Wordless Wednesday...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DUCKY!!!

To my baby boy on his birthday.

You have grown so much over the past 5 years. I can't believe that two seconds ago I was holding you in my arms and now you are running around and speaking full sentences, learning and loving life!

Here are some of things I wish for you on your 5th birthday.

I wish for you to learn everything about life, love and happiness.

I wish for you to to learn to read, especially since you are so interested and focused in trying.

I wish that you continue to be considerate to your friends and be the great boy that you are and that others see.

I wish for you to get your numbers right, I know how much you get frustrated with "12, 13, 15...", I promise you will get it!

I wish that you keep loving your little sister the way that you have since the day you met her. Your relationship with Chicky makes me feel like I've done something right!

I wish you would listen more, I know, that's more for me but I promise your life would be ten times better if you did. You can let this one sit and marinade overnight for a bit.

I wish that you continue your love of creating new things and I hope that continue to have fun making your robots. Who knows when you grow up you'll create some amazing item that the world can't live without securing your parents retirement! LOL! A mom can dream!

I wish you have fun and enjoy your day!

I love you Ducky!

Sibling Rivalry Over Everything!

Chicky is sick, again! Fever, croup the entire deal. I swore up and down that I wasn't going to the hospital while Cpl. Mayhem was away but I did.

Today everything was heightened. Moods, tears, aches, pains, fevers and stubborn attitudes.

Ducky was doing pretty well for the most of the morning until lunch time hit, then he decided Naughty Nelson needed to visit and attack an already irritable Chicky. He dug his claws into his sister and made her bleed. I was not impressed to say the least, but I felt guilty too, if only I had cut his nails yesterday like I said I was going to she wouldn't be bleeding right now. Never the less, I run upstairs to get a band-aid.

"I want a band-aid too!" Ducky hollers at me while I coming down the stairs.

"Excuse me? You don't need the band-aid, you caused the need for this band-aid on Chicky..."

"I'm sorry Chicky", he runs over to his litter sister and gives her a hug.

"Go away!" Chicky yells at her brother. Can you blame her?

Chicky's fever spikes again and I give her some medicine to ease her already exhausted little body.

"I want medicine too!!" Ducky hollers at me from the living room.

"You don't need any medicine Ducky, you are not sick".

"Yes I am", Ducky shouts at me and then clears his throat for two coughs to come out repeats his medicine request with a quieter, harsher voice.

"Nice try babe."

I know I spent a great deal of time and energy on Chicky today, but it only occurred to me that I did when Ducky came into my bedroom after his bath and Chicky was in her room.

"Mommy? Can I have cuddles like Chicky?"

"Of course you can Ducky!! I'm sorry I didn't pay much attention and was short with you today, it was hard with Chicky being so sick huh?"

"Yeah, Chicky going to be OK. You are a good mommy!"

"Thank you Ducky, that's always good to hear".

"Mommy?"

"Yes Ducky?"

"Can I have that band-aid now?"

He Misses His Father

Ducky has been wild lately. He can go from sweet and mild to wild and unpredictable in a matter of a minute.


Why?

He misses his father.

Ducky swatted Chicky in the face and yelled at me to shut up.

Why?

He misses his father.

Ducky has misbehaved and made my days a living nightmare for the past two weeks.

Why?

He misses his father.

Tonight Ducky cried and told me he missed his daddy. He asked for the framed photo of his father in my room, he hugged it tight. He then asked for the framed photo of us on our wedding, he tucked that one in his room too.

He then comes into my room and asks for the sweatshirt his father is wearing in the first photo he picked up. He takes it and kisses me goodnight.

I looked into his room, he's asleep in the sweatshirt, with a smile on his face.

Still missing his father, but he now has Daddy's arms wrapped around him.

My Children Are Models!

Just a fun afternoon!

PS. I took these!

He's Just Cute!

I remember putting Ducky to bed with PJs.

Early Morning Breath And The Eternal Question

Yesterday, I felt a heavy breathing early in the morning. The breathing was right over my head and I felt as if someone was watching me.

