Update re:Struggling

I just re-read my post from this afternoon; wow, it is bad!  I wrote that before I took a nap, after the kids were going nuts.....I guess I am trying to say, PLEASE don't call CPS.  But if you do, see if they have any tips for me!

Amber, thank you for your help and suggestions!  I am going  to try your new tally system for sure.  I realized I forgot to include positive reinforcement in my disciplining list; maybe because I don't do it enough.  This is something else I am going to work on!  That girl (Danielle) is sensitive and does need lots of one on one time and hugs!  I def. need to be better about that, and stop and take the time to do it!  I am sure things will improve when I make the effort with that....any other suggestions from my "mom of the year" post?

Struggling.....anyone else?

Ahh, take a deep breath, read on only if you're willing to listen to some venting.  Let me tell you, it has been a ROUGH 12 days, and yes I am counting.  It all started the Monday of Spring break.....my headstrong 4 year old (who thinks she's a grown adult in charge), will NOT LISTEN.  It's not only  the not listening, it is the flat out refusing, arguing, debating, negotiating, tantrums and shrieking that is sending me over the edge.  (And folks the whole smooth sailing after 4 years, is a bunch of BS)!

I feel like I need a parenting class just for Danielle.  She is so different than my other children and I don't know what to do with her.  She doesn't care about any of the consequences I have enforced.  She missed a B-day party, she has missed play dates, she has sat in time-out for hours (where upon she falls asleep), she has been spanked, things have been taken away from her, things have been given to her siblings for their good behavior, I tell you, this girl is tough to crack.  The thing of it is, it's STUPID stuff that gets her into trouble.  She doesn't want to brush her hair, she insists on sitting in a certain booster in the car, she won't share, she won't take turns, she won't follow simple directions.

I have been venting to friends all week and luckily they have been there, experienced it, or can at least sympathize with me.  The thing of it is, NO ONE has fixed the issues.  Will she grow out of it?  The question is:  Will she survive long enough, to grow out of it?

I feel horrible, I can't believe I am writing this but today, after a 20  minute screaming episode in the car, where I told her, "I am taking you to the police station, you can go to jail with all of the other naughty people."  Ellie freaked out more than she did.  (Spokane friends, the designated jail is the Yokes that closed on Sprague and Sullivan.  So if you have my children in your car and you drive by, go with it, when my children say, "There's the jail."  That is where we stop and get out of the car and wait for the child to make a good choice.  Is that detrimental?  Who is going to pay my kids' therapy fees?)

That's not even what I feel bad about.  I told Danielle after she got out of the car and I asked her to go inside and upstairs, she stood there and looked at me, I said, "Go away, you need to stay away from me right now, I am very angry."  I don't know how much she understood, but she finally DID listen to me. 

My children are now ALL having a rest so hopefully they can go to a friend's tonight for game night.  Wish them luck, hopefully they will earn that privilege.  Happy day everyone!

Any suggestions on my predicament would be greatly appreciated.....And yes, I know all of you moms out there have issues, if not this one, then some other kind, but I just had to release some of this frustration on my keyboard.

Toothless Wonder

I have always wondered why people make a big deal about kids losing their teeth. It happens to everyone, who cares? Well, I have to say, I think it's pretty darn hilarious. My boy is so goofy looking, I have to smile every time he does. He has the biggest hole in his mouth, sometimes I just stare dumbfounded at him.

 This picture doesn't show how much space he has on top for his new bucky beaver teeth to come in.  I have a feeling those suckers are going to be HUGE!  Is this the beginning of those "awkward" years?  I thought we had until puberty for that....

 We had to leave the YMCA early last night because his tooth was bleeding profusely.  They had the nerve to interrupt my workout because my child was bleeding.  Whatever.   We headed home and B attempted to eat dinner.  I actually took video of it because it was quite a feat for him to get anything in his mouth.  This tooth was DANGLING....he wouldn't let anyone touch it.  Finally it fell out while he was in bed at 5 am.  I guess we're lucky he didn't swallow/choke on it while he was sleeping.

 He is quite a looker ladies!  :)  I love this boy, he cracks me up!  I better check to see if the tooth fairy has come yet!  Sweet dreams everyone!

Cousins and Birthdays!

This probably should have been 4 different posts, but here we go.....  I got to work in the girls' classroom on their actual birthday.  Ms. Jenny  made them B-day crowns and they got to blow out their own candles.  It was all very exciting!  WE LOVE MS JENNY! 

Dani and her B-day treats and cake.

Ms. Jenny and Ellie

My Mom's B-day is on March 17th, so we got to celebrate her while Kalin and Leila were here!

I got a smokin' deal on The Deal Planet in Spokane.  The girls got to go to 4 hours of gymnastics for $12 each.  It worked out perfectly because it was on a morning where I had to work and my baby-sitter cancelled.  Thanks to Auntie Sarah for driving them to and from!  They had a blast with their cousins and learned LOTS of new skills.

Next up, cousins, Hunter and Noah came to town for their Spring Break.  We visited the YMCA and they did the climbing wall.  You have to be 4 years old, so it was the girls' first time! 

Dani was hesitant, but I was very proud that she got up there and tried!  She did great!

The girls; Ellie, Ally and Dani

Waiting their turns; Brayden, Ally, Dani, Noah and Ellie.

