Weekend & Operation Paci

Our weeks are so busy and there's so much running around that when we have the opportunity to hang around the house on the weekends, we do it.

This weekend Andrew had to finish up a science project building a model of his room to scale using the metric system.  This was originally a group project.  Andrew learned pretty early on the value of choosing a group of like-minded people {not necessarily your friends} so you're not the one left doing all the work.  After parent-teacher conferences, Andrew and I had a discussion about group projects and the group he was in.  They hadn't even started and had several steps that were to have been completed already.  I told him he would be doing the project on his own and if he wanted to not cause trouble with the people in his group he could be a part of that too, but he was doing his.  He said he was just going to work on his own. I contacted his teacher about it {we'd discussed it at conference} and that was that. She'd made an announcement later that day about how several students were working on the projects on their own because members of the groups were not pulling their weight.  Andrew learned the "choose your group carefully" lesson quickly. 

He spent the majority of his Saturday constructing his model of his bedroom and the 10 objects he had to include. They had to measure everything in centimenters and then build a smaller scaled model. His was primarily out of cardboard, cardstock and a few pieces of fabric.  It turned out pretty nice. He told me I can't say "cute".  I'm not one of those parents who does the project for the kid. So it definitely looks like a 12 year old, 6th grade boy made it. As it should. I helped him organize his process so he didn't get overwhelmed, but the rest was all his creation. Today he had to present it and talk about the process measuring and building. Hope it goes well!

While Andrew was architecting, Lily and I spent a lot of time outside this weekend.  We forgot about the Touch a Truck until too late in the day on Saturday. Booooooo! I didn't look at my planner. Dummy.   George was down with a headache a lot of the day Saturday.  I meal planned and went grocery shopping. Gave Andrew a break to make him come to the grocery store with me. haha He hates grocery shopping, but he's always impressed with my savings and asks a lot of about that. "Well how much would it have cost if you didn't use coupons? Wow. That's a lot more, Mom."  Meal planning saves my sanity grocery shopping and with supper.  I posted a menu on the fridge this week so I don't have to hear "What's for supper? 19341934139 times a week."  Plus with days when we have activities going on I need something quick and easy when we have someplace to be at night. Sanity saving.  I get it, Mom.  Thanks for modeling it.

Also, we started Operation Paci Weaning this weekend.  We now have two months and 3 days until our goal of completely removed paci by Lily's 2nd birthday. I can't believe she's almost two, but that's a different post. :)  For now, she can only have her paci when she's in bed--naptime and bedtime. We'd been doing that, but then she was sick and teething and before we knew it we'd created a monster! Day one, Saturday. I got her out of her crib, took her paci and said, "bye bye paci, see you at naptime" and tossed it in her crib. She cried for it while I changed her diaper. I asked if she was ready to go back to bed, she'd shake her head no, so paci stayed. I put her down after changing her and she started screaming for "Paaaaaaaaaa ceeeeeeeeeee!"  I said no and headed out of her room. She ran into Andrew's room asking him to help her, "Bubbbba! Paaaaaa ceeeeeee!" She ran back and forth crying, screaming...temper tantrum. I could not stop laughing! She finally came downstairs, got some milk to watch Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and asked for her paci a few times. I asked her if she was ready for her nap and told her she could have it at naptime.   Finally naptime came and she was happy for her paci.  Less dramatic scenario after naptime, but still some of the same...crying for her paci. Bedtime came and she got her paci relief. :)

Day two, Sunday.  She asked for her paci in the morning, but no tears or screaming. When naptime came, she didn't want it because she knew it meant she had to take a nap! Smart kid.  After nap, "bye bye paci".  She asked for a couple times in the evening when she got sleepy, but no screaming or crying. Bedtime came, so she got her paci. :)

Day three, Monday. Bye bye paci this morning when I got her up.  So far, she hasn't asked or cried for it. I love new good habits. :) 

We spent a lot of the afternoon Sunday outside, "Pay {play} pay, Mama!"  She colored with sidewalk chalk on the backporch. We played with a little bowling set she has, she went on her slide, played in her house, we blew bubbles, ran and explored. She's just so happy with simple. I love that about her.

Andrew finished his project then he and George played some video games together while I got Lily a bath and in bed.  She was definitely ready for bed last night.  Happy day, happy girl, happy mama!

I like our relaxing, non running around weekends at home. Summer begins soon and the older kids' schedules change, so it'll be a whole new adjustment for them and Lily. Until then, we've been savoring the moments.

Lil' Bit of Life

Happy Thursday!

Lily and I have had a productive morning in the kitchen since Andrew and Reag headed off to school.  Andrew is on day two of a science centered field trip, so I was up early packing his lunch, ensuring he was weather appropriate to be outdoors all day and getting all the things signed and returned to school that the big kids need each day.

After a breakfast of waffles for Andrew, Count Chocula for Reagan and yogee {yogurt} and Cheerios for Lily that resulted in her second timeout over breakfast, it was kitchen cleanup and dishes time. 

Whenever I'm cooking or doing something in the kitchen, Lily likes to be right in there too.  Most times, she plays with her play kitchen mimicking and chattering about washing her hands, counting what pans she's using or opening and closing the cabinets and turning knobs.  I love it! Well, except when I'm trying to make supper and she's hurling all her pots, pans, spoons etc. all over the kitchen floor so I have to move carefully around the landmines she's just planted.

I did the dishes while she played and made me eggs ~ "eggs mama?" I see now that the egg she made me was formerly a landmine on the floor. :)

See that scrape on her face in the last picture? Poor baby! Last night she played outside with Andrew and Reag and tripped on the concrete.  She scraped her face and her fingers, but otherwise ok. No screaming. A few tears at first, but they quickly stopped because she wanted to keep playing.

She was so happy to be outside with the big kids!

One final Lily note...we've GOT to fix the way she says "frog"...



yikes!

She Ate Dirt

Yesterday afternoon, we spent some time in the backyard enjoying the last bits of nice weather without being all bundled up in winter coats and boots.

This isn't our first rodeo, so Lily isn't chased around with hand sanitizer or one of us underneath her at all times. She would rather be mobile than be held, so despite having no shoes or pants on, she wanted DOWN yesterday afternoon when we were all out back. 

The ground was slightly damp from some previous days rain, but not wet enough that there wasn't dirt.

I was more worried she was going to stain her "1" onesie if she scooted her butt across the grass. But, rest assured since she won't walk yet and doesn't love for weird textures on her knees, she crab crawls instead.

While she was on her crabwalk, she decided that some dirt looked good...to eat. Quickly 3 handfuls made their way all the way into her mouth before I got near enough to get her.  She didn't make much issue about it at first and then started the spitting and drooling and sticking her tongue out to get it out of her mouth.

She literally looked like she had eaten Oreos as the inside of her mouth was that black.

She loved playing and the dirt eating didn't stop her from crabwalking to get where she wanted. She's been taking a few steps here and there still, so when she stands up like she's ready to go, I try to be ready to capture it on camera!  We were hoping that maybe the grass would bug her crawling and she'd try to walk more.  Nope, just squats.

She's just so much a "do things her own way" on her own time kind of person, so if she wants to eat dirt instead of walk, that's what she's going to do. 

And she'll stand proudly behind her decisions.