Archive for March, 2017

Speak Up

Wednesday, March 29th, 2017

From Wednesday Mom – Janelle:
Jack is required to make several speeches to his class this year. He already presented two, and later this week he’ll present his final one of the year. Of course, it’s the hardest one. I’m confident he’ll do well just like the last two, but I still get nervous for him.

Jack made note cards with talking points to help him with his speech. He practiced with me over and over. I gave him a few notes and he made edits to his note cards. He improved, and he was happy with his persuasive approach. He chose the earliest date to present in order to get it over with first.

Jack has a quiet speaking voice, just like me. He gets frustrated when he has to repeat himself. We are practicing the cadence of his speech and volume of his voice. He wants to sound confident, but not yell at his audience.

The speeches he worked on this year helped him understand the need to speak up. He knows he must be louder in order for his audience to hear his point(s). He made absolutely sure while practicing this week to raise his voice and not feel so silly about it. He did a much better job. I made sure to praise his improvement.

I had fun practicing with Jack on his speech. He wrote the speech himself, and I enjoyed working with him, especially when he explained his reasoning. Jack learned that no matter how good his ideas, he must be able to explain them to others, and that takes lots of practice.

Sick Little Guy

Monday, March 27th, 2017

From Monday Mom – Neetika:
Poor Hudson has been sick for about a week. Once he started tugging at his ear, and had some eye crustiness, I knew it was time to head to the pediatrician. She said that although he has a lot of uncomfortable symptoms, they just add to a cold—a virus that can’t be treated with an antibiotic. She said he would start to feel better in five to seven more days. Sounds like an eternity to me!

I’ve been treating Hudson with pain reliever, small spoons of honey, warm baths and extra cuddles. He’s a fairly happy-go-lucky guy, but you can see his discomfort at night. He’ll pitifully plead with me “Nose. Nose.” I keep wiping, but it keeps coming. Often, he’s about to fall asleep just before he erupts into a fit of coughing. I wish I could do more to make him feel better or even explain what’s going on when he seems so very pitiful.

Warmer temperatures and fewer germs cannot get here soon enough. I may have to go online and purchase some sunblock, sunglasses, and beach toys. Perhaps I can will an early summer into existence!

Wishing you a week of health and fun.

Volunteer

Wednesday, March 22nd, 2017

From Wednesday Mom – Janelle:
I welcomed spring with open arms this week. The new blooms, mild temps, and longer days cheer me up… though I can live without the pollen. It’s a great time of year, here in the south, when being outside is enjoyable, before the HEAT of summer.

Springtime means my calendar is increasingly filling up with meetings, activities, sports, and events. I also took on volunteer work at my kids’ school and neighborhood swim team over the next several months. My duties aren’t strenuous, but do require commitment, spare time, and lots of learning. Luckily, there are several people working together and we’re hopeful it will be a success.

Sometimes volunteering can be more involved than expected, but the need was there. I try to help out when I’m able. If my volunteer work can benefit my children and their friends, it’s worth it to put forth the effort. Fingers crossed everything goes smoothly. Bring on the coffee!

 

 

 

 

Tooth Fairytale

Monday, March 20th, 2017

From Monday Mom – Neetika:
Something must be in the air! In addition to Tate, Haley recently lost her first tooth! She was really proud of herself when it finally came out. I was so excited for her. She couldn’t wait for the tooth fairy to come.

Haley wrote a really sweet letter to the tooth fairy asking what “Tooth Fairy Land” was like. Fortunately, the tooth fairy left a letter for Haley describing her home and saying that she hoped Haley could visit her one day! She also left Haley with a ten dollar bill! (Haley’s grandpa may have pulled some strings there.) The tooth fairy also reminded Haley that she needs to listen to her mother when it comes to brushing and flossing daily. I like this lady!

Haley was extremely nervous about her tooth coming out. So it was really great to see Haley reach this important milestone with enthusiasm and courage. She was really happy with the way things turned out—being ten dollars richer probably helped!
Enjoy your week.

Reaching Milestones

Wednesday, March 15th, 2017

From Wednesday Mom – Janelle:
Tate lost his first tooth last week. According to him, he waited an “eternity” for this milestone. Periodically, he asked why his teeth weren’t loose yet and why all his friends were missing teeth, but he wasn’t. I told him everyone’s timeline is different, and with some patience his tooth would find its way under his pillow soon enough.

At breakfast, he was incredibly excited and ran to me with his tooth in his fingers shouting, “I lost my tooth, I lost my tooth.” He was hilarious, but I hid a little sadness. When my youngest starts reaching milestones that remind me how quickly childhood passes, I get a little sad. Tate’s first day of Kindergarten was hard, but now he’s losing teeth, and concerned about his hairstyle. These moments are fleeting, but I’m happy to experience them together with both Jack and Tate.

So, instead of feeling down because I no longer have babies in the house, I am making sure to live in the moment and enjoy the day-to-day interaction with my boys. Some days are better than others, but the toothless smiles make a sad mommy happy.

