Adventures in Toddlerhood

Alanna could hardly wait to let me open my gifts and cards this morning.  I have to say, they do better than I do.  I'm horrible at holding onto gifts; I get so excited it's hard for me to keep things a secret!  So they spoiled me with all sorts of treats from World Market that Jason allowed them to pick out for me (with a little guidance, but not too much, he said.)  Not only that, but he is treating me to some pampering at a spa in a few weeks! Yay!  Oh, and of course they went to "the chocolate store" and got me a couple truffles!  Yum!

Most importantly, they promised me as many hugs and kisses as I wanted all day, and that's the BEST treat of all!  I am such a lucky mom, and I am so thankful for my three precious treasures!

Last night, Jason announced to Aidan, Alanna and Emory that they would be going on a secret mission with him Saturday morning.  After tucking them in, Jason asked me to leave the room and close the door, and they had a little conference about "the mission."  I went to wash up, and Jason came in a few minutes later and said there was no way they'd be able to keep the secret.  A moment later, Aidan cracked the door to their room open, and Jason stopped him to ask where he was going.  "To tell Mommy the secret!," Aidan replied.  So Jason explained that he couldn't tell me and got him back to bed. 

When they woke up this morning, Alanna told us how excited she was for their secret mission several times.  After breakfast, they all left together, and I got ready to go pick some strawberries!  They were gone quite a while, and no one let the cat out of the bag all day.  I can't wait to see what's in store for me!

While killing some time before dinner this afternoon, I let the kids hang out over by a water fountain.  We were waiting for Jason to arrive from work, and we had just finished running a few errands.  The kids LOVED watching the fountain and when the water shot up high, Aidan would raise his arms above his head and squeal and cackle with delight.  They were all so excited!  They asked me for pennies to throw in the fountain, and as luck would have it, I had filled their little coin holders up with pennies from Jason's console on the way home from DC/Baltimore.  So I handed each of them their respective coin purses filled with 12 pennies apiece, and I gave them the choice of throwing all their pennies in now or saving some for later.  Emory took hers in fistfuls and launched them into the water while Aidan threw his in one at a time.  Alanna threw in a couple and asked me to put hers away for another time.  After dinner, we spent a few more minutes at the fountain.  Emory and Alanna asked for their pennies, and Emory was out of luck.  She took it in stride though.  Alanna took her little purse and tossed a penny into the water.  Then she ran to me and said "I wished to be a mermaid!"  When I asked her why, she said she wanted to swim under the water.  We talked briefly about the possibility of swimming lessons, and then she went to throw in another penny.  She returned and reported that she had wished for goggles.   Then she asked me to put the rest of her pennies away again.  I guess I'll be researching swimming lessons!

In the last two days, Aidan has started reciting books aloud to us!  This is a first!  Alanna and Emory love to do this, but Aidan never showed any interest.  He knows the stories and can finish sentences for us, but he's never wanted to take a book and recite it aloud.  It was SO wonderful to see him do this, and he was very proud of himself. 

Now that the kids can get out of their room before I am ready to drag myself from the bed, they will come in and give me hugs while I wake up.  Alanna has decided that reading a book to me is a good way to help me get ready for the day.  Then I can finally go get Emory and get our day going.

Last week, Jason had a conference in Baltimore, and I tagged along for a few days while the kids had their first nights away from both Jason and I.  Usually one of us is at home, so this was new for all of us!  Since we ended up at the doctor on Monday with Alanna, and her symptoms didn't subside, it wasn't until Wednesday morning that we decided that we would both go for sure.  Alanna was still complaining of headaches, but she was generally in good spirits, and she wanted to go.  Aidan was NOT up for this once the reality of the situation hit him.  He spent the latter part of his rest time crying about not wanting to go.  I almost crumbled.  We dropped the kids off Wednesday late in the afternoon with enough bags of stuff to last weeks!  Aidan got excited when he saw sleeping bags on the two twin mattresses that had been relocated to the floor, and they jumped back and forth from one to the other.  They had a blast!  Aidan practically pushed me away when we were saying goodbye.  Emory got upset, but when Nana called her to make chocolate milk, we were quickly pushed from her mind. 

