Time for Changes

This blog has been long ignored, as I've only posted sporadically over the last few years. I wonder if it's because I was trying to think of posts related to my son. And the older he has gotten, the more I've been able to focus on myself and I think the point of my posts should shift to that. I'm still a mom of one and, at 44, I am definitely DONE. But my life isn't all about my son and my blog shouldn't be either. I used to blog when I was single and dating and then planning my wedding and  I made the blog private some years ago when I switched to this one (and my former Wordpress one). I thought my entries flowed better and perhaps I just had more time to write--because I certainly don't now...  So Mom of One--and Done will be going through an evolution. I think there will be a mix of posts with how my now KINDERGARTNER is doing and how I am coping with my life. I don't know if anyone will actually read my blog but I guess it's more like a diary in some ways and I am not posting for readership.

Now to give some long overdue updates.

My husband had shoulder surgery in June and has been having physical therapy to rehab it since then. He will likely stop this month. He's improved but I don't think it will be 100% better. I guess as long as he isn't in pain any longer we are all happy.

Little Man is no longer so little. He "graduated" from Pre-K and started Kindergarten in September. He is a younger Kindergartner with an August birthday but he seems to be doing well. At least I hope so. I haven't been receiving any notes saying there have been behavioral issues like last year.

This Summer we joined a local water park and pool and enjoyed ourselves immensely. Little Man still had ear tubes, so we didn't manage swim lessons. But they have come out and as soon as Soccer ends (through our town... he likes it but isn't focused enough to do well) we'll set up swim lessons.

Me... I've eaten far too much the last six plus months and I've put on at least 10 lb. Possibly more. I refuse to weigh myself until the waistbands of my pants are looser. But today was day one of my new plan: EAT LESS, MOVE MORE, LOSE WEIGHT and as soon as I can figure out a way to go to meetings again, I'll rejoin Weight Watchers. The issue I have is that the times of the meetings aren't conducive to my lifestyle.  There were several Saturday meetings that could have worked, but I don't feel a rapport with the leader. But it always worked for me, so I'll have to suck it up again and get myself back on track. I feel awful about myself.  I hate how I look in pictures. I just want to feel slim again. And as I head to the halfway point of my 40s, I feel it even more.

My family... my mom has deteriorated so much that I hardly recognize her. She is miserable. She has no quality of life. I hate that I pray for her suffering to end, but I do daily. And I know so many people who have lost their parents and would do anything to have them back in their lives and here I am wishing my mom would die so she wouldn't be suffering. She cannot talk. She cannot walk. She doesn't read. She doesn't eat by mouth (permanent feeding tube). My son is uncomfortable around her, I think. And I hardly have the time to spend with her. I get home from work, cook, spend time with my son and husband. Take care of my senior dog. And when I go into my parents' suite, she is generally out of it and ready for bed. I feel for my dad who is her primary caregiver, but I'm unable to help him as he truly needs. Then there is my brother...  I cannot really say much there but I don't know how he'll manage in life once my dad is gone because I will not live with him or care for him. It's a shame how things have turned out.

My husband's family...  they are really good to me. But there are times when I feel very isolated. I don't feel a part of them and am often uncomfortable when around them in a group. I don't feel the same way when we visit my in-laws or my husband's siblings separately. Individually I am more confident and feel more comfortable. But in groups... I just feel awkward. It's not them, it's me. And I think being around them makes me feel sad that my extended family, with the exception of my aunts and uncles, aren't in my life.

I do need to make some other changes. I'll write more about that later. But changes are coming. I need to make them happen.

Dove® Advanced Care Deodorant with NutriumMoisture™

Last year I got an invite to try Influenster. I have to admit that I'm still not 100% sure if I'm doing what I'm supposed to be with this service but I'm trying. Basically they will send you free products to try in exchange for social media exposure and reviews. I don't get paid anything--I just get the product.

Last month I got to try a new deoderant: Dove® Advanced Care Deodorant with NutriumMoisture™. It's actually pretty good. I know, faint praise, but it's the truth. I'm not really sure how to rave about a deorderant but I'll do my best.

I've been using this for over a month now and my underarms feel really smooth. It's like the skin is softer than it was. And it keeps me dry and the scent is very pleasant. I'm not usually one who works out, so I'm not TOO active. But it's good to know it will work if I decide to switch things up.

