Blogging

When we're sitting at the table, we usually ask each other, "How was your day," and "What did you do today." Isaiah has picked up on this conversation starter and loves it. Tonight he said, "I blogged today." We laughed and asked him what he blogged about. He said that he blogged about Gordon, one of the Thomas trains. Then we asked him what blogging means. He said, "I don't know." Ah. Two-year-olds.

Self-esteem?

Yesterday we borrowed Veggie Tales' Dave and the Giant Pickle from the library. I was putting it in the dvd player this morning when I noticed the subtitle on the front cover: "A lesson in self-esteem." Hmm. Last time I checked that's not what the story of David and Goliath is about. It's about having faith in God regardless of your circumstances and God being able to use anyone for the job, sometimes the least likely person. Now this is not a direct knock on Veggie Tales, because in general I think they're great for kids. And they're fun to watch. But to boil the story of David and Goliath down to a lesson in self-esteem is disappointing.

Advice

What's the best advice anyone has ever given you? When I was pregnant with Isaiah, I took all the baby classes, read several books, and talked to other moms, just trying to figure out the best way to take care of a baby. Then someone told me, "Just remember that your baby doesn't know what's right either." That was very reassuring. I realized that my baby would get used to things however I did them.

Some other great advice I got was from a parent at Eden, also when I was pregnant with Isaiah. (There's something about being pregnant that just screams "Give me advice!") I really respect this particular mom who is raising four wonderful daughters. She told me that I should keep my relationship with my husband a top priority even once I have children because when they're all grown and on their own, my husband and I will still have each other.

I was talking to my grandma on the phone the other day, and, as usual, we were talking about the boys. Grandma said that whatever I'm doing, it's best just to stop and play with them if they want me to, because before I know it they'll be grown.

So what's the best advice you've ever gotten from someone?

Review of Joseph

Last night Dan and I saw the Pittsburgh Musical Theater's production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. We enjoyed the upbeat, energetic, fast-paced show. I was thrilled to see that there was a live orchestra/band. The lighting, music, and actors were tight. They used the same set for the whole show, with creative uses in different scenes. The stairs lit up in multiple colors, and the track lighting around the stairs added energy. The narrator had a pleasant voice. Joseph and Pharoah (Elvis) had good voices too, but sometimes their deep voices were hard to hear over the music.

I question the director's judgment in the scene with Joseph and Potiphar's wife. Anyone who is familiar with the story of Joseph knows what this part is about. What happens in that scene is crucial to the overall story, so it can't be removed. But it could have been handled in a way so as to be more suggestive than actually showing certain things. The scene showed Potiphar's wife's 'interactions' with many men, and then her attempts to attract Joseph. Potiphar's wife's dominatrix-type costume was shocking to say the least, and the movements, etc., were far too over the top for a show that should be fairly family-friendly. I would not recommend taking children to this version of the show.

I applaud the modern twists the PMT gave to this show (some pop music and a Hannah Montana reference), and we enjoyed the many laugh-out-loud moments. It's too bad the show had to be tainted by one questionable scene. Overall, I would give it 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Anyway, it was a great night out without the boys! If you haven't been downtown to see a show lately, check out the cultural district schedule. The prices for shows are very reasonable if you're willing to sit in the gallery, and you can park for a mere $5.00.

Bills

We received two medical bills that our old insurance didn't cover. I called our new health insurance to see if they would pay for them, and I found out that the big one ($400) was already paid for! Also, they said they would cover the other one. What a wave of relief washed over me when I heard that! Then I started thinking; Having your medical bills paid for isn't as great as having all your sins paid for by Jesus!

TV and whoopee cushions

Is it just my kid or are all kids obsessed with tv? I think he would sit there all day and watch it if I would let him. The last few days we haven't watched much tv at all, and it has resulted in some tantrums. So yesterday I had Isaiah do about four or five art projects just so he would stay occupied and not whine. We cut pictures out of magazines and glued them on construction paper. That kept him busy til lunch.
Now today seems to be whoopee cushion day. Luckly Dan schooled me in the proper technique to blow up a whoopee cushion. (That is not something they teach in girl school).
Isaiah also came up with a fun game that anyone can play as long as you have tile that's big enough for two feet. It's called That's My Square. You stand on a square and say "That's my square." Everyone playing the game does this. Then, for the next round, you run to a different square and claim it as yours. A fun way to pass the time with a two year old. =)

Samuel is still little

We've told Isaiah that when Samuel is bigger they'll be able to play together. So every once in a while Isaiah will ask me, "Mommy, is Samuel big yet?" I wonder if he thinks Samuel will just wake up one day and be big. But I'm with Isaiah - looking forward to the time when they can play together.

