Ready for February to be over...

We have had a rough February this year. In the past 4 weeks, the girls have had 2 weeks with croupe/bronchitis, a week of diarrhea, a headcold, an ear infection, and then just recently Savannah got her hand smashed in the back end of a doctor's office door...so we got to visit the Radiology department at Olathe Medical Center. AAHHHHH! Enough sickness!

The big kid bed adjustment has been interesting. Emily stays in bed, but wakes up grouchy and unhappy. Savannah, gets out of bed at every opportunity she has. We've had one night where we didn't have to return Savannah to bed at all. The other nights, the routine goes like this: tuck her in, 5 minutes later she opens her door and runs down the hall with the biggest grin on her face. We return her to bed, again she opens the door and runs...and on and on. Finally we've had to start giving her a few spankings to get her to stay in bed. I really don't like that being the last thing she experiences before she falls asleep...but she'll continue to get out of bed for 2 hours after the initial bedtime. We don't know what else to do. As I'm writing this, Savannah is knocking on her door, in hopes that I'll open it and talk to her. I've been back to her room 5 times in the last 2o minutes after she's called out "Can somebody help me get back in my bed?, Can somebody help me get my poo-poo diaper off?, can somebody help me fix the window? (she pulled the blinds down all the way to the floor). And now, she's just knocking and singing. It's so frustrating...I just want her to sleep!

On the upside, I think the girls are both finally getting well. We spend a lot of time outside yesterday with the nice weather. Seth was home all day, helping me after my transforamenal epidural injection in my low back (Tuesday). Yes--those hurt like crazy and I was miserable until today. I get another injection next week. Not looking forward to that.

Well, I'd better go for now--have to return a little girl to bed...again.

Cute girls and time for big-kid beds.

Our girls can be so cute sometimes. Yesterday, Seth told Emily he had made "grown-up" oatmeal for breakfast and she got really excited and smiled so big, grabbed Seth's face and gave him a big kiss on the cheek. It really was very cute. Savannah is talking like a big girl a lot now. The other day she actually used the phrase "you and I" in a sentence when she was talking about going somewhere. Seth and I were surprised by that one. At night she'll now say "goodnight mom, love you too". So cute. What else...oh yes, Emily has told us she "wuvs my Biw-wy (billy) dog". Savannah tells us she "wuvs to pet Biw-wy". They are both very excited about helping to care for Billy. They each call dibs on letting him outside to potty, or dibs on feeding him. It's great--I hope it continues for a long time, I love the extra help.

Ah yes...today we took down the cribs and set up the big-kid beds. Emily was so happy she was flapping her arms and panting rapidly all with giant smile on her face (that's her excited dance). At first, Emily wanted to sleep in the bed sideways...it took a little co-ersion to get her to sleep in it the "normal" way. We'll see what direction she ends up in the morning. So far, as I'm writing this, Emily has stayed in her bed. Savannah on the other hand just now got quiet in her bed. She was in her bed for 5 minutes, then came running down the hall laughing, like she just got away with something. Seth took on the role of being the bedtime enforcer. He probably took her back to bed 15-20 times in half an hour. Savannah thought it was all fun and games, so he did have to start giving her a few spankings. After awhile I told him I didn't think the spanking was having any effect...and then suddenly her room was quiet. She's been in there since then--almost 40 minutes now. I'm not too sure what the rest of the night will be like. I probably won't sleep well, because my "mommy brain" will be on ultra sensitive sound alert, waiting for a little one to get out of her bed and roam the house. Hopefully that won't happen, but I'm fully expecting to have a visitor in our room extra early tomorrow. Stay tuned...

Hard day(s)

I am so frustrated today. The girls have been whining so much and fighting. They are in a phase right now of just being difficult to live with. I am so tired of trying to get them to help clean up their toys, or share toys, or take turns, or do anything I tell them. All I get is defiance. Emily and I were having a war over her stepping up onto the stepstool in our bathroom so she could wash hands. She wanted me to lift her up and place her on the top step. My left hand/thumb have been hurting for the past week and so I'm trying not to do any unnecessary lifting. So, I told her I couldn't lift her up and to just step up on her own. Big tantrum followed and she laid on the floor while Savannah and I ate breakfast. Later today, she goes into the bathroom on her own, and washes her hands all by herself. So, she doesn't NEED my help, but she likes to dictate and demand my help on many things that she can to do for herself. It drives me crazy. I know it's her age, but I can't wait for this phase to be over.