So that's my short and sweet review of Dove® Advanced Care Deodorant with NutriumMoisture™. It's a good product and when my sample runs out, I'll definitely buy it again. Hopefully I'll find coupons.

Happy Birthday to Me

Yesterday was my birthday. Having a birthday on a Monday isn't the same as having on on a weekend, though. You get up. You go to work. Not much celebrating. But then having a birthday in your 40s isn't quite the same as when you are a child.  And birthdays wreak havoc on diets, because usually people want to take you out for lunch or dinner.

And I actually requested that I go out to eat last night. I didn't want cake. I wanted a nice meal out and not to have to cook or clean up.  Besides, yesterday was also "No Housework Day" so I figured I should follow that holiday to the letter!

That being said, it was a nice day. My friends on Facebook sent lovely birthday wishes. An old friend called me in the morning.  And my husband and parents gave me birthday gifts (a small shopping spree is in the near future). Plus "Little Man" sent me flowers (pic to come tomorrow).

As you all see, I have NOT blogged regularly in around a year. I'm not sure why. But I decided to start again and this is my new beginning.

This is me and Little Man yesterday morning. He sort of looks like me in this pic, which is rare. I love this kid SO much!!!

Today's Moms Article on Cranial Helmets

Little Man's photo (below) is featured in a Today Moms article: From 'Star Wars' to 'Superman,' baby medical helmets get creative.

I can hardly believe this photo was taken 4 years ago.  Little Man's head looks GREAT now.

I think this photo, taken a few weeks ago, shows off the back of his head well enough to see how it looks now. I'm so glad we decided to go with the DOC Band to reshape his head.

Hmm... what to do, what to do...

So I haven't blogged in months. How do I keep this up? Why do I even blog when I doubt I have many readers. It's a tough spot. But I think I need to get back to this.

I'll blog about our Disney trip this weekend.

I promise.

Lot of Updates

Wow. Last time I posted was after Little Man's 4th birthday.  I've been SO busy and honestly completely forgot about my blog.  So here is the quick rundown of the last 3 months.

September
Little Man started in the Pre-K class at his daycare. There are 3 groups of children and he is in the smallest group. I wasn't thrilled with how the students were split and still have some issues. He had a LOT of behavioral problems just after he turned 4. Defiance. Hitting and spitting at his teacher. Stomping his feet and being naughty. But... we made a sticker chart and reward him when he's had a good day. Now he is mostly well behaved. He has his off days, but I cannot expect perfection.

He also started soccer with the town's league, which has a Pre-K group. I won't say he is athletic, but he has been trying (some other children just cry and won't even go on the soccer field). This coming Saturday is the last game. I probably won't do this again until he's a bit older. But it's been fun.

He chose #4 because he's 4!

October
The month of birthday parties! Many of Little Man's friends have October birthdays. He had a blast at all of them. We went pumpkin picking and he also went with his daycare. We saw a new movie in the theaters--Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2. And Little Man was a Minion for Halloween. Surprised? He still quite likes minions and Despicable Me. Here he is!

"Minion Dave" for Halloween 2013

November

Well, I know it's only the 7th today but this month is BIG for my little guy. First he can READ!  Small words so far, but he's reading!!  And we are going to Walt Disney World next week! He is SO excited (heck, I'M excited). We got the Fall Free Dining promotion. And we're testing their new "Magic Bands" and staying on Disney property. I'll share pics and blog about the trip when we're back. Hoping for nice weather, low crowds and a happy 4-year-old.

Until Mid November...

Little Man is FOUR

My son has gone from baby to toddler to BOY.  He is a four-year-old boy! It's crazy how FAST it went. And I know he's still a little boy with a lot to learn... but I can hardly comprehend how my baby is not a baby any more. Though he thankfully still loves to cuddle with Mama and occasionally asks to be rocked to sleep. I love those moments and savor every snuggle.

And Little Man also had his first party with "school friends."  About 7 children from his daycare came to his party--along with our friends' daughter, who is 5 months younger--which was held at a local indoor play space thanks to a purchase from Groupon. It still ended up costing me $400 total (including all food) because I had to pay for additional children at $20 a pop... but my husband and I agreed it was worth it to see the pure joy in our son's face. He was SO happy to be the Birthday Boy. He even got a crown to wear.

I kept wondering about a theme. When I sent out the invites, he was getting into Monster's University so the invites and thank you's were with those images. But when it came to a birthday cake, he decided he wanted a MINION cake.