(Heavy Breathing) "Mommy..... Mommeeeeeeee, MOM"

"What and why are you staring at me?"

"Look it's snowing! It's Christmas!"

That's great Ducky, now lets review the "don't wake mommy up before 7am" rule again.


Today I got a chance to shower in peace (a miracle in itself!). Chicky who is learning to talk very quickly started to ask questions.

"Mommy..."

"Yes Chicky?"

"What you doing?"

"I was taking a shower"

"Why?"

" I haven't showered in a couple of days"

"Why?"

"Because I was busy"

"Why?"

"Because I was taking care of you"

"Why?"

"Because you were sick"

"Mommy?"

"Yes Chicky?"

"What you doing?"

"Getting annoyed"

"Why?"

"Because we are going to do these questions all over again!"

What A Weekend!! Halloween Edition!

The kids were really excited to see Auntie Mayhem Saturday morning, they jumped on her and told her today was Halloween and that they were going trick or treating.

I had to remind Ducky that it was going to be later in the day, but he seemed just fine hanging off his Auntie, as did Chicky!

So we all had some fun, then I got the call I was waiting for!!! Look who came home for the weekend!!!

(Cpl. Mayhem just loves coming home to big hugs!)

Now lets get to the Halloween fun!! Ducky was pretty much going crazy waiting for the trick or treating to start, and once he finally able to go out he had a plan.

Go to all the houses on the base, not one house will be overlooked! At first we started taking Chicky in and out of the stroller, but we decided it was much faster to just keep her in the stroller and push her up to the doors. I have to tell you she sure did get the hang of it very quickly.

There was one guy who walked up to the door in a costume that required batteries because it was one of those blow up costumes ( the guy on a horse), and Auntie Mayhem said that he might have to step out of his house to drop the candy in. He got flustered and said that he couldn't because he was plugged in! He had lost his battery power a couple of minutes before! I wish I had taken a photo!

Last year Ducky and Cpl. Mayhem were out until at least quarter to eleven, but because we were out with Chicky and we weren't too sure how she was going to do we decided to go around our block come back and then Ducky and hubby would continue on. Unfortunately the wind was making the kids extremely cold so we came in early. But we got some loot!

Later days!

While the kids were sick with the croup, and I had what they had but they did not call it croup. I noticed that my kitchen became an assembly line of meds, Lysol, anti-bacterial hand cream and lozenges.


So I took a photo!

UGHH!

The past couple of days have been a nightmare!

Both the kiddies were sick. It started with Ducky. He gets the croup every fall/winter so when I heard him on Sunday night sound I did what I do every time he gets sick.

1. Panic!

I know, but as I self diagnosed myself as a "partial hypochondriac". My first instinct is to panic and think worse case scenario. But I composed myself and realized that, yes, it is the croup.

2. Follow the guidelines to the croup: shower and sit in the bathroom with the steam. If that doesn't work, go outside with the cold air, turn on the air mist in Ducky's room and give him some Tylenol for the fever.

3. Get some sleep cause it's going to be a crappy week!

Monday morning wasn't too bad, Ducky's fever was gone and kept insisting on going to school. So I took him and informed the teacher that he did not have a flu, his cough sounds worse than it is (especially since he was running around) and I left.
When I went to get him at the end of the day he was pale and tired... You must have read my last post.

I took him to the hospital, in and out in 45 minutes (new record). When the doctor came to see me the first thing he said was "well it's not Swine Flue". My reply, "No kidding! It's the croup, I just came here for something to ease it".
Doctor was really surprised that I knew what it was, cause I haven't dealt with this for 4 years (insert sarcasm here).

Got the kids home and Chicky started to run a fever too. Not really surprised, so Tylenol for the babe and they were out.

Tuesday was a quiet day with a lot of snuggling and drinking water and eating Goldfish crackers.