Part of the behavior problems I'm seeing lately are due to me being sick for the past 5 days. I don't know if it's a stomach bug, or just my body trying to adjust to a new birthcontrol pill, but I've been so nauseated and had horrible indigestion and no appetite. All I wanted to do was lay on the couch. All that is very similar to when I was pregnant with the girls, only then it was easier because I didn't have to care for anyone, and now that's a bit different. This whole experience brought back the memory of how sick I was while pregnant, and how long it lasted (week 9--17). I'm pretty much convinced that I just can't go through another pregnancy experience and remain sane or be a good mom. I'm not good when I feel sick. I'm grouchy, I don't want to be touched--just leave me alone and let me sleep until this yuck feeling goes away. That doesn't go over too well with my two 2 yr. olds. And, I cannot stand feeling nauseated for days and days. I remember around week 13 of my pregnancy that I was crying and telling Seth I hated everything and I never, ever wanted to be pregnant again. So, I really think I'm done having kids. I'm already planning to get rid of most of my stuff, except for a few things that my brother and his wife might want me to save for them to use when the time comes.

Now, if I can just get through the rest of today. Yikes, so much house work--the laundry is piled so high--literally, it's about 3 feet away from the ceiling in the corner of our hallway. Yep--whenI feel sick, I pretty much just stop doing everything. Poor Seth, he's had to play the role of single parent these past few days. He's such a good dad. :) Hopefully the girls will be in better moods when they wake up. I finally cut feet off the one-piece pajamas and have been putting them on Savannah backwards during naptime. This makes the 3rd day and she has not figured out how to get out of them (unlike a few days ago--she got out of the overalls and the duct tape). We'll see how long it lasts.

New photo of the girls

Emily (left) and Savannah, hugging.

Diaper war continues.

I am so tired today and the girls are extra whiny and grouchy. I wish they would wake up happy for once. I know why Savannah is grouchy--she was up at 12:30am--1:00am this morning. Want to know why? I bet you can guess...No pants, no diaper, soaking wet bed. I know she must have disrobed around 8:00pm because that's what time we put her to bed. She got mad because she didn't want to go to bed, and then when we offered to put her socks on and blanket on, she of course, decided to jump in her bed, ignore us, and basically tried to stall going to bed. I'm getting fed up with the whole controlling stall act before bedtime. So, I gave her two chances for me to put on her socks and blanket and then I told her she would have to put those on herself if she didn't stop jumping in her bed. So, of course she kept on jumping. I then told her goodnight, zipped her crib tent and then shut her door. Immediately I hear her yelling, "I want my blanket and socks on!". Over and over and with each minute her voice was getting more angry. In the back of my mind I knew she might disrobe and potty out of anger as has been her way lately. After 20 minutes she got quiet. So, later, just as I had gone to bed (around 12:15), about 15 minutes later I hear her yelling. Seth is already asleep, so I go into her room. Savannah is standing in her bed, shivering and crying and telling me she has potty in her bed. What an understatement! I bet she peed at least a quart of liquid--her blankets, sheets, and mattress pad were soaked! Savannah was soaked clear up to the middle of the back of her head. Yuck! So there I was at 12:30am giving Savannah a bath. After I got her cleaned up, and freshly diapered I put duct tape on her diaper. Not sure if that really helps. It seems she only really tries to take the diaper off when she gets mad. I don't want to put her in overalls for night time sleeping because that just seems uncomfortable, but I guess sleeping in pee for half the night isn't any better. I do have two pairs of hand-me-down footed one-piece pajamas, I guess I'll just have to cut the footed part off and dress her in those at night for now. This is so annoying, and I'm so tired of losing sleep because of it. At least I can be thankful that for now that both girls are not taking their diapers off at every sleeping occasion.

Duct Tape War

So, all last week Savannah took her diaper and pants off in her bed and then pottied on the sheets during naptime. Wednesday or Thursday I put duct tape over the diaper tabs. She took off her pants, but never figured out how to get the diaper off. Score: Duct tape 1, Savannah 0. Next day, no diaper off. Friday, pants off, diaper WITH duct tape off, potty in the bed--2 times. Saturday, diaper and duct tape off, pants off, no potty in the bed. Still very frustrating. So, Saturday night after work I went to every place in the mall that sells childrens clothing in search of overralls. I finally found some at JCPenny, though they are boys. Oh well, whatever works. Yesterday we put the duct tape over the diaper, and then put the overralls on backwards. Savannah woke up fully clothed. Today, same routine...we'll see if she gets out of them or not. I really hope this works. If it doesn't then I guess I'll have to find a one-piece pajamas without feet. I really hate buying clothes for just this purpose. I just wish she'd leave her diaper on.

I'm going to go crazy!