If you don't know minions, they are from Despicable Me 2 (and the original) and they are super cute little yellow guys who speak gibberish and wear goggles.

He LOVES them!

However, finding a cake at supermarket with the minions was impossible. They didn't have the DecoSet available. But I went to the DecoPac online store and downloaded the information on how to make a minion cake and purchase the set on Amazon. I brought it to my local Shop Rite and they were able to make the cake perfectly!

The cake looked just like this, with "Happy 4th Birthday Little Man" in yellow icing.

It tasted delicious as well!  Mmmm....

This Friday is Little Man's 4 year well visit. He gets 3 shots--boo!--but I promised him ice cream after. I'll report back with stats later. I expect him to be close to 42" and weigh around 40 lb. We'll see if I'm right.

Here's a pic of the family from his birthday.

Astrology ... Hmm...

I was perusing a site, from a posting on a friend's Facebook page, called Zodiac City and some of the Aries and Leo traits had me nodding my head (as I'm an Aries and Little Man is a Leo) and other scratching my head. Especially the bit about sleeping (for Little Man)

I wholeheartedly agree with this graphic:

Yep. I am probably too forgiving but before I forgive, I generally hold a grudge for a while.

This one I'm wondering about. Is my child NOT a typical Leo child? While I agree with the first two, he has no issues crying and when tired he fights sleep. While he is generous and shares with me and my husband, at school sharing is rough. Though is that because he's nearly 4? And I guess he has several friends who are girls. We shall see how he evolves.

The Tonsillectomy Recovery and Other Updates

It's been about a month since my last post. Initially I was unable to update after Little Man's surgery in June. Because, to be honest, the recovery SUCKED. I'm not even sure I can appropriately address how terrible it was with my words. But it was BAD.

So basically Little Man refused to take ANY medicine. He'd work himself up into a frenzy and cry and run away screaming "No medicine!" The antibiotics that were prescribed were preventative only, so we took the $25 copay loss and only got 2 doses into him (the first 24 hours). He wouldn't take liquid Tylenol so I purchased the Feverall acetaminophen suppositories. He actually preferred them to the oral medication, though not without a fight. But every so often I dosed him where I could. So I guess he was in considerable pain. I did manage to keep him hydrated--no clue how I did that--and he went between wanting nothing to eat to being STARVING. It was rough.

Basically for 12 days post-op, he ate macaroni and cheese. For breakfast. For lunch. For dinner. Mushy mac-n-cheese. With the occasional ice pop or fudgicle. He had yogurt too. That was IT. And those foods bound him up. So he'd complain that his tummy hurt--the combo of constipation and hunger! By day 10, I had enough and let him have some soft muffins and blueberries. He was much happier and the blueberries are the magic poop fruit. Seriously. Those with a thermos filled with Miralax infused water did the trick.

The poor kid would also wake several times a night SCREAMING!  The first night or two, I think it was from pain. But after that, he had night terrors. He didn't fully wake. He hit me and cried. Some nights he stayed in his bed, but I was there every 2 hours (like when he was a newborn, only not as easy). The first few nights he slept in bed with me and my husband--which meant WE got no sleep. He was able to articulate once that he was afraid of being put to sleep (and we were so careful to say the doctors would only HELP him fall asleep) and he was afraid to sleep. I felt awful.

Finally he had his post-op visit on our 5th anniversary (Saturday June 22nd) and the doctor gave the go-ahead for a normal diet. Thankfully the tonsils had healed properly with no complications. So we went to a diner and he had pancakes. Kiddo devoured them. He was SO hungry. He also tried some of my husband's orange juice and actually "stole" the cup. For about a week after, he was an eating machine. But now, a month later, he's slowed down.

Here are a few pics.

In other news...

• We took him to his first movie IN the movie theaters. Monster's University on June 23rd.
• He went back to daycare (after 2 weeks off) on the 24th and is doing really well. Even is going on field trips with on a big school bus!
• As for me... Hubby and I actually had an anniversary dinner out by ourselves!

So I guess that's it.  I know I keep saying that I'll update this blog more frequently. I guess I should, right? At the very least I'll try to write at least once a week. TRY is the key word.

Tonsils, Adenoids and Tubes

Again, it's been a month since I last caught up here. For the most part, not much happened in late May. We had a nice Memorial Day weekend with my husband's sister and family as well as my BFF and her family. And the first weekend in June we went back to the Bronx Zoo with friends.

