Tis the Season....

I can hardly believe that its December already and that Christmas is almost here. I have to say that I'm enjoying the cold weather and don't miss the rain. As I'm getting ready for Christmas, busily writing Christmas cards, baking goodies and getting the gifts bought, wrapped and packed for those being shipped, I can't help but recall last year when we got a dumping of snow. We almost didn't make it to my parents house on Christmas Eve because our Matrix couldn't get through the snow. Thankfully, our neighbours helped out, digging a path through our unplowed street and pushing our car around the corner and we made it. Slow but sure, white-knuckling it the whole way, we made it to Aldergrove in one piece. And that's where we stayed, snowed in for 3 days. This year, we're prepared. We've now got a mini van with snow tires and will be leaving early at the slightest threat of snow.

This year is the first year that Nicholas really gets what's going on and its really neat to see Christmas through his eyes. He's so innocent and full of wonder. When he sees the Christmas lights and decorations, his whole face lights up and he says "Oh, look the lights are so pretty." I love it :)

Enough hours in the day...or not

There are some days when I don't know how I manage to get everything done....and there are some days that I don't. Last night was an especially busy day. We went to Strong Start in the morning and then I had to do a couple of errands and took both kids with me. At the first store, to mail letters, I get Nicholas out of the car, get him to hold on to the front of the car, while I get the stroller and Claire out. He waits, then I hand him the letters and we go inside. After he has mailed the letters, we head to the next store. Nicholas gets a little cart and he follows or walks in front of me and I'm reminding him to slow down and watch where he's going, so that he doesn't run into an unsuspecting shopper or display. When we get home, I need to get the laundry into the dryer, feed Claire and Nicholas wants to make a smoothie. Once Claire is fed and Nicholas helps me with the smoothies, we go upstairs and he helps me with the laundry.

Once both kids are napping, I eat lunch and then prep stuff for supper because I know that when Nicholas wakes up, he'll want to help, as he always does. I thought I was ahead of the game and had everything ready when Nicholas and Claire both woke up early, but as I was trying to feed Claire her baby food, get Nicholas water and make supper, I realized that I wasn't as prepared as I thought. My poor hubby comes home after working all day to Nicholas driving the noisiest car that he has through the kitchen, Claire crying because she's alone in her exersauser and the buzzer going on the oven. Oh, and did I mention that the laundry from the dryer never got folded.

Blair commented that night as he's simultaniously making pasta sauce and fixing a stopped up drain, how much our evenings have changed since we've had kids. Supper, baths, playing cars, and bedtime stories. Don't get me wrong, I love my kids and being a mom, but its not always easy, in fact, I think its the hardest job on Earth.....but I wouldn't change a thing.

Disciplining a two-year-old

This is something that we (my hubby and I) have been struggling with since our son could walk. How do you raise a respectful and well behaved child when you can't reason with a toddler? We want Nicholas to behave, follow the rules, be safe and know right from wrong, and we, as his parents are responsible to see that he does. I've read some books on the subject and while some of it is good advice, its easier read than done. For example, today at Toys-R-Us, we let him walk without holding hands and when we were deciding on a par of slippers for Claire, Nicholas turned and ran off. I went after him and was directed by a couple as to which direction he went. I was both angry that he'd run off and worried that he ran off and could either be taken or hurt. When I found him, he was laughing, thinking he was funny. I tried to explain that it was wrong to run off, but he's two and didn't really get it. My husband and I have decided that if he misbehaves in a store, he will get one warning and then it's out to the car and one of us will sit there with him. We've done this before in Safeway.

When we're at home, we have problems with follow through. This is mostly around meal time. Nicholas is out of the high chair now and likes to use big chairs. His latest, however is to stand at the island counter and eat. I'm fine with it, as long as he eats, its when he gets up and down and wanders. How do we teach him to sit and eat properly? We model the proper behavior, but it doesn't work.

We put him in the corner for "time out" for 2 minutes and then we try and talk to him about why he was in the corner, but of course, he's two and doesn't understand why. I don't know what's harder, being a two-year-old, or disciplining a two-year-old....oh and I heard that a three year old is worse. Arggh

A day in my life

Most of my days are spent with my two year old son and my now 6 month old daughter. Some days my son is at daycare and I'm able to take my daughter to fit4two fitness classes and other days, we are together all day. On those days, like today, we go out to the local recreation centre to the drop-in play group and then come home for snack and to bake. Today, it was blueberry yogurt muffins. My son, Nicholas, loves to help in the kitchen. He will pull up a chair to the counter and stand, ready to "cook". He loves to "dump" and "stir" and lets me know with his "outside" voice when the beeper has gone off and the muffins are ready. It also seems that as soon as we're ready to "cook", my daughter, Claire will decide that she needs my attention and will let me know that she's annoyed with a high-pitched squeal that makes your ears ring. Once I give her a quick snack, it's back to muffin-making and cleaning up. Now, I could just make the muffins when Nicholas is napping and get it done in half the time and half the mess, but Nicholas loves to help and he's learning too. How can I say no when he's standing on the chair, smiling and saying "Mommy, I a lucky boy" No Nicholas, I'm the lucky one.