toddler

Toddler Happenings

I swear there will come a day, very soon, when I can’t stop talking about the good the bad and the ugly of BOTH kids, but for now my darling toddler hands me enough laughs to keep me busy for days. She literally does too. Jackson is in a super cute stage. He is still an infant so to speak, and cannot do anything on his own. We are close to rolling over, holding his own bottle, and finding his feet. For now though, he is just full of giggles and smiles and loves to be snuggled. Sleeps like total shit but you can’t look good AND be good at things as well right? The kid can jump hard in his Jolly Jumper though, I will give him that.

Little Miss Hallie, well that is entirely different breed. She is so fun right now, that is for sure. On the verge of her full sentences almost making some sense, full of hugs and kisses, and such a Mama Drama. There are at least 14,000 reasons as to why she breaks down crying each day, not all of them warranted by any means. Takes after her momma though, slightly emotional. With all of this awesomeness comes some huge development milestones. Lets start with the big one. The big, messy, brown one. POTTY TRAINING. I can’t do it. I am lacking serious faith on this. I start out with amazing confidence and an hour later she is in the bath tub and I am day drinking. But if it’s white wine it doesn’t really count right? I mean it’s almost a clear liquid, like water. Everyone needs water.

Since today was one of those days where clearly Hallie’s clothes were made of lava and she had to have them completely off or she would be burnt to death, I thought it was a great opportunity to do some potty training. I can already hear the sanctimommies task-tisking that I should be all ready to go ‘all in’ or not at all. But whatever, thought we would roll with it. Hallie spent a full hour running around naked before it was all I could do to get some ‘training panties’ on her. Following that I found four puddles throughout the house and one very happy-to-be-almost-naked toddler sitting in her own poop. Into the bath we go (after of course hitting up the kitchen for before mentioned glass of ‘water’). For the sake of everyone involved here I probably won’t go into further detail but lets just say it involved me scooping things out of the tub. The results of the afternoon…. probably going to delay potty training a little bit longer. I know she is ready. Just ain’t so sure momma is.

Another dragon that appears to have reared it’s ugly head is the picky toddler tummy dragon. She was choosy before but Hallie’s eating habits have quickly become… well quite frustrating to say the least. If I made it or put ANY effort in whatsoever, you can bet your boots it’s on the floor. Or the wall. Or on me. I just thank my lucky stars that she is obsessed with store bought squeeze pouches. I can take a bit of comfort in the fact that she is eating something. It also helps that the child safety lock on her ‘snack drawer’ is busted and I will often walk into the kitchen stepping all over fruit snacks and goldfish crackers. At least she is eating.

I think my favourite part of our ‘challenges’ right now though are the conversations. Though they are muddled and completely confusing to me, they are sweet as pie. Just like that little devil of mine. It is total gibberish but I know exactly what she is trying to say. The expressions that come along with it are priceless too and always put a smile on my face. Usually fits of laughter too.

Cheers Mommas. Another Monday down, and this one for me, was for the books.