Then came Monday, June 10th. Surgery day. I mentioned that he was having a tonsillectomy, adenoidectomy and myringotomy last month. Well it happened and it was ROUGH!

The OR was booked for 7 AM sharp, so we had to arrive by 5:30 AM.  We were 20 minutes late, but I figured they couldn't start without him. We did OK for the most part during check in. Little Man spelled his name for a nurse and let them weigh and measure him (38 lb and 41 inches). I think until the anesthesologist prescribed Versed (similar to Xanax) for his anxiety, we were OK. But once the nurse made him drink it, it was downhilll. Managed to get him into the hospital gown and he wanted me to go into the OR with him. The medication hit while we were in the staging area so he wasn't quite as belligerent as expected, but it still took me and his ENT and a nurse to hold him down while the anesthesologist administered the gas. He was out, finally, and I was ushered out of the OR at 6:55 AM.

The procedures were quick. The doctor came out at 7:40 to let us know it was all done. Apparently Little Man's tonsils were "really big." And we waited another 20 minutes (give or take) until we were taken to recovery to be with him. Upon arrival, we found out he'd ripped the IV right out of his hand upon rousing. He was HYSTERICAL.  Nothing and I mean NOTHING would calm him. My holding him helped for a minute. Then my husband tried. But he really didn't rouse well.  They moved us out of the PACU to the short stay recovery area (loud and not really conducive to recovery).

Little Man was crying and screaming the entire time. "I want to go home!" Over and over. He fell asleep on me for about 45 minutes. When he woke, we coaxed him to drink some more water and he peed. We had been telling him he could go home if he drank and peed. So he tells the nurses "I did what you said. I drank and peed. I'm a good boy. I want to go home."  I was nearly in tears and I think one of the nurses was too. But, thankfully, they sent us home a little before noon.

I'm not entirely sure that was the best thing. Since being home he has refused ALL medication. No pain meds. No antibiotics. I only managed to get the Rx ear drops in. But thankfully he's remained hydrated and I presume he's healing. Today is actually worse than yesterday (48 hours post op). Day 1, when his throat was still numb, he ate chocolate pudding and ate ice pops and ice cream. Yesterday he ate oatmeal. Today he's refusing foods (though, oddly, he had some mushy mac-n-cheese for lunch) but IS drinking. It's been so rough. And I can't even get a Feverall suppositiory in him.  At least he doesn't have a fever, though he's been at 99.5 a bit.

I think we must be the worst patients his ENT has seen. I called a few times and got mixed messages. I'm not 100% thrilled with the communication but I do realize that Little Man is NOT the ideal patient.

I knew going in this would be rough. But I guess I thought he'd at least have ice pops.

Thoughts on My Family

There are times when I worry about my son's future as an only child. He'll be alone. He won't have a sibling. Even though I planned to just have ONE child, these thoughts go through my mind. But then I think of my own poor relationship with my sibling. And while my husband loves and gets along with his brother, they certainly aren't close. So a sibling doesn't necessarily guarantee a good relationship and friendship into adulthood. But I guess I also worry about the fact that I had Little Man when I was 39... he's going to have elderly parents earlier in life. And no matter how well my husband and I may plan, when we are ill, everything will fall on him. That's assuming Little Man grows up to want us in his life as an adult. But I'll just go on that assumption based upon our relationships with our parents.

Families are complex. While I am pretty close with my aunts and uncles, I don't have much of a relationship with any of my cousins. Only two of the five are actually in touch with me (via Facebook, but they're in touch). And they both live far away so we couldn't actually get together anyway. Two are pleasant to me, but it's obvious we'll never reconnect. One considers me to dead to him for nothing I actually did. C'est la vie. I know I have done nothing wrong and my circumstances are what they are. But that has affected things and it's too bad. I am almost like an orphan, because nobody in my family has me over for holidays because of past actions made by someone else--but I get blamed, I guess.  My husband's family embraced me, but for some reason we just don't manage to connect any longer. A lot of it has to do with geography. It is what it is. But at least I know they have my back. At least I hope they do.

There are days when I feel lost. With my parents' health issues, they really aren't any support to me emotionally. My one aunt tries, but her life is so busy that she barely has time for herself and her two children. So I have nobody from "my side." And while I know my husband's family is there for me, it isn't quite the same.

Catching Up

Where to begin? It's been a good two months since I've actually posted something of interest. I guess I'll break the months down in sections and go from there, because a lot has happened.

