Perspective

The past few days have been frustrating for me - I feel like I'm saying the same things over and over again and I might as well be talking to a wall. (Mostly things like, "do not hit your brother, do not kick your brother, do not push your brother down, do not use your brother's head as a basketball court...") Then I feel defeated when I lose my temper with Ian or get irritable with Matt at the end of a long day... I am so determined not to be that kind of mom... yet for some reason it has been right there under the surface. I've commiserated with other mommies and discussed with Matt and with others... but tonight I was able to talk with a mom with more experience - 3 kids grown and out of the house, now enjoying her first grandchild - who is also a professional educator for young kids with special needs. (Funny, this description also fits nearly exactly my mother-in-law... perhaps I need to plan some time to spend with her too!!) Isn't it interesting how sometimes it just takes a certain person saying something a certain way for it to click for you. I don't think that this was necessarily new information for me, but I have definitely lost sight of it lately. She said that Ian is not old enough yet to have self control. He can be taught about consequences, but it will be at least another six months to a year before I can expect to see him develop self control. She knows that it is hard for me to remember this because he is so very expressive and verbal. (I asked her to remind me at least once a week for a while!)

I feel so strongly that I need to teach Ian how to behave well and to be a good brother to Caleb. Sometimes that goal blurs my vision of what to expect right now. Of course this lesson will be a long one to teach! I don't want to be angry with my I-man for things that he just can't be expected to do yet. Or even if I feel anger, I don't want to express it to him. It's not his burden to bear. I read something earlier today about parenting: when you feel overly frustrated as a parent remember there's only one person having a harder time with it than you: your child.

:-)

Our gallery has finally been updated!

Recent Ian quote:

while having teeth brushed, "careful, there's a throat in there"

Ian's Bible verses learned:

Psalm 150:6 "Let everything that has breath praise the Lord."
Matthew 19:26 "With God all things are possible."
Psalm 127:3 "Children are a gift from the Lord."
Philippians 4:13 "I can do everything through him [Ian says God] who gives me strength."
Philippians 1:7 "For you have a very special place in my heart"

Not quite learned, but has said correctly at least once:

Psalm 34:4 "I prayed to the Lord and he answered me, freeing me from all my fears."
Psalm 91:11 "For he orders his angels to protect you wherever you go."

high chair hijinks

I already blogged about Caleb climbing out of the high chair and down to the floor last week... that was when I had taken the straps out to be washed, and we trusted that the tray would keep him in. As you can imagine the straps got put back in rather quickly after last time. Yesterday I ran upstairs to brush my teeth with him safely and tightly strapped in.



















Apparently, he can climb out of the straps too.

















And reach the fruit basket. When I came down he had a peach in one hand and a plum in the other, biting one and then the other, until he decided the peach was better.
















Sharing the plunder.





















Next stop: bathtub. And the superglue aisle of Meijer.

Velcro suit please!

We have a monkey on our hands. This morning Matt went to take the garbage out to the curb and left Caleb sitting safely in his high chair. He came back in, and Caleb was on the floor crawling around, happy as can be. I was in the shower at the time, and didn't hear any crying. Upon questioning Ian, he said Caleb crawled out. At dinner tonight, we decided to test this out. We left him sit after he was done eating and pulled the tray out some to give him room. Sure enough, out he goes, using the tray for leverage, up onto the table. He must've crawled from there onto a chair, and then onto the floor. Thank you God, for very attentive guardian angels!! I predict this kid is going to be out of his crib even before his brother was (18 months).

A side note: I discovered that my link on a friends' site was listed under "Zzzz (inactive)". Now come on. Isn't once a month often enough??? :-) Things around here are definitely busy, but not always fascinating. Hmph.