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Potty Training

I cannot believe I am saying these words…. Is it time for such a task already?! When you pick up your toddler only to discover they have removed their diaper and are now in the nude on the lower half, then yes, it may be time. We purchased a Baby Bjourn potty when Hallie was 9 months old. I didn’t intend on starting anything that early. I merely wanted to introduce her to it so that she wasn’t afraid of it or anything when it came time to learn. Over time since then, we have successfully used the potty a few times, only by chance  and getting her to it in record time. She had no idea what she was doing or why I was clapping and cheering like a maniac when something appeared in the bowl. She also tried to PLAY with the filled bowl directly after filling it which even traumatized me slightly. For the most part, the potty sat in our bathroom up until now and Hallie would sit her kitty stuffie in it while she had bath time. Fun for the whole family haha. However, I think now it is time to really start using the potty for it’s actual function and not just an uncomfortable portable chair. I have been combing the internet for different resources and even picked up Sesame Streets ‘Elmo Goes Potty’ on DVD from the local thrift store. There are so many opinions on this subject out there that I feel like I am in the whole breastfeeding versus formula battle all over again. Parenting choices are HARD my friends! Either way though, I need to pick a method and stick to it. I have decided that when it comes to Day 1 and starting this arduous task, I am going to set up our wall-length baby gate and barricade us in the kitchen for the day. We will have our potty, toys, and all emergency materials for ‘accidents’. I just feel that by being in the kitchen it will minimize our chances for messy mishaps on my rug or sofa. Not that they are in pristine condition anymore anyways – thank you toddler and dog! I have also been told that we should stay close to home for the week while undergoing this training. Who knew it could be such a mission to take on?! I thought babies and newborns were the hard part. Toddlers, you really are on a different playing field and mommy is the rookie up to bat! Toddler 10, mom usually zero. What are your go to methods for teaching the do’s and don’t’s on toilet 101? I would love to hear from you with any tips that might help this scared momma out! Our first casual lesson with the potty and Elmo went interesting to say the least. It involved kitty on the throne again and one very happy toddler! Think she missed Elmo’s concept.

Step 1: Watching Elmo

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Step 2: Trying out technique on Kitty

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Step 3: Well I am not sure what step is happening here BUT I am pretty sure the lesson is over

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Flashback to when we bought the potty and she ‘tested it out – don’t you love a good ‘poo face’?!

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Valentines Day Fun

Valentines Day is this weekend! The holiday of looooooooove! I have always loved this holiday. Not that I have ever had an over-the-top, full of romance day…. Before I met my husband this day was definitely NOT one to look forward to. In fact, I would often make a cocktail date with other single girlfriends and get way too intoxicated on wine. But Henry and I have had a few good ones now for sure. For the life of me, I cannot remember last year’s Valentines Day. Hallie would have been four months old so perhaps I was still in sleep deprivation HELL and not able to recall all, or many for that matter, moments. It’s also very close to my birthday so perhaps it was overshadowed by that. Who knows?! One thing I do know that it was a day where we celebrated our commitment to each other in our marriage, something we try to remember to do as often as we possibly can! I would say daily but life gets in the way, let’s be honest. This year, we will be visiting family in Grand Forks for the weekend so we will be spending Valentines Day there. Won’t be a very romantic day between hubby and wife but I am determined to make it a great day for everyone, babies included. Hallie is still too young but she has noticed the abundance of hearts in our home, and even assisted in making Valentines this afternoon. Girlfriend definitely has a thing for arts & crafts, just like her momma! Now if she would just behave on our shopping excursions to Michaels…

Have you taken a look on Pinterest for Valentines related pins? So many cute ideas! This Reeces Pieces idea would be perfect for my husband as he LOVES those chocolates to bits and pieces (see what I did there?!). I am also LOVING this decor idea with the branches and tiny pink hearts. Bit late now and I do not have any spare branches on hand, believe it or not, but a next year craft for sure! Lastly, these hearts are just cute to boot. I don’t know what I would do with them (maybe assemble a garland over the fireplace?) but I think they would be super fun and easy to make. Aside from a few heart garlands and some festive bouquets, my house is on the minimalist side for V-Day decor. Shame on me, better luck next holiday! What sort of decor have you selected to celebrate the loooooove?

