Wednesday, December 26, 2012

Christmas Spoils

Two out of the four Christmases we are having are over and done with in our house and I already think my crazies were more than taken care of in the toy department. In my opinion, even a little spoiled. I am OK with that as the people we have spend the two Christmases with were grandparents and they are allowed to spoil the kids.

I do not spoil my children. In actuality, some people think I am a little stingy with them. I do not by them toys for Christmas. Santa brings them toys, but The Husband and I only buy them books and clothing.

The reason for this is because everyone else seems to buy them toys. Sure there might be a movie or book thrown in, maybe the occasional outfit for good measure, but mostly other people buy them toys.

Right now my house looks like a toy store exploded all over the floor. There are My Little Pony and Barbie pieces all over the hallway, cars and trains at the top of the stairs and baby toys strewn all over the living room floor.

The next few days will be a purge here at our house. Get rid of the toys that are no longer played with, or the crazies have outgrown and donate them so other children might be some enjoyment from them.

Saturday, December 22, 2012

Noise Level Warning

Anyone who has spent any amount of time with Crazy 2 knows he is loud. I don't mean just annoyingly loud either. When he shrieks, it actually hurts your ears so bad your brain hurts.

He has always been loud, but he is also pretty much always happy and his excitement just bubbles out of him in crazy loud shrieks.

I am to the point now that I need him to be quiet at times, like when Crazy 3 is napping, but I am unable to get him to understand or to comply with the request. I am not sure if he truly doesn't understand or if he just is choosing to ignore me.

Suggestions have been made to get his hearing tested, but I don't believe that is what the issue is. He hears me when I whisper to him and he can whisper back.

My thoughts are maybe I need to seek help from a behaviour therapist of some sort to get techniques on how to get him to understand that he cannot be so loud all the time. It seems everything I have tried has failed so now it is time to look for assistance.

The bigger issue is that Crazy 1, even though she is older, is starting to get louder more often, most likely to compete with Crazy 2. Also, Crazy 3 has started to find his voice and because it is so loud in our home because of Crazy 2, he might actually be louder.

I guess the other option could be to invest in earplugs.

Thursday, December 20, 2012

Blogging About Other Blogs

Yesterday my post was about another blog post that I read. Some people think that this means I have no original ideas when in fact it is the exact opposite.

Other people's blogs, especially parenting ones, make me think about things a little more deeply sometimes and then I can reflect on my own blog how I feel about it.

Whenever I choose to create a post about a blog I have read, I will ALWAYS make sure that there is a link to the original post to give that author their credit due. I personally would consider it a compliment if someone linked to one of my posts and expanded on their own experience or opinion.

I want to know there are other like minded people out there, that I am not alone.

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

What Happened to the Village

Last night The Husband passed me his IPad and told me to read this blog post.

I did and it hit home.

I definitely feel like I try to do too much sometimes with my crazies, mostly because everyone else seems to be able to have their $h!t together, and I feel like I don't.

Although I am not sure on where the saying "It takes a village to raise a child" originally comes from, in past generations there was a lot of truth to it. Nowadays, I ask where has the village gone? With most families having both parents work, too many activities to choose from even at the earliest ages, and competition running amok to have your child be the best, the first, the brightest, it is hard to see the village.

I think access to the internet has a big impact as well. Although obviously I am not immune to its power; I blog, I am on Facebook, I tried Twitter, I reject Pinterest. I think the information that is out there is overwhelming to parents. What you should be doing with your child from activities to feeding to sleeping is laid out by scores of 'parenting' websites. What happened to a parent just knowing what their child needs? What happened to letting children be children and make believe and play with whatever is handy? Why do we push them so hard at such an early age?

In previous generations, most mothers did not work, lived fairly close to other female relatives that did not work and had a group of other mothers that did not work. This then allowed for the mentality of having a village help raise your child. You could co-op babysitting, you could have your children play and socialize while you enjoyed some adult companionship. In today's society, families are separated distance wise, grandparents travel the world and most mothers and fathers are working. As a stay at home mom, I am in the minority.

I am thankful that I am able to be home and raise my children, to have home cooked meals for my family and somewhat take care of the housekeeping. I am overwhelmed with all there is to do out there, and all that people think I should do with my children. I am grateful that The Husband is an amazing man and brings me back to earth when I think I am failing as a parent and a wife. I do get lonely and I do long for adult conversation. Would I change this part of my life though, NEVER. I love my life and I love my family. Sometimes I just wish more people could have the same mentality as me, that more mothers could stay home and that there was a village to help raise my children.

Tuesday, December 18, 2012

School Breaks = More Work

I have come to the conclusion that school breaks create more work for me.

Our routine is disrupted, I have to come up with ideas of things to do and it's just overall more hassle for me.

Crazy 2 had no play school this week, but Crazy 1 still has kindergarten. Crazy 2 was very upset that he was not going to school today. Thank god for Netflix! Dora the Explorer marathon saved the day.

Crazy 1 is done on Friday and doesn't go back until January 8th. Now I have to figure out how to fill days for the next two weeks with activities that they both will do and enjoy.

At least The Husband is planning on taking the entire week off next week so we can get some family time in.

Not that I don't love spending time with the crazies, but Crazy 3 is at an awkward stage right now, just starting to crawl so the stroller/car seat are not the saviour that they used to be. He's also starting to get a little heavy in the Snugli.

Here's to hoping the weather cooperates and The Husband can take them to the park across the street in their snow gear and run off some steam.

Monday, December 17, 2012

Untitled Rant 1

Not sure what to call this one.

I am annoyed. It seems like ever since I got pregnant with Crazy 3 my friendships have changed.

Some people gave up on me when I was actually pregnant, some people after I had Crazy 3, and some people lip service but are not really there.

