Lest I forget...

What has been going on... I think I used to be MUCH better about sharing the "good, the bad, and the UGLY" before Minnie... I don't want you all thinking I have had a kid and now live in the land of bliss... HA!

We have definitely been having a rough-go of it with the Min-ster aka Pushy-Pants, aka Screechy-Pants, aka FREAKY-Pants! For about a year and 1/2 we have been able to put Minnie down for both naps and bedtime by walking upstairs, pulling her shade, turning on her sound machine, giving her a bink and putting her in her bed. We walk out. She sometimes chit chats to herself but she does her thing quietly and ALONE and goes to sleep. For the past week or so it has gotten progressively WORSE. She has started crying and SCREAMING in her bed. Because she really hasn't done this in FOR-EVER I of course would go in to rub her back or make sure she was OK. She.WAS.Fine.

Last night we listened to her at bedtime SCREAM in her bed, blood shrilling "MAMA!!! DAAADDDDYYYY" for about 40 minutes. FORTY MINUTES!!! Brutal!!! Husband thankfully just sat quietly next to me on the couch and then said... "if she's hurt or scared... I'm THERE for her... but this screaming out in temper... yeah. No." :) I love that guy. He's right. She was having a full on temper tantrum in her crib. AAAHHHH....

She's also REALLY come into pushing her friends. It is almost her way of "greeting" except not quite as nice as that. She just walks up to those she loves, her age, and two hands on the shoulders... PUSHES them. I am at a LOSS. I reprimand, I correct, I instruct and I even ask other Mom's to please tell THEIR child to manhandle her... but so far nothing has worked. :( I don't want her thinking that it is "fun" to get a reaction of TEARS out of her friends. This makes me SO sad.

Any sort of meal time is typically met with "I, no YIKE IT!" aka she doesn't like whatever it is I'm putting in front of her. Most of the time mind you it is something like a PB and J or pasta. The girl doesn't EAT! It's not like I'm serving liver and onions!!!

I am definitely seeing that this girl is coming in hard and fast to TWO YEARS OLD and that Husband and I had better get our ducks in a row in order to stay 3-4 steps ahead of this one. She is asserting the things which she *thinks* she can control (thinks being the key word :) Looks like I'll have to get creative in giving her some choices that she CAN control. Cucumbers or Tomatoes? Rain boots or Party Boots? Skirt or Jeans? You know... the BIG decisions.

In other updates... Husband's soccer season has come to an end... I am happy to get him back after school for a week... until I become a hunting widow :) I guess he's entitled since he *thinks* he's bringing home meat for his family. ACK! :) He HAS done a great job getting our wood together for this winter to keep his little ladies nice and toasty warm! :)

As you have seen I've been busy with Minnie during the day at the park, play group and with our community, family and friends. I've also had the privilege of being a part of a new Moms In Touch group started by a friend. What a BLESSING this has been. We meet every other Wednesday to as they say "bathe a child in prayer". I've never been comfortable praying out loud in a group and this is SUCH a step for me and it is AMAZING. I am loving the gals and really taking the time to dedicate to praying over a particular child. It is also a great encouragment to me just being with these other Mom's of young children who are ALSO in the thick of it, ALSO have kids that aren't sleeping well and ALSO want to run for the hills somedays but who ALSO see the amazing gift that we have in staying home with our kiddos. Who remind me that we are gifted these precious little people from God.