Though today was supposed to involve road trip prep and packing, Hallie and I spent most of the day cuddling, trying to get rid of our annoying colds. Hers more than mine unfortunately. FYI, when your child is not feeling well, maybe avoid giving them milk… It’s a real treat to have a curdled, cottage-cheese like liquid hurtled all over you as soon as you change out of the last shirt she spread her breakfast all over. So much for avoiding doing laundry before we leave! Poor kid… Despite that incident, she was mostly all smiles for the day. It’s amazing what Curious George can do. Between cuddles, I managed to get some serious baking and card making done. We made DELICIOUS strawberry shortcake cookies with chocolate chips (recipe here), home-cooked sweet potato for Hallie’s dinners this weekend, and cheese and chive scones with a melted butter glaze. YUM! They were intended for the drive up but I promise you they won’t last. As far as card making went, Hallie and I made Valentines for daddy! She contributed by ripping up pieces of pink paper for hers. It was so much fun! I think we have definitely started a new tradition of making our own Valentines versus buying them. Which also makes me curious about Valentines Day traditions. Do you have any that you repeat every year with your husband or family? I would love to start a few! Looks like I have something else to search for on Pinterest….. !!!!
Have a wonderfully romantic Valentines Day weekend everyone!

COOKIES!!
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First time @ making scones…. Filing under easy and delicious!
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Valentines Day Card Making – courtesy of Pinterest ideas of course!
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Life With A One Year Old

We are now in the ‘life with a one year old’ stage. It’s an exciting time, that is also nerve racking and exhausting and though life is speeding by at a mile a minute,  I am loving every moment. We got over the chaos of a trip back to Vancouver for the birthday party and all of the unpacking that went with it. This week has been filled with busy ‘mommy and me’ dates to Mother Goose at the library, crisp Fall walks along the river, trying to get errands done, and a bit of housework here and there. Amidst all the usual day to day activities, I am in awe of how much baby development has occured. It really was just last week that Hallie was taking her very first steps in an uncoordinated fashion. Over the course of two days she has been cruisin all over the house. A bit wobbly here and there of course but man can that girl get around! Speech has really sped up as well. Before we were getting a lot of ma-ma-ma-ma and da-da-da-da and for a good week or so, everything was ‘baby’. Now she is spitting out long convoluted sentences that are jam-packed full of baby words. I know that it’s only a matter of time before her sounds make actual words! I pray to God that her first word isn’t f#ck! With the baseball playoffs on in our house full-time and a husband who gets very INTO the game, I would not be a bit surprised if it was her first word. I have gently been reminding him to curb his language so that we can prevent this. Two other areas where we seem to have leaped bounds are eating and sleeping. My girl is a picky eater. She takes after her father and seems to have this thing with texture. If it’s slimy then there is a good chance it’s taking a flying leap off of the highchair tray and into the dog’s mouth. How obliging of her. But the last few days she has been  quite the hungry hippo and taking down whatever comes her way. My doctor jokingly said that Hallie could be the kid at daycare who shares all of her snacks. Her size indicates she could miss a few meals! Bless her… and her thighs! Sleeping has been good as well; though I don’t like to say it too loudly or even think about it as I fear doing this will jinx everything. Lets just say I feel slightly rested and that is a win in any momma’s book.

So that was a recap about all of the good. With the good always comes the bad my friends!  TANTRUMS! WTF. I thought tantrums came when your child could communicate. Apparently they happen because they can’t. It could be closing a door so that she can’t get into the bathroom and play with the toilet bowl water. It could be trying to sneakily hide my brand new iPhone 6 so that she can’t slobber all over it like my last phone and destroy it. It could be time for stroller or her carseat, and god forbid a strap-in harness keep this girl down. She will let the whole world know vocally that she is not down with whatever I am doing.  I am learning, episode by loud episode, not to let it get to me and to carry on with the task at hand. But holy crap, girlfriend needs to settle down.  Oh and then there is the teeth. How many teeth can naturally be cut at once, I wonder. Even my doctor was like ‘whoa that is quite a few teeth at once for her age!’. Every baby teethes in their own way and every parent ‘parents’ in their own way. We are advocates of the amber necklace and occasional use of baby Advil and Oragel when things get very bad. Many parents, some that I know as friends or family even, are against medicine for babies and it is totally cool, for them. We are a bit wussy in this house with pain though so that is the solution that has been working for us. I also know these days are numbered so I am not too worried!