I do believe that friendship is a two way street, and I'll admit that with three kids under five it's a little hard for me to always make the call or the playdate. I know that in some instances I am to blame as well, I have no doubt.

I do believe that one of my 'friends' is no longer really speaking to me at all unless there is a group of us girls getting together. She has changed in the past few years and her interests are quite different from mine, almost complete opposite now. I also believe there might be a little bit of resentment as she always wanted lots of children, but she and her husband decided to quit after two.

The other issue is with another group of 'friends'. I have often felt like a tag along with this group as I became part of it due to a family relationship. They have always assured me that was not the case, that I was their friend just as much as my family member. Since Crazy 3 has been born, I have not been invited to events, both with the kids and without. This issue could be more around the fact that the other kids are starting to get older and I still have babies.

Overall I am starting to believe that I need to look closer at my relationships and decide who will actually be there for me. There are a lot of times that I feel like I am totally alone and have no one except The Husband to talk to. That is not fair to him, he has enough stress worrying about financial responsibilities for the family, he doesn't need to worry about my mental and emotional stability.

Here is to finding new friends and renewing connections to old ones, ones that will enhance my life and give me motivation, not bring me down!

Wednesday, December 12, 2012

Sharing is Not Always Nice

All three crazies were sick over the weekend with one thing or another. The weird part was that none of their symptoms were the same. Crazy 1 had a fever and runny nose. Crazy 2 was just really not himself and had a cough. Crazy 3 had a pretty high fever, almost enough for me to take him in, and that's it.

They are all on the mend now of course, but they had to share first. With me!

These are the moments I wish I worked outside the home. I really wish I could take my kids to daycare, dayhome, whatever and call in sick.

Alas, there is no rest for the wicked, or the stay at home mom.

Saturday, December 8, 2012

Babywearing

I would have loved to be more of a baby wearer when Crazy 1 and Crazy 2 were little, but it just didn't happen. Maybe because I didn't have the right tools, or the right support.

I do baby wear with Crazy 3, still not as much sometimes as I think I should, but I definitely do when I need two hands free for the other two.

This website is awesome for baby wearers and they are currently having a giveaway - PAXbaby. Check them out!

Wednesday, December 5, 2012

Quest for Better Parenting

Lately, mostly because the children have been driving me a bit batty with certain things, I have been reading more parenting books. Not that I think I am a terrible parent, but I know there are things about my parenting that I could improve upon should I have the right tools and motivation.

The thing I have come to realize in my quest is that everyone thinks they are experts and there are many schools of though on the right and wrong things to do.

I have decided that when I am reading these books, I will take away what tools and philosophies I can agree with and implement within our current family structure. I don't think The Husband and I need to reinvent our entire family, but I do wish I could sometimes handle things better.

I am sure there will be more posts on this subject, maybe even reviews of the books I have read.

Tuesday, December 4, 2012

Christmas Decorating

The Husband loves Christmas. I mean he really LOVES Christmas.

Every year he adds to the decorations on the outside of the house. So far everything has been very tasteful, no inflatables, nothing really big, just lights and garlands mostly.

He has decided to add to the decorations inside of the house this year as well, and enlisted Crazy 1 to help pick out some of the items. Did I mention that Crazy 1's favourite colour is purple? I know we have a small purple tree and a purple star ornament but I am not as of yet privy to everything that was chosen. I believe this weekend is when we are planning to get everything set up so it will be a big surprise.

I love Christmas as well, just not as big on the decorating as The Husband is. I always look at the down side to putting all the decorations up, you have to take them down. I am thankful that The Husband does most of this and saves me the hassle of both set up and take down.

I do love decorating the tree though. We always get a real tree and have an evening of hot chocolate, Christmas movies and tree trimming. The past couple of years Crazy 1 has helped us and even got to put the star on top of the tree. This year Crazy 2 will join us, adding to our family tradition.

Sunday, December 2, 2012

Wine Was a Big Mistake

Last night The Husband and I actually went out to a house party WITHOUT the children. It was for my best friends birthday and we had a great time. I even decided to have a glass of wine to celebrate.

That was the big mistake. Not that I am a big drinker, I do enjoy a beer or glass of wine here and there, but I have now found out that wine and my breast milk does not agree.

Crazy 3 has been a little pukey today, the only logical reason is that maybe he doesn't like my breast milk today. The only reason I can come up with for that is the glass of wine I had last night. He was like this once before and The Husband and I are pretty sure it was the only other time I have had wine since he was born.

Oh well, I can live without wine until I wean him off nursing. Thank goodness beer seems to help my milk production.

Friday, November 30, 2012

At My Wits' End

I am truly there. Some of it may be because of me, my personality, my expectations etc., but I know that some of it is my children as well. Now along with them being a little crazy, so am I.

Crazy 1 has attitude galore. I honestly believe that she is 4 1/2 going on 14. She talks back, she purposefully does things she knows are wrong, she tries to get Crazy 2 to do things she knows he shouldn't and just generally doesn't listen to a word I say. We also have a medical issue with her that involves the potty. It is frustrating for me, not so much because of the accident itself but because she either lies about it or doesn't tell us right away. We had been doing really well for a couple of months, but then a couple of weeks ago, things started to regress. I still believe that the issue might not be just medical, but behavioural as well.

Crazy 2 is obnoxious. I mean, really obnoxious. He is loud, over the top loud and we have yet to find a volume control on him. I would think it was a hearing issue except he can hear us whisper, he can whisper, he just chooses to be loud most of the time. I have tried the inside voice conversation, I have tried time outs, I am at a loss. He also is crazy busy. He runs most of the time, he climbs anything and he gets into everything. He also is at the Terrible Two phase where he is testing his boundaries and doesn't listen or ignores most of what I say.