Can I just say that I absolutely hate it when my girls are sick? Really, I dread the beginning of illnesses because I know what's ahead for me. Is there something about being sick that automatically makes toddlers turn into difficult, almost evil at times, hard to be around kids? Seriously--I really think something happens. My girls are driving me crazy. I am so sick of the fighting and whining between the two of them. And if one is really feeling bad, the other takes that as her opportunity to get a few extra hits or pulling of hair in. What's up with that? What happened to being sympathetic? If I don't feel good or get hurt, they rush over to me and pat me and give me hugs and kisses. If either of them gets hurt or sick, they turn evil on each other! I just don't understand. I cannot wait until they are well. I can handle caring and babying a sick child a little while they are not feeling well, but the fighting and temper tantrums over some of the stupidest things is about to send me over the edge. Just this morning I had an all out wrestling match with Savannah over brushing her teeth...and then later over using a tissue instead of the entire roll of toilet paper to wipe her nose. AAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!!!!

To add to my frustration, naptime is not going well either. So, for the past few weeks, Savannah has been taking her pants and diaper off in her bed during naptime and then pottying in the bed. She has done this once in a while, but not consistently--until this week. She's been sick, so that has made her that much more grumpy and resistant to anything I need her to do. So, in protest of her nap, she's disrobing and peeing in the bed. Then when I go in to get her cleaned up, her first question to me is "Now can I go sleep on the couch?". I have never let her sleep on the couch, so I have no idea where she got this idea that if she pees in her bed that will mean she can go sleep on the couch. So, today makes day 4-in-a-row of the pottying during naptime. What I do when I go to her is get her out of bed, clean her up, tell her no taking diaper off in bed, change her sheets, then put her right back in bed. I'm so frustrated by this. Each day she asks the couch question. And each day I tell her no, change her sheets and put her back in bed. I don't have any of the one-piece zip-up sleepers without feet to put her in because she outgrows them too fast. I've thought of taping the diapers tabs with duct-tape, but I think she'll still find a way to get out of her diaper--half the time only one side is is undone and she's just slipped it off the other leg.

So, once again, mommmy does not get a nap. Grrrrr.....

Double Trouble

Okay, so since Thursday, Emily has been sick with fever, a bad cough, sore throat, and runny nose. She is NOT a pleasant sick child. In fact, it makes her one of the grouchiest, hard to be around people I know. And now, Savannah is sick with the same thing. So, I have two grouchy toddlers, who for some reason think being sick is a great excuse to just be difficult. Ultra resistant to EVERYTHING!!! It's driving me crazy, they have been fighting me on everything from teethbrushing to bathing. Sometimes I can't even get them to drink anything. I'm chilled out on the whole not wanting to eat thing, but they have to have fluids if they have fevers of 103. It's so frustrating. Today is hard because it's just me at home with the both of them. I am so tired and it's making me grouchy too. Since Thursday, Emily has been waking up 4 times during the night. Seth and I usually try to take turns, but Emily wants no one but me, so I end up hearing the fuss and getting woken up anyway. Last night Savannah woke up at 1:00am with a high fever and was coughing and her breathing just sounded labored. I was concerened she might have been having an asthma attack (I have asthma, and as a child I was sick a lot because of it...so I'm always on the lookout for signs of asthma developing in my girls). I took her to the bathroom, turned the hot water on in the shower and we just sat in the bathroom in the steam for about 20 minutes. It helped her breathing a little bit, but her heartrate seemed faster than normal. So, I was afraid we were going to have to go the ER. I woke Seth up and he was all out of it (such a heavy sleeper) and so I really have no idea if he knew what I was telling him about Savannah. I stayed up another half hour just holding her and listening to her breath. She was getting tired and so I gave her more Tylenol and put her in her bed. I couldn't go back to sleep for a long time because I was worried, and listening for more breathing difficulties. She ended up sleeping well through the night and didn't wake up until 8:30am (she usually is up by 7:00am).

Today, the girls are not getting along. Neither of them want to eat, no big deal, but I think it's contributing to their grouchiness. Nap time--HORRIBLE! Emily has been calling my name every 20-30 minutes. I go in to her room, tell her it's still nap time, and to lay down and go to sleep so she can get better. After several rounds of that I think she's finally asleep. So, I go to my bed and lay down, and just as I'm drifting off to sleep I hear "Mommy, up! I have potty in my bed!" Turns out it's Savannah who's resisting nap time now. So, I get her cleaned up, she asks if she can sleep on the couch now, I tell her no. I change her sheets and put her back in bed. All the while telling her no taking off her diaper in her bed. I even began a little mini-lecture about not going potty in her bed just so she can go sleep on the couch. I told her I would just change her sheets and then she'd have to go right back into her bed. I have NEVER let her sleep on the couch, so I don't know why in the last few weeks she thinks if she pees in her bed that she'll get to go sleep in the living room. So, here I am frustrated, exhausted, and a bit mad, and now both girls are crying in their rooms. So much for nap time.