Saturday. I can't say I am thrilled. Sort of indifferent. Evan has a gig tonight. We have no plans. None. Nothing. Except cleaning house. Still. And Laundry. Cleaning ladies on vacation, so I really need to vacuum and mop, because that just can't wait four weeks. But I also really need to clean the kitchen up, pick up around this disaster zone, and also, maybe just maybe, put away the Christmas Decorations. And the Valentine Decorations. Oh, they have long since been taken down, but they are in a big pile in my dining room waiting to be packed up into their totes and taken to the attic. I am afraid I still don't care.
I woke up this morning to Ardyn screaming from her bed. Why? Because her nose was snotty. And I don't mean like it was running down her face. I mean the diva woke up with a snotty nose and therefore decided to lay in her bed and scream at me. While Marek was still sleeping right below her. I wanted to strangle her. Her behavior has been so bad lately... specifically screaming. She screams in Marek's face. She screams when she's playing. She screams when she doesn't gt her way, she screams when she is angry. Yesterday I thought I was gonna strangle her. I ended up implementing a new punishment for screaming. Random screaming, angry screaming, any kind of screaming that is not necessary. Yucky Spray in the mouth. She got yucky spray twice, spankings twice, two time outs in the time out chair and one in her bed. And then, this morning she woke up screaming. She was screaming at Marek in the tub and I reminded her that screaming was punishable with yucky spray.
The problem is a phase, but also that the weather got nice, and we got to spend several days outside, and not it's frigid cold again and we haven't gotten to be out. They are feeling cooped up and it's showing. Marek's evil is to smack, hit, kick or scratch you and then immediately hug you as tight as he can and say "I Love you too mommy." Oh he's good.
Another problem right now is the "I Can't" phase. The "I can't.... (wipe my own butt, put on my own coat/shoes/socks/pants/shirt/underwear/pajamas, turn on the light, open the door, clean up my toys)" and then "Help me mom! I can't do it without you!" Veteran parents, please give me tips on this. I can't stand it. I am forcing her to do things herself, but it always boils down to screaming and whining and crying. She's big into unbuckling her seatbelt without permission. In fact, on Thursday she did it so many times that The last time she did it, we were right by home and I drove into the driveway when we were supposed to be heading to dance class. Then she started her classic "I can't buckle myself" and I said "If you can't buckle, then you need to stop unbuckling without permission. We will not go to dance class until you buckle yourself up." We sat in the drive, until she went into full meltdown mode, then we parked in the garage and I took Marek in, then came back for her and she was in absolute panic that she was going to miss dance class. But still refused to even attempt to buckle herself up. It's infuriating. We ended up coming inside and laying down for an hour and then going to dance class.
We have had conversation after conversation about acting like a big girl and that if she isn't going to act like she's almost four, then I am not going to give her privileges like she is almost 4. No more big kid snacks, no more big kid books to read, no more littlest pet shop and zhu zhu pet toys to play with. Two naps a day, and she can sleep in a toddler bed instead of a bunk bed. This works well, temporarily, but it seems each day starts with this refusal to get dressed, or do anything. She conveniently forgets things like how to put on her pants, and she starts acting silly and puts her underwear on through the leg holes. She puts her shirts on backwards. It's like an intentional regression, considering she was almost completely dressing herself. Now suddenly she can't get up in bed, she can't wipe her butt. It is infuriating. Because it almost always results in a standoff that makes us late and makes me angry.
Well, this is being cut short, more tomorrow?
Showing posts with label Discipline. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Discipline. Show all posts
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Problems with Pampered Chef Products, But still getting alot done!
I can not believe what I accomplished today. No wonder I am exhausted! The kids were gone, but I woke up aching. I wanted to sleep later, but my back is out of whack and it was so achy. Whenever I get out of line I start to have lots of arthritis problems and sometimes pinched nerves. Never had them before the double-whiplash car incident where I was rear-ended in something like 2001, but have them ever since. I ended up getting up around 8:30 and then laying down on my stomach for another 30 minutes trying to stretch my back out a bit.
Evan has been feeling better but wasn't feeling fabulous this morning so he went back to bed and I ran around like a madwoman. I spent several hours in the morning- wait - my mom swears that my kids are going to read this someday. Let me start all over.