Lastly there is Crazy 3. He has no control over the things that drive me crazy as he is only 7 months, but there are a few things. His sleeping patterns are definitely not something I am dealing with easily. He wakes up anywhere between 2-5 times a night. My definition of night is from when we put him to bed (7:30 PM) and 6:00 AM.
Sometimes it is as easy as replacing his soother, sometimes it is a quick nurse, but other times I am up for at least 30 minutes and then it's harder for me to get back to sleep. He also does not nap well. That just adds to the craziness around this house. The other frustration I have with him is he spits his food all over me. Every time I feed him, I add food decor to whatever I am wearing. He tends to do it the first couple of bites and then at the end when he is done. The frustrating part is that he doesn't do it to The Husband.

I really do love my children. More than anything. I try to provide them with an exciting, loving and caring environment. I try to look past their idiosyncrasies and not get too flustered.

I have good children. They don't fight much amongst themselves, they use their manners most of the time, they listen fairly well when we are out and about. Most of these issues are when we are at home. I just don't really know where to go from here and I don't think I can handle much more at status quo.

For now I just needed a good vent. Somewhere to lay it all out and be able to look at it reflectively. Here's hoping that today gets better, I don't really know if I can handle it if it gets much worse.

Thursday, November 29, 2012

Never Ending Laundry

Anyone else out there feel like all they do, day in and day out, is laundry?

I know I have three children, all under 5, so there only stands to reason that I have a fair amount, but I mean come on. I feel like I could do laundry all day, every day and never really be caught up.

I am so thankful that Crazy 3 never spat up all that much. It definitely saved me on at least some laundry, maybe a load a week. I feel bad for all the parents out there that have little ones with reflux. Not only would it be difficult to deal with, but I am sure the dirty clothes just pile up.

Sometimes I wonder if I just buy more clothes for all of us, if that would mean less laundry. I don't actually think that would work. Running out of socks or underwear forces me to get it done. If we had more, I think I really would need to run the washer and dryer constantly.

Soon enough, I will have the crazies help me. Crazy 1 already helps put her clothes away in her room, I just need to teach her to fold. I wonder if when she turns 5 that would be too soon?

Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Worst Housekeeper Award

So yesterday, Crazy 2 was feeling fine, but had an episode of runny poop in his pull up. He came up the stairs from the playroom dripping poop out of the legs of his jeans. After getting him all sorted out, cleaned up and in bed for a nap, I had to tackle the carpet in the playroom.

Silly me, grabbed the fullest bottle of Fantastic, which just happens to contain bleach. Needless to say, the carpet in the playroom now has lovely bleach markings as well as some staining. The sad part is, I didn't notice right away so the damage was already done.

The Husband always bugs me about not being the greatest Housekeeper and unfortunately I just proved him right. Yes, I said it, The Husband was right about this one thing.

Sunday, November 25, 2012

Full Moon Rising

What is it about the lead up to the full moon that has my children acting crazier than normal? I mean really, the full moon isn't until Wednesday night, but my children are acting as though it is tonight.

Crazy 1 was fairly well behaved all day today, that is until dinner time. She didn't want to eat anything and then wanted her bedtime snack an hour and a half before bedtime. The sad part about that is the rule around here is if you eat your bedtime snack early, you go to bed early.

Crazy 2 has volume issues at the best of times but tonight took the cake. He was off the chart loud and pretty much constant at that level.

Crazy 3 is just really cuddly and is a total Momma's Boy. The saving grace to that is he went to bed without any issue. Let's just hope he sleeps the night.

All in all, I am not looking forward to the next couple of evenings. It seems to get worse the closer the full moon gets, but then once it is here things get back to our normal with the snap of a finger. It is a little disturbing.

Saturday, November 24, 2012

Good Behaviour or Just Better....

I find myself judging my crazies behaviour when we are out in public based on how other children are acting. I am sure most of us parents do this, we are thankful when it is not our children having a meltdown at the playground when it is time to leave, when it is not our children throwing food and utensils at a restaurant or when it is not our children kicking and screaming out the door of a venue.

Overall, even though my children are a little crazy, they are loud and full of energy, I do usually feel my children are well behaved when we are out. I have been very lucky that all three of them are extremely good natured but they do have their moments. I have been the mom that has thrown Crazy 1 over her shoulder to leave a store when she decided to lay on the floor and kick and scream. I have been the mom that has picked up Crazy 2 and hauled him out of the pool kicking and crying. Crazy 3 gets away with a little more crying and screaming because, well, he is only just over 6 months.

When we are out somewhere and all I have to do is remind them to stay with me and the stroller, even if it is a hundred times, and there are no tears and no shrieks, I feel like we have had a good behaviour day. Especially when we are out and there are other parents hauling their screaming, crying, kicking children out the doors, or off the playground.

Is it wrong of me to decide that the day was a success just based on how other children behave or should I look at how my children normally behave and base it on that? All I know is that to me any day where we can leave somewhere without a meltdown from either Crazy 1 or Crazy 2 is successful to me!

Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Day From Hell

So yesterday in my books was a day from HELL!

Crazy 1 and Crazy 2 both had school, so I thought it would be a decent day, even with the lack of sleep due to Crazy 3. Boy was I ever wrong.

When I picked Crazy 2 up from play school, he was great. Wasn't even crying like he normally is. We drove home looking for school buses but once he got into the house, major meltdown! On the floor, crying, just plain not happy. Put him to bed 20 minutes earlier than normal and he woke up after just an hour and half, not the standard two and a half hours.

Crazy 1 is in talk back mode pretty much all the time and yesterday was no different. To go along with that, we had a potty accident and got a nose bleed. Both of course happened while I was trying to nurse Crazy 3.

