Park & Weekend

Despite the day yesterday being crappy, it ended up to be a nice day by the time I got to the daycare to pick up the kids. So they talked me into taking them to a nearby park. They said that they wanted to play on the field. So we went and Ben & Ella ran ahead of Nicholas and I. Nicholas really wanted to go in the opposite direction that Ben & Ella were, so I had to pick him up. He was not too pleased about that. Ben & Ella did stay within eyesight, but I think we need to explain to them some more about what stay near mommy means.

Ella & Benjamin decided that they wanted to go on the swings so we headed over there. There was a guy there with his kids. Ben & Ella got on the swings while Nicholas inspected the beauty bark. I had to keep a good eye on him so he wouldn't eat the beauty bark - he did eventually get a piece in there and I had to dig it out of his mouth. Well, let's just say that his teeth hurt me and he has more than I thought he had.

Anyway, after Ben & Ella were done with the swings, Ella said that she wanted to go on the slides. So they went off to the slides while I was going to push Nicholas in the swing. No go. He hated it - I think I pushed him too hard - and he screamed. I wonder if that guy thinks I'm a horrible mother.

So I take Nicholas over to the slides where Ben & Ella are. Ella & Benjamin really don't like these slides. They are too afraid to go down them by themselves. Ella wanted me to go down with her, but that was a bit impossible since I needed to watch Nicholas and his beauty bark eating ways. Ella was not pleased.

Then a bit later, Benjamin tells me he wants to go look at the water and find some ducks. I said to him that he needs to tell Ella to come down so we can go look at the water. He finds her (eventually), but she wants me to go down the slide with her and will not come down. UGH! After a while of talking to her, she comes down - but from the tube and steps, not from the big slide.

We wander over to the water and Benjamin asks me where the ducks are. There are no ducks. By this time, it has gotten quite windy and cold so I tell him that perhaps they have found a nice warm place to go to like perhaps we should. It was, after all, time for dinner. Those kids will not budge even though they agreed that they would come when I told them to - I know, you're shocked. You mean, almost 3 year olds don't pay attention to their own promises? It took Jon showing up for them to even budge from their spot near the water.

The weather today doesn't look so good, so I don't think we'll be playing outside today, but who knows?

We are thinking of what to do tomorrow for some fun if the weather is icky - we have some ideas so we'll see which one we pick. Other than that, my weekend will involve somehow trying to finish the book club pick (though I've read it before), laundry, cleaning upstairs and the grand finale to the weekend - staying up until 11:30 to watch the series finale of Lost. You East Coasters better stay quiet until us West Coasters have a chance to watch it...

Anyway, that's it for now. I'm trying to write more often so maybe you'll see more of my really interesting posts more often!

Catching Up

Well, in just under a month, Ben & Ella will be 3. Time goes by quickly - people who say that aren't kidding.

This past weekend, after learning about this place called Country Village in Bothell, we went to go visit it. I read on their website that they had a train and Ben & Ella have been talking about trains and busses all the time. So we went there this past Saturday when the weather was just beautiful. We got there, and the train ride wasn't ready yet so we played in a little playground that they have there for a while. Ben & Ella enjoyed climbing the ladder to the top of a pirate ship and also rocking on some horses down on the ground. They swung in the swings too. Nicholas enjoyed walking around. He was put into the swing but quickly voiced his disapproval as there were things to explore here. There were also roosters walking around - two of which started to fight when we were there.

After a while, the train ride was ready. It was a small little kid sized train but big enough for adults to go too. Ella & Benjamin really liked it and wanted to go on it again - as well as go into the bouncy house too. We decided to go into the Toys that Teach store. They got to play with a model train set for a while before we told them it was time for lunch. Benjamin went quietly after being told he could pick out a train to bring home. Ella - not so much. I had to take her kicking and screaming - ugh. Eventually, we went out. I went to go order some food while the other three watched the ducks in a little pond. The food was just eh and Ben & Ella apparently felt there was too much to look at to eat anything. Nicholas, since he didn't get a morning nap, was a bit cranky. So after lunch, we headed home so all 3 could take a nap.

__________________

Apparently, the kids at daycare/preschool have been eating outside at lunch when it's been nice outside - as they should. And since then and since we went to Country Village, Ella keeps talking about a picnic. So when it has been nice outside, we eat our dinner outside. Ella wanted to eat outside last night but since it was windy and threatening more of a downpour, we did not. She was not pleased. No matter how much I told her it was cold and wet outside.

_____________________

Nicholas has been saying a lot more words lately. He said a big word the other day - outside. He hasn't said it since though. He knows what it means too. If you ask him to go outside, he heads straight for the door. He has said door before as well and something that sounds like bear. Before last night, if I needed to calm him down or get him to go to sleep I would give him this polar bear that he just is excited by. Last night, it just wasn't cutting it. I tried to get him to calm down (he was overtired - he fell asleep on the way home last night and the night before) but nothing was working...until I gave him this stuffed orange bull. He was happy with that - put it under his head and fell asleep using it as a pillow. Eventually, he moved off that so I could take it out of his crib.

______________________

Other words that Nicholas has said - kitty or cat; nice (usually said when he is touching the kitty); and what's that. I'm sure there are others, but I'm blanking on them.

______________________

Benjamin has informed me that his name is not Ben - it is Benjamin.

_______________________

Benjamin is doing better with potty training but still not quite there yet. I thought he was doing really well when we went to Country Village and to church and he wore underwear the whole time without wetting himself, but apparently, that wasn't quite yet the consistent behavior I want/need. He forgets to tell the daycare people when he needs to go and he forgets to tell us until it is just too late. We're trying though. He's only going to be 3 next month and I said my goal was to have him trained by the time he was 3 1/2 (at least day time training - nighttime training is something (I heard) I just can't control - that is more up to their body to mature to that point).