MARCH

In our case it came in like a lamb and went out like a lion. Yikes. We finally made it to the dentist for Little Man's first check-up and it wasn't that great. He wasn't a fan of the chair and sat ON me the entire time. The x-rays weren't easy to get. Then I find out that Little Man has four cavities. FOUR! So I make appointments for him to get fillings. Fun times.

The first issue was my dog Casey and the chicken bones. He got into the garbage and the rotisserie chicken carcass. He ate the entire thing. After diarrhea and vomiting, I took him to the vet. He had gastritis and got meds (and lots of blood work, as he also has canine kidney disease). A quick $300 later and he recovered. But honestly I was worried. He was a very sick dog for a few days.

Then the week before Passover/Easter we had the "mystery illness."  He had a fever ranging from 100.7 to 102 for a full week. I ended up using 3 out of my 5 annual sick days (that I only got in March, after 3 months of employment) and my husband was off on Good Friday, when he finally felt better BUT came down with an ear infection.

Since Little Man has tubes, we did antibiotic ear drops (Ciprodex) but they did nothing. Took him back to the pediatrician and he got a prescription for a Z-pack. That finally did the trick and I made an appointment with his ENT for mid-April to follow up.  More on that later.

APRIL

That first Monday, after Little Man was finally better, I felt awful. I went to work with a fever. Bad call, but I only had 2 sick days left and felt like I could handle it. That evening I even went to my allergist for a check-up. But by dinnertime I felt AWFUL and my throat was on FIRE.  I had a 103 fever and felt like death. Of course sick day #4 was taken on Tuesday and I wen to my primary care doctor.

Strept Throat. That sucked. And led to sick day #5 (of 5) being taken on Wednesday. Plus a bad reaction the the generic Biaxin I was taking for the antibiotic. A switch to a sulfa drug did the trick, but I was on antibiotics for 12 days and that wasn't fun. Thank goodness my boss is a nice guy and gets that life happens. I am so grateful for being hired there.

Then Little Man's appointment with his ENT came on April 24th.  Apparently the one tube in his left ear (the one that got infected) partially came out and wasn't functioning. Plus I found out that his adenoids and tonsils are so large that he is unable to breathe through his nose. And he had another hearing test and he has loss in that one ear of >25 decibels. So the recommendation was another Myringotomy (tubes) and surgery to remove his Tonsils and Adenoids.

I have to admit that I'm freaking out a bit. I've read that the recovery from a tonsillectomy is NOT easy. And I'm expecting the worst. I'll post more about that later and probably will keep a record of his recovery. Surgery is set for June 10th.

We ended the month a bit better, with a trip to the Bronx Zoo. We're members and we go as often as we can. Little Man loves animals.

MAY

So far so good.

It was my husband's birthday. We saw Iron Man 3. We're planning our Fall vacation to Walt Disney World. I'm hoping this month is a good one.

I guess tha't all for now.  Sorry for hiatus again. I always start out with good intentions of blogging but then never follow through.

Wordless Wednesay

Explore! Rescue! Protect!

OCTONAUTS!!!!

Who or what is/are the Octonauts, you may ask? It's a cartoon on Disney Junior that my 3.5 year old son absolutely adores. Actually *I* absolutely adore it. Per Wikipedia, the show is:

The Octonauts is a British children's television series, produced by Silvergate Media for Cbeebies and animated by Brown Bag Films. The TV series is based on American children's books written by Vicki Wong and Michael C. Murphy of Meomi Design Inc. 

The Octonauts follows an underwater exploring crew made up of stylized anthropomorphic animals, a team of eight adventurers who live in an undersea base, the Octopod, from where they go on undersea adventures with the help of a fleet of aquatic vehicles. 

The subject matter is reminiscent of Star Trek and Thunderbirds^[1] blended with Jacques Cousteau. Although it is science fiction as regards its technology, the exotic creatures and locations that the crew encounter are real marine animals in their natural habitats.

Well, the show has been on Disney Junior for a while now, but there were no toys available in the United States. On Amazon you could find them, from Great Britain, at jacked up prices. So when Fisher-Price announced they'd be selling the toys at Toys R Us, I was very excited.

Then I went to their website and the toys were SOLD OUT online. The Octopod playset wasn't even shown on their site anymore--after being on there for a week or so. And the toys were back on Amazon, selling for at least 25% more--sometimes even twice their original retail price.