I'm lonely

We've been giving the boys a bath together lately. It's not only fun but more convenient. I always take Samuel out first, and when I do, Isaiah says in a sad voice, "I'm lonely." It's really cute. I'm glad Isaiah and Samuel have each other.

When I walked in, they handed me a maraca...

On Saturday morning I tried a new class at the gym called Latin Combo. The theme of the class is "Ditch the workout. Join the party." (thus the maracas) It's basically a combination of several Latin dances and aerobics for one killer workout. Luckily for me it was the first day of the class, so the instructor explained all the dance steps and we got to practice them at a slower pace at first. I am certainly not the most coordinated person when it comes to any sort of dancing. In fact, I'm usually the one turning the wrong way, with the wrong hand in the air. But it was a good workout for a Saturday morning, and I'm planning to go back.

Other things I did this weekend: shopped at Target, made a bunch of meatballs with my mom, took Isaiah to the playground at the mall, and went to church.

Snowy woods

As I trudged through the snowy woods, I said to Dan, "Well, I needed something to blog about today." Let me back up. Dan has started running again. There's a development up the hill from our house where Dan ran the one day, and he wanted to know how long the one road is. So on our way home from somewhere else, we drove up that road just to clock the mileage. As we got to the end of the road, the minivan died. I mean, it just shut itself off. So we parked in the cul-de-sac while Dan checked out the battery. He determined that it was dead. Now, the road we were on isn't far from our house, but there's no road between them, if you know what I mean. It was snowing but not all that cold outside. So we set off through the woods on some sort of a path, with Isaiah running ahead, having a great old time. Dan carried Samuel who was in his carrier, and we walked the 1/4 mile home. Isaiah kept saying, "I wonder, where is my house?" But it was actually a nice walk which we never would have taken if the car didn't break down. I see it as a gift from God - quality family time.

My head is spinning

From the moment I woke up until now, I have been doing something. In the morning I had the normal kid stuff. Then I taught three piano lessons. Then I tried to pick out music for church and Samuel was crying, so I had to take care of him instead. Then I drove to McCandless and taught two more piano lessons. Then I came home and made dinner, ate it quickly, and got the music ready for worship team practice tonight. I went to church and had practice, and got home. My head literally hurts. I guess it's a headache, or I don't know. I might have had a crazy day, but I guess it's better than sitting around bored. =)

Undecorating

Doesn't everyone dread taking down their Christmas decorations? I know we do. Yesterday we decided it was time to do the deed. I was going to pack everything away during Isaiah's nap. I decided before he went down for his nap that he could put his ornaments in the container I bought for them. Then he put Samuel's ornaments in a different container. Isaiah loved taking the ornaments off so much that we just kept going. Before I knew it, all the ornaments were off the tree! Then he held the bag while I put the popcorn in. He didn't like when we had to turn the lights off. You should have seen his face when we started to take the tree apart. We had put it up while he was asleep one night, so he didn't realize that it came apart. But he helped pack away the tree branches too. I put all the snowmen in boxes, and it was done. And we actually enjoyed it. Who knew that taking down your tree could be almost as much fun as putting it up? Thank God for kids who can bring joy to any situation.

I have to give a shout out to my sister, Katherine, and brother-in-law, Matt. It's their third anniversary today. So congrats!

Look what I did

It's always a little scary when your kid says this, but today it was actually a good thing. Dan and I were upstairs putting our bedroom back together (after last Monday's laminate flooring project). We heard Isaiah calling for us and saying, "Look what I did" in a rather excited voice. So we went downstairs not knowing what to expect, and he showed us that he had gone potty all by himself! And he didn't even make a mess! We were so shocked and amazed. Later, before his nap, he actually did it again. And he didn't want any help. He wanted to do it all by himself.

