The Prairie Kid was watching a beloved Elmo video not too long ago and when a particular song came on he proceeded to take off his shirt and dance. Thankfully, I had the video camera handy. Enjoy!
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Friday, January 30, 2009
We Both Got Caught
Mommies and daddies play differently. Both The Prairie Daddy and I were "caught in action" by the other with the video camera recently. I think this shows a good contrast in our personalities as well.
At least no one can say we aren't having fun out here on The Prairie!
My Child Is Not A P.O.W.
I have learned a lot about my son this past two weeks. He isn't quite who I thought he was. My philosophy as a parent in redirecting my child's behavior is that I must find a way to reach his heart in order to see true repentance (turning away from his wrong choices). As I shared with you last week we thought we were reaching his heart with the removal of the basketball game. No sir-ee. And then the cowboy boots, blankies, Wrangler jeans, basketball jersey, stuffed animals, every book and toy in his room, AND the television.
No sir-ee.
First thing Tuesday (or was it Monday?) morning I woke up to another puddle of pee on his bedroom floor.
My kid is special. Truly special. He has the capability of not caring about the things we thought were "oh so dear" to him. He's tough (and he's not afraid to tell you that after he falls down and doesn't cry. "I tough!")
It has humored me this week that in my girl's book group the chapter paralleled The Prairie Kid. The book is "If You Want To Walk On Water, You've Got To Get Out Of The Boat" by John Ortberg. I highly recommend this read...it is a good one. But back to the parallel. How is it that an adult book on Peter's getting out of the boat would parallel my days of "The Peeing Preschooler"?
Resiliency. This chapter talked about how after Peter stepped out of the boat he became aware of the wind around him. Jesus was not approaching the disciples on calm waters on the Sea of Galilee. He was approaching in the midst of the boat being "buffeted by waves because the wind was against them". The author shows that this story parallels the "storms of life" one faces, especially after we step out in faith. And he talks about the fact that one only grows when their are problems and trials to face. He mentions that it takes resiliency to withstand the storms of life and come out having grown and not quit. Resilient people survived the P.O.W. camps of wars like WWII and Vietnam.
Resiliency. There were 3 characteristics of resilient people outlined in this chapter. And as I read the first one I realized that this was my son:
"Resilient people continually seek to reassert some command and control over their destiny rather than seeing themselves as passive victims."
Hooray! I have a resilient son! Oh no! I have to try to redirect him for the next 15 years!
Actually, I am pretty thankful. Yes, even if it means that it will be more challenging to reach his heart because he is able to reassert command over what is important to him. Because resilient people not only survive, they often thrive. They grow and learn and apply. They are willing to step out of the boat. That is the kind of person I wish my son to be.
Meanwhile, I will continue to learn through the "winds" of parenting and be able to offer you a place to get a good laugh at my expense. I know, so selfless of me isn't it?
No sir-ee.
First thing Tuesday (or was it Monday?) morning I woke up to another puddle of pee on his bedroom floor.
My kid is special. Truly special. He has the capability of not caring about the things we thought were "oh so dear" to him. He's tough (and he's not afraid to tell you that after he falls down and doesn't cry. "I tough!")
It has humored me this week that in my girl's book group the chapter paralleled The Prairie Kid. The book is "If You Want To Walk On Water, You've Got To Get Out Of The Boat" by John Ortberg. I highly recommend this read...it is a good one. But back to the parallel. How is it that an adult book on Peter's getting out of the boat would parallel my days of "The Peeing Preschooler"?
Resiliency. This chapter talked about how after Peter stepped out of the boat he became aware of the wind around him. Jesus was not approaching the disciples on calm waters on the Sea of Galilee. He was approaching in the midst of the boat being "buffeted by waves because the wind was against them". The author shows that this story parallels the "storms of life" one faces, especially after we step out in faith. And he talks about the fact that one only grows when their are problems and trials to face. He mentions that it takes resiliency to withstand the storms of life and come out having grown and not quit. Resilient people survived the P.O.W. camps of wars like WWII and Vietnam.