That about sums up where we are at these days in the life of ‘One’. I am quickly learning that every single day is full of new challenges, new defeats and of course, new accomplishments. This crazy world of parenting just keeps going and flipping each day sideways and all we can do is hope we are doing a decent enough job that keeps our babies happy (and alive!).  Time to enjoy a Saturday night because who knows what Sunday will bring. =)

First Birthday For My Baby Girl

It feels like forever since I have written a post; it has just been too busy lately! Between Thanksgiving, ongoing home renovations, a teething baby who doesn’t sleep anymore, and a trip back to Vancouver, free time has been non-existent. I keep waiting for things to quiet down but really that is just not this family’s style. We thrive on the chaos I suppose….
Like I said we just came back from visiting family in friends in Vancouver. The trip to the Coast was for two main reasons. First reason is that I refuse to let go of my relationship with my doctor and Hallie was due for her one year appointment. I know that one day soon I will need to find a doctor in Kamloops but really, my doctor in North Vancouver is just so awesome. I love her and Hallie loves her so we are having a difficult time moving on. With that being said, we had to get Hallie’s one year immunizations done and it made sense to tie it into the trip! I am such a mean mommy though; I scheduled them for her actual birthday! Needless to say it was a bit of an emotional day. Considering it was four needles, my kid took it like a champ! I probably cried more than her. She had been teething badly all week long too so Friday quickly turned into a bit of an Advil day for my sweet girl. The second reason for our trip was to celebrate her FIRST BIRTHDAY! How is it possible my baby is one already? The year went by so quickly. Now my little baby is a toddler! Even Hubs can’t believe it so it’s not just a mom-thing.

So the birthday party….. man did I get a shock on this one! I have had my share of parties and many of them a little overwhelming. I have planned parties and events through work for many years and usually have a steady head on my shoulders. (meaning I can handle all of the stress!) Even at nine months pregnant I threw my own baby shower which was very busy and long and energetic… still, I kept calm hah! I did remain calm yesterday but it was a challenge! My mom’s house is on the tiny side. Many people didn’t RSVP either so as people poured into her little living room, with ALL of their kids, things got squishy very quickly. Hyper children everywhere. Plus a couple round Hallie’s age who are not solid walkers yet still want to play with the big kids so basically they are just tripping hazards. Throw in a couple of newborns and maybe 20 adults – then we have a party! (Insert moment to chug white wine here!). Luckily, most of the adults were those that have kids and didn’t seem to be too concerned. I THINK everyone had a good time but they could just be polite and secretly avoid all calls, texts and future party invitations from me. I am sure most of them are cursing me for hosting such a zoo of a birthday party but oh well. That is what happens when you don’t live here and have to host the party at your mother’s! =) In  the end, it was all worth it to see my baby smile!

About that baby!…. Hallie skipped napping entirely before the party. She did sleep in until 10 AM so I figured it would be okay. I was very wrong. Really, the only thing she was content doing was crawling outside to the yard where the big kids were playing. Her highlight of the day was sitting in the dirt. MY CHILD WAS FILTHY!!!! I salvaged the tutu and cream fur vest but the gold and white leggings were disgusting. Every time I tried to redirect her attention inside to people or other shiny objects, she would scream bloody murder. So back out in the dirt she went. If you can’t get dirty on your birthday when can you?! We also decided quickly that cake would happen outside. That was the best damn idea of the day! From then on, things relaxed a bit, or at least I did (perhaps the wine?) and I finally got to catch up with some friends. All in all, despite the chaos and stress of entertaining, it was a great day.

Happy birthday my sweet Hallie Marie! You are a wild child and I would not have that any other way. We love you to the moon and back and can’t wait to see how you grow this year! Love Mom & Dad! XOXOXO

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Oh yes AFTER haha… The poor baby fells asleep when I was trying to feed her dinner. Out cold. I like the comparison of the two pictures!