This morning Santa called and told me that Mrs. Claus had finished getting all the Christmas Presents ready. Back in 2007 I sent her an email, explaining that I would really prefer if the gifts that Santa would bring the kids could be void of all packaging, cardboard, tape, twist ties, and plastic hang tags. I also wanted fresh batteries in everything. I knew that it would save time and precious "joy" on Christmas morning. I knew that the kids would be elated to find that the elves had manufactured their toys right at the workshop and that they were right there under the tree to play with - sand unwrapping, un-packaging, and battery installation. So anyway, Santa said that by noon Mrs Claus had all the presents sorted and prepared to go into the sleigh. I feel really bad for Mrs. Claus, because I just KNOW that Santa stayed up to late and that he was sleeping and snoring on the couch while Mrs. Claus took care of everything.... and he never once considered that Mrs. Claus probably had things to do like cleaning and holiday baking and her own gift wrapping. Oh well. Santa also said that she ran all the duplos from eBay through her dishwasher and steam cleaned some toys.... so I am sure that he helped in the end.
So anyway, yesterday with the kids gone I got a ton done away from home, and a bunch of me time in. I was able to redo my friend Stacey's Facebook Page for her business, because she increased the product types she offers and therefore changed the business name (It's Sew Cute, Check it out, it's the one with the Tutus as profile pics) and that was great because I had needed a few quiet minutes to get that switched. Well, it took me more like an hour or more, because I had to upload all the pics again, but still. It's done.
Today I picked up the living room, front porch, Ardyn's room, and the kitchen. The kitchen was a wreck. I ran the dishwasher and hand washed those evil utensils that aren't dishwasher safe. I can say that I have quite a few Pampered Chef products that I haven't been really satisfied with. It seems like suddenly they are falling apart like RIGHT after the warranty expires. I really have to say that I hate the clear acrylic measuring cups. Or should I say EASY READ MEASURING CUPS. I have all of them, even the tiny one, and they wash terribly. The acrylic gets these spidery cracks all over them, that aren't actually cracks clear through, but like acrylic surface cracks. Everywhere. And they get more and more difficult to clean and won't come clean in the dishwasher as a result. I love that they nest, and that is the main reason that I did away with my pyrex measuring cups, but I am so tempted to toss these things it isn't even funny. Especially not funny considering that four of them cost $29, plus tax and shipping. Not funny.
One of my favorite favorite newer products just cracked on me. And I mean cracked in like four places. I am referring to the Microplane Grater. I was so disappointed. Of course I earned it as a consultant before I retired, and so it's just about 5 years old now. It would be one thing if I had frequently used it for 5 years, but seriously I was so burnt out on cooking I didn't even open the box until after Ardyn was born. So it hadn't even been used for like 2.5 years, and it's one of those items that you rarely use. Especially when you already have the rotary grater and the Ultimate Slice and Grate (the original.) So if I had used it 10 times I would be surprised. But it worked FABULOUSLY and I adored it. Especially for zesting oranges. But alas, it seemed to have cracked in the dishwasher. I used it, and it was fine, and when I took it out of the dishwasher, it was cracked in like three places. The worst cracks were around the metal plate, in the plastic frame. They make it not so great to use anymore. And I am not spending $27 to get another one that will eventually do the same thing. Then tonight I noticed when putting away my Double Burner Griddle (Professional Cookware, $145.00, and less than a year old) has three little areas that look like knicks, but not like metal utensil knicks, but like blips in the coating where the coating is coming off. Grrr. It has a lifetime warranty, and I have NEVER used metal utensils or knifes or anything on it, and I am the only one who uses it... to cook breakfast for the kids. SO frustrating. This has a lifetime warranty so I am planning on contacting them for a replacement.... but in all the years I sold and used Pampered Chef very heavily, I never had this many product issues. It makes me wonder if their quality is declining. Warren? Are you listening?
