don't look pregnant and just look fat" phase I'm in right now. And I hate being slowed down--I like to run around and play and get on the floor and all that other good stuff you can do with little kids, but my butt is always tired, strained, sore, or whatever.
I just really, really can't wait to have my body back. Maybe I'm not the only mom out there who feels this way, but I definitely think I'm in the minority. If we could speed up the process, I think that would help me greatly. Or maybe it's just that come May, I'll have been pregnant for nearly 2.5 years out of the last 4+. And if we factor in nursing, I've had a baby suckled to me either in utero or at breast since January 2007 (with the exception of about 4 months). I am ready for a break!!
That being said, I just CANNOT get into this whole pregnancy thing. I mean, there's the excitement about a new kid coming... but I want that kid here now! Forget this 40 weeks of waiting--let's get the show on the road!!! And it seems like most women I hear about talk about how much they just LOOOOVE being pregnant. It makes me wonder--am I missing some mommy gene somewhere along the line?
I wish I did, but I just DO NOT enjoy being pregnant. I ABHOR the first half where I'm throwing up and feeling like a giant sack of poo (then again, who wouldn't hate that?) But beyond that point, I hate the toll it takes on my body--fatigue, sore feet, acne, swollen boobs, stretch marks. I hate that I look like a bus in sneakers at the end, and I hate the "don't look pregnant and just look fat" phase I'm in right now. And I hate being slowed down--I like to run around and play and get on the floor and all that other good stuff you can do with little kids, but my butt is always tired, strained, sore, or whatever.
I just really, really can't wait to have my body back. Maybe I'm not the only mom out there who feels this way, but I definitely think I'm in the minority. If we could speed up the process, I think that would help me greatly. Or maybe it's just that come May, I'll have been pregnant for nearly 2.5 years out of the last 4+. And if we factor in nursing, I've had a baby suckled to me either in utero or at breast since January 2007 (with the exception of about 4 months). I am ready for a break!!
The Miserable Cat Napper!!
I'm not one of those mommas that keeps their kids on a very rigid schedule, but we do have a pretty standard routine over here. I mean, one day Amber might take a midday nap at 1:30 and maybe it'll be a little after 2 the next day, but there's schedule.
And it drives me BANANAS when we get thrown off. That's when I know I will have to pay for it for the remainder of the day and possibly the next day. And THIS is what makes me hate nights away from home, though what option do you really have when none of your family lives in town? Even with a place of their own to lay down for naps and nighttime, the girls just DON'T sleep as well when not at home, and I know they are going to be little irritable beasts the next day or two. I don't want to be a schedule nazi, but good Lord, I seriously am ready to lose it after a few hours of these two whining and cranky.
However, my BIGGEST annoyance by far is the miserable cat nap in the car. I swear, if either kid falls asleep for even a couple of minutes in the car, it jacks up the rest of my day!!! Amber very, very rarely sleeps in the car, and I used to think this was a pain. OH NO. I'd much rather Audrey not sleep in the car either because it's not quality sleep anyway and she won't take a good nap later. I thought I had stumbled upon a solution--keeping her supplied with juice, food or toys while driving--but that didn't work either, as she'll fall asleep with any of those.
And the saddest part is that she is SO out of sorts when we get home that she just follows me around crying to be held. I'll give in to a point, but who can spend their whole day walking around with a 20-pound growth? By 3:15 today I just couldn't take any more, so I put the poor child in her bed and just had to let her scream like a banshee till she passed out. I was only going to leave her in there a set amount of time to give myself a cooldown.
I don't remember where I read it, but I know somewhere I had seen that it was far better to let the kid scream in a safe place than risk being hurtful to them because you had reached your breaking point. And it's sad for me to admit that I actually get to a point where I feel like I might hurt the kid... damn this temper of mine!!! I know it sound nuts to even have written this, but I think more people feel like this on occasion than would admit to it. You just have to get a break sometimes to keep your own sanity!!
And it drives me BANANAS when we get thrown off. That's when I know I will have to pay for it for the remainder of the day and possibly the next day. And THIS is what makes me hate nights away from home, though what option do you really have when none of your family lives in town? Even with a place of their own to lay down for naps and nighttime, the girls just DON'T sleep as well when not at home, and I know they are going to be little irritable beasts the next day or two. I don't want to be a schedule nazi, but good Lord, I seriously am ready to lose it after a few hours of these two whining and cranky.
