1, 2, 3 Magic!

No pulling a bunny out of a hat or making a quarter come out of your ear, we are talking mommy magic. We have hit the terrible twos with Jacob and we were in need of some magic. My sweet hubs gets credit for this one. He is the one that stumbled upon 1, 2, 3 Magic (a discipline program), bought the kindle version and checked out the dvds at our local library.

The magic comes into play when your kids magically stop that obnoxious behavior. Chucking trains, crumbling to the ground, slapping you, lovingly driving toy cars on their sister's head. Yes, we are taking bout my child. Well, every kid has their poison (bad behavior of choice). This doesn't mean they're bad kids, or more importantly, we are bad parents. It's just that they are fairly new to this great, big world and they are still learning to navigate it, explore, learn new things, and express their emotions. Sometimes they don't have the best skills in place to do this without a melt down. But, then again, sometimes neither do I :/

1, 2, 3 Magic teaches you to use counting and consequences to discipline without wasting your time arguing, yelling or being physical. The hard part is sticking to the rules. Count firmly, be silent in between, be consistent in what you consider count worthy and most importantly, be CALM!!! I love how the author, Dr. Phelan, describes it. You are NOT raising mini adults, you are raising wild animals. The sooner we accept that, the more realistic our expectations.

Well, I jumped right in and let me tell you, it works. Now, your child isn't going to all of a sudden stop bad behavior on the first count. But, they do make progress very quickly. I started on a Tuesday and that same day he already understood what the counting meant. It has been about three weeks and he often stops a behavior by the second count and even puts himself on timeout when he knows something was 3 count worthy. Wow! The thing that I like about the program the most is what it has taught me. It has helped me stay calm and really pay attention to why Jacob is misbehaving. It has helped me to be a more in control and intentional parent.

The little things

I can't believe fall is just around the corner. It has me thinking how fast the kids are growing. Jacob just turned two and Ellie already more than halfway to one. I have been making an effort to soak up the little things that make being a mom so wonderful. It can be hard to do when your day is filled, filled, filled and things always need to be done. Feed the kids, wash the dishes, grocery store, laundry, dinner, naps, blah, blah, blah. I'm getting tired just thinking about it. In between those crazy tasks I am getting on the floor to play with Jacob or holding Ellie close to snuggle. These are the moments I will never get back, that I will miss one day. Special moments that we have had lately: Jacob kissing my "co co" (ouchie), Ellie saying "mama", Jacob singing some of the words to Amazing Grace as I rock him, Ellie lighting up and laughing anytime her brother gets near her, getting a call from Mario to say "How are you beautiful?" This is the stuff that makes life so great. That I thank God for. I hope that you take a moment to soak up the little special moments that make your life so great!

Tasty Trials: 3 ingredient Nutella cookies

Let me start off by noting-> #pinterestfail #notsotastytrial. I was craving something sweet tonight so I looked to pinterest for some quick inspiration. 3 ingredient Nutella cookies. This must be too easy to be good. Yep, I was right. They were dry and kinda bland. :( Bummer. Wouldn't it be nice to know before you go ahead and waste your time and calories? Well, there you go. Don't pin that one. And here's a sad picture to prove it :/

#mommyproblems #thestuffmomnevertoldyou

Lets talk about it. The stuff no one every told you about having a baby. We all read the books, downloaded the apps and went to the classes. What to expect while pregnant, how to care for baby, baby makes three, breastfeeding 101, etc. But, what about all the other stuff? That my friend, I learned on my own. You can expect all or some of the following (not in any particular order): 1) You may develop stretch marks on your "ars" that resemble tiger stripes 2) You will never again be able to sneeze or cough without peeing just a tad 3) Your hair will fall out in chunks around 4-8 months after baby is born 4) Niplash (as I have seen it called) the baby will try to take your nipple and jerk it's head to observe anything and everything 5) The sound of a baby crying (not even your baby) can make you leak like Niagra Falls 6) You still crave all those chocolate shakes and French fries when your no longer pregnant 7) Your boobs are sad and saggy 8) Your skin is super dry (the kid sucks the moisture out of you) 9) Your diet will either consist of bread crust, crackers and coffee or drive through 10) HOT flashes can strike at any moment (even if it's December and you have the air blasting) 11) You're lucky if you get a shower before 4 pm 12) Going to get gas and Walmart by yourself!!! is a treat! I know, your reading this thinking....why did I sign up for this? Well, because...they're totally worth it!

Our Neck of the Woods

Potty training, separation anxiety, oh my! But, mommy still needs to take a shower, eat lunch and drink a jug of coffee ( preferably, not in that order). I would most definitely prefer coffee, then food, then shower. Like my kids really care if I stink. On to our main topics. The potty training tales began almost a month ago. I decided to go with the cold turkey, barracade yourself in the house approach. Yay, it worked! A few things that I recommend: be prepared for them to have TONS of accidents the first day (maybe two). It helped to fill a diaper caddy/basket with vinegar water bottle, flushable wipes, extra undies, rags, and treats. We went straight from diapers to undies and the first two days he was learning what it felt like to not go in a diaper. Timer every 20/30 mins, treat and sticker and a big hurrah. By the third day he knew what it felt like, but still couldn't quite hold it long enough to always make it in time. By the fourth day he was telling me and making it. He did start out very excited and quickly got tired of having to leave his toys behind to sit on the jon. Yes, I'm guilty of letting him watch the Planes trailer a million times to lure him

to sit. But, mostly it just took some distraction and extra hugs. I am happy to say we made it. He is doing fantastic. Some funny things I never thought I'd hear in my house. "momma, count it, one two, three poo poos!" Oh the joys!