Crazy 3 decided that he needed to eat every 45 minutes and that napping was optional.

I had self motivated myself to believe that I would actually accomplish something yesterday, anything would have been nice. I just barely got dinner made for 5:30 PM and I started it at 1:00 PM.

These days are the exception to the rule, but man did I feel overwhelmed yesterday. Good thing The Husband came home with coffee and chocolate!

Sunday, November 18, 2012

The Oxymoron of a Mandatory Gratuity

So lately The Husband has been quite annoyed with how gratuities are now expected when we are out and about.

Depending on the level of service, both The Husband and I will usually leave between 15% and 20%, but what gets us is that if you leave less because of the level of service you are considered stingy.

The Husband is currently working on booking his Christmas party for work and while doing so, because the group is more than 8 people, is finding that most places are informing him that there will be an automatic 18% gratuity added to the bill.

Just for reference, here are some definitions as per Merriam-Webster:

MANDATORY

1: required by a law or rule : obligatory
2: of, by, relating to, or holding a League of Nations mandate

GRATUITY

something given voluntarily or beyond obligation usually for some service

I do believe that by the definitions above, adding a automatic gratuity then makes it mandatory, which in my opinion, completely negates the purpose of a gratuity. To me, it should be optional to represent my level of satisfaction of the service I received. My question is if the gratuity is automatic, but the service is atrocious, do I have an option not to pay it?

Saturday, November 17, 2012

Where Are Your Manners?

So, lately, I have been having some issues with Crazy 1 and her manners. It seems she has forgotten all that I have tried to teach her about saying Please and Thank You, but Excuse Me is still in use for appropriate situations.

It is hard for me because I am in the middle of getting Crazy 2 to understand about this and when Crazy 1 chooses to ignore it, then Crazy 2 follows suit.

The other hard part is when we are out in public, like at the mall, and it's busy. I get so annoyed when adults bump my stroller, or cut me off from the rest of my family with no I'm Sorry, no Excuse Me, they just go about their own business like we don't even exist.

How am I supposed to teach my own children the value and importance of manners when out in the world having manners is becoming obsolete. As a parent, it is my job to teach them, to have them learn by example, but I still believe that it takes a village and that society has a certain responsibility as well. We should all be more respectful so that future generations can be as well.

Friday, November 16, 2012

My Fourth Child

I tend to write my posts about my lovely children or The Husband, but in effect I do have a 4th child. The Dog.

The reason I am posting about him today is because I feel a bit bad lately about my pet parenting.

I love The Dog, The Husband and I actually adopted him before we were even married. He was technically our first child. We used to take him to the off leash parks, walked him and let him sleep in our room.

With Crazy 1, I would still take him to the off leash park occasionally, The Husband and I would walk him sometimes and he was still allowed upstairs in our room.

Since Crazy 2 I don't think he has ever been to the off leash park, walks have been few and far between and he isn't even allowed upstairs. I will qualify that the reason he is not allowed upstairs is because of the gates for the crazies.

I love The Dog and he has been amazing with all our children. He is a big dog and puts up with the kids trying to ride him, sitting on him, pulling his hair and all the rest of the craziness.

I am hoping that some of the craziness with subside soon and that at least we can least get walks back on the program. Even if it is just me with The Dog it might help with my sanity to get 20 minutes a night to myself. Just a thought.

Thursday, November 15, 2012

Should You Always Like Your Children?

Don't get me wrong. I LOVE my children. More than anything in the world. I would cross the ocean, move mountains, pretty much do anything for them. The issue I have is sometimes I feel like I don't really like them.

I should qualify that it's more because of things they are doing, and if anyone was doing these things I wouldn't like them at that moment either.

Example 1 is when the phone rings. The crazies will all be playing nicely, or watching a show and then BOOM, the phone rings and all HELL breaks loose. Crazy 1 usually needs something at that exact moment, Crazy 2 decides to run around the island singing his ABC's at the top of his lungs, and Crazy 3 of course starts to cry and scream. At this moment, I don't really like any of my children.

Example 2 is when I am making dinner. This only really affects Crazy 1 and Crazy 2 as the rule of the house is to stay out of the kitchen when I am cooking. It never fails, just as I am about to open the oven, they decide to start running through the kitchen playing some sort of game of tag. Again, at this moment I don't really like them.

I could go on and on with examples of situations and instances where I might not like 1, 2 or all 3 of my children. I am coming to the realization that it's OK not to like the things they do, that it's OK to not always even like them at a given moment. I would never tell them this, I usually just tell them I don't like their actions or not say anything at all.

All I really do know is I do LOVE my children. Even through all the craziness, there is always laughter and lots of love in our house and in the end that is what matters!

Wednesday, November 14, 2012

My Apologies for Being MIA

I have come to the realization that being Missing In Action is going to be a regular occurrence with this blog. I will send out my heart felt apologies for the past few days as well as any instances in the future.

Life got the better of me this week between lack of sleep, evening activities and well just plain laziness.

I have found some solace in getting out my little rants and venting what I feel are injustices. I do plan to continue to keep this up as much as I can as I see some of my sanity returning amongst the craziness I have created as my life.

Thanks to those of you out there that are reading this blog, hopefully some of you are repeat offenders. Even if this is mostly for me, I am confident that this lapses will not be too often.

Remember to take it one day at a time, and most things are not life or death, especially if I miss posting for a few days.

Sunday, November 11, 2012

Happy Six Years

All I have to say today is Happy Anniversary to The Husband.

Love you more and more each and everyday.

We have accomplished a lot in the past 6 years, and we will accomplish a lot more in the years to come.

Friday, November 9, 2012

Clothes Designed by Baby Food

Crazy 3 is now eating 'solids' as in purees of fruits and vegetables.

