You know what Kat said to me the other day? She likes to write the grocery list now. I tell her what to write and how to spell it, but she likes to do it. Needless to say, making a grocery list takes frickin forever these days.
Either way, that's not the point. She was spelling something and said, "OK, E. How do I make an E?" I said, "A line, and three lines coming off of it..."
You wanna know what she said? Go ahead, guess....
She looked up at me and said, "Mom? It was a rhetorical question. I know how to make an E already"
Excuse me while my eye twitches a little..........
Monday, November 17, 2008
How did I land in HELL???
OK, so the title sounds a bit dramatic, but seriously, I don't get it. Kat has always been a good girl. She has always responded well to discipline. Usually just knowing she has disappointed someone is enough to break her heart and send her into a tearful apology. She has an incredible sense for logic, so she usually figures out that her behavior is inappropriate and fixes it before there is too much of a scene.
Well, gone are those days my friends. GONE with the effin wind. Tonight was certainly the worst it's been, but it's been getting bad for a while now.
A little while back Katie stopped taking her time outs like a good girl. I hardly have had to give them to her, but when I did she used to take them, apologize and move on. HA! I never knew how lucky I was. I'm paying for it now though! So specifically in the last few days, she jumps up from her time out, laughing in our faces, and grabs a door or something solid so that we literally have to fight just to get her naughty ass to sit back down. After one day when I (somewhat calmly) returned her to time out for over an hour, Hubby decided to look it up on the internet.
The article he found suggested that if the child turns the time out into a game, or if you have to return them to the spot more than 3 times, simply sit and hold the child for the duration of the time out. At first, it worked like magic. Kat screamed and cried for me to let go. She swore up and down she'd be a good girl if only I'd let go. (OK, she's dramatic, keep that in mind. I wasn't even holding her tight) Anyhow, it worked. She apologized and we had a good rest of the day. Then it happened again a couple of days later. Didn't work as great, but it did work.
Today takes the cake though. All the times I watched Supernanny and talked crap about the crappy, clueless parents out there. "I would NEVER let my kid act like that. WTF is wrong with people?" Yep, that was me. And you know what? Now the poor sucker on TV, the one who swears up and down that they've done everything and that their kid is 'different' and just doesn't respond to discipline... now THAT's me. F. How the F did this happen to us? What did I miss? Which day was I absent when they passed out the NAUGHTY AS FING HELL PILLS?
Tonight she got out of bed to go potty. Normally if she has to go, she'll holler for me and I'll tell her, "if you have to go, just go. Then get back in bed. It's not a big deal." Well tonight, she got up and announced from the hall that she had to go. I said that was fine, and then she needed to go back to bed. She went, then she came out and sat on the couch and said, "I don't want to go to bed". I said, "Well, it's bed time and you need to be well rested for school tomorrow... back to bed". She looked at me and said, "no". My rage was starting to rise but my own wise words are ringing in my head. "Be calm. Always be calm. DO NOT let her know she is getting to you." So I told her that I wanted her to make a good decision and go to bed, and make me proud. She would not budge. In fact, she ran away as though it was a joke. So I picked her up and silently put her back to bed. It's pretty much a blur from there. I kept putting her back in bed but it got to the point where I wasn't even able to leave the room without her running out and chanting this infuriating song:
Over the hill, over the hill.....
STOMP STOMP STOMP.
Don't ask me where the hell she picked that up, but she did. So she would march down the hall every time she got up and sing this song. I decided to nip that by being right outside her door so there was no march to be had. She thought that was funny too. Little shit. Eventually I spoke to her, telling her that she was making Mommy disappointed and sad, and that I wanted her to be a good girl. And I reminded her that Mommy is in charge, not Katie.
Eventually she did decide to lay down and go to sleep. Eventually. But honestly, I don't feel like dealing with this crap for any kind of long term. I love being a mom but nights like tonight make me realize how Hubby can't get snipped quick enough. We're SO DONE having babies.
There is no end to this rage driven blog. I truthfully do not know what eventually made her decide to turn off the naughty button and go to sleep. It pisses me off though that it could be turned off and she just chose not to before that. Oh man, all the cliches are true. Terrible Two's are nothing. Three's weren't even that bad for us. We had our moments, but all in all we loved Three. Four though, Four is upon us. And there is plenty to smile about, but plenty to cuss about too.
