Confessions of a (non) aerobic dance queen

So I was at the gym yesterday working out and while I was working out, I was watching what looked like an aerobic step class in action. The classroom has full-length windows, so it's not like I was spying. But I couldn't help watching them throughout my own workout, as I moved from machine to machine, lifting weights.

I will never be an aerobics or step class kind of person. This is not meant to be disparaging, it's more a statement of what I just don't think I *can* do than what I *want* to do. The class seemed to have many choreographed patterns to it, with arms swinging, jumping, lifting legs in complicated movements...Me, I'm hopelessly uncoordinated and I have trouble judging depth, so I wouldn't leap on and off of the step gracefully without having to look carefully each time to make sure I was actually making it on the darn thing.

Nope, I'm pretty darn sure you will never find me in that kind of class. Or if you do, I'll be the one in the back, laughing at herself and embarrassed because she can't keep up and can't keep the patterns straight and just missed jumping on the step entirely.

I'm all for working out, and I do try to do it faithfully. But I guess I'll just always be an elliptical/weight lifting kind of girl. But I will be the one who is gazing respectfully and a little wistfully into the window of your step class. If you are the type of girl/guy who does that class and does it even somewhat well, my hat's off to you. Wish I could join you.

Do you need to go potty?

No? You sure? Okay, okay, but I'm just going to have to ask you again in 5 minutes because it has been like 10 minutes since you last went, and I swear, you have the bladder the size of a pea.

What's this you say? You're not my small son? The one with the bladder the size of a pea? Hmm, sorry about that. I get into this rhythm of either asking or whisking him away to the potty every 10 minutes or so, and it just kind of gets under your skin. Makes you start looking at others and wondering if THEY need to go potty. And if they just so happen to be an adult with a child about the same age of yours, how long THEIR offspring can wait between piddles.

Yeah, it's exciting all right. My world is, if not entirely, mostly consumed with pee. And when it will happen. And how it will happen. And if it will happen right after I have asked if it needs to happen. Or in the highchair. You get the idea.

I can't even think of anything interesting going on in this manic world of ours that's as fascinating as potty training. Yes, I'm being sarcastic. But for you folks who have gone through potty training, you know EXACTLY what I'm talking about. And for those of you who haven't but will, all I have to offer you is a sympathetic and knowing smile.

And to ask, do you need to go potty? Really? You sure? Want to at least try?

Cranky days are here again

So it's been a very cranky day around our household so far. And I don't know exactly why.

Since it's the weekend, I got to sleep in this morning while John took the kids down and fed them breakfast. (Tomorrow will be his turn.) And the sleep was great and well-needed, but my dreams were strange and vivid and a little disturbing, all of which I attribute to pregnancy, but it meant I woke up feeling odd.

Once I came downstairs, it was obvious the kids were both feeling needy and cranky themselves and John was irritable. It's one thing when one of us is out of sorts and the other parent is fine, because then it sort of balances out. But when we're both teetering near the edge, it's just not good.

So far, we've managed, but we're both snappy and the kids are showing it by being moody and testy themselves. Ack, I really don't like this...but I don't know for sure how to change it. I'm hoping getting everyone out of the house this afternoon will help.

It's also a bummer because it's the weekend and this is when things are supposed to be relaxed and fun, right? Sigh.

Early Childhood Parenting for Examiner.com

So I have started a new adventure, and I'm very excited about it!

I am now the Denver Early Childhood Parenting writer for the Examiner.com. I'll be posting articles on a regular basis about my life as a mom and tips, advice, and solutions for other parents! I'm really hoping to build an online community of parents, so please take a look and join me!

The URL is: http://www.examiner.com/x-2370-Denver-Early-Childhood-Parenting-Examiner

Hop aboard and let's make a community of parents who can ask questions, support each other, learn from each other, and laugh about the mayhem of it all! :)

Moments of grace

So today was a good day to be a mommy, at least around my house. You get these days occasionally, and it's totally a thing of grace, because it reminds you how great your kids are and how much you enjoy being a mother. And why you're doing all this anyway. After a day like yesterday, which was kind of rough, it's a sweet thing indeed.

We told Sabrina this morning that I am going to have another baby, and she hasn't stopped talking about it all day. She is SO excited. She keeps wanting to see my belly and hug it, and has all sorts of plans about how she can help when the baby comes. And of course, lots of questions about what babies need and what they do. At one point, she asked what new babies eat, and I was explaining nursing to her, which really isn't a foreign concept, since she was nursed and she saw me nurse Nathan for nearly a year and a half. "Oh, yeah, Mommy," she said, "I know all about it. The baby will suck on your nickels, and that is how he will eat." LOL. I did go ahead and correct her and tell her that the right word was "nipples," but somehow, I'd rather she keep saying "nickles." The only bummer for her at this point is how long it will be until the baby is born. 4 months is an eternity when you're that small.