Resiliency. There were 3 characteristics of resilient people outlined in this chapter. And as I read the first one I realized that this was my son:
"Resilient people continually seek to reassert some command and control over their destiny rather than seeing themselves as passive victims."
Hooray! I have a resilient son! Oh no! I have to try to redirect him for the next 15 years!
Actually, I am pretty thankful. Yes, even if it means that it will be more challenging to reach his heart because he is able to reassert command over what is important to him. Because resilient people not only survive, they often thrive. They grow and learn and apply. They are willing to step out of the boat. That is the kind of person I wish my son to be.
Meanwhile, I will continue to learn through the "winds" of parenting and be able to offer you a place to get a good laugh at my expense. I know, so selfless of me isn't it?
Monday, January 26, 2009
Mom, I Have An Owie.
Oh man is life with a 3 year old boy a constant ride. At times the ride is fun, at times it is scary, at times it is exhilarating, surprising. And at times it is overwhelming. Thankfully these times come, and these times go. This past week was a week that I don't think I will miss...and I hope it does not linger into this next week. There were fun times, funny times, and not-so-fun-or-funny times.
Wanna go for a ride?
The not-so-fun-or-funny times:
Monday during nap time I was looking for my iPod. I searched high and low. I wasn't a happy camper because I knew that a "camp robber" had taken it. That same little bird was yelling from his bed so I knew he wasn't actually sleeping. I went down and got him by the hand and gently guided him upstairs. "Until you find and return my iPod you will not get to watch TV." I helped look because after a trip to the car, a trip upstairs, and the look of imagination pouring out of his face I realized that he didn't know where it was but he knew he'd better look. I was also hoping to find my missing calendar that had disappeared the previous week as well.
I pulled a book shelf from the wall in the office after searching and searching and thankfully both the missing iPod and calendar were found behind it. The Prairie Kid and I had a little "chat" and then he was put back in his bed. Now he was crying and yelling because I am sure he thought that nap time was over.
When it was time to actually retrieve the kid from his nap time (in which he never slept) I discovered a fowl odor in his room and two large spots on the carpet. Urine. "Did you go pee-pee on the floor?" Sheepishly, "yes." We proceeded to discuss this issue as we scrubbed carpet. I told him what would happen if he chose this behavior again. He would not be going to his cousin, "The Hero's," basketball game on Friday night. I knew I had to reach his heart and the only way I could do that was with something that meant a great deal to him.
Monday evening I went to sit at the computer and put my barefoot in a big puddle of ...urine...on the office floor. "This is so sad. You chose not to get to go to the game." And we cleaned it up together.
The Prairie Kid also pooped his pants 3 times on Monday, again on Tuesday, and maybe even Wednesday...I don't remember.
By Thursday we thought the urine issue was over. After all, for two days he hadn't done this and he was saying, "but I want to go to the bask-o-yo game." "There'll be other games. Better luck next time."
Thursday afternoon I saw a huge spill on the couch. Water? Nope, urine. I guess it was just too far for The Prairie Kid to walk the whole 15 feet to the bathroom to do this in the potty. "This is so sad. I am going to have to do something about this." After some tears, an "I need support" phone call to The Prairie Daddy, and a joint effort in cleaning up the couch, I took The Prairie Kid to his bedroom and he watched me remove everything...books, his playhouse, prized blankies, stuffed animals, etc. I told him how sad it was that he was choosing to go potty outside of the potty and that when he makes that choice he is choosing to lose his fun stuff.
He bawled himself to sleep for his nap.
Friday we left The Prairie Kid at our pastor's house while he thought we were going to the game. He was very upset. We grinned in knowing that we were reaching our kid's heart.
Two hours later we returned and talked to our kid. It seemed as though he understood. We had reached his heart. So we surprised him and took him to the last 10 minutes of the game.
Saturday afternoon I laid down next to The Prairie Kid in our upstairs guest room while he was watching a movie. I smelled something. I felt around on the carpet. Another big puddle of urine. We again cleaned it up together and I took him to his bed screaming. He went to bed with only a plain, not-so-prized blanket and when he woke up he discovered that he would no longer get to wear his beloved new cowboy boots, or old cowboy boots, or cowboy jeans, or the new basketball jersey auntie got him...until he only goes potty in the potty.