So I called my local store and, thankfully, they had all the toys. I stocked up.  Why?  Because I've instituted a sticker reward chart for Little Man for trying/eating new foods. He has been eating terribly. The same few meals. Lots of junk. And I need to change that.  Sadly, he needs incentive. The chart has 25 stars. If he fills in 10, he gets a small toy from a dollar store (or maybe a small Octonaut toy... we shall see). And when he hits 25, he gets a big one (he is unaware that it will be the Octopod playset).

These are all the toys I have waiting for Little Man. And I have a few pics of the other toys that I didn't get--and probably never will, if they are no longer available. I sure as hell am not paying twice the MSRP.

Octopod Playset

I am pretty sure this comes with Captain Barnacles (Polar Bear) and Kwazii (the Pirate Cat), but wasn't 100% sure, so I got backup figures that I probably will return. Little Man doesn't need two of those figurines. I also bought him the rest of the crew (along with creature) because he'll look at the box and say he "needs" them.

Peso (the Penguin) and the Comb Jelly -- Shellington (the Sea Otter) and the Sea Urchin

Tweak (the Rabbit) and the Squid -- Dashi (the Dog) and the Electric Torpedo Ray

Professor Inkling (the Octopus) and the Sea Horse-- Turnip (the Vegimal) and the Cuttlefish

I don't know how to explain about Turnip and the Vegimals (there are more). They are part vegetable, part animal. They seem to cook and clean the Octopod. It's somewhat disturbing.

Lastly, I did get ONE Gup vehicle (they have the Gup A, Gup B, Gup C and Gup D). This is a pic of all 4 that are sold. I purchased Kwazii's favorite Gup--the Gup B, which is designed to look like a shark.

I know I am completely overindulging my only child. It's terrible. But I am. And he has more toys than he knows to do with! So perhaps I've made the wrong choice to do so. But at least he plays well, and imaginatively with them. Little Man is very creative (see my Wordless Wednesday post where he put Rex in his Frog Wellies). I often hear him make his cars talk to each other (in Mater and Lightning McQueen type voices). So if I am going to overindulge him, at least he isn't spoiled by the toys. He PLAYS with them all.

Wordless Wednesday

Farewell February

The shortest month was a busy one, overall. Snowstorms. Potty training. Ice Cream Parties. It went so fast, yet it seems like it was forever. Last month at this time, we were preparing to pack away the pull-ups and now I have a fully potty-trained (and night trained!) little boy.  Farewell to my toddler, he is fully a PRESCHOOLER now. Little Man is three and a HALF now.

Though as much as he's a big boy, I am grateful that he still wants to snuggle with Mommy and sit on my lap. He is going through so many changes that I think he's occasionally struggling to adjust. He still needs work with sharing and taking turns. He has been more independent and will goof off at daycare (ie. make noise during nap/quiet time). He also has taken to hitting and shoving, which I'm not too pleased with. Thankfully his daycare teachers seem to understand that it's partially the age. And I feel better knowing that other children in his Chipmunk Class are doing this too.

Here is my silly boy waving around a slide whistle the other day.

Our other news is that we're planning a Fall vacation to Disney World! I won't say what dates exactly, but we're very excited for our first true family vacation and Little Man's first plane ride. I hope it goes well and I have many months to prepare for this. My son absolutely adores everything Disney. From Mickey Mouse Clubhouse to Little Einsteins to Jake and the Neverland Pirates to Doc McStuffins and the new show, Sofia the First. He loves Winnie the Pooh and, of course, TOY STORY. I think his head will explode when he sees Cinderella's Castle for the first time.

Over the coming months, I'm sure I'll be sharing plans on my blog. If anyone has advice or tips about traveling with a preschooler, please share. We know it's a big trip and that there is a lot involved. We're thrilled that we will be staying at a Disney resort (Port Orleans Riverside) and hope the trip will be as magical as we think. 

Next week, we go for follow-ups at the pediatric ENT and for our (his) first dental visit. The first was postponed due to the blizzard. I'm actually quite concerned that Little Man has a cavity. I'll find out for sure next week and will update with a post first dentist visit blog post--assuming it doesn't snow next week, which is a possibility.

Wordless Wednesday

Happy HALF Birthday!

Little Man is 3-1/2!

And he was potty trained BEFORE he turned 3-1/2!

Amazing!

