Toddler Troubles

One of these is not like the other. . .

I am actually sometimes afraid of this stick-wielding little girl

Orneriness personified


This morning I went to get Ava out of her crib. Alec (one of her favorite people) came too and when Ava saw him smiling and saying good morning, she hit him, shook her head no and turned her back to him.

That has been the story of our life around here for about the past 4 weeks. The boys never really did the "terrible twos" thing, they were quite sweet and compliant till they hit three or so. I am extremely worried that Ava will bring a whole new meaning to that phrase for us.

It's gotten so bad that I basically have to follow Ava around or hold her unless she's napping. If I dare try to put a dish in the dishwasher, go to the potty, or fold a shirt it's tantrum city. There's an abundance of hitting, throwing, pinching, and full volume screaming. If she asks for something and I give it to her she doesn't want it anymore and collapses on the floor screaming, but if I don't give it to her she collapses on the floor and screams.

I am becoming extremely discouraged and find myself wishing these babyhood years away. I feel really guilty about it; I can't seem to muster one positive thought or feeling towards her. I love her to pieces, and I know from experience that these phases come and go, but that doesn't make it any easier!

I just read this post about the measles outbreak. I share many of the same perspectives as this mom about these issues and it was nice to see it written out.

8 Weeks

Polly's kittens are growing fast! This little kitty's name is Marble and he still needs a home. The other two have been claimed, one by us and the other by my good friend Sarah. I read online that if you want the mother cat to teach the babies to hunt they should stay with her until they are 12 weeks. Polly is getting started on that already; she's brought a crow, a blue jay and a shrew (all VERY dead) to our porch and the kittens are pouncing around with them. It's kind of cool watching nature unfold out our front door, but watching the black flies swarming around the dead critters during hunting class is not very cool!
I'm anxious for this to be over and to only have one kitten to keep track of instead of three.

Splash Down!

This afternoon we went to a local splash park. We'd never been before and wow was it fun! Ava was less than thrilled, she spent the time playing on the hot slides with Daddy. I managed to get the boys to stand still for a couple seconds to snap these pictures. The best part about the park is that it's free!

'Wordless Wednesday

Weekend Woes

Woweee! What a weekend we had! Marvin was off starting Thursday, because of the 4th of July. Since my lovely friend Beth came over two nights in a row and helped me finish up the paint in our new office, we intended to spend the weekend moving into the room.

Our plans were derailed by a strange stomach virus that assailed me on Thursday around noon. I kind of felt like I had bad indigestion, so I took something for it before my friend Sarah and I went out for a long overdue night on the town. By the time we got home at 10:00, my stomach hurt so badly that all I could do was lay down.

Until yesterday evening, my stomach felt like someone had lit a match and dropped it in. That's it. No nausea, headache, stuffy nose, nothing. I was a bit tired and achy, and Alec and Benji started to complain about the same thing on Friday. Today, Ava has come down with it, but she has a fever so I'm hoping her body will just burn it off quickly and she won't be whining around with an upset stomach for half the week.

We did get some stuff moved into the room, including our mammoth desk and computer. It's starting to look nice, but I'm feeling overwhelmed by all the junk that needs a home now. I"m planning on a big trunkful to donate sometime this week.

Wordless Wednesday. . .Bliss in the Sink

Fresh New Start

Now that I've realized the error of my ways and will no longer be over-committing myself, we're starting fresh. We had a happy weekend, I've just about recovered from my exhaustion, and am looking forward to normalcy for a while. Marvin is off starting Thursday for a long weekend and the prospect of a three day week is positively delicious!

We got a bit done on the painting the in the new office, not as much as I'd like, and I'm working on schemes to get babysitting and help so I can get a lot done on my own. Hopefully we can begin to move the furniture back in during our four day weekend.

Cosmic City Part Five

Whew! Last night was absolutely unbearable. I actually had a better attitude going into it, but it soured with each song we sang. It was parent night, so it ended early and Marvin was there with us. As soon as the kids were dismissed to the ice cream party, we were outta there as fast as we possibly could be.

I woke up this morning groggy and with that buzzy feeling in the back of my head that I get when I'm about to get sick. We spent the morning at my mother-in-law's house hanging up some pictures and moving some furniture for her (she just moved back in after the fire clean up crew finished up from the fire she had last Christmas Eve).

I spent the rest of the day downing vitamin C, minerals, sesame seed oil and various other immune-boosting potions and laying on the couch with a headache. We were supposed to teach Sunday school tonight at the 6:00 service, but called and said we just couldn't make it. My kids looked like wilted flowers all day, and I couldn't bear the thought of using my "teacher voice" again so soon.

Here's the conclusion I've come to about VBS this year:
I've had a bit of trouble discerning if the disastrous week was a result of spiritual warfare because I was choosing to serve Jesus, or if it was a result of a poor, selfish choice on my part and I was reaping the consequences.

I do believe that I made a selfish choice. I gave absolutely no thought to the ramifications that a week-long, four hour evening commitment would have on my family. I think I just chose to do it because I thought I should, that as a children's ministry worker it was expected of me. Perhaps it was expected, but more important is what the Lord expects of me as a priority; my duty as a mother and a wife.

People like me who are gifted in the area of serving others struggle with over-commitment, and a false sense of duty and obligation to those around them instead of to the Lord. This has taught me a valuable lesson. While I enjoy fulfilling part of my purpose and using my God-given gifts and talents, I need to temper that with prayerfulness and caution that I'm doing it for His glory, not my own, not to make myself look like super-woman.

I will no longer carelessly heap opportunities to serve on myself. I will seek His guidance in which to choose so that I might glorify the Lord and represent His heart to the ones I serve. Lord, I pray that I might serve with humility, gladness, grace and an abundance of Your love.

Cosmic City Part Four

Due to the fact that I participated in no home maintenance activities yesterday, I felt a bit more capable as I loaded up the kids to make trek number four to church last night.

We were down from 13 kids to 8 in our group which made a huge difference (and I still had my two helpers) and all went well. I even got to sit and visit with a couple of friends during the snack portion of the evening. Marvin picked up Ava AND Benji this time though, because you could just see the tiredness in Benji's eyes. He was even too worn out to muster a single "poop head!" to his friend Noah.

Alec did have another melt down when we got home; not so much stomping, just lots of weeping and pleading to stay up even later (it was already 10:00!) and spend time with Daddy. I, on the other hand, was so tired I thought my eyeballs were going to pop out of my head and I still had my cotton filled headache.

Again this morning another miraculous sleeping-in episode, and Ava played quietly and happily in her crib until she shouted, "MOMMY!" at 9:00 and startled me awake. I took it easy all morning, getting us ready slowly and dreading the impending trip to the grocery store with three weary children and an even wearier mommy. We finally left at around 11:30, when I should have been home already and putting Ava to bed. I worried that things would be a total disaster.

It actually went smoothly. We met my dad for lunch, did a return, bought a birthday present and a couple of other things at Target, and then I realized that it was so late that if I didn't skip the grocery store, Ava would be skipping her nap.

Ava's asleep now; I'm heading downstairs to do a load of laundry and a quick house work catch up from yesterday. We have a really busy weekend and the last thing I enjoy is a weekend mess on top of a week's mess to clean up on Monday! I'll post tomorrow how tonight went and I think I have some conclusions about my bad attitude. . .