However, my BIGGEST annoyance by far is the miserable cat nap in the car. I swear, if either kid falls asleep for even a couple of minutes in the car, it jacks up the rest of my day!!! Amber very, very rarely sleeps in the car, and I used to think this was a pain. OH NO. I'd much rather Audrey not sleep in the car either because it's not quality sleep anyway and she won't take a good nap later. I thought I had stumbled upon a solution--keeping her supplied with juice, food or toys while driving--but that didn't work either, as she'll fall asleep with any of those.
And the saddest part is that she is SO out of sorts when we get home that she just follows me around crying to be held. I'll give in to a point, but who can spend their whole day walking around with a 20-pound growth? By 3:15 today I just couldn't take any more, so I put the poor child in her bed and just had to let her scream like a banshee till she passed out. I was only going to leave her in there a set amount of time to give myself a cooldown.
I don't remember where I read it, but I know somewhere I had seen that it was far better to let the kid scream in a safe place than risk being hurtful to them because you had reached your breaking point. And it's sad for me to admit that I actually get to a point where I feel like I might hurt the kid... damn this temper of mine!!! I know it sound nuts to even have written this, but I think more people feel like this on occasion than would admit to it. You just have to get a break sometimes to keep your own sanity!!
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Amber's Awesome Day
Though I'd really rather be crashing right now, I'm afraid if I don't capture Amber's day RIGHT NOW, it'll be forgotten.... and I might need to come back to this one day when she's driving me bananas and know "Yes, she's really going to be ok. This too shall pass."
First of all, she got up and got ready for school with NO FIGHTS. AND she even went to the potty before we left, which has happened ONCE this whole school year thus far. (She started using the potty again yesterday, and I hope beyond all hopes that this will REALLY be it since she's doing it on her own terms and not because I was bribing her). She got out the car with no struggles and was happy about going to class. Sometimes we get a "I want to stay home" from her in the mornings, not because she doesn't have a fun at school but because she's usually a grump in the mornings if being made to get moving before she's ready to.
But when I picked her up, the preschool director told me she was a "smart cookie" when she loaded her in the car, as Amber knew all the answers during circle time. Not knowing what they did during circle time, she explained that they were doing colors and shapes and Amber was popping off answers as fast as the teacher could ask. (I hope this is more socially acceptable in a class of 2's and 3's than it would be in grade school.) "She even knew OCTAGON!" Heck, I didn't even know the kid knew what an octagon was. This kid is just a sponge.
And when I got home, there was a note in her backpack that she stayed dry the whole time and even used the potty at school for the first time!!!! I am stoked--big progress for little Amber!
She played a little while and then ACTUALLY REQUESTED to take a nap because, as she put it, "I played hard today." What a hoot. And she did go down with no fight. She even got up in a great mood and STAYED in a great mood till bedtime, which she did with no fight as well. I couldn't tell her enough how proud I was of her--and she peed on the potty for the second day in a row (Still not on board with poop, but I'm just thrilled she's interested at all!)
I swear, on days like this, I could just eat that kid up. I mean, I love her all the time, but times like these just make me melt into a big puddle of mom-goo!
First of all, she got up and got ready for school with NO FIGHTS. AND she even went to the potty before we left, which has happened ONCE this whole school year thus far. (She started using the potty again yesterday, and I hope beyond all hopes that this will REALLY be it since she's doing it on her own terms and not because I was bribing her). She got out the car with no struggles and was happy about going to class. Sometimes we get a "I want to stay home" from her in the mornings, not because she doesn't have a fun at school but because she's usually a grump in the mornings if being made to get moving before she's ready to.
But when I picked her up, the preschool director told me she was a "smart cookie" when she loaded her in the car, as Amber knew all the answers during circle time. Not knowing what they did during circle time, she explained that they were doing colors and shapes and Amber was popping off answers as fast as the teacher could ask. (I hope this is more socially acceptable in a class of 2's and 3's than it would be in grade school.) "She even knew OCTAGON!" Heck, I didn't even know the kid knew what an octagon was. This kid is just a sponge.
And when I got home, there was a note in her backpack that she stayed dry the whole time and even used the potty at school for the first time!!!! I am stoked--big progress for little Amber!
She played a little while and then ACTUALLY REQUESTED to take a nap because, as she put it, "I played hard today." What a hoot. And she did go down with no fight. She even got up in a great mood and STAYED in a great mood till bedtime, which she did with no fight as well. I couldn't tell her enough how proud I was of her--and she peed on the potty for the second day in a row (Still not on board with poop, but I'm just thrilled she's interested at all!)
I swear, on days like this, I could just eat that kid up. I mean, I love her all the time, but times like these just make me melt into a big puddle of mom-goo!
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