Well, tonight my stove cooked it's last meal. We bought the Tappan Electric Stove about 10 years ago at the auction for Mother Superior. (Michael Michlig's Grandma) in Manlius. I think we paid like $25-50 for it.... and I think I would have gotten it for less except that a relative was bidding against me to drive the price up so it wouldn't go so low. It has been a good stove, and old one but it has worked well up until about the last year. We noticed a few burners starting to not heat up right, and now the oven has stopped working right. For Thanksgiving I had to keep re-arranging food and racks because it wasn't cooking evenly. Tonight, 10 minute garlic bread took 35 minutes on 400 degrees. And I had to turn it on preheat for the last 5 minutes to melt the cheese on top because it wasn't heating evenly. We ordered the new stove about two weeks ago. A snowstorm kept the delivery truck from getting it to our area last week, and then when it did finally arrive on Monday, we had discovered that Evan had H1N1 so we talked to the salesperson and decided to delay the delivery while he was contagious. So tomorrow, FINALLY! the stove is going to be delivered at 10am. I am so excited I can hardly stand it! I want to bake all day tomorrow! I chose a Samsung (like our fabulous French Door Bottom Freezer Fridge) and ordered black. It's electric, flat top ceramic with 5 elements and it is convection. It also has a hidden element (yay!) and not only is self-clean but has a 20 minute quick self-steam clean that cleans up quickly after a spill or drip (yay! yay!) and here it is! Ten AM will be here before I know it! Whoooo! So. Excited. I have lots of baking that I wanted to do, but have put some of it off because the oven wasn't up to par. If I have been successfully baking breads and rolls in that old thing, I can't imagine what this new one will do! It even has a proof setting! yay!
okay. So I did a ton today. And I am so exhausted. And I need to go to sleep, so that's that.
Ardyn did get in trouble at dance tonight for pushing... the teacher! WHAT will we do with this child? Tonight we had a long discussion, and I showed her just what it feels like to be pushed down when you don't expect it. We talked about how it makes you feel to be pushed down and when I asked her why she doesn't push mommy she said "Because I love you!" and then we talked about reasons not to push friends, especially teachers. And then we discussed the consequences if it ever happens again. Man I hope something sinks in!
Evan has been feeling better but wasn't feeling fabulous this morning so he went back to bed and I ran around like a madwoman. I spent several hours in the morning- wait - my mom swears that my kids are going to read this someday. Let me start all over.
This morning Santa called and told me that Mrs. Claus had finished getting all the Christmas Presents ready. Back in 2007 I sent her an email, explaining that I would really prefer if the gifts that Santa would bring the kids could be void of all packaging, cardboard, tape, twist ties, and plastic hang tags. I also wanted fresh batteries in everything. I knew that it would save time and precious "joy" on Christmas morning. I knew that the kids would be elated to find that the elves had manufactured their toys right at the workshop and that they were right there under the tree to play with - sand unwrapping, un-packaging, and battery installation. So anyway, Santa said that by noon Mrs Claus had all the presents sorted and prepared to go into the sleigh. I feel really bad for Mrs. Claus, because I just KNOW that Santa stayed up to late and that he was sleeping and snoring on the couch while Mrs. Claus took care of everything.... and he never once considered that Mrs. Claus probably had things to do like cleaning and holiday baking and her own gift wrapping. Oh well. Santa also said that she ran all the duplos from eBay through her dishwasher and steam cleaned some toys.... so I am sure that he helped in the end.
So anyway, yesterday with the kids gone I got a ton done away from home, and a bunch of me time in. I was able to redo my friend Stacey's Facebook Page for her business, because she increased the product types she offers and therefore changed the business name (It's Sew Cute, Check it out, it's the one with the Tutus as profile pics) and that was great because I had needed a few quiet minutes to get that switched. Well, it took me more like an hour or more, because I had to upload all the pics again, but still. It's done.
Today I picked up the living room, front porch, Ardyn's room, and the kitchen. The kitchen was a wreck. I ran the dishwasher and hand washed those evil utensils that aren't dishwasher safe. I can say that I have quite a few Pampered Chef products that I haven't been really satisfied with. It seems like suddenly they are falling apart like RIGHT after the warranty expires. I really have to say that I hate the clear acrylic measuring cups. Or should I say EASY READ MEASURING CUPS. I have all of them, even the tiny one, and they wash terribly. The acrylic gets these spidery cracks all over them, that aren't actually cracks clear through, but like acrylic surface cracks. Everywhere. And they get more and more difficult to clean and won't come clean in the dishwasher as a result. I love that they nest, and that is the main reason that I did away with my pyrex measuring cups, but I am so tempted to toss these things it isn't even funny. Especially not funny considering that four of them cost $29, plus tax and shipping. Not funny.