My clothing looks new and abstract with all the baby food splatter. It's almost as though I need a bib for me more than I need one for him.

He has taken to blowing raspberries as soon as his mouth is full of food. I get it all over my hair, my face, my glasses, my shirt. It's like I get a new wardrobe every time I sit down to feed him.

The funniest part is he seems to really only do it for me. When The Husband goes to feed him, there is way less mess.

Thursday, November 8, 2012

Second Guessing the Busing Decision

It's mornings like this where I debate within my head whether or not I made the right decision on not busing Crazy 1 to school.

The reasons I decided against it was because she is only 4 1/2 years old, it's only kindergarten and The Husband was able to drive her every morning as his route to the office goes right by the school which means I only have to pick her up.

The reason I am second guessing my decision is because there is snow on the ground and the temperatures are supposed to drop considerably over the next few days. For Crazy 1 that is a good thing we are driving her. No waiting at the bus stop in the cold. For me it means I have to bundle Crazy 2 and Crazy 3 up every day to pick her up.

I should be thankful that I only have the pick up duties. It means I have all morning to get myself and the boys ready. To be honest it is nice to talk to some of the other parents and be able to see her teacher every day. Really, I should be honest and admit, it's not the snow that is getting me down but the cold. I hate the cold, I hate taking the kids out in the cold. If I had my way, we would just hunker down and never leave the house if it is below -5 Celcius.

Tuesday, November 6, 2012

The Spanking Debate

I am not ashamed to admit that I have spanked Crazy 1 and Crazy 2. I am not proud of this fact, but I am not ashamed either.

The definition of spank from Merriam-Webster is:
to strike especially on the buttocks with the open hand.

The only place I have spanked my children is on the buttocks, and only with an open hand, and usually through clothing and diapers. I do not spank my children to cause harm, but more to get their attention. I find just the threat of a spanking can easily change the behaviour of both Crazy 1 and Crazy 2. It only takes a couple of times to follow through with the threat for them to know that I am serious.

Some people say that by spanking them, I am teaching them that hitting is OK. I argue that if you teach them the difference between spanking and hitting that is not the case. Neither Crazy 1 nor Crazy 2 have been hitters, kickers or biters. Not to say they don't have tantrums, they can scream and cry with the best of them, they just really have never been overly physical in their demonstrations.

I don't believe that anyone else has the right to spank my child. I feel that this type of punishment should be solely at the discretion of a parent. I don't believe that I am harming my children. I know that many people out there do believe that and they are entitled to that opinion.

I think that discipline in general is something that is lacking with many children nowadays. I think every parent should find what works for them and stick with it and follow through. We use a combination of count downs, time outs, loosing privileges and spankings (most commonly used punishment is first). I also believe that every child reacts differently to different punishments and as the child gets older, the punishments need to change.

In the end, all I know is that the times that I have spanked my children, response from them is immediate and behaviour is corrected at once. More often than not, the behaviour is not repeated for a fair amount of time, if at all.

Sunday, November 4, 2012

Daylight Savings Time SUCKS

This weekend is Daylight Savings Time so last night we had to move the clocks back an hour.

I remember, prechildren, when this was an amazing thing! We got an extra hour to sleep, to party or to just do whatever when this would happen. Now that I have children, it SUCKS!

My crazies are early risers to begin with so this morning was not pleasant to say the least. We couldn't even keep them up late last night as yesterday was a busy day and Crazy 2 missed his nap. The wake ups started around 4:00 AM.

The Husband, thank goodness, got up with Crazy 1 and Crazy 2 just after 5:00 AM and let me and Crazy 3 sleep until 7:00 AM. Not that Crazy 3 helped matters last night. He was up and down from 2:00 AM on (which was really 1:00 AM as that's when the clocks go back).

I have decided that Daylight Savings Time just reeks havoc with scheduling and sleeping patterns for all my children and that to me just SUCKS.

Friday, November 2, 2012

Has Cabin Fever Already Set In?

I am thinking this is going to be a VERY long winter. Cabin fever has already begun to set in with Crazy 1 and Crazy 2, either that or they are completely insane today. I don't really get it as today is the first day we haven't gone anywhere in almost a week.

I would have loved to go out, but the sickness has now infected Crazy 3 and myself so we are definitely more limited on excursions for now.

All I know is the lack of sleep and the illness is starting to make me a little crazy and the behaviour of Crazy 1 and Crazy 2 are not helping matters today. They are so loud and rambunctious that I am tempted to lock myself in a room to get away from them.

At least I will get some reprieve when Crazy 2 has his nap. I am hoping Crazy 3 will nap at the same time and then I can throw a movie in for Crazy 1 to watch so I can nap on the couch. I might even bribe her with popcorn or extra Halloween candy. That's right, I am not below bribing my children to get a few minutes (or maybe an hour) of peace and quiet.

Thursday, November 1, 2012

Movember

November represents 'Movember' where men around the world let their moustaches grow for the month to raise money for prostate cancer.

I am proud to say that The Husband is participating in this not only to raise the money, but to support a co-worker that just got diagnosed with breast cancer. I always knew The Husband was a good man, and this just confirms it.

I plan to bug the crap out of all my friends and family to sponsor him. I think it is a great cause and a great way to raise awareness. The only downside is I hate facial hair and I have to deal with him having the 'stache for a whole month!

Wednesday, October 31, 2012

To Vaccinate or Not To Vaccinate... Not a Question for Me

So this is probably going to annoy some of you out there, and that's fine. I truly believe that everyone has the right to make these decisions for themselves as long as they are informed decisions and not just based on the current hype.

I am taking Crazy 3 for his 6 month vaccinations today. I have no issue with this. I am totally anal retentive when it comes to scheduling my children's immunizations. All of them have been done within a couple days of them reaching their milestones.