So off we went...for the first time in five years or so...by ourselves.  We arrived late and somehow lucked out with a room in the Hyatt Regency Club floor, so we had card-only access to our floor and a little club room with "complimentary" refreshments available all day, and a continental breakfast.  Sadly, Jason had to get up early Thursday and Friday for his meetings, but I got to sleep in...sort of.  Between police officers directing traffic, sirens and the guy in the neighboring room hacking up a lung, it wasn't very quiet!  Nonetheless, I had a lazy morning...met Jason and his colleagues for lunch, then hit the aquarium in the afternoon.  We were exhausted by the end of the day, and in lieu of searching out some restaurants that were recommended to us...we decided to walk across the harbor to McCormick and Schmick's for some seafood.  It was DELICIOUS!  Unfortunately, after a call home, we  heard that Alanna was still complaining about her head hurting.  So we were a little worried.  Friday morning, I called the doctor's office as soon as they opened to find out if we needed to head home and bring her in.  They felt it wasn't necessary and to plan to come Monday if her symptoms hadn't changed.  So...we stuck it out!

Friday afternoon we headed to DC after a lunch on the harbor.  We had a great time wandering from the Washington Monument down to the Lincoln Memorial and back to our hotel on Capitol Hill.  I hadn't been before, so I enjoyed the brief period of time we had there.  When we checked in at the end of the day, Alanna was still having headaches but generally in good spirits.  Somewhere along the way, Nana got swindled into giving Aidan and Emory medicine for headaches, too...they make medicine way too tasty these days!   Alanna had at least one meltdown, and they were supposedly asking about us a lot, though no one really wanted to chat on the phone except Emory. 

We headed home Saturday and arrived in time to get to a birthday party.  It was a long, busy day, but we were excited to see the kids! 

As I understand it...all the kids had a great time at my parents' house.  They didn't get into any of the mischief I feared, and Nana had plenty of fun things for them to do.  They had gourmet breakfasts and got to eat foods I never buy for them (bacon, pop tarts, frequent desserts!)  Mom and Dad looked pooped when we got home...Dad cheered when we walked in the door.  The kids were happy to see us...though I'm not sure who was happier to see whom!

We decided that getting away is something that we really must do more frequently than once every five years!  It was so nice to see what life is like without all the pressures of parenthood and Jason's fellowship.  Where to next???

With all the nice weather lately, we've been getting outside and using the golf and tee-ball sets the kids received from Christmas from Uncle Doug.  They have really been making strides!  Today Jason held down the fort while I went to a meeting, and when I came home, he told me that both Aidan and Alanna were able to connect the bat with the ball when he pitched to them!  Wow!  When we went back outside in the afternoon, I saw it for myself, and I was impressed!  Aidan wouldn't take a turn, but Alanna hit the ball numerous times!  Jason said Aidan had a great swing, and from the tee, Emory hits it further than anyone (probably because she does everything with a little more gusto than everyone else!  She's got a little more oomph in her swing!)

Around 11:30 last night, Alanna woke up to go to the bathroom.  I happened to be up reading, so I went to check on her.  I noticed she felt warm, and when I asked if she was feeling okay, she said her forehead hurt "on the inside."  After giving her some motrin, I put her back to bed, and she fell asleep for about an hour.  I heard her starting to whimper in bed, and she said her head still hurt.  I called the pediatrician's triage line to be sure there was nothing I needed to do.  They suggested I wait another 30-40 minutes and call back if the headache hadn't subsided.  Fortunately, she fell asleep and didn't awaken until about 7:00.  We wound up with an MD appointment for this afternoon.  Alanna was so excited to go; Aidan wanted to go with us so much that he pretended he had a hurt lip and needed to see the doctor.  They love their pediatrician, but she is out on maternity leave, so I clued Alanna in that they would be seeing a different doctor today, and Alanna was okay with that.