One of my favorite favorite newer products just cracked on me. And I mean cracked in like four places. I am referring to the Microplane Grater. I was so disappointed. Of course I earned it as a consultant before I retired, and so it's just about 5 years old now. It would be one thing if I had frequently used it for 5 years, but seriously I was so burnt out on cooking I didn't even open the box until after Ardyn was born. So it hadn't even been used for like 2.5 years, and it's one of those items that you rarely use. Especially when you already have the rotary grater and the Ultimate Slice and Grate (the original.) So if I had used it 10 times I would be surprised. But it worked FABULOUSLY and I adored it. Especially for zesting oranges. But alas, it seemed to have cracked in the dishwasher. I used it, and it was fine, and when I took it out of the dishwasher, it was cracked in like three places. The worst cracks were around the metal plate, in the plastic frame. They make it not so great to use anymore. And I am not spending $27 to get another one that will eventually do the same thing. Then tonight I noticed when putting away my Double Burner Griddle (Professional Cookware, $145.00, and less than a year old) has three little areas that look like knicks, but not like metal utensil knicks, but like blips in the coating where the coating is coming off. Grrr. It has a lifetime warranty, and I have NEVER used metal utensils or knifes or anything on it, and I am the only one who uses it... to cook breakfast for the kids. SO frustrating. This has a lifetime warranty so I am planning on contacting them for a replacement.... but in all the years I sold and used Pampered Chef very heavily, I never had this many product issues. It makes me wonder if their quality is declining. Warren? Are you listening?
Well, tonight my stove cooked it's last meal. We bought the Tappan Electric Stove about 10 years ago at the auction for Mother Superior. (Michael Michlig's Grandma) in Manlius. I think we paid like $25-50 for it.... and I think I would have gotten it for less except that a relative was bidding against me to drive the price up so it wouldn't go so low. It has been a good stove, and old one but it has worked well up until about the last year. We noticed a few burners starting to not heat up right, and now the oven has stopped working right. For Thanksgiving I had to keep re-arranging food and racks because it wasn't cooking evenly. Tonight, 10 minute garlic bread took 35 minutes on 400 degrees. And I had to turn it on preheat for the last 5 minutes to melt the cheese on top because it wasn't heating evenly. We ordered the new stove about two weeks ago. A snowstorm kept the delivery truck from getting it to our area last week, and then when it did finally arrive on Monday, we had discovered that Evan had H1N1 so we talked to the salesperson and decided to delay the delivery while he was contagious. So tomorrow, FINALLY! the stove is going to be delivered at 10am. I am so excited I can hardly stand it! I want to bake all day tomorrow! I chose a Samsung (like our fabulous French Door Bottom Freezer Fridge) and ordered black. It's electric, flat top ceramic with 5 elements and it is convection. It also has a hidden element (yay!) and not only is self-clean but has a 20 minute quick self-steam clean that cleans up quickly after a spill or drip (yay! yay!) and here it is! Ten AM will be here before I know it! Whoooo! So. Excited. I have lots of baking that I wanted to do, but have put some of it off because the oven wasn't up to par. If I have been successfully baking breads and rolls in that old thing, I can't imagine what this new one will do! It even has a proof setting! yay!
okay. So I did a ton today. And I am so exhausted. And I need to go to sleep, so that's that.
Ardyn did get in trouble at dance tonight for pushing... the teacher! WHAT will we do with this child? Tonight we had a long discussion, and I showed her just what it feels like to be pushed down when you don't expect it. We talked about how it makes you feel to be pushed down and when I asked her why she doesn't push mommy she said "Because I love you!" and then we talked about reasons not to push friends, especially teachers. And then we discussed the consequences if it ever happens again. Man I hope something sinks in!
Wednesday, December 08, 2010
Santa, she's been naughty!