I personally believe that the pros of having vaccinations far out weigh the cons. The fewer people that vaccinate, the more chance that epidemics can ensue. I do realize that there are valid reasons for not getting vaccinated, I also realize that it is a personal preference, but I also do believe that people are swayed by what they hear and read and it is not always informed.

I looked into the 'toxins' that are present in the immunizations we receive here in Canada and I was OK with the levels and the products that are used. I personally believe that by not immunizing my children, I am contributing to the problem, not the solution.

I know that Crazy 3 will be unhappy with me, I know that he will cry, but I also know that he will get over it as soon as he starts to nurse and that it will hopefully prevent a major illness from happening in the future. This is just my two cents, it is a free country and you can choose as you see fit.

Monday, October 29, 2012

Fundraising Blues

I have come to the conclusion that fundraising is not optional now that Crazy 1 is in kindergarten. It is mandatory and it seems never ending.

In September she came home with Student Union Ticket Packs. We bought one of course, because really, it pays for itself with just the grocery coupons, let alone anything else we use.

Now she has a brochure for Dieleman Fundraising Sales. It is a bunch of cards, gift wrap, calendars and gift items. Not really anything of use to me. I am sure we'll find something, but only because I feel obligated.

I really wish there were ways for better fundraising. While watching Dragon's Den the other night we saw an amazing idea. The idea was that you buy a lot of your regular grocery and personal items through a website that is linked up to your school for fundraising. What an amazing idea! The site is called Wealthy School Revolution and is based in Vancouver. As of right now it is not available here, but it will be soon according to the website.

The other, more practical, fundraising that I just heard about is for my niece. They are collecting Canadian Tire money and the company is going to convert it to real money and donate it to the band program at her school.

I am going to be attending the next Fundraising Council meeting and will provide them with these two ideas. I don't mind giving money to the school, but I would prefer it be in a fashion that is more practical for me. Hopefully one of these two ideas can pan out.

Saturday, October 27, 2012

Sickness Invasion

All three crazies are not feeling well to varying degrees today.

Crazy 1 is at the end of it, she still has a stuffed nose, but her voice is back and everything else seems normal.

Crazy 2 is in the middle of it and seemed to get it worse than Crazy 1. He has a runny nose, is coughing, his voice is hoarse and has little appetite (not normal for him).

Crazy 3 only has a stuffy nose for now and I am praying that is all he gets. It is no fun trying to nurse a baby that is coughing and sneezing.

At least the germs decided to get all three kids at the same time so, fingers crossed, it's just this weekend that get messed up. We are having a great old fashioned pajama day today. Tomorrow will most likely be the same. Gotta love sick days!

Friday, October 26, 2012

Freedom... Sort of

I think it's funny that the minute I only have 2 of my 3 crazies for an extended period of time that I have more freedom. It's not really true, but it feels like it is.

Last night, Crazy 1 got to spend the night at Grammy and Grandpa's house as a treat. She went over around 2:00 in the afternoon and will be home sometime this morning.

I called The Husband and suggested we go out for dinner, something special for Crazy 2 as he missed his sister. I then planned on hitting up Walmart and the bank because now I have so much more freedom.

Well, I must say that even with just the two crazies, it still took us 2 hours to have dinner, I ran to the bank only because it was in the same parking lot as the restaurant, and Walmart will have to wait for another day. My thought that we had more freedom didn't really relate to how much time we had.

The problem is when I only have Crazy 3 (which happens twice a week for 2 hours), I can get amazing things accomplished. I assumed with just Crazy 2 and Crazy 3, I could still get something accomplished. At least these lapses in judgement don't happen often. If they did I would feel defeated most of the time.

I did miss Crazy 1, and look forward to her coming home this morning, and the knowledge that if I'm lucky, one task might get crossed off my list as things are back to normal.

Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Naps... Love Them, Hate Them or Both

Here is my dilemma. Crazy 2 still naps for 2 1/2 to 3 hours every afternoon. I expect Crazy 3 to nap, and nap often he does as he still is just shy of 6 months, but his naps don't impact us tremendously as he is still in the bucket car seat. We can still go out and about and he'll sleep in the car, in the stroller or in the Snuggli.

Crazy 2 likes to nap in his bed. He will fall asleep in the car, and we are able to transfer him, but it seems like the afternoons are a write off to make plans of any sort.

Monday to Friday I LOVE the fact that he naps. It gives me a chance to catch up on household chores, start dinner, spend time with Crazy 1 or just relax.

Weekends and holidays I HATE the fact that he naps. The Husband I want to do family activities, are invited to events and just want to spend time together and it just messes things up.

I should be thankful that he naps so well. I mean Crazy 1 was already not napping most days by the time she was this age, and even when she did I was lucky to get an hour out of her. I just really don't enjoy the fact that we miss out on things because of his nap. Some people suggest just letting him miss his nap, but then we have to deal with a Cranky Monster, because Crazy 2 LOVES his naps. I mean he really LOVES his naps. It's easier to put him down for a nap than it is to put him to bed.

The saving grace to all of this is at least all of my crazies are early risers so we still get to do family outings in the mornings when venues first open and aren't as busy. Some day he will grow out of it, but then I'll just be dealing with Crazy 3.

Tuesday, October 23, 2012

For the love of Sleepers

I have to say, sleepers are the best invention ever! Especially for little ones that don't walk yet.

We had our first major snowfall of the season through the night, and I had to go out to drive Crazy 2 to playschool this morning. Instead of worrying about what outfit I could put Crazy 3 into and what socks and shoes he might keep on, I just left him in his sleeper and threw on his jacket over top.