By the way, I am still sore from power yoga.

You know you're a mom when...

• you have conversations like: "Mommy is this my thumb?" "Yes" "Ok" (tonight in the car)


• you have a wet spot on your clothes and you have no idea what/who it came from or what it is


• you regularly pull legos, plastic Sesame Street characters, etc. out of the bottom of your washer


• you can feed three people at the same time (one of them is yourself)


• you can feed yourself with your non-dominant hand


• you are good at prioritizing (congratulating the one on using the potty is more important than soothing the crying baby)


• you can't remember the last time you brushed your teeth and hair in the same day


• you have the entire day planned out but realize it might not happen as you planned


• you can make any leftovers into a casserole


• you know applesauce goes with every meal


• you make breakfast foods for dinner


• you are thrilled to have a half hour all to yourself


• you know the name of every Thomas Train and can recite half of the Thomas books by heart


• you have toys up to your ears
• you know it only takes one diaper malfunction to create an entire load of laundry


• you have never said: "The laundry is done."


• going anywhere is a major production in which you star as the pack animal


• you get the complete opposite advice from people and have absolutely no idea what to do


• you kiss your kids when they're sleeping because that's the only time you can catch them


• your idea of sleeping in is 8:30 a.m.

I tried something new today

Yoga. Actually, power yoga. Our gym was having a day where you could try some new classes. I met up with Beth and Erin who just happened to be there, and, after walking a mile on the treadmill, tried the power yoga class. It was in a heated room which was stifling at first, but after a while I didn't notice the heat. The instructor said that the room is heated so that while you're working out you sweat out toxins. Mental note: be extra hydrated before trying it again to prevent the lightheadedness that I felt at times. At first the workout wasn't too bad. But after repeating the same series of warriors, monkeys, up dogs and down dogs and whatever else, it started to get really tough. My arms and wrists hurt the most. And after having a baby, my abs are not nearly as strong as they need to be for yoga.

Some people say that Christians shouldn't do yoga or that yoga is new age. From my experience today, this class was purely a workout to add strength and flexibility to your body. There wasn't anything weird, except maybe that little candle flickering in the corner. =)

Anyway, it was a good experience, and it definitely took me outside my comfort zone.

Going to the Park

Yesterday it was in the 60's (in January!) so we went to the park. It was a blast. Samuel slept in his carrier most of the time, so Isaiah and I played around the playground. Just being able to get outside and have fun was really good for Isaiah and me. What a nice treat that was in the middle of the winter!

Isaiah's potty training is going really well. He hasn't had any accidents in two days. He seems to know when he has to 'go.'

It is really nice to get back to teaching piano lessons. I love just having that hour or two outside the house with no kids to tote with me!

Reflections on the Day

Ah, the ups and downs of parenting. I think Isaiah had about three or four time outs today related to potty training and eating. Maybe I'm trying to force potty training too much. I think tomorrow I'm going to back off some and see how that goes. And with eating, he can feed himself everything from cereal to yogurt, pizza, hamburgers, eggs, etc. But he'll only feed himself when he wants to. I've read that it's good to give two-year-olds choices so they have a sense of control over small things. So I let him choose between two flavors of yogurt, then he refused to eat the one he chose. That defiance is really hard to deal with. Yes, I can sit there and feed him, and he'll usually eat it. But I feel like he's big enough to feed himself so he should. My mom would probably tell me that there will come a day when I'll miss feeding him, and of course she'd be right. But it's still hard to deal with at the time.

Somewhere during all that craziness Samuel had his first bottle and took it like it was no big deal, which was fabulous. I'm going to be away from home for longer stretches of time starting Tuesday because I'm starting my piano lessons up again. So it was time for Samuel to take a bottle. Him taking it so easily was a bright spot in the day.

After the 50th tantrum of the day (Isaiah's, not mine ;) ), just when I was thinking this is about the worst day I've had in a long time, I started singing the clean up song that Isaiah's teacher sings at preschool. To my utter shock and amazement Isaiah started buzzing around like a busy little bee cleaning up his toys. This is the first time he's ever cleaned up all his toys by himself. Usually it takes me a half hour to clean up all his toys after he goes to bed. So that was wonderful.

