Epiphany......One of many I am sure. Little Miss Lulu.

Every day when we drop off Ruthie at school the teacher that comes to get Ruthie out of the car always says "good morning" to Lulu, and good bye, tries to engage her in some conversation at all. And everyday it is......... Nothing. Lulu looks out the window the other direction. WON'T EVEN LOOK AT HER! I guess she has the mindset that I can't see you, you can't see me.


Then everyday when we pull away she asks me... "When am I going to school?" and I always reply..... "When you go pee on the potty".


***********Note, this approach worked AMAZING for us. Ruthie potty trained herself in one day never looked back and thought that the day she peed on the potty, the next day the school bus would pull up and take her to school. she couldn't wait for school.

So yesterday I say to Lulu..."Do you want to go to school?"

Her response... "No, so I don't go pee on the potty!" "I am a baby"

That is when the light turns on.

If she doesn't want to do something she won't do it. She is so stubborn, strong willed, determined. So therefore, I always felt like this was a new thing for her with these bladder infections. She downright refuses to go, screams when asked to even go to the potty. But I really felt that it wasn't screaming in pain as much as it was screaming.... "Don't make me do this"

We have discussed the fact that she doesn't have to go to school for a really long time, until after we go to the cottage. (they always talk about our summer trip to the beach) We will try another approach.

Chuck E. Cheese and the offer of school worked for Ruthie, but it is clearly not Lulu's thing. Our kids couldn't be any more different.

All Lulu wants is bunk beds. Which anyone who knows Lulu will find this to be exactly the case and quite funny!

Lulu loves to sleep, she even walks up and puts herself in bed for her nap if you don't take her when she wants to go, sleeping and her bed is her favorite thing. So of course she would want bunk beds for her "Peeing on the potty treat".

I didn't even realize that I was putting pressure on her about peeing on the potty since we don't even really talk about it other than the drop off at school. So, we will see if she holds it for 24 hours at a time and then makes herself get sick any time in the near future.

I always try to comfort myself with the thought that she will go when she is ready like every other thing in life and she won't go to school with diapers yet...................... Although I can't help to think about that kid at camp that his first year on teenside (13 yrs) he wore depends at night because he didn't like getting out of bed to go to the bathroom.

Thanks for all the kind words and concern. She is really doing fine, no fevers, no infections, all tests came back clear. And she is back to driving Ruthie crazy. All is right with the world.

Case in point this picture, I have more of these pictures on my camera than I do of her smiling. Every time you try to get her to smile for the camera she does this!

Ruthie.....

I mentioned to Ruthie this morning that I couldn't believe how big she was getting and that I always thought that she would be "my little baby" forever.

Her reply:

"But Mommy, when you eat healthy food, you grow up to be big and strong" (you may as well add in the eye roll and the "Duh")

I TAUGHT HER THAT! SHE DOES LISTEN. I AM MAKING A DIFFERENCE.

And a little status update: While we have 2 of these shirts, she is growing out of them. I don't know what we are going to do!

Horrible Day

Today ranks up there with one of the most horrible experiences as a mother so far.

Lulu woke up complaining of a backache. (not normal for a 2 year old) and a fever of 102.5. When asked to point out where it hurt she pointed to right where her kidney's are. Called the doctor, brought her in, she WOULD NOT go pee for a sample and therefore the had to put in a catheter. It took 3 adults to hold her down, all the while she is screaming like I have NEVER heard her scream in my entire life, I don't ever want to hear that again. The doctor next to me a gentleman of Simon's build says to me.... "That is one of the strongest kids I have ever seen"..... Yeah, well wouldn't you put up a fight if that was being done to you?

Long story, this has been an on-going thing and they are doing a full culture of tests, she is on antibiotics and on Monday, they will need a fresh sample or it is back to the catheter. Well obviously I am going to avoid that at all costs. We went to Target she picked out her very own potty that plays music when she pees, got brand new panties. There have been promises made of her very own "Pretty Princess Panty Party". Like Ruthie did when she finally peed on the potty. Since this is not the first time of bribing her to pee when she clearly has had a problem she downright refuses to go on the potty at all. I was just giving it time and figured she would come around on her own, but clearly I will need to have an intervention with her because nobody wants a repeat of today. The poor girl is totally traumatized and is miserable.