In other news, Nathan actually had a good day with potty training. We went ahead and hauled out the ol' potty chair last night, hoping that something smaller and more interesting than the actual porcelain throne itself might encourage him, and sure enough! He did a great job going in the potty (it plays music when the deed is accomplished, which thrilled him no end), and the only accident he had was in his pull-up when we were at the gym. And I knew that one was going to happen, because he didn't want to go potty at home before we left, and an hour plus is too long for him to wait. So I didn't mind that much.

And, lest you think all I care about is whether the kid has peed in the pot or not, he had a great day in general, all happy and funny and sweet. He's really getting big and smart, asking lots of questions and talking up a storm. I can't believe he'll be two in less than a month. My baby! Oh, it just tugs at my heart.

So between happy kids and a decent night's sleep last night, today was a good day in motherhood. I'm feeling satisfied and warm and fuzzy. I wonder how long I can get it to last...?

...And the beat goes on (whether you like it or not)

Have you ever noticed how unfair parenting is? Okay, yes, this is strictly sour grapes, but seriously...have you? Wouldn't it be nice if your needs came first once in awhile? I mean, you can be drop dead tired, so tired you can't even focus your eyes, and does it matter? Not really. Because the kids still need to be fed and played with and toted to school and various activities and the grocery shopping still needs to be done and dinner needs to be made. Take a nap? Take a break? I don't think so. And I work at home after the kids go to bed, so there isn't even the sweet victory of curling up on the couch after they are (finally!) asleep to watch some bad tv and relish the feeling of doing absolutely nothing.

Hmm, yes, perhaps I'm too tired to be writing this right now. I know I sound like one of those petty moms who complains about every little thing and everyone smiles thinly and nods like they're in total agreement with what she's saying, but what they're really thinking is "Geez, isn't this what you signed up for? Get over it!"

Well, I'll get over it. At the very least, I'll pray for a better night tonight than last night and hope that tomorrow will feel better than today. See, there was a ton of wind last night and it kept Sabrina awake, which made her panic and act all crazy for hours on end, and I'm sorry, we are simply not the most patient parents at 2am, much less 4am. Plus, I had just gotten my new pregnancy pillow in the mail and was really looking forward to a good night's sleep. It just makes it worse when you THINK you're going to get a good night's sleep and it doesn't happen.

Anyway, we're still at a stalemate with Nathan and the potty training. He steadfastly refused to sit on the potty today more than once or twice and cheerfully piddled all over himself and the floor instead. What else is new, right? The good news is that right before I put him to bed, he tooted and I duly asked if he wanted to go potty and (gasp) he said yes. So went to the potty we did, and he cheerfully sat on the potty and cheerfully pointed out the towels on the wall to me, and the toilet paper holder, etc., etc., and lo and behold, he went potty! I cheered and cheered for him and we went and got not one but two celebratory stickers for his sheet before we went and put him back down to bed. He was still cheering for himself as he went down, so there's hope yet.

One step forward, two puddles back...

So we've hit the inevitable - setbacks in potty training. After a few days of continued improvement, Nathan has started to rebel, saying "No!" every time we ask if he needs go to potty and nearly throwing himself off of the potty if we take him anyway. He has even learned how to stiffen his body so it is basically impossible to sit him down on the toilet.

So I've had to take a deep breath (or ten) and allow for him to go back to piddling on the floor and his undies, even if I've just offered to take him to the bathroom and he said no. It's frustrating because he was doing so well, but I know intellectually that forcing him to go when he doesn't want to will only make things worse. And we do not need for things to be worse.

I did take an extra trip to the store today to sweeten the deal and buy new, exciting stickers to use as incentive. He was all about the stickers when we bought them, but has since decided they are simply not worth the effort of actually going potty to earn. So they remain in their packages on the counter.

It's also hard because Sabrina was a fantastic potty-trainer and yes, I know I shouldn't compare my children, and yes, I know that boys tend to be harder to train. But I can't help but remember her smooth and constant curve upwards towards success when it comes to this whole thing. Unless I'm just conveniently forgetting the setbacks and problems we had and only remembering the good parts? Entirely possible.

Meanwhile, John went back to work from Christmas break today and Sabrina returns to school tomorrow. The kids and I lurched back into our old routine with creakiness this morning but we're managing. It was just so much easier to have John around all the time to help and to talk to. When's that winning lottery ticket going to come in so he can just quit his job for good?