Well, gone are those days my friends. GONE with the effin wind. Tonight was certainly the worst it's been, but it's been getting bad for a while now.
A little while back Katie stopped taking her time outs like a good girl. I hardly have had to give them to her, but when I did she used to take them, apologize and move on. HA! I never knew how lucky I was. I'm paying for it now though! So specifically in the last few days, she jumps up from her time out, laughing in our faces, and grabs a door or something solid so that we literally have to fight just to get her naughty ass to sit back down. After one day when I (somewhat calmly) returned her to time out for over an hour, Hubby decided to look it up on the internet.
The article he found suggested that if the child turns the time out into a game, or if you have to return them to the spot more than 3 times, simply sit and hold the child for the duration of the time out. At first, it worked like magic. Kat screamed and cried for me to let go. She swore up and down she'd be a good girl if only I'd let go. (OK, she's dramatic, keep that in mind. I wasn't even holding her tight) Anyhow, it worked. She apologized and we had a good rest of the day. Then it happened again a couple of days later. Didn't work as great, but it did work.
Today takes the cake though. All the times I watched Supernanny and talked crap about the crappy, clueless parents out there. "I would NEVER let my kid act like that. WTF is wrong with people?" Yep, that was me. And you know what? Now the poor sucker on TV, the one who swears up and down that they've done everything and that their kid is 'different' and just doesn't respond to discipline... now THAT's me. F. How the F did this happen to us? What did I miss? Which day was I absent when they passed out the NAUGHTY AS FING HELL PILLS?
Tonight she got out of bed to go potty. Normally if she has to go, she'll holler for me and I'll tell her, "if you have to go, just go. Then get back in bed. It's not a big deal." Well tonight, she got up and announced from the hall that she had to go. I said that was fine, and then she needed to go back to bed. She went, then she came out and sat on the couch and said, "I don't want to go to bed". I said, "Well, it's bed time and you need to be well rested for school tomorrow... back to bed". She looked at me and said, "no". My rage was starting to rise but my own wise words are ringing in my head. "Be calm. Always be calm. DO NOT let her know she is getting to you." So I told her that I wanted her to make a good decision and go to bed, and make me proud. She would not budge. In fact, she ran away as though it was a joke. So I picked her up and silently put her back to bed. It's pretty much a blur from there. I kept putting her back in bed but it got to the point where I wasn't even able to leave the room without her running out and chanting this infuriating song:
Over the hill, over the hill.....
STOMP STOMP STOMP.
Don't ask me where the hell she picked that up, but she did. So she would march down the hall every time she got up and sing this song. I decided to nip that by being right outside her door so there was no march to be had. She thought that was funny too. Little shit. Eventually I spoke to her, telling her that she was making Mommy disappointed and sad, and that I wanted her to be a good girl. And I reminded her that Mommy is in charge, not Katie.
Eventually she did decide to lay down and go to sleep. Eventually. But honestly, I don't feel like dealing with this crap for any kind of long term. I love being a mom but nights like tonight make me realize how Hubby can't get snipped quick enough. We're SO DONE having babies.
There is no end to this rage driven blog. I truthfully do not know what eventually made her decide to turn off the naughty button and go to sleep. It pisses me off though that it could be turned off and she just chose not to before that. Oh man, all the cliches are true. Terrible Two's are nothing. Three's weren't even that bad for us. We had our moments, but all in all we loved Three. Four though, Four is upon us. And there is plenty to smile about, but plenty to cuss about too.
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
just a quickie
I forgot to mention in the last post... Kat was talking about how she doesn't have her own room anymore. She wasn't really complaining about it, just saying it. So I said, "I know Baby Girl, I'm sorry you don't have your own room anymore, but..." And she cut me off and said, "Mommy, don't be sorry about that... I totally LOVE my new room!" She is a sweet angel. Really, she makes me so happy.
We made up this song together, to the tune of the Mexican Hat Dance:
Cuddles and Snuggles and Lovels and Doves,
Cuddles and Snuggles and Lovels.