We arrived a little early, and our paperwork somehow didn't get to the nurses until I inquired after sitting in the waiting room after quite a while.  Up to this point, Alanna was just fine, waiting happily in the waiting room, and Aidan was so patient, too!  FINALLY, a nurse came to get us.  She was nice enough, but a little hard to describe...brawny is the best adjective that springs to mind.  I can see how a three year old would be a little intimidated by her stature, and unfortunately, her personality didn't do anything to soften her image.  She spoke a little too loud and overexaggerated her articulation while unsuccessfully attempting to talk to Alanna in motherese.  Alanna wanted nothing to do with her and just tried to curl up into my shoulder as much as possible.  To make matters worse, she stood up and peered down over her glasses at Alanna and said "Honey, I can tell you this much.  No one is going to give you any shots today.  No one is here to hurt you.  You're not getting any shots.  Okay?  You're not going to get hurt today."  And on, and on.  Oh My God!!!  Did she think it would actually help to repeatedly reference pain and injury???  Even in a sense that it wouldn't be happening??  Alanna has no fear of doctor's offices, and she wasn't worried about any of this.  I can only hope that she doesn't remember this next time we have to go to the doctor!!  She would barely look at the doctor when he came in, and she wouldn't say a word. 

No word yet on what it is, but we are waiting on results of a strep test...

Potty training is such a monumental task, and it is so great when your kids get to the point where you can just send them to the bathroom without accompanying them.  Aidan and Alanna have been trained for about a year now.  Unfortunately, they haven't been able to turn the water on without help in our bathrooms, so we are always running to the bathroom to turn on the water.  Last week, we all went to Lowe's to pick out faucets; the kids tested them out and helped me choose which ones to bring home.  They were   so excited; however, they thought the faucets would magically replace themselves and be available for immediate use.  Finally, we had someone come to replace the faucets two days ago.  They were THRILLED!!!  I was pretty anxious myself; the prospect of them being able to turn the water on and off themselves was very appealing to me, too! 

Since Alanna has been getting up shortly after bedtime to go to the bathroom, I was particularly anxious to not have to play a role in all of this.  This meant that we'd be removing the child-proof doorknob cover from the inside of their bedroom door...which allows so much more freedom.  They are discovering and pushing the limits of that freedom more with each passing night. 

The first night, both Aidan and Alanna had to "go" within about 30 minutes after I put them to bed.  I knew the novelty was exciting, and I was happy to be sitting comfortably in my recliner not helping them... at all.  The next night, I had Jason put a little Killer Whale doo-hickey on the faucet that can turn it into a water fountain...so no more need for cups!  Score another one for allowing me to be lazy!  Talk about excitement!  They love it!  Last night, I heard Alanna head to the bathroom while I was on the phone with my sister.  After I hung up, I peeked in on her, and she was just scrubbing away, proud as punch to be doing this all on her own...she had a huge grin on her face. 

This morning they realized they could also use their new-found freedom to go to the bathroom when they woke up...since I'm not a morning person, I don't get out of bed quickly enough, and they end up using their Pull-Ups.  They were so cute trying to be so quiet.  Alanna instructed Aidan in a loud whisper..."Tip-Toe!" when he came into my room to throw away his Pull-Up, which ended in a crash when the lid to the diaper pail slammed down.  This wasn't something I'd anticipated...just didn't think that far into it.  He kept peeking at me, hoping I might be awake, as I continued to pretend to be asleep.  It was so hard not to giggle!