I think I am going to need an exorcism. I have decided to blog in order to avoid listening completely to Ardyn screaming at me from her room, where she is demanding that I come back and get her right this minute because she has now decided to be good. *sigh*
I am not sure what exactly has gotten into these two. It's been a couple of weeks now that I have just been beside myself with what the two of them have going on in their heads. Someone always seems to be having a bad day, and more often than not, it's both of them. I decided tonight that I can't do anything productive with them and because they were injuring each other, myself, themselves, and everything in their paths, and had not taken naps despite my even laying down WITH them in my bed for two hours with soothing music..... that it might just be the best to put them to bed. Marek wasn't even in there 10 minutes and he was OUT. Ardyn however started long howling sobs about how she's going to listen and do everything I say and NEVER touch Marek EvER EVER EVER Again. She also mentioned that she is starving and that if I don't get her out of bed to feed her that she will die in there all alone. Ah. Drama.
Last night I actually had a conversation after MOPS with Evan about how I am having a hell of a time getting them OUT the door in the morning. Neither of them are listening to anything. Unless I am physically holding them down to put on boots and coat and hat, nothing happens. Ardyn is perfectly capable of getting her boots AND hat AND coat on herself, but because she is constantly so worried about what Marek is doing, where Marek is going, and who is going to be the leader out of the house and who is bringing snack to school and who is blah blah blah blah blah..... that we never get ANYWHERE. Every time I pause to help her, he is undressing himself or in a different room entirely or just doing something plain annoying. I am just tired of fighting. Ardyn was doing so well with being responsible for getting her boots and coat on, or at least in her possession if she needed help, but now she is backtracking badly. Her issue is purely a LISTENING one. I have to admit that I am wondering if this really is just an extremely independent and strong willed 3 year old or if she is exhibiting some signs of ADD. I think what I really need is some one on one time with her, but no one seems to want to take either of them for any extended period of time these days.
I am proud that we made it through this day without spanking her at all (she almost never gets spanked, but it has happened before, I don't mean to make it sound like she gets spanked every day, quite the contrary...) but at the same time, discussions that seemed to get through to her were completely by the wayside an hour later. She has really escalated this screaming and jumping fit that she has every time she wants something that she can't have or something does not go as she wants it to. I have seen this in kids that are just older than her, and watched them go through this phase and see them occasionally still exhibit it, but to watch her do this sometimes 5-8 times and hour is just EXHAUSTING.
I am starting to wonder if I need to be more structured when it comes to playtime at home. Is just letting them imagine and run around playing with each other as they choose a bad thing? I think I see them forming excellent relationships with each other and also really being imaginative and elaborate in their play, but I also see that when it comes to structured time they don't do very well with anyone telling them what to do. Today she got in time out twice at school, the first time for constantly interrupting the teacher and circle time (which I can completely see) and another mom told me that she swung out at the teacher when she was put in time out. The second time she was put in time out for actually PUSHING her other teacher when they tried to redirect her. We have discussed till we are blue in the face today about how it is not polite to push anyone and it is disrespectful to push a teacher or hit them. She was refusing to nap or sleep until we wrote a "sorry note" to her teacher for her behavior, but I was trying to get her to understand that this was not going to get her out of nap. I told her that it was an excellent idea and that tomorrow we can do that together, and that we have all weekend to think about what she wants to say if we have to postpone it. Her new thing is to act terribly and then when she gets in trouble just say "I'm going to be good now" over and over and hysterically OR announce that she wants presents (referring to being good for Santa) in order to try to prevent herself from going to time out. At this time I am thinking that I might need to research other options for her instead of time out, and maybe even start diligently using the chore chart that gives red X's for bad behavior with small tasks as consequences. Or is alllll this just because she is three? I just don't want to underestimate this and have it blow way out of proportion because I wasn't firm enough with her about her behavior.
Despite the issues at school we went to see Santa afterwards. I thought it might help for her to actually see him and tell him if she had been good.... but that Santa was too darn nice. Maybe I should have let her pee on him or something. But of course she had a jumping up and down issue ON the "santa stage" and another before we even left the mall. Actually, two more before we left the mall. Then we got lunch and they both passed out for short snoozes on the way home.
All of this makes me feel like the worst mother, because they are stressing me and making me scream at them because eventually I guess my brain has tried all angles and I can't figure out how else to get them to Listen. I decided putting them to bed was the best thing I could do at this point. The more Ardyn started being hysterical I told her that she would have to rest and that she could wake up tomorrow and start all over again, and behave and show me that she wants to be a good girl. We will see. I am not holding my breath.
