That was ME talking!  I took Tyler back to this fantastic Waldorf toy store that has the most beautiful wooden toys.  We had purchased a chicken and two chicks last time and I was wanting to add an animal or two to our “farm”.  To my dismay, he played more with the trains and motorcyle this time.  He hadn’t napped and after a while, I think was too tired to make a decision and really - he wanted the trains and motorcycles more.  He has plenty of those at home, so we left with just a whirlywind and a rattle for Quinn. 

I was SO bummed!  Tyler had a fine time and he was content, but mama was sad!  They even had a little hen house that was too cute.  But, I got a reality check and as it is Tyler still has too many toys.  I need to do another clean through.  I figure that on his half birthday, we may add a few things and a hen house might be one of them.

I just think it is amusing how as a parent I can get so drawn into his toys - like they were my own.  Chris and I look at all the Thomas Train stuff salivating over what trains we want to get next and what features (tunnels, etc).  Chris gets bummed when Tyler tears down a track he built.  I get miffed when Tyler jettisons his chickens and I can’t find them (Chase eats them - I have already replaced one chick).  I almost picked something out for Tyler at the store today, but in the end decided I didn’t want to chose for him.   We will just return some other time when he is in an “animal” mood! :-p

So I just looked it up - these animals are from Germany and are the Ostenheimer line of wooden figurines.  Here is some more info:

Every Ostheimer figure is sanded, painted with non-toxic stain, and varnished by hand, a process which ensures that each one is absolutely unique.

They really are amazing and I am HOOKED on them.  Honestly - I think the only things I will be getting for Tyler in the near future will be these toys.  They are beautiful and very sweet.  Tyler was immediately drawn to them.  They are expensive, so we will be buying slowly, but I think worth it.  The chick I have pictured here was $10.  But if I buy few toys and he plays with them for 5+ years - it will be worth it.  That is my aim - purchase toys that have longevity and can offer years of play.  See more Ostenheimer Toys and if you are in Austin, Three in the Nest is the store.

Note:  Okay - hubby shot this idea out of the water.  And I agree that these would be more approrpiate when he is a bit older and will take better care of them and will put them away so our dog doesn’t eat them.  However, the “what’s wrong with the $2 plastic equivalent” doesn’t work for me because there is none.  I mean try to find a plastic set that doesn’t make noise and take all the imagination away by telling you how to play with it.  That is why to this day, Tyler has no farm set even though he loves playing with animals.  {sigh}  Anyway, regardless of whether or not we invest much in them (I will have to watch eBay), I still think they are beautiful toys.  

Not really, but it is Cookie Time again!  I could easily eat a box of Thin Mints each night.  And they even contain hyrdrogenated oils!  Get with the program, people!   {sigh}   I need to find some Thin Mint ice cream - Dreyer’s makes it.  Unbelieveable stuff!  Actually, so does Amy’s, our local ice creamery - there’s is even better!

If you have a box of Thin Mints, that you would rather not eat, send it to me - I can help you with that!

Here is Quinn hanging out in the Mai Tai. I am working on getting her used to riding back here as opposed to up front (which she does prefer). I am at a point where I want my front free - it is easier to run after Tyler and I just prefer the freedom I feel.

She remains easy-going. Yeah, she has an occasional crazy night, but when I have a toddler who can wake up on the wrong-side of the bed any given day - to wake up to a smiley face no matter what is so refreshing.

To be fair, Tyler was the same way as a baby and I am sure she will absolutely have her days as a toddler - in fact, I think she might be worse!

For now, she is easy, breezy. She is still working on those crawling mechanics and is trying on new sounds - “la”, “yay”, and “ba”, although “dah” remains her favorite. And I just love how she gets mad and instead of crying, she started “talking” angrily. It is like she is saying “c’mon Mom!” I feel so attuned to her and I love that feeling.

I think she had a great time hiking. After we had stopped for lunch and got moving again, she got fussy. After over an hour in the mai tai, I think she was tired. I held her up front. Then Tyler got tired, so I put him on my back in the mai tai and she fell asleep in my arms soon after. Pooped kids….we like pooped kids!

She still gets into everything she can. She will now turn herself over onto her belly in the bouncy seat. I need to get her a sippy cup as the other day she grabbed a water bottle, held it with both hands and put the pop-top to her mouth. She has been watching her Mommy! Also, I have tried cereal, sweet potatoes and bananas so far with little success. No biggie - if I have something on hand she can eat - I will try.

Oh, and you can now make the coolest little baby mohawk with her hair!