Tonight, the novelty isn't wearing off.  They both had to "go" within 20-30 minutes of my turning out the lights.  They were in their bedroom giggling and talking, which I tried to ignore.  I had told them I wanted it quiet tonight, and if I had to come in there would be a consequence.  So, after a while I walked with heavy feet to their door to give them a heads up I was on my way.  I stopped just outside and heard them scrambling onto their beds and whispering to each other that I was coming and to be quiet.  I returned to my work without going on...but with a smile on my face.  They crack me up.  It was a little after eight when I heard the door open.  I waited a minute to see if they'd come down the hall to the office where I was working, but no one came.  So I walked to their room, and the door was ajar.  I opened the door, and I couldn't see figures lurking anywhere.  I flipped on the light, and they were both curled up on their beds in a heap, trying their best to look like they were sleeping.  Stinkers....   

This morning Jason took some time off from work to go with us to the Strawberry Patch.  The kids have been looking forward to this for months, and they were hoping we might see some horses again.  Last year, there was a trailer there with two horses, and apparently it made a big impression on them!  I was surprised they remembered.  On Tuesday, when I told them that the berry patch was opening the following day, they were chomping at the bit to go.  So we piled in the car and headed off with buckets in hand.  We had quite a trek through some terrain the kids weren't real thrilled about, and Alanna took a spill in some mud, but caught herself on her hands.  She recovered and the rest of the trip was fun!  Not too much mud to contend with from there on out.  They loved picking the berries, and Emory had her bucket filled in no time.  She did pretty well at finding (mostly) red strawberries.  Aidan and Alanna finished pretty quickly, then they helped me fill mine.  I think we ended up with about 10 pounds of strawberries, and I have no doubt that every last one will be thoroughly enjoyed!  They are DELICIOUS...so sweet and tender and juicy!  One of the things I love the most about these strawberries is how they smell...much more fragrant than any I've ever found at the store.  Every time I open the fridge, I get a rush of it...YUM!  When we got home, the kids ate and ate, asking for more every time I turned around.  Emory was covered in strawberry juice!

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Not sure why this uploaded sideways, and I can't find a way to fix it!  iphoto automatically rotates them...oh well!  turn your head!

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So here's the latest...

Emory now has a fancy-schmancy Lightning McQueen sleeping bag that came in its very own backpack with a water bottle.  She also has LM underwear to entice her to potty train when "the time is right," and she chose some LM stickers for her reinforcer.  Part of me can't believe I just bought her boys' underwear, but then again, it will REALLY excite her and nobody will see her underwear anyway (I hope.)  I think this is the most any of my children has been caught up in a particular character.  They LOVED Blue's Clues for a while, but I guess they just didn't have the amount of retail items out there because my kids were all born after Blue had her HeyDay.  (???)  

Alanna is in a bit of a stage where everything is scary to her.  This can be a little challenging at times, but what can you do!  Other than that, she just loves to pretend she is rescuing animals like Diego and Alicia on Go, Diego, Go!  She has learned a lot about wild animals I never would have thought to talk to her about from this show.  (Diego is Emory's second favorite character)  Alanna and Emory would love to have some Diego clothing; they prefer him to Dora.  But the darn marketing people feel like Dora is for girls and Diego is for boys.  Hmmpphh.

Aidan...we were at Target yesterday, and I was picking out some cards for Mother's Day.  Aidan wanted to know who I was buying cards for, so I listed the people I had in mind.  Then he said something like "I want a card with a heart that says 'I love you" for Mommy!"  I stopped dead in my tracks.  It was so sweet, so I told him he and Daddy could come to Target to find the card he wanted to choose.  I love getting glimpses of his inner boyishness.  He's typically so serene and laid back, that it makes me smile to see some "rough and tumble" come out.  It's a fun change of pace.  We had some lizards in the front yard yesterday, and while Alanna kept her distance, he crouched down to get a good look and just watched quietly.  And of course, there are random times when he just throws something (like a sock) across the room just to be silly.  But today, we went to our friends' house for lunch, and their three boys are on the opposite end of the spectrum as Aidan, not to mention Aidan is surrounded by estrogen all day!  He loved getting into "the mix" with them.  He got a little overwhelmed at times, but he was still laughing and smiling if he stopped to watch.  He squealed with delight when he'd jump back in for a minute or two.   I didn't want to drag him home for nap time!