Ella - is great with her potty training...when it comes to pee. With poo - still an issue. I just don't know what to do. They have their 3 year checkup soon, so unless it has somehow worked out by then, I'll be asking the pediatrician for advice on this one.

_______________________

A while ago, I started to sing "lullaby" to the kids at night in hopes it would calm them down to go to bed (sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't - usually the latter). Anyway, the other day we were driving home and Ella starts singing it to her bear. SO. CUTE.

Now the version of Lullaby I sing doesn't have the same lyrics though it has the same melody and sometimes I forget my own lyrics. I'm surprised Ella hasn't told me that isn't the way it goes when I do that. It all started this way because I couldn't remember the actual lyrics. My lyrics are like this:

Lullaby and good night
Go to sleep my three children
Go to sleep now, Go to sleep
And rest your pretty eyes
Go to sleep my 3
Your mommy loves you
Go to sleep my 3
And I will see you tomorrow

Lullaby and good night
Go to sleep my little Ella
Go to sleep now, Go to sleep
And rest your pretty eyes
Go to sleep Ella
Your mommy loves you
Go to sleep Ella
And I will see you tomorrow

Repeat for Benjamin & Nicholas.

Another Long Overdue Update

I can't seem to get myself motivated to blog anymore, but I should so I have some record of the cuteness my kids do and say... as well as the trials and tribulations in being a parent.

In order of birth...

First, Ella -

I guess this isn't so much cute as it is hooray! Ella is doing very well with potty training. I trust her not to pee in her underwear when we go out. However, she REFUSES to go poo in the potty and will just dance around when she needs to go until we give her a pull-up for nighttime. I don't know what to do to encourage her that going #2 in the potty is a good thing. Any suggestions are very much welcome on what we can do to encourage her.

Anyway, onto the cute things. One morning she told me that I shouldn't go to work. She wanted me to stay at home. She cried about it. I really didn't want to go to work after that - more so than I normally do. Then another night I was off to my book club meeting and she insisted that she go with me, so she did. She was extra shy girl (as I expected) but she was very good. And she came on a good night as one of the ladies brought cookies and cupcakes to celebrate another person's birthday! I wanted to have some one on one time with my kids as we haven't done that in a while, so I'm glad Ella and I got this opportunity to hang out together.

Ella is so cute with all her babies and her animals. She has to have about a million things on her bed before she can go to sleep. O.K. maybe I'm exaggerating but not by much. She has about 4 babies (one of which is a Bart Simpson doll that she says is the daddy), 2 cats, a couple dogs, a bull and a few other things. I really should take a picture. After she has all this stuff on her bed just so, I ask her where she plans to sleep and she look around her bed where there is no room and says "right here" as she moves stuff away.


Next, Benjamin

Last night, as I was getting ready for bed, I heard Benjamin and Ella laughing so I listened in on their conversation as I brushed my teeth. Benjamin was saying things like "Benjamin and Ella, go to bed!" Laughter. Then "Benjamin & Ella, lay down in your bed!" Squeals of laughter. So, our children are making fun of us...

Benjamin is doing o.k. with potty training. He isn't to the point of me trusting him to stay dry, but we're getting there. He will do both in the potty - just not on a consistent basis. I hope to have him fully trained by 3 1/2 (which is in 7 months).

About a week ago, I was coming out of the bedroom or something, and Benjamin says to me "mommy, I had chocolate." I asked him, "did you ask me if you could have some?" He says "no." Then I tell him "next time, you need to ask me if you can have some." He looked so saddened because he didn't think he was doing anything wrong. I moved the chocolates to a different place...though I wonder if I should keep it in the same place and see if he asks me next time or just does it quietly.


And last, but not least - Nicholas

He is 14 months now and says momma, waves hi, and says no (says that last one quite clearly). He says a bunch of things as if he talking one big long sentence, but it doesn't make any sense. He understands a lot more than what he can say and can understand simple instructions. We have started to wean him from his pacifier and well, it hurts me to hear him scream like that. However, last night, he had the entertainment of his siblings (they were making fun of us after all), so he didn't scream so much last night.

Before leaving the room last night, Jon put Nicholas into Benjamin's bed and He. Was. In. Heaven. He just kicked his legs all around and squealed with delight. It was so cute. He did seem more happy in Benjamin's bed than in Ella's bed. He definitely is so happy when his siblings include him in things and play with him.

A few nights ago, Nicholas came up to me from behind and hugged me and said something so softly - I choose to believe that he was saying "I Love You!" :-D


Ben & Ella will be 3 in just over a month. How did the time go by so quickly?!?! I'm trying to figure out what to do for their birthday. We will probably have a party at our house, but I'll need to pick a theme. Most likely Dora as that is all they want to watch these days - especially the Little Lamb episode. We are also going on a Thomas the Train ride in July that is part of their birthday present. I'm looking forward to that as they talk about going on the train or the bus all the time.

I am also in the middle of transitioning to a new pediatrician. Our old one is just fine, except sometimes I feel like she doesn't really listen to my concerns; their parking garage sucks for big vehicles like ours; and their billing practices are extremely annoying. Oh, and our favorite NP left to go to another state. So after some asking around, we found a new place. I just need to get everything sent over to the new place so I can make an appointment for N's 15 month checkup and B & E's 3 year checkup. I also finally got around to making a doctor appointment for myself. I haven't had a full physical in years. I was prompted to do so by 2 of my friends learning they have cancer (one breast and the other colon). However, I still need to make an appointment with my OB/GYN for that exam and to schedule my first mammogram. She said to wait until 6 months after breastfeeding ended and that's coming up.

Well, that's all. This has been long enough and I don't even know if anyone reads this anymore.