Fruit Monsters

Monday, March 13th, 2017

From Monday Mom – Neetika:
My kids are obsessed with fruit. Obviously, there are worse foods to love. Haley’s favorites are grapes and berries. Hudson adores bananas and apples. They both love oranges. I am so glad that small, easy-to-peel mandarins are readily available in grocery stores these days. Grabbing a healthy, convenient snack couldn’t be easier.

A great additional benefit to having fruits around is that I eat them a lot, too. If it weren’t for the kids, I might not buy as many, since there’s always the risk of fresh produce going bad. These days, I know they will get eaten. I’ve also gotten a lot better about throwing extras in a healthy smoothie or juicing what I have on hand. I also make delicious banana bread for when those are about to get overripe. Hudson especially gobbles that up.

Now that we’re heading into spring, I’m looking forward to adding fruit to ice water. My absolute favorite is strawberry with a few slices of citrus. What’s funny is that my children hate water with fruit. They drink a ton of water since I don’t usually allow juice. I guess I’ve turned them into purists!

Since a lot of fruit is low in calories and is comprised of simple carbohydrates, I do sometimes worry about my kids eating too much, or rather—eating fruit instead of more diverse food options. But most days, they get their bread and milk and protein, too, so I’m pretty pleased. Even if they want to overindulge, this is one battle I’m often okay with losing.

Have a great week!

Neighborhood Vibes

Wednesday, March 8th, 2017

From Wednesday Mom – Janelle:
It’s hard to believe we are approaching almost a year since we’ve moved to Georgia. We enjoy our new town, neighborhood, and especially the friends we’ve met.

It’s refreshing meeting new people from different backgrounds. In previous years, we came from a military “family” where we literally get placed into our own group of friends and try to make relationships with people who all live the same type of lifestyle. I did make some life-long friends, but it’s also nice to get to know others who have a different perspective on the world.

Jack and Tate are developing better and better relationships with friends from school and in our neighborhood. The other day a bunch of kids were down at the cul- de- sac with an impromptu lemonade stand. The kids were all working together. Jack offered up a sleeve of cups. One girl was the advertiser, one boy was the salesperson, several were in charge of music, and others made their lemonade concoction. It was great to see the kids, of all different ages, playing well together. Soon after, parents joined in on the fun and had their own social gathering.

This is exactly the type of thing we hoped for when we picked our neighborhood. A tight group of people interacting and having fun. I’m thankful my kids get to grow up here and enjoy the benefits that come along with it. As the temps begin to warm up again, I look forward to more outdoor gatherings.

In Like A Lion

Monday, March 6th, 2017

From Monday Mom – Neetika:
Here in the Northeast, we’ve experienced some frigid temperatures as of late. The kids—and I—have had it with the cold weather. It wasn’t a difficult winter, but we’re sick of the constant colds, the inability to go outside and play for an extended period of time, and having to bundle up excessively. Even if it’s freezing in the morning, it’s hard to get Haley to put her gloves and hat on. For her, it’s just been too many days of the same. She’s ready for lighter attire.

I’m always conflicted when getting Haley dressed in the morning. I usually insist on a sweater. But sometimes the classroom is cranked with heat. Other times, the teacher responds to that by opening the window, and the room gets excessively chilly. It seem like a straightforward situation with a straightforward solution—wear layers and strip as necessary. Unfortunately, it’s not so simple for a kindergartener, especially one like Haley who is obsessed with rules and following directions. If her warm fleece is in the cubby by the backpacks? You better believe she’s not getting up and getting it. She doesn’t want to annoy her teacher and ask to retrieve it; she’d rather stay cold. It’s heartbreaking to think about as her parent. But it’s the reality. I’d rather be safe than sorry, so I always dress her warmly.

I’m sure as Haley ages, she’ll get the confidence to ask for what she needs. As for this year, only a few more weeks to go until we’re in true Spring. Hopefully March will go out like a lamb.

Talking Back

Wednesday, March 1st, 2017

From Wednesday Mom – Janelle:
Since Tate was a baby, he’s loved to express his feelings through words and emotions. He is very animated and loves to speak his mind. To this day, he can talk your ear off if you give him the time.

Tate also lacks a filter on his mouth. He says whatever is on his mind no matter how nice, or not so nice. He is slowly learning what is appropriate to say to me and say to others. He is learning the hard way.

The older Tate gets, the more he talks back to me. He is smart, and he knows how to push my buttons, especially in public. I don’t appreciate his antics, and I get red in the face when he acts out. My husband and I discipline Tate for his actions, and he usually regrets his outbursts. Just when he makes improvements, he has a bad day and regresses. Some days he apologizes and feels guilty, other days he has no remorse. When he is rested and in a good routine, he is better. I hope it improves before he is a teenager.

I want to take this opportunity to apologize to my mother, who I know is reading this, for my rude words, attitude and stubborn outbursts from my youth. Karma is currently taking over. Please accept my apology 🙂