Who knows what is up with this child.  He is all at once frustrating and amazingly cute.  He pushes you away and pulls you in.  It is such a tumultuous relationship. 

There once was a dog named Spotty and he had to go to the potty..

One of the many ways I try to encourage my child to use the potty.  We are pushing through with this round if potty training, but if I had it to do over, I would just wait.  It isn’t worth all of the frustration.  Mainly, Tyler refusing to go to the potty (stiffening his body when I try to sit him down) and then having an accident sometimes minutes later.  I don’t like how it affects the dynamic of our relationship where I feel I am using way more coersion that I am comfortable with and the lack of trust because I don’t think he is in a place where he really always knows if he has to or can go.   A friend of mine said her son went through this stage, but it passed quickly.  I don’t know.  Did I mention he will say “I don’t like go potty”?

I do think it would be easier in many months where he could just tell me when he has to go.  I don’t mind having to help with pants or wiping.  What bothers me is that I have to do the thinking.   I have to watch the clock and guess and do all the potty initiating.  He does some, don’t get me wrong, but it just isn’t there yet.  Again, I am going to stick with it though.  We have gone to far into the fray to pull back now.  I don’t want to confuse Tyler.

Our newest trick (thanks, Grandma) is to set a timer on the microwave.  When the timer beeps Tyler will say, “timer went off!  Microwave says time to go potty!”.  Yes, this actually works, for now.  I find that when the novelty of some of these things wears off, we are back to square one.  Again, I have to wonder if I had waited like 6 months, if there would be less song and dance and more “Mom, I have to go potty now”?   At any rate, we are where we are and I am liking not having to wash poopy diapers.

Teeth

He told Grandma that his teeth hurt yesterday.  I don’t know if it was the last two canines that are cutting through or if those molars are starting to shift.  Sadly, the 2nd year molars and the hardest teeth to see.  I will have to get him in a tickle fit upside down - that is pretty much what I need to do to get his mouth open that wide! 

He had been sleeping pretty poorly - up 3 or 4 times a night.  We gave him ibuprofen last night and he slept through the night.  We will see.

This kid is so funny

I have missed so many funny moments already.  He says funny things - “robot from robe”, “look at that mommy!  look at that”, “mommy, where are youuuuuu”, “daddy, dinner’s ready”.  Tonight Tyler was trying to tell Daddy that “Shephard’s Pie for dinner”.  Chris said “stir fry for dinner” (that is what we had last night)?  Tyler said, “no Daddy, stir fry all gone.”

There are so many moments and I need to get back to writing them all down.  He is obsesses with tickets right now (as in tickets to ride the train).  I went and made him some the other day and he carries them around, hands them out, takes them.  It is so funny!

He is so frustrating

I try to respect my child, but there are days.  Days I think the park would be fun and he wants to stay home?!?!  No really, he wants to stay home.  He doesn’t want to get dressed.  Some days I roll with it, so that the days where there aren’t options, I feel okay about saying, “I hear you, but today, we need to go here and get moving”.   It is a dance - some days we make a great team and other days we are stepping all over each other’s feet.

Well, after a taxing Friday, we were very excited when Saturday came to we could head out to a nearby State Park and do some hiking.  Absolute Zen I tell you.  Chris and I were so in our element.  He was taking lots of photos and Quinn, Tyler and I hiked around.  We had such a marvelous time.  I have biked through Bastrop, but never hiked.  Chris and I both remarked that we will return several times.

This also gave us the opportunity to redeem a States Park Pass given to us by our dear friends, Charles and Laura.  It is the perfect gift.  We were pouring over the State Park Guide this weekend salivating over all the parks we want to visit - there were several we didn’t even know about!  Of course, we then hang out heads in shame as we are trying to come up with the perfect gift for them.  Yeah, it is February and it is supposed to be a Christmas gift…hmmm…Valentine’s Day is around the corner and they are still newlyweds. 

Every weekend where the weather is reasonable, we plan to road trip somewhere to hike with the kids. This coming weekend is going to be either sunny at 56 or 42 depending on who you believe.  We will see.   While we were out, it felt like old times.  That is how Chris and I used to spend our weekends - recreating/cycling all morning and spending the afternoons relaxing.  It felt good and is a glimpse of a fabulous spring to come.

I survived the day - not without blowing up sadly. It was about 3:30pm. We got through it though. Did score a free wagon while on a little bike ride this afternoon. I was walking behind TYler on his bike and this man asked me if I wanted one saying his kids were too big for thiers. Pretty sweet! Tyler of course had to stop riding his bike and ride in the wagon for a while! He also had fun throwing and kicking his ball down the sidewalk which is a new thing for him. Can I just say for the 100th time that I love watching him ride his bike?

