Aaron: Play twains wif me, mommy?
Me: Yes, buggy, I'll plain trains with you in a couple minutes.
Aaron: You feedin' Mornin mouk?
Me: yep. I'm feeding Lauren milk. Ok?
Aaron: Ok. Pway twains done feedin' Mornin milk.
He's so sweet. I could just eat him up!
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Monday, December 27, 2010
Magic Soup
On the downhill slide to four years old, Ian has become much more difficult at the dinner table. Don't get me wrong, I have been blessed with two of the best eaters I have even seen! I believe children all reach a point when eating good food that is good for them is not a fun thing to do...so what's a parent to do? (Take them to Mickey-D's for some nuggets? NO!)
I can't speak for what works in every house, but Roger and I have learned that sometimes getting our kids to eat the food I made for dinner is all about creativity and spin. (and positive attitudes! Trust me, there are lots of nights when all we want to do is yell and give time outs and take away dinner, which always comes back to bite us in the rumps!)
I really should start keeping track of our ideas because nearly all of them are successful tactics for us, we just have to use them sparingly. We've done "dinner winner," where the best eater of dinner gets a special treat like a popsicle or "your choice" from the candy bucket. Or just dessert in general since we don't eat dessert every night. We encourage them to line up their peas on the plate, if that's what makes the peas interesting enough to eat. We may have even discussed how much broccoli you'd have to eat in order to turn green like Luigi. We have a rule (as of a few months ago) that even if you don't want what we are having, you have to eat as many bites as you are old. Most of the time, once the actual eating begins there is no more argument or mention of not liking or wanting dinner.
Tonight, I think was one of my most creative, successful moments yet! (I do say so myself...)
Tonight, we were having Italian Beef Soup for dinner. It's a tomato-beef soup that I made up many moons ago. It's a family favorite. We have it for dinner all.the.time. With the exception of the potatoes, Ian loves it. The potatoes are another story... he doesn't like potatoes in boiled, braised, baked or mashed form, but will eat them as wedges or fries. Eh. Not a battle I care to fight. He doesn't need the potatoes anyway if he's filling up on tomato soup broth and veggies. He'll come around someday.
So anyway, back to tonight. Ian was the first at the table after the dinner bell rang. He even said, "Wahoo!" after I told him what we were having, but as soon as his bowl was placed in front of him he exclaimed, "I don't wan't that! Mommy! Get me peanut butter and jelly!"
Ahem. "First of all, that's not how you ask for something. Second of all, you can have peanut butter and jelly after you eat your 3 bites."
The scoffing continued.
Then he said, "Mommy? How do they make Buzz Lightyear?"
And in my stroke of pure parenting genius (haha) I said what popped into my mind, "Start eating your soup and I'll tell you. It's magic soup. It makes mommy and daddy tell stories."
He picked up his spoon and started eating. As I told him how they make Buzz Lightyears in a silly story, he kept eating. By the time I was done he was done. But he was not finished...
"Mommy? How do they make Barbies?"
"Do you want more magic soup while I tell you?"
"uh-huh!"
Bumpadabum! He ate all of his dinner. And seconds.
Creativity and spin. It's the key to parenting at the dinner table. It also has a lot of other applications when you have 3 under 4...but that's a story for another day.
I can't speak for what works in every house, but Roger and I have learned that sometimes getting our kids to eat the food I made for dinner is all about creativity and spin. (and positive attitudes! Trust me, there are lots of nights when all we want to do is yell and give time outs and take away dinner, which always comes back to bite us in the rumps!)
I really should start keeping track of our ideas because nearly all of them are successful tactics for us, we just have to use them sparingly. We've done "dinner winner," where the best eater of dinner gets a special treat like a popsicle or "your choice" from the candy bucket. Or just dessert in general since we don't eat dessert every night. We encourage them to line up their peas on the plate, if that's what makes the peas interesting enough to eat. We may have even discussed how much broccoli you'd have to eat in order to turn green like Luigi. We have a rule (as of a few months ago) that even if you don't want what we are having, you have to eat as many bites as you are old. Most of the time, once the actual eating begins there is no more argument or mention of not liking or wanting dinner.
Tonight, I think was one of my most creative, successful moments yet! (I do say so myself...)
Tonight, we were having Italian Beef Soup for dinner. It's a tomato-beef soup that I made up many moons ago. It's a family favorite. We have it for dinner all.the.time. With the exception of the potatoes, Ian loves it. The potatoes are another story... he doesn't like potatoes in boiled, braised, baked or mashed form, but will eat them as wedges or fries. Eh. Not a battle I care to fight. He doesn't need the potatoes anyway if he's filling up on tomato soup broth and veggies. He'll come around someday.
So anyway, back to tonight. Ian was the first at the table after the dinner bell rang. He even said, "Wahoo!" after I told him what we were having, but as soon as his bowl was placed in front of him he exclaimed, "I don't wan't that! Mommy! Get me peanut butter and jelly!"
Ahem. "First of all, that's not how you ask for something. Second of all, you can have peanut butter and jelly after you eat your 3 bites."
The scoffing continued.
Then he said, "Mommy? How do they make Buzz Lightyear?"
And in my stroke of pure parenting genius (haha) I said what popped into my mind, "Start eating your soup and I'll tell you. It's magic soup. It makes mommy and daddy tell stories."
He picked up his spoon and started eating. As I told him how they make Buzz Lightyears in a silly story, he kept eating. By the time I was done he was done. But he was not finished...
"Mommy? How do they make Barbies?"
"Do you want more magic soup while I tell you?"
"uh-huh!"
Bumpadabum! He ate all of his dinner. And seconds.
Creativity and spin. It's the key to parenting at the dinner table. It also has a lot of other applications when you have 3 under 4...but that's a story for another day.
Saturday, December 25, 2010
Christmas Eve
A "Church Clothes" photo & A "new jammie" photo. Stockings hanging, cookies out... And the rest has yet to be revealed.
 |
| This was actually after we got home from church, our first "successful" Christmas Eve service since 2006 ...nobody crying, mama didn't have to leave the sanctuary, etc! Lovely! |
 |
| we only had 4 hooks, so Roger's and mine are on the same one. |
 |
| Stockings knitted for us by my "Aunt" Peggy Groover. |
Saturday, December 18, 2010
Almost 5 Months
Another post coming soon from a camera we gave to Ian to use... but for now, here's our almost-5-month-old in her bumgenius diaper.
Thursday, December 16, 2010
A Lunch Date
Today, Lauren & I went into the city to meet a friend for lunch! She was in Pittsburgh on business. We had never met in person before and it was really fun to finally lay my eyes on her in real life. And a momma's lunch out. Debbie got to eat her very first Primanti Bros. sandwich, a Pittsburgh tradition. What a nice lunch!
Monday, December 13, 2010
Thursday, December 9, 2010
My Name is Lauren
And I have huge eyes.
And a sinus infection.
Just like my brothers.
...anyone else notice that her hair has started to grow?
And a sinus infection.
Just like my brothers.
...anyone else notice that her hair has started to grow?
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