Wednesday, was when it hit me hard! Ducky was feeling much better and once again insisted on going to school (hope that continues!). So Chicky and I stayed home and cuddled and slept for most of the day. Once Ducky was home everything in my body hurt, I got hot and sweaty, I'd take a blanket off, then I would get the chills and goosebumps and my body would hurt even more. It sucked! No sucks, cause I'm still in pain!
I did get some relief later in the evening when a gal pal dropped of some medicine that had codeine and some ginger ale, I conked out for the night. Today I still hurt but I'm getting better.

Hoping both the kids are better by the weekend! Cause I can't pull another week of this! I laugh only because I hurt!

Sticker Wars!!

I love how hubby is encouraging the entire thing!

Once upon a time some idiot ( names not to be mentioned!) gave Ducky stickers. And from there he wanted to sticker anything in sight. Including, yes, Chicky!
So I beg and plead with everyone in my family who wants to send gifts to my kids this Christmas, stickers will get you a very angry Mayhem!

I know it's cute!

But now Ducky is not the only one who enjoys the sticky paper! Chicky has gotten a taste for them too. I know the photos above are great but when you have to clean your house from them sticker war the kids played the day before.

And when I asked about the stickers, these are the looks I got:

Bad Mommy!

So my son had the croup since he was an infant, so when I hear him coughing half a lung I just follow the routine:
Shower, back rub, Tylenol for the fever (if there is one), drink if water (he gets really dehydrated), snuggles and back to sleep.

This morning he seemed fine. I asked twenty times if he wanted to go to school or stay home and he said yes to school every time. So I got him dressed for picture day, took him to school and told the teacher that he might be a bit tired from the night before.

When I get him from school my poor Ducky is as white as a ghost and looking for me to carry him home. Lucky the teacher said that he was only like that the last 30 minutes of school but I felt horrible!

As I'm putting my sick little boy in his car seat I tell him I should have kept him home from school.

His response:

"YEAH"

Again With The Damn Blue Hat!

In my last post I mentioned the blue hat that my son's snarky teacher said has been returned twice to kindergarten

Well...

Yesterday my kid's teacher snapped at me and my son for no good reason. Now I've come across some interesting information about what happened in the afternoon:

My friend K was over at the kindergarten class helping with lunch and getting the kids ready to go outside. She told me about the crusty helper, someone K didn't understand why she was working with little ones her temper and attitude apparently sucks.

Anyway, this crusty old lady told my son to put his hat on, to which he replied it was not his hat.
She asks him two more times to do it. And again he repeats, that the hat is not his!

K goes over and reiterates that the hat does not belong to my son.

Can you believe it? No one is listening to what my son is saying!!

Now it makes me wonder, does anyone listen to him at school. There are 17 kids in his class. I graduated with a class of 15, if he is falling through the cracks with not one teacher but three in the same room?

I'm call the principal. Enough is enough!


UPDATE: I spoke to the school principal ( LOVE HIM!!). He's had informed me that he does know who my son is and he will be having a conversation with him along with the speech aid they have at the school! Which is great because we all think that his speech might be an issue. Also he will be addressing the lunch staff and teachers to be more patience with my son.

Great principal!

Kindergarden Horror!

Ducky was really looking forward to going to school today until his kindergarten teacher snapped at him for no good reason!


And for no good reason it was, I was there! This teacher was transferred from a grade 3 classroom to the kindergarten class and at first I had no problem with her until yesterday.


We get to school and I go over the drill with Ducky: take your rain boots off, hang up your coat and backpack, put your indoor shoes on sign your name (or scribble, whatever...).

Ducky starts doing exactly that. While he is doing this I noticed the teacher snapping at another child. Yelling at her about how she need to put her mail bag in the proper place and reprimanding her like a dog, "No!".


OK, I say nothing because like every other person in the world, we all have bad days. But the girl was 4 and all the kids are new to the school environment, calm down! They will get it!

Then I hear her with my son.


Teacher: "NO Ducky don't do that?"


Don't do what! I can't see where they are because they are hidden where the cubbies are.