Cuddles and Snuggles and Lovels and Doves,
Cuddles and Snuggles and Loves!
She giggles every time we sing it and asks for MORE MORE MORE.
We made up this song together, to the tune of the Mexican Hat Dance:
Cuddles and Snuggles and Lovels and Doves,
Cuddles and Snuggles and Lovels.
Cuddles and Snuggles and Lovels and Doves,
Cuddles and Snuggles and Loves!
She giggles every time we sing it and asks for MORE MORE MORE.
Miss Manners
My little Kat is expected to be a well mannered, polite young lady. We of course have taught please and thank you and all the essentials. But she surprised me the other day when I put her lunch down in front of her while I finished preparing Bear's and she sat there calmly until I sat down to feed Bear. I asked her, "what's the matter baby girl? Why aren't you eating your lunch?" She said, "well, it's polite to wait until EVERYONE is eating before I start". Well what could I say? She's right... that is the polite thing to do. I've never enforced this rule with the kids. I've never asked her to sit and stare at her yummy food while I get everyone else's ready. I don't know exactly where or when she picked it up. I definitely wait until everyone has been served but I've never asked her to do so. So, either she is incredibly absorbent or someone taught her the rule specifically. Either way, good girl Kat! I'm so proud of her!
Also, Brother fell down today and got a little bump on his head. She said, "Oh, let me go and get him some ice. Ice will keep the swelling down." Yes, yes it will. My little angel takes what we teach her and uses it practically. I love it that she can problem solve and that she has such a want to take care of people.
We had friends over the other day and Kat was very aware of making sure everyone felt welcome and at home. If one wasn't playing with the group, she would go take her hand and say "c'mon, let's play!"
OK, so that's the good. Now for the bad.... Kat will NOT take a time out like a good girl. She actually tells me, "no Mommy, I'm not taking a time out for just that." If I tell her to come here (and she's in trouble) she'll stand across the room with her hands on her sassy little hips and say, "No, I don't want to". 95% of the time she's the best girl ever, but that other 5% she goes all 'Lord of The Flies' on me. So far we're just doing the consistent thing and trying not to go insane when these moments arise but it is very difficult! When she is being scolded she will actually say, "DO NOT talk to me that way. Try a nicer tone and maybe I'll listen". AAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!!!
Also, Brother fell down today and got a little bump on his head. She said, "Oh, let me go and get him some ice. Ice will keep the swelling down." Yes, yes it will. My little angel takes what we teach her and uses it practically. I love it that she can problem solve and that she has such a want to take care of people.
We had friends over the other day and Kat was very aware of making sure everyone felt welcome and at home. If one wasn't playing with the group, she would go take her hand and say "c'mon, let's play!"
OK, so that's the good. Now for the bad.... Kat will NOT take a time out like a good girl. She actually tells me, "no Mommy, I'm not taking a time out for just that." If I tell her to come here (and she's in trouble) she'll stand across the room with her hands on her sassy little hips and say, "No, I don't want to". 95% of the time she's the best girl ever, but that other 5% she goes all 'Lord of The Flies' on me. So far we're just doing the consistent thing and trying not to go insane when these moments arise but it is very difficult! When she is being scolded she will actually say, "DO NOT talk to me that way. Try a nicer tone and maybe I'll listen". AAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!!!
Thursday, September 25, 2008
some stories
Kat's vocabulary and cognitive thinking is growing by the minute practically. I need to write some stuff down before I forget. These stories are happening so fast I can't get them all in print!
So the other day she had preschool and then Little Gym right after. Normally, this is not the case. Normally after preschool we come home and rest. But this day we had to do both. So on the way to Little Gym I was asking Kat about her day at school and she told me that they were playing restaurant in the play kitchen and a boy was playing with a toy. Then, another not nice boy came and ripped the toy out of the hands of the first boy. You know what she did? She told the mean boy, "HEY! That's not nice!" I was so proud of her I started to get a bit teary eyed! My little shy girl stood up for a boy she barely knows! I told her that she made a good decision and that it was nice that she helped the boy. (and of course told her that we never hit or push, but that it was OK to say something) So, I told her that for making a good decision, we would do something special together when we got home. She was very excited at my approval and thought for a few minutes...