Lulu's new throne. What girl doesn't want a Princess throne that play's music when you pee?

While at Target however, Ruthie felt left out of all the excitement and therefore I told her she could pick out a new pack of panties if she wanted. Well she picked out Lightning McQueen. Because quite honestly what girl doesn't want Lightning McQueen? It was really a toss-up between that and Spiderman, but Lightning won out. I tried to explain that boy panties fit differently than girls and she may like the feel of hers (easy way around the topic but there is a time and a place for that talk and it certainly is NOT in Target). I finally exhausted by today's festivities threw my hands up and said fine, Lighting it is. Ruthie came home and couldn't wait to put them on. For her sake, I am only going to let her wear them on days that she doesn't have school. Lord knows, she will be showing them to everybody she knows and I don't want the girls at school to start talking.

Lightning McQueen - what girl doesn't want Lightning McQueen panties?

Seriously, NEVER A DULL MOMENT!

Scenes from a Michigan Winter.....

Measurement taken on the table on our back deck. This is the snowfall in the past 2 weeks. Although, I am Totally certain that this is not entirely accurate as we have had some sunshine that has melted some of the snow and is causing the icicles.

This is from the temperature gage in my care taken while I was in the drop off line for Ruthie's school. This is just the temp and clearly not the wind chill which was unbearable.

I like to try and keep everything as upbeat as possible and try to find the silver lining but.........

ENOUGH OF THE SNOW AND FREEZING WEATHER ALREADY!!!!!

HEAR ME! ENOUGH!

This winter is just simply crazy! I feel like it is always snowing, my noise hairs are on permanent freeze, and my poor car (who is not even old) makes this horrible whining sound every time I turn it on as if to say (Are you flipping kidding me? you want me to drive in this?) We haven't even seen the cement on the street in our development in over 3 weeks. They just don't plow back here so literally, you just have to deal with driving over everyone else' tire marks until the road is even snow! Yuck, Yuck, Yuck.

To top it all off, I weirdly react to the cold. For example, while out in the cold for any length of time, I get HIVES. yes, you heard me. HIVES. My entire face and neck get to be this horrible hot temperature and itchy and for several hours, or even days (when skiing, or sledding for a very long time) I remember going to work in Columbus and people could tell if I took the dog out the night before from the red face and neck. I am just over it. As I was walking to my car today and slipped and made a spectacle of myself in all the snow, I was all loudly "SERIOUSLY, I AM DONE WITH THIS.....ENOUGH" Not too weird as I am positive this is not going to be the last time I talk to myself loudly in public. I am sure I made the guys in the barber shop day as I trip in front of the shop on the street and start yelling and talking to myself. Whatever.

I feel better already, I had to just get that out!

BOUNCE HOUSE

That is the answer to the question..... What should we do today since it is freezing outside and we have already gone sledding a million times this week?

The girls obviously love to dance so why not incorporate that into bouncing, Some mornings they want to do this first thing. They always want their 80's music. Never a dull moment at our house.

More Snow Days

Yes that is totally a bottle of BOONE'S

What did you do today Simon?

Oh, I built a fire in my neighbors backyard and decided to sit outside and cook hot dogs and drink beer like it was 90* yet it was 10*!!!!!

Seriously!

So, we had a babysitter scheduled since, I was supposed to be out of town this weekend, and obviously since the snow was out of control, I couldn't get out of here. (Another blog, for another day). Simon and I decided to keep our sitter and we were going to go to a movie, or out to lunch. Well, we hit the snow this morning to sled for a little bit, and Simon and our neighbor, (ALSO A FELLOW BUCKEYE, I FEEL IT IS IMPORTANT TO POINT OUT) thought, why not try and build a fire in his fire pit, in the crazy cold and snow. After they worked on it for almost 2 hours, I delayed the sitter for a little bit, then she arrived. I made some homemade cookies took another cooler of drinks over and we proceeded to pay a babysitter to sit and play with our kids, while we sat in our neighbors backyard, drank, and cooked hot dogs and pretended we weren't freezing all while enjoying Simon and Mike's handy work.

Is it safe to operate a sledge hammer after consuming Boone's

Once the girls warmed up and Andrea tired them out, we all went sledding again and then had a communal dinner. All in all it was a wonderful day. Just wish it wasn't a Sunday. I could totally do with another day to sleep in.

More sledding pics, just no action shots today!