I am not sure what exactly has gotten into these two. It's been a couple of weeks now that I have just been beside myself with what the two of them have going on in their heads. Someone always seems to be having a bad day, and more often than not, it's both of them. I decided tonight that I can't do anything productive with them and because they were injuring each other, myself, themselves, and everything in their paths, and had not taken naps despite my even laying down WITH them in my bed for two hours with soothing music..... that it might just be the best to put them to bed. Marek wasn't even in there 10 minutes and he was OUT. Ardyn however started long howling sobs about how she's going to listen and do everything I say and NEVER touch Marek EvER EVER EVER Again. She also mentioned that she is starving and that if I don't get her out of bed to feed her that she will die in there all alone. Ah. Drama.
Last night I actually had a conversation after MOPS with Evan about how I am having a hell of a time getting them OUT the door in the morning. Neither of them are listening to anything. Unless I am physically holding them down to put on boots and coat and hat, nothing happens. Ardyn is perfectly capable of getting her boots AND hat AND coat on herself, but because she is constantly so worried about what Marek is doing, where Marek is going, and who is going to be the leader out of the house and who is bringing snack to school and who is blah blah blah blah blah..... that we never get ANYWHERE. Every time I pause to help her, he is undressing himself or in a different room entirely or just doing something plain annoying. I am just tired of fighting. Ardyn was doing so well with being responsible for getting her boots and coat on, or at least in her possession if she needed help, but now she is backtracking badly. Her issue is purely a LISTENING one. I have to admit that I am wondering if this really is just an extremely independent and strong willed 3 year old or if she is exhibiting some signs of ADD. I think what I really need is some one on one time with her, but no one seems to want to take either of them for any extended period of time these days.
I am proud that we made it through this day without spanking her at all (she almost never gets spanked, but it has happened before, I don't mean to make it sound like she gets spanked every day, quite the contrary...) but at the same time, discussions that seemed to get through to her were completely by the wayside an hour later. She has really escalated this screaming and jumping fit that she has every time she wants something that she can't have or something does not go as she wants it to. I have seen this in kids that are just older than her, and watched them go through this phase and see them occasionally still exhibit it, but to watch her do this sometimes 5-8 times and hour is just EXHAUSTING.
I am starting to wonder if I need to be more structured when it comes to playtime at home. Is just letting them imagine and run around playing with each other as they choose a bad thing? I think I see them forming excellent relationships with each other and also really being imaginative and elaborate in their play, but I also see that when it comes to structured time they don't do very well with anyone telling them what to do. Today she got in time out twice at school, the first time for constantly interrupting the teacher and circle time (which I can completely see) and another mom told me that she swung out at the teacher when she was put in time out. The second time she was put in time out for actually PUSHING her other teacher when they tried to redirect her. We have discussed till we are blue in the face today about how it is not polite to push anyone and it is disrespectful to push a teacher or hit them. She was refusing to nap or sleep until we wrote a "sorry note" to her teacher for her behavior, but I was trying to get her to understand that this was not going to get her out of nap. I told her that it was an excellent idea and that tomorrow we can do that together, and that we have all weekend to think about what she wants to say if we have to postpone it. Her new thing is to act terribly and then when she gets in trouble just say "I'm going to be good now" over and over and hysterically OR announce that she wants presents (referring to being good for Santa) in order to try to prevent herself from going to time out. At this time I am thinking that I might need to research other options for her instead of time out, and maybe even start diligently using the chore chart that gives red X's for bad behavior with small tasks as consequences. Or is alllll this just because she is three? I just don't want to underestimate this and have it blow way out of proportion because I wasn't firm enough with her about her behavior.
Despite the issues at school we went to see Santa afterwards. I thought it might help for her to actually see him and tell him if she had been good.... but that Santa was too darn nice. Maybe I should have let her pee on him or something. But of course she had a jumping up and down issue ON the "santa stage" and another before we even left the mall. Actually, two more before we left the mall. Then we got lunch and they both passed out for short snoozes on the way home.
All of this makes me feel like the worst mother, because they are stressing me and making me scream at them because eventually I guess my brain has tried all angles and I can't figure out how else to get them to Listen. I decided putting them to bed was the best thing I could do at this point. The more Ardyn started being hysterical I told her that she would have to rest and that she could wake up tomorrow and start all over again, and behave and show me that she wants to be a good girl. We will see. I am not holding my breath.
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