Then she said, "Mommy, I'm feeling very tired. And I'm anxious to get my special time. So can we skip Little Gym just this once and go home now?" I know she likely was tired, so I agreed that this one time we could skip Little Gym and go home. Then on the way home, she told me, "But Mommy? You know what? Daddy still thinks I'm at Little Gym right now!" Her dad was at work, so I thought it was pretty funny that she realized that Daddy had no idea that we changed plans. She is a very good thinker.
When I'm at work, Kat will often steal some printer paper and tape and go into her room and wrap a "present" for me. Very sweet. So she did this a couple of nights ago and before bed laid my present out for me to see when I got home from work. She told Daddy, "Obviously, you can't tell Mommy what it is.... (whispers, with her finger up in the air).... but it's a hair pretty and a coin!" Obviously? Oh my.
So the only other thing I can think of right now is last night she was getting out of the bath and ready for bed. I asked her, "honey, is your room clean and ready for bedtime?" She said, "I think so, but go look". I asked her who the boss was and told her that she may not tell Mommy what to do. She said, "Mommy, I was just telling you what you could do, not what you should do." Oh, that's a hard one to argue with.
Call it a wild guess, but I think my hands are going to be more than full as she grows up. Yikes!
So the other day she had preschool and then Little Gym right after. Normally, this is not the case. Normally after preschool we come home and rest. But this day we had to do both. So on the way to Little Gym I was asking Kat about her day at school and she told me that they were playing restaurant in the play kitchen and a boy was playing with a toy. Then, another not nice boy came and ripped the toy out of the hands of the first boy. You know what she did? She told the mean boy, "HEY! That's not nice!" I was so proud of her I started to get a bit teary eyed! My little shy girl stood up for a boy she barely knows! I told her that she made a good decision and that it was nice that she helped the boy. (and of course told her that we never hit or push, but that it was OK to say something) So, I told her that for making a good decision, we would do something special together when we got home. She was very excited at my approval and thought for a few minutes...
Then she said, "Mommy, I'm feeling very tired. And I'm anxious to get my special time. So can we skip Little Gym just this once and go home now?" I know she likely was tired, so I agreed that this one time we could skip Little Gym and go home. Then on the way home, she told me, "But Mommy? You know what? Daddy still thinks I'm at Little Gym right now!" Her dad was at work, so I thought it was pretty funny that she realized that Daddy had no idea that we changed plans. She is a very good thinker.
When I'm at work, Kat will often steal some printer paper and tape and go into her room and wrap a "present" for me. Very sweet. So she did this a couple of nights ago and before bed laid my present out for me to see when I got home from work. She told Daddy, "Obviously, you can't tell Mommy what it is.... (whispers, with her finger up in the air).... but it's a hair pretty and a coin!" Obviously? Oh my.
So the only other thing I can think of right now is last night she was getting out of the bath and ready for bed. I asked her, "honey, is your room clean and ready for bedtime?" She said, "I think so, but go look". I asked her who the boss was and told her that she may not tell Mommy what to do. She said, "Mommy, I was just telling you what you could do, not what you should do." Oh, that's a hard one to argue with.
Call it a wild guess, but I think my hands are going to be more than full as she grows up. Yikes!
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
My Best Little Helper
Today I needed to get a lot of cleaning done and I was running out of time. Normally Kat follows me around and helps me with whatever chore I'm working on, but today I asked her to go and clean her room. Yeah, I know... she's 3 1/2. But still. Seriously, go clean your room! I didn't expect miracles but I figured she could get started until I got there, and this would allow me to clean faster without her right there with me.
I got into a cleaning zone and Kat suddenly came out of her room yelling for me to come look at how clean her room was. When Kat is excited, she jumps up and down in place. She does this often, and it's so freakin cute. Anyhow, she was frantically jumping up and down in place and of course I dropped what I was doing to go look at how "clean" her room was.
And you know what? She did a terrific job! I was amazed at her focus. She helps me with everything... she cooks with me, cleans with me, changes baby with me... and now she cleans her room! Ah I love the little Kitty Kat....
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