Teacher: "Go get your mail bag and sign in"

Ducky: "I don't have a mail bag"


Let me first explain the "mail bag". I don't know if all schools do this or not but we get a mail bag, a Ziploc back that we provide in the beginning of the year, with his name on it where homework or information comes home in. We then return it with notes and permission slips so they are in one place. A great idea!


Teacher: "You do have a mail bag. GO GET IT!"

Ducky (frustrated and scared): "I don't have a mail bag


Me: Teacher, I'm sorry Ducky did not come home with a mail bag on Monday.

Teacher: Yes HE did! They are supposed to have it in their backpacks at the end of the day, I GAVE him his.

Me (embarrassed and a little irate that she is insinuating that my son and I are lying): I understand, but there wasn't a mail bag in his backpack on Monday.

Teacher: Well maybe one of the other kids put it in their bag by mistake.

Me (getting pissed off with the attitude I'm getting but being the bigger person): It happens, I just wanted to let you know the reason he doesn't have one was because one was not brought home on Monday.

Teacher: OK, Ducky go sign your name on the list.

Me: Oh, Teacher, Ducky also came home with a blue hat, it's not his, but we brought it back. It's in his backpack if one of his friends is looking for it.

Teacher: Ducky TOLD me it was his.

Me (amazed that she is giving me such a tone!): Maybe he did, but we brought it back.

Teacher: This is the SECOND time that this hat has been brought back.


Not my problem lady!

Me: It happens, Ducky's things have his name on. I just wanted to let you know that it's there if someone is looking for it.

Teacher: OK, Ducky, GO sign yourself in.


When my son turned around to walk away, I was mortified to see that he had his head slumped down and slowly walking towards the clipboard. He felt like he had done something wrong and he could not fix it! I never want to see my son hurt like that by his teacher again!


Luckily, the custodial staff at the school is a friend of mine and kept me composed whispering behind me to "walk way!".


I called out to my son to come back and ran towards me. I gave him a huge hug and looked him in the eyes and said "You did nothing wrong". I could tell it made him feel better.


No one has ever talked like that to me! At least without reason! Snapping at kids about a plastic Ziploc bag is insane! If I was my son's age and some treated me like that I would have pissed myself! And not only that she hollered at me in front of other staff, parents and children! NO NEEDED!


I decided when I went to pick Ducky up I was going to have a talk with her because I had stuff to say to her, and I had a whole day to stew! Instead, my son saved me from myself and ran towards me and said "Let's go home, mommy".

(Ducky at 2 years old)

This talk can wait.




Update: Had to point out that my husband was the best about the entire situation yesterday. He got so upset and yelled " No one talks to my wife like that". I fell in love all over again!

Even Better Update: Teacher called today to talk about the reason why my son feels like he is not being listened to (read about the blue hat above). We had a great chat and she is now been taken off my "shit" list. Bonus points for the principal for dealing with the issue in such a timely matter!

Can I Be Sick For A Day?

What a question!

Does my job stop even when I get sick? Is there a replacement for me during the day so I can recharge and be ready for the next task of my job? Nope.

But sitting on the sofa, taking a moment, I look up at my kids are both home for the day. Both looking at me.

I'm looking at them. For a moment I think I've gone deaf, no one is making a sound. Maybe I can get some quiet time today...

"MOMMY! I want juice please", "Mommy, crackers! CRACKERS!"

Never mind.

When They Are Good They Are Very Good

When my kids are good, they are very, very good!

They help each other out with the little things.

My son taught my daughter to scream in a high pitch that only dogs can hear. Thank you boy!

My daughter grabbed her sippy cup then asked for her brother's and gave it to him.

My son held my daughter’s hand when we walked him to camp, and made her giggle all the way there.

My daughter helped my son reach for the snacks by bringing him her chair that she was sitting on. Not too pleased by the climbing scenario, but it was cute to catch both kids sitting on the ground with the box of crackers between them.

My son helped my daughter out when she could not get any noodles on her fork at dinner. Then helped her get clean at bath time.