Sledding - Snow Days

Simon in the snow

Ruthie

Lulu catching air!

YOU HAVE TO CLICK ON THIS PICTURE TO SEE RUTHIE'S FACE!


Big Wipeout!

loving the snow

We have had a crazy amount of snow the past few days and we have enjoyed playing outside in it. SEVERAL times a day. Last night for Bisson Family fun night we decided instead of swimming we should have a sledding/pizza/hot chocolate/adult beverage night.

Our neighbors across the street have a great little hill next to their house that is just perfect for sledding for the girls. So in exchange for the use of their hill we offered our house for the pizza, etc.

The snow is not stopping and we have already been out in it 3 times today and I am sure we will be out again later. This is really making me look forward to planning our 10 year anniversary trip to someplace really warm. I am going to look into that tonight!

Ruthie catching air!


Wipeout!

THE FAVORITE PART OF MY DAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

THE SQUEAL OF DELIGHT AS THE GIRLS SLED!!!!!!!!!!!

Shere Khan

******This was a post not to long ago, but was removed, it came up again last night while Simon was home and it still makes me shake my head, you just can't make this stuff up.**************

We were dancing and watching the Jungle Book the other night and we were all talking about what characters we wanted to be....... I so am Bagheera. Just because I like to say it.

Ruthie wants to be Shit Khan. No matter how matter times we sounded it out syllable by syllable, and she could do it, When put together it was SHIT KHAN every time. She is smarter than all of us and I know that she is partially doing this just to get a rise out of us. Simon had his shirt pulled up over his mouth trying not to laugh.

Now, how do I have the conversation with her that clearly Disney would never make a character in one of their movies Shit Khan.

I am just going to ignore it and hope that it goes away. And probably hide Jungle Book for a while. How is that for parenting?

New Year

So another New Year, filled with resolutions and lists and all sorts of fresh idea's.

Here is my idea for the new year.........

Yes, I have things I would love to do different or accomplish this year but why start off a new year with laundry lists hanging over my head of things I want to do and things I said I would do last year that have moved to the list again this year........ Instead.................

I am going to focus on the awesomeness of 2008. Celebrate all my accomplishments big and small. (Potty Training Ruthie to organizing a successful event for Junior Leauge - just to name a few). Why not start off the year with positive reflection of great things!

Focus on all the positives in life and the negative won't have anywhere to fit in!

Go on I dare you to try it!

Funny story... At least I think it is funny.

I am not quite sure if on my list of fun facts on my birthday I listed...... "Cannot sleep with anything hanging over my head". This pertains to pictures, shelves even slanted ceilings. I swear it is Feng Shui 101 or just me being totally kooky. I like to think it is the first one rather than the second..... Although Simon does say I am funny peculiar, not funny ha-ha.

But back to topic overhead (totally funny ha-ha, at least I think I am) ....... The shelf above my mom's guest bed. Seen here in this picture..

I usually sleep with my head at the other end of the bed or diagonal, as I do not sleep well with things hanging over my head.(See above - still funny) For whatever reason (I am sure pure exhaustion from NO sleep over the Holiday) We went to bed sleeping under the shelf at my mom's house the last night we were there. At about 3:30am I rolled over in bed and moved a pillow that apparently was under Simon's head. He then pushed on the wall to reach for another pillow. With that a HUGE crash occurs, and I can hear sliding! I just knew it had to be the annoying shelf above our heads. To the point that I just start yelling on the top of my lungs "THIS IS ABSOLUTELY WHY YOU DON'T HANG SHELVES OVER PEOPLE HEADS WHILE THEY TRY TO SLEEP" As I turn on the light I see the shelf hanging by one nail and the pieces of pottery sliding down and smashing and breaking on Simon's forehead. All the while he is half asleep and somewhat delirious as to 1. why is someone yelling, 2. why are things crashing, and 3. why hasn't anyone asked him if he is OK.

My mom comes running only to answer my yelling (of course not to ask if Simon is OK - just kidding love you mom) that in fact "You could have just taken the shelf down". An option that never has been mentioned in all the time I have been sleeping diagonal, backwards, upside down what have you.

Other than some goose eggs on his forehead he is ok. The fact that he nor my mother will NEVER live it down that I am not kooky and I do in fact have valid concerns will be just another thing he will have to attend therapy for.