He's done really well the last two weeks. He hasn't had any daytime accidents beyond peeing on his leg/pants when he was sitting on the little toilet in daycare. At night, he's had two pee accidents where I think he wakes himself before he floods the bed. But he is very upset when it's happened and he's called out very sadly "Mama, I'm wet. Help."

My poor kiddo doesn't like being wet.  Who does?

So we (and by we, I mean my husband) have been rousing Little Man around 10:30 PM for a "dream pee" per my sister-in-law's experience with my nephews. It works 90% of the time. One night he had his accident, he had actually peed at 10:30 but I guess he had more. But most times it holds him until he wakes.  Though there are nights, like last night, when he doesn't have to pee and gets all cranky that we've pulled him out of a sound sleep and into the bathroom to pee on command. It doesn't happen that way for most people, so why would it for a newly potty trained three-and-a-half year old?

Being newly potty trained also means wanting to call his grandparents whenever he makes a big poop in the toilet. Or announcing that he's done whatever when we are out at a restaurant. Fun times indeed. But he's proud of his accomplishment. Heck, so am I.

We have an "Ice Cream Party" planned for this weekend. Postponed from the prior, when we got a fair amount of snow. We didn't get the blizzard that New England and Long Island, NY did. But ten inches of snow isn't too shabby. So no sundaes with the cousins and extended family last week. But soon... we hope!

Today was Valentine's Day (and Little Man's half birthday, as February 14th is 6 months from August 14th). He had a party at daycare and gorged himself on Munckins and other sweets. Apparently all the kiddos in his class were in a sugar high for much of the day. Therefore I am not giving him his little Valentine from me (actually I forgot) until tomorrow.

I can hardly believe that 4 years ago this month, I still hadn't felt him move and didn't know for certain that I was having a boy (though I had a feeling) and now my Little Man is a BOY. He's not a toddler any longer. He's my little boy. Though, thankfully, he still is little and loves snuggles and kisses and hugs. My sweet little one... Happy Half Birthday and Valentine's Day.

Finally!

Little Man is potty trained. It's official. We're in UNDERPANTS!

I am amazed that he basically potty trained himself. It just clicked for him. I never thought it would, even though I know there are children who are older than him and not potty trained. But at 3 years and 5.5 months, Little Man is done with diapers and pull-ups!

We promised him an "ice cream party" to celebrate. Of course snow is predicted for this weekend, so perhaps it will be postponed. But the party is forthcoming.

Unless he doesn't stop hitting and pushing his friends and learns to take turns. We're still having issues. I'm not happy with how that's going and am not sure what to do.

Short post tonight as I'm slightly under the weather.

BAD with a Capital B!

The things you learn about your only child from his daycare teacher. At home, with no competition, he is typically well-behaved, with some moments of defiance and meltdowns. The meltdowns that, a year ago were intense, are even generally short-lived. Then he has to peacefully coexist (and play) with a dozen other 3-year-olds and that's when the problems begin.

SHARING

First off, Little Man has been having major issues with this. At home, he is the KING. Nobody to share with. Nobody to take his stuff—unless you count the dog, who often tries to steal his snacks. He can put a toy down and go back to it later and nobody else has taken it. That's a big part of the problem. Little Man is used to things being HIS and now he has to "take turns" and "share" and when he doesn't, he has a major meltdown.

Generally he isn't mad, he is heartbroken.

"I NEED the toy!"  "It's mine!"  

Or he takes what he wants and doesn't realize the consequences.

We are working on rewarding him for good behavior rather than reprimand him for bad. If he does share, he gets praise and a sticker or something small. I am trying not to punish him for what he does at school, but ...

Then we had absolute REFUSAL to do ANYTHING his teacher asked him to do.

No coloring.

No sitting for story time.

NO I DON'T WANT TO!

Oy.

Thankfully this isn't happening every day. And a lot of it is because... HE'S THREE!

Apparently three is a rough year. Pro-blogger "Scary Mommy" shared a funny blog post entitled: 10 REASONS AGE THREE IS MORE TERRIBLE THAN TWO and it's mostly true.

I just want the good days to greatly outnumber the BAD ones.  Is that wrong?

Oh, in other news... Little Man will be in big boy underwear starting on Saturday. Wish us luck. He's done really well in pull-ups this week. Barely any accidents and he's even waking up dry. It just "clicked" for him, like many said it would. I'll let you know how it goes in the next day or so.