You see, Crazy 3 is still in his bucket car seat so I can layer him up with blankets to keep him warm and cover the entire unit to keep the snow off of him. The issue is if he manages to stick his feet out of the blankets. He is already a rock star at getting his shoes and socks off his feet.

I know I really should try and dress my children daily, but there is nothing cuter than a baby in a sleeper. If it wasn't for toilet training, I would keep all my kids in sleepers forever. Even a 4 year old is adorable with their feet all attached to their pajamas.

Maybe I am a bad parent, or maybe just lazy, but I think leaving the babies in sleepers when the weather is crappy and cold is just a smart idea.

Monday, October 22, 2012

A Full Night's Sleep

I find it truly amazing, now that I am a parent, when all of the three crazies sleep for the same 5-7 hours I consider it a good night's sleep.

Crazy 1 is pretty good about sleeping the night. Occasionally she will wake up with a bad dream, but on the whole she sleeps the night. Early riser, but good sleeper.

Crazy 2 has been much better since we moved him to his big boy bed and can now usually find his soother on his own (the soother will be a separate discussion at another time). The Husband did mention he woke up last night for a diaper change but he took care of it so I was none the wiser. Again, an early riser but he does still wake up through the night a couple of times a week.

Crazy 3 on the other hand seems to be on a three hour schedule most nights. He seems to think that I am an all night buffet just waiting for him to arrive. Last night was an exception to the rule. He went to bed at 10:30 PM and slept until 5:30 AM. I went to bed at the same time and actually got 7 hours of uninterrupted sleep.

All I can say is I felt like a million bucks today! Here's crossing my fingers that this feat will be repeated again tonight.

Sunday, October 21, 2012

Elevators, strollers and children OH MY

I love my stroller. Having 3 crazies and lots of jackets, snacks, diapers etc... it is nice to have my stroller along for trips out not only to contain at least 2 of my crazies but to store all the paraphernalia I have to bring with me.

The problem I have is elevators. Most elevators are big enough for at least two strollers and associated adults so it's not really the size of the elevator. Most places have elevators in convenient locations, so that's not it either.

The issue I have with elevators is more the people who choose to use them. I will gladly wait a couple of elevator turns if there are people in wheelchairs that need to use them, I will even wait for other strollers if other children are antsy or not happy. It really irks me when people who are quite capable ride an elevator when there is a line of strollers, wheelchairs etc. waiting. Especially if there are stairs right beside the elevator! I would also like to mention that my complaint is for buildings that are only two floors. Office towers and apartment buildings are in a different category.

When I am out without my stroller, with either Crazy 1 or Crazy 2 (I always have a stroller for Crazy 3 right now) we always take stairs or escalators and leave the elevators to people who actually need them. Sometimes when The Husband is with me at the mall, we even take the escalator with the stroller as he has the height to handle it, I do not.

In the end, to me elevators are a convenience meant for people with limited mobility, not people who are too lazy to climb or descend a few stairs.

Friday, October 19, 2012

Picky Eaters

I am really not sure on how picky eaters happen. I mean, I did nothing different between how I fed Crazy 1 and Crazy 2 but Crazy 1 is so picky and Crazy 2 will eat almost anything.

I was not one to make my own baby food when they started on solids, I'm a little lazy that way, but once they could handle a bit of texture and more substance, I always fed them what we ate. Crazy 1 does not like her food mixed together. For instance, she loves chicken, pasta and broccoli but if I make a casserole and spoon it onto her plate she won't touch it. If I were to separate the components on a plate, even if it was still the same casserole, she'll eat it. Crazy 2 will just eat it and if there is something he doesn't feel like in the casserole, he eats around it.

Lately, ketchup has been my best friend in getting Crazy 1 to eat any meat. She asks for it with everything, chicken, steak, pork, doesn't matter. I figure as long as she is eating her meat and getting her protein, a little ketchup won't kill her. I should be thankful that she at least will eat any vegetable raw without dips of any sort.

The reason this is coming to mind right now is we started Crazy 3 on rice cereal this week. He LOVES to eat. I can't see me doing anything different than I did with the other two so it will be interesting to see how his eating habits and preferences are.

Thursday, October 18, 2012

Errand day

Is it wrong to be thankful that on Tuesdays and Thursdays I get two hours with just Crazy 3? With Crazy 1 in kindergarten and Crazy 2 in playschool, it is a great opportunity to get all my errands completed with minimal stress.

Some days I am like Wonder Woman. I get groceries done, a Walmart run in and to the library with around 20 minutes to spare before I have to pick up Crazy 2. Today was a little easier, just a Costco trip, but a nice relaxing one. I got to look at whatever I wanted without rushing before a meltdown occurred.

I forgot sometimes how peaceful things can be with just one child around. Running errands, especially shopping, with all three can put me at the end of my rope. Thank goodness for school!

Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Haircuts for all

Today I took Crazy 2 for a haircut. I go to Beaner's, the kids haircut place because one I am too lazy and two he has curls that I just adore and want to keep under control.

The girl that cuts his hair is the only person to have ever cut his hair or Crazy 1's hair until yesterday. The only reason I mention this is because Crazy 1 decided to try a hand at it herself. When she got home from kindergarten yesterday, The Husband noticed a decent chunk of hair was missing from her piggy tail.

You have to love the logic of a 4 1/2 year old. Her reasoning for cutting her hair was that she thought it was too long and it wouldn't matter because hair grows back. We tried to explain to her that it takes a while for it to grow, but I don't think she quite understands. After her bath, while The Husband was brushing her hair, she asked if it had grown back yet.

The saving grace to this is that even though there is a chunk quite a bit shorter, it is still long enough to get into a pony tail and pig tails. The saddest part is that she has picture retakes next week, thank goodness we didn't have to get it all chopped off.