Oh and cute things said today -

- He was upset because he wanted to go outside and I was telling him he had to put on some underwear and pants first. Well, all he heard was no. Anyway, he comes in the house and says, “Mommy, I need to see sky!”

- I was eating some stew and Tyler comes up and say “blow in it for you, Mommy? all better now, Mommy?

- I also love when Tyler is searching for me in the house and he will say “Mommy, where are youuuu?” and when he finds me he says “there you are, Mommy!”

I felt bad that I got upset. Man, and it was over potty stuff. We had come back home after our walk and I knew he should use the potty. Well the one minute I would have used to take him in and sit him on the potty, I had to instead use to fetch a ball he threw in the street. As I walked up to him in the garage, he had an accident. Then when trying to sit him on the potty, he was taking swings at his sister, she was wrapped in the sling on my chest. Then I was trying to put Quinn down for a nap and he was outside the door upset - she didn’t nap either.

But fast forward to like 10 minutes later and and Tyler is sitting in my lap. I was holding him facing me sittinig down and he says “sit in Mommy’s lap and snuggle”. It was sweet. I still need to process with him. It is so hard since I don’t put him to bed to have an opportunity to talk about things. He can be so hard to talk to because Tyler doesn’t really want to talk about that stuff for a while. Maybe I will see if he would rather draw. I don’t want to force anything, but make sure that I help with his story if you will.

I am hoping that the weather will allow lots of outside time next week, we need it in the worst way. I don’t care about the cold - it is the wet that causes problems. There are several days slated for rain, but the chances are low. We will see!

Oh, and Quinn has started babble talking when she is mad which rules! It is like “look I am mad and I am going to tell you exactly why!”

Anyway, I have lied to you all week by still no making it to bed until after 10pm. And I wonder where exhaustion comes from. Chris has had too bad nights with Tyler as well, so we are both hitting the hay like right now. I already told him he is waking up with the kids tomorrow morning and I am sleeping in. Good night!

{sigh}  Note to self:  do not plan your day around your baby’s schedule.  I have spent most of the morning thinking Quinn was ready for a nap, so we shouldn’t go anywhere just yet.  Of course, her naps can range from 9:15am to 11am, so I should know better.  She went to bed late last night and was up at 5:30am, so I just assumed.

Well, I kept going to rock her to sleep and Tyler keeps having pee accidents while I was gone.  He just peed on the couch twice watching a Thomas video - at least she went to sleep this time so it was worth it.   And thankfully, Tyler told me he had to go to the potty when he poo’d - another loose-like stool.  None of these have been straight up diarrhea where they are watery, just very loose.  Is that TMI?  Probably, but my the way I spend my days hinge on what comes out of his butt.  Yes, folks - it has come to this - my life is at the mercy of Tyler’s butt.

Anway, Tyler was up early at 6am - and OMG - it so makes a difference when he gets up that early.  He wants immediate attention and is probably a little tired.  Anyway, we have all been cranky this morning and I am so tired.  Just like last night, our dance is just off.  TGIF though.

So ya know what?  Whatever morning we are not doing our family hike this weekend, I am going to go to a coffee shop for a few hours and read.  I have this book “Red Tent” that all my friends are raving about.  Susan lent a copy to me, so I want to dig in.  Would be a nice get away for a little while.  I figure I will leave after Quinn has had a good meal - she should be good for a few hours after that and I will stay close so Chris can always call me back home if need be.

Well, I have decided to spend today in survival mode - just trying to make it through to 6pm.  Even if it means a lot of TV - that would be fine.  I realize that rather than feel bad about it - I would rather have the TV on then yelling at my kids because I am pushing myself to do things that I clearly don’t have the energy to do.   I hate being stuck inside, but it is what it is,  I figure since Quinn is asleep, I will pump Tyler full of liquids and do some more potty training.  Whatever it takes.  Post-nap - if Tyler takes one, we will head outside for a walk and head to the playground which will put all of us in a good mood.

Nap Watch

Tyler hasn’t napped all week.  I don’t know why, per se.  I am actually okay with it.  My philospohy is that I will continue to provide opportunities for his to sleep and if his body wants it, it will nap.   Although, I drove him Wednesday and he fell asleep and then woke up when I pulled into the driveway.  Yesterday, he fell asleep on the napwalk, but then woke up when I started to get him out - which he NEVER does.  This child tranfers incredibly well.  I don’t know.  He seems pretty pooped today, so I kind of hope he does nap - I think he could really use the rest.