 This is my monkey, Ellie Bella.  Can you believe it?  First time up she climbed to the top.  What's next for her....?  I am going to have to keep this girl busy and active!

THEN, it was onto Grandma Phillips' and Hunter's B-day party!  Too much fun and WAY TOO much cake in this belly for a weeks time....I don't even want to think about it.

Great- G & G (Kent's Grandparents) partying it up!

The next week we had a hibernation party at the girls' pre-school.  I was the lucky mom that got to work that day!  :)  This is a HORRIBLE pic. Brayden was nice enough to take it.  Ignore the massive mess in the background, I guess we were playing hard that morning.  I felt pretty cool wearing these matching pajamas out and about.  Luckily, I drove straight to school, after standing at the bus stop with B, then straight home.  :)  It was a fun party, we made caves for our teddy bears, bear masks, and had a teddy bear picnic at snack time.  Pre-schoolers are so fun and happy (most of the time)!

Yesterday we had this little guys' B-day.  This is Emmett and he is just adorable!  He turned 4 and had a Super Mario Brothers party.  It was quite fun, the best part were the mustaches that were in the treat boxes, we ALL had lots of fun with them!

Ellie, Ally and Dani

I hope/think we are done with parties for a while.  March did me in!  My poor belly needs to see the gym hard core this week!  :(  But it was all worth it, so much fun!

We made it!

The girls are 4!  They are both quite excited.  Ellie makes sure that she lets everyone know.  I have to say, things might be easier ?!?  There seems to be alot of arguing going on.  For example:

Ellie:  "If you don't give me that, I am not going to play with you anymore.  I won't be your sister anymore!"

Dani:  "I won't share my room with you anymore.  You will have to sleep by yourself.  I won't be your friend!"    Good tmes, then they are instantly best friends again.  It's amazing that they NEVER hold a grudge and they never seem to be mad for more than a minute.  I wish I could let things go that easily!

HAPPY 4th BIRTHDAY to my beautiful girls!

                                                                          Danielle

                                                                     Elizabeth

  

                                                                     Ellie, Brayden and Dani

                                              Brayden; six and a half!  Happy half birthday Goo!

Birthdays galore!

                                                              

My baby girls turned 4 on March 14th!  It is hard to believe that 4 years have gone by. I was in tears the second I found out that I had two beautiful girls (Tears for many different reasons).  It has been an emotional, trying, exhilarating four years.  These girls have brought so much happiness into our lives, it still seems surreal to me. 

They have reached the landmark, 4 years!  Everyone says it is smooth sailing from here on out, at least until the teenage years.  I am waiting anxiously for that flip to switch.  As I type this, they are tearing through the house with their cousins.  Doors are slamming, voices are screaming and laughter is surrounding me (with occasional tears).  Here is to smooth sailing.........

Here is a little montage of the last 4 years.  I pick up their 4 year pics. next week and will post them then, I just couldn't hold myself back from memory lane with these little ones.   :)

  

Elizabeth Mackenzie ~ 1 year

Danielle Claire ~ 1 year

                                                                    Ellie Mack  ~ 2 years

                                                                    Claire Bear  ~ 2 years

                                                                  Dani Claire ~ 2.5 years

 Ellie Bella ~ 2.5 years

                                                                 Best Friends ~ 2.5 years

                                                             Ellie Beth ~ 3.5 years

Dani who yells!  ~ 3.5 years

Feeling it.

On Saturday, Kent, my SIL, Sarah and I went skiing at Mt. Spokane (Kelly didn't want to go).  My MIL was so kind and watched our kids for us.  It turned out to be a beautiful day on the mtn.  We all used our groupon tickets that we bought in the Fall and it included equipment rentals.  This was a huge treat for me because I have never used shaped skis.  That's right folks, my equipment is straight from 1990, or before, I can't really remember.  I am talking straight skis with little pointed tips.  The last time I skied (which was before the girls were born, 4 years ago) the lift operators actually laughed OUT LOUD and pointed at me.  They would look for me to return to the lift so they could point out my antique equipment.  It truly was mortifying.  Needless to say, I was super psyched to use modern day equipment! 

The skis were great but the boots were horrible.  I think I have permanent damage in my toes.  It truly was a great day that was full of fun memories and brought back lots of memories from when I was a kid.  I took the first fall and it was a doozy.  I caught an edge, crossed my skis, flipped head over skis (they didn't pop off) and was bent all crazy and things were in places where they weren't supposed to be.  It wasn't pretty and I am suffering today.  My neck is so sore, I could barely turn my head while driving.  When you have to refer to your toddlers to see if the road is clear to go, it's NOT a good thing.  I have definitely been feeling old lately, did I mention my babies are turning FOUR in a week?

And my oldest baby woke up like this today:


For some reason he had a hard time keeping his eyes open.  Doesn't he look goofy? He doesn't even look like my boy with that face.  He has a huge hole in his mouth, but it looks so much better than the tooth that has been dangling there for a month.  I am so glad it finally fell out!

The girls wanted to be in the pic. too.  Can't seem to get a decent picture of all of them.

When I was looking through our party decoration collection, I found this number six candle that we forgot to use for B.  He suggested we use it for his half  B-day (this boy is always thinking).  His half B-day was the next day so we made cupcakes and sang "Happy Half  B-day to you."  The kids thought it was hilarious.  We ate cupcakes and then headed to the YMCA for a family night swim.