I wonder if there's any other job that has such low lows and high highs all in the same day.

Feasting

I think our new sermon series at church is going to be interesting. We are starting a series on the seven Levitical feasts. This is a topic I don't know much about. I know a little about the Passover and Pentecost, but don't think I know anything about the other five feasts. The thing that amazes me is that there are reasons for everything they do during the feasts, and everything points to Jesus Christ. So, I'm looking forward to it and expecting to learn a lot.

Beauty

The other morning when Isaiah and I were eating breakfast I looked out the window. What I saw was indescribably beautiful. The snow was glistening and sparkling like glitter all over the yard. It instantly made me thank God for his amazing creation.

High Fashion

Dan said to me the other evening, "Now that's a fashion statement." I looked down at my clothes. At that moment it dawned on me that my leopard print fuzzy slippers, red and white snowman lounge pants and Steeler gold Jerome Bettis shirt probably should never be worn together again.

Struggle to be consistent

I've read a lot about potty training the last few days. There are so many different methods and there doesn't seem to be one 'right' way. Many people are starting to strongly question the method recommended by the American Pediatric Association, which is, basically, children will use the potty when they're ready, taking the initiative themselves. The problem with that is the average age that children are potty training is increasing every year, meaning that kids really aren't getting it on their own. See, kids have already learned to go in their diapers, so we have to re-teach them to go on the potty.

Regardless of the method, the one overriding theme is consistency on the part of the parents. Now, I am the least self-disciplined person I know. It is not something that comes naturally, and I really struggle with it. So potty training Isaiah is teaching me something too. =) When the little egg timer goes off, we drop everything and put him on the potty.

While we're on the topic of self-discipline, Dan is one of the most self-disciplined people I know. He gets up when it's pitch black outside, and gets to church by 7:00 a.m. when it's still dark! He doesn't even have a boss who's making sure he's there on time. Of course, he says God is his boss, which is true. But it's still beyond my comprehension. When I was teaching, I had to be at school by 7:50 a.m. Usually I squeaked in between 7:52 and 8:05.

Anyway, I'm working on my self-discipline.

Potty progress and cool poetry

Isaiah actually went on the potty once today. I was so happy, like when the Steelers won the Superbowl! So that was a big win today.

As I was getting music and scriptures ready for our Sunday service, I checked out nailscars.com. It's a website published by a pastor with some really innovative, creative ideas. I read the student poetry section and was struck by the openness and honesty in those poems. That's one of the greatest things about high schoolers - their willingness to be real and lay it all on the line. Check out this one:

Back and Forth
My faith here today

sways back and forth from true and false

I realize my calling,

but I can't seem to pursue it

God puts his love in my face
but I look right through it
I search for things to make me happy

I don't attempt to do what God wants for me
Why is everything in the world so simple it seems?

But I can't even read the word.
I am ashamed to wear the label Christian

and for this reason I cry out to God,

"HELP ME!"

-

Somehow we lose that openness and tranparency when we become adults. I feel like I have to do and say what people expect me to do and say. I feel like I have to be normal or something. I really admire people who have the courage to speak their mind, not caring what people think about them. It's hard to be real.

Potty Talk

We've had a lot of it at our house today. We're starting to potty train Isaiah. So far he doesn't get it. Ahh. More laundry. I don't think he's going to be one of those kids to potty train in a few days. I think he'll take weeks... or months.

Somehow the new year makes me want to clean and organize things. It's like I finally want to do all those things I put off last year. Needless to say, our house is very clean and organized right now! :) It also makes me think of reevaluating my life and what's in it. There have been a lot of changes from last year at this time. Since I'm not teaching school anymore, I have a lot more time and energy to focus on my family and church. I am still teaching piano lessons, which I really feel I need to do - not only to help bring in some income, but also to have a professional outlet. I need time and space to use the talents God gave me, to remember what I'm good at and what I love, apart from my family - piano and teaching. You put piano and teaching together and I'm a pretty happy camper! So maybe take some time today to look at your life and look at it from God's perspective. Maybe He'll show you some things He wants to add or take away. You never know.

Have a good one

Well, it's here! Happy 2008 everyone! Here's to a great new year!