My son and daughter give each other a hug and a kiss before bedtime. Every day. And if it does not happen, no one is sleeping!

My daughter learned to say my son’s name and count to ten thanks to big brother.

Yes when they are good, they are very, very good. This is the best relationship I’ve seen!

It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year!!!

Reading some of my favorite blogs, most of my blogging buddy's kids have been in school for weeks now, and I've been waiting....

FOREVER!

But today is the day that my son finally started kindergarten! He was really excited to get going. Two weeks ago the grades 1 and up started school and Ducky has been watching the buses everyday and asks why he isn't going to school yet.

Believe me child, with the whining and yelling and constant "Mommy...", I was willing to send you up a grade just so I can hear silence or maybe be able to heal the headache that you and Chicky insist on making worse everyday.

So as you can see I was a bit more excited to see him go. He's one of those kids who needs to be around other kids and have a schedule to follow and get away from mommy and baby sister. I love that he is independent!

He came home and told how great of a day he had and could not wait to go back soon. Once he had his snack, I was digging into his backpack and found a note for me and Cpl. Mayhem. Since I know there is no way that he could have cause trouble to have a note sent home.

Nope it was a note that read:

I made a puzzle just for you
at school on my very first day.
It's made with love and my hand print,
In a very special way.
Now you can sit down on the floor
With your favorite Kindergarten kid.
We'll put it together while I tell you about,
All the fin things we did!

And when I looked into the envelope, there it was. The hand print. That's when I realized, after thinking I'm not going to cry over the fact that my child is growing up, or going to Kindergarten.

But after I saw the hand print....

I couldn't help but tear up!

Discipline: It's Lost On All Of Us!

It is hard to discipline my kids. Well that's not true, it hard because I haven't found a great disciplining technique. Ducky enjoys laughing at me when I trying to discipline and now Chicky has picked it up too. And it makes me mad!

You would be too if your authority was being mocked by a four year old! I will admit that I have yelled at him and was not calm with him at all.

Maybe Elizabeth Pantley can help me out!

Who is she?

Parenting educator Elizabeth Pantley is president of Better Beginnings, Inc., a family resource and education company. Elizabeth frequently speaks to parents at schools, hospitals, and parent groups around the world. Her presentations are received with enthusiasm, and praised as realistic, warm and helpful. Elizabeth Pantley is the author of the No-cry Solution books. They have been translated into 15 different languages and if she can help me with my two "Spawns of Satan" she can add to her resume Vanessa Mayhem's new BFF!!


The No-Cry Nap Solution
The No-Cry Discipline Solution
The No-Cry Sleep Solution
The No-Cry Sleep Solution for Toddlers & Preschoolers
The No-Cry Potty Training Solution

The No-Cry Discipline Solution Book looks good! I would love to get this book and apply her strategies before Cpl. Mayhem goes overseas! And if it works GOOD GOD the next 6 months would be so much more relaxing! I'm getting teary eyed just thinking of it!

The big problem right now is not listening and tantrums, fussing etc.

Here is an excerpt of The No-Cry Discipline Solution
Gentle Ways to Encourage Good Behavior without Whining, Tantrums & Tears

Teach the Quiet Bunny
When children get worked up, their physiological symptoms keep them in an agitated state. You can teach your child how to relax and then use this approach when fussing begins.

• You can start each morning or end each day with a brief relaxation session. Have your child sit or lie comfortably with eyes closed. Tell a story that he’s a quiet bunny. Name body parts (feet, legs, tummy, etc.) and have your child wiggle it, and then relax it.

• Once your child is familiar with this process you can call upon it at times when he is agitated. Crouch down to your child’s level, put your hands on his shoulders, look him in the eye and say, let’s do our Quiet Bunny. And then talk him through the process. Over time, just mentioning it and asking him to close his eyes will bring relaxation.

Excerpted with permission by McGraw-Hill Publishing from The No-Cry Discipline Solution (McGraw-Hill 2007).

Her website also has articles and tips for every problem imaginable! What a dream!! Check it out!

What are your disciplining techniques?