As for Crazy 3, no haircuts yet. We still get to look forward to what hair colour he'll have!

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Parent volunteering

Tonight I went to my first Parent Council meeting and Fundraising Council meeting for Crazy 1's school.

As this is my first exposure to this as she is the first of my children to go to school, I was a little shocked. My expectations were obviously a lot higher for the attendance and I must say I was a little disappointed in how many parents were there.

I have always felt that my children's education should be a big part of my life and I have the responsibility as a parent to be informed as possible. I do admit that I am not as able to be as involved as I would like due to Crazy 2 and Crazy 3, but I will most likely more than make up for that by the time Crazy 3 is attending school.

My disappointment came from the fact that for the first meeting there were maybe 25 parents, most of whom came because the Volunteer Orientation was part of the Council meeting. When the Fundraising Council meeting started, the amount of parents that stayed was cut in half. I guess my expectation was that there would be about twice that amount of parents. It seems that most of the work falls to a few dedicated parents. I have the utmost respect for those parents that do step up do accomplish the Lion's Share of the work and only hope to live up to that when I have more time.

I know that my time commitment may be limited at this stage, but I still want to make sure that I have as much information as possible about what is happening at the school and have some input on direction and ideas for the future. Who knows, maybe all of this is just some of the control freak in me, but to me, you can't complain if you aren't informed.

Monday, October 15, 2012

How many is too many?

So I went to a baby shower yesterday afternoon and got to see the little guy on his one month birthday. He was so tiny and still had the little baby cry, something Crazy 3 lost about a month ago. It was great to see my friend so happy in motherhood, enjoying her new little bundle. Now here comes the crazy part....

I already want to have another little crazy to add to my family. Crazy 3 is only 5 1/2 months, but I just don't feel like our little family is complete. I miss the constant snuggles, I miss the little baby squeaks and cries. The Husband reminds me of the lack of sleep which we are still suffering through, he reminds me of all my labour and deliveries of which 8 hours has been my shortest.

Most everyone I have talked to about this thinks I am totally insane. My family, friends, they all think I should stop now. The Husband has not made up his mind. He figures we will see how things go over the next 6 months and talk about it when Crazy 3 is turning 1. He is not against it, but he is definitely more logical about it than I am.

There are all kinds of arguments on why we should stop now. The main argument is that three children cost a lot of money. Clothing and feeding them alone is a lot. Then you have to think about activities and education. I figure I'm already saving a bunch in clothing as I kept everything from both Crazy 1 and Crazy 2 so I'm set.

There are also many arguments in favour of us having one more child. The biggest is that there will be no one left out. There would be no 'middle' child. If we are truly lucky, we would have another girl and then we'd have 2 of each.

The main thing is, this is a decision for The Husband and I to make. Although I do appreciate all the advice and options of EVERYONE, I think that whatever decision we make will be the right one for us and our family.

Saturday, October 13, 2012

Does the early bird really get the worm?

All of my crazies are early risers and all of them since birth. They go through phases occasionally of sleeping until 7:00 AM and when that happens it's like the angels are singing praises from above! I feel like a million dollars if my clock has a seven as the first number when awoken by one of the children.

This morning was no different. Crazy 3 decided at 4:30 AM he needed to be fed and refused to go back into his crib, which meant he stayed in bed with me. Crazy 2 woke up at 5:45 AM, but The Husband got up with him and shut our bedroom door hoping to allow me to get some extra sleep. Alas, that was not to be, Crazy 1 came in around 6:15 AM to let me know she couldn't sleep. That was when Crazy 3 decided to rouse as well. All in all, I managed to stay in bed until around 6:45 AM. Notice the clock did not have a seven at the beginning.

I don't believe that by getting up early I am any more productive than if I could sleep until 7:00 AM. I actually think that I am lazier and lacking in motivation due to lack of sleep. I don't think I am being greedy in wanting to sleep just a little bit, I don't think it's greedy to expect that with three kids I could maybe sleep until 7:00 AM. If I wanted to sleep until 10:00 AM then fine, I deserve my fate for having 3 little ones.

I say this now, but I am sure that when they are teens and are all trying to sleep until noon, my story will be the complete opposite of now. Only time will tell I guess.

Friday, October 12, 2012

The beginning of something.... well something

I have been meaning to start a new blog of some sort for awhile now. Tossed ideas around with The Husband and never could come up with something that I thought I could commit to on a regular if not daily basis. Then it hit me this morning. Why not just blog about my life in candid terms, the glorious life I live as a Stay at Home Mom.

When I woke up this morning, I knew it would not be an overly productive day, so I thought why not create something to distract me from all the things that needed doing. Thus my new blog has been created.

Getting woken up by Crazy 3 at 5:00 AM and having him wake Crazy 2 at 5:30 AM was just the start to me lacking in motivation. Crazy 1 joined us downstairs around 6:00 AM and then the madness began. By 7:00 AM, my house looked like a bomb went off in a toy store. The Barbie bin was dumped in the hallway, all the cars were on the floor just outside the kitchen and the bin of jewellery (aka the Pirate Treasure) was all over the living room floor. Just looking at the mess was enough for me to declare today a Nothing Day.

Nothing Days consist of as many of us as possible staying in pajamas, minimal chores getting done (dishes, cooking and maybe laundry if absolutely necessary) and that is about it. Nothing Days are where my motivation to get the pantry reorganized, the floors washed and the old clothes sorted through go out the window. There are a lot of Nothing Days in my life and I am OK with that. The flip side to Nothing Days is that cuddles are abundant, stories are read, songs are sung and crafts are made.

In The Husbands words, I am not the greatest housekeeper, but he thinks I am a pretty great Mother and I would much rather be the latter!