So far so good. Please Lord...let this be it.
The funny times:
"Mom, I'm gonna take my sleeping bag to Grandma's house! I'm gonna sleep outside!"
"It's too cold to sleep outside but you can sleep in your sleeping bag inside Grandma's house."
"Yeah! And we're gonna make a fire!"
"Uh, I don't think you can make a fire inside Grandma's house, okay?"
...later retelling this story to Grandma and Grandpa. Grandpa says "you better hide the matches from him!" I replied, "well, at least if he lights a fire we know he can put it out by peeing on it!"
A good laugh after a long week.
The fun times:
Wanna go for a ride?
The not-so-fun-or-funny times:
Monday during nap time I was looking for my iPod. I searched high and low. I wasn't a happy camper because I knew that a "camp robber" had taken it. That same little bird was yelling from his bed so I knew he wasn't actually sleeping. I went down and got him by the hand and gently guided him upstairs. "Until you find and return my iPod you will not get to watch TV." I helped look because after a trip to the car, a trip upstairs, and the look of imagination pouring out of his face I realized that he didn't know where it was but he knew he'd better look. I was also hoping to find my missing calendar that had disappeared the previous week as well.
I pulled a book shelf from the wall in the office after searching and searching and thankfully both the missing iPod and calendar were found behind it. The Prairie Kid and I had a little "chat" and then he was put back in his bed. Now he was crying and yelling because I am sure he thought that nap time was over.
When it was time to actually retrieve the kid from his nap time (in which he never slept) I discovered a fowl odor in his room and two large spots on the carpet. Urine. "Did you go pee-pee on the floor?" Sheepishly, "yes." We proceeded to discuss this issue as we scrubbed carpet. I told him what would happen if he chose this behavior again. He would not be going to his cousin, "The Hero's," basketball game on Friday night. I knew I had to reach his heart and the only way I could do that was with something that meant a great deal to him.
Monday evening I went to sit at the computer and put my barefoot in a big puddle of ...urine...on the office floor. "This is so sad. You chose not to get to go to the game." And we cleaned it up together.
The Prairie Kid also pooped his pants 3 times on Monday, again on Tuesday, and maybe even Wednesday...I don't remember.
By Thursday we thought the urine issue was over. After all, for two days he hadn't done this and he was saying, "but I want to go to the bask-o-yo game." "There'll be other games. Better luck next time."
Thursday afternoon I saw a huge spill on the couch. Water? Nope, urine. I guess it was just too far for The Prairie Kid to walk the whole 15 feet to the bathroom to do this in the potty. "This is so sad. I am going to have to do something about this." After some tears, an "I need support" phone call to The Prairie Daddy, and a joint effort in cleaning up the couch, I took The Prairie Kid to his bedroom and he watched me remove everything...books, his playhouse, prized blankies, stuffed animals, etc. I told him how sad it was that he was choosing to go potty outside of the potty and that when he makes that choice he is choosing to lose his fun stuff.
He bawled himself to sleep for his nap.
Friday we left The Prairie Kid at our pastor's house while he thought we were going to the game. He was very upset. We grinned in knowing that we were reaching our kid's heart.
Two hours later we returned and talked to our kid. It seemed as though he understood. We had reached his heart. So we surprised him and took him to the last 10 minutes of the game.
Saturday afternoon I laid down next to The Prairie Kid in our upstairs guest room while he was watching a movie. I smelled something. I felt around on the carpet. Another big puddle of urine. We again cleaned it up together and I took him to his bed screaming. He went to bed with only a plain, not-so-prized blanket and when he woke up he discovered that he would no longer get to wear his beloved new cowboy boots, or old cowboy boots, or cowboy jeans, or the new basketball jersey auntie got him...until he only goes potty in the potty.
So far so good. Please Lord...let this be it.
The funny times:
"Mom, I'm gonna take my sleeping bag to Grandma's house! I'm gonna sleep outside!"
"It's too cold to sleep outside but you can sleep in your sleeping bag inside Grandma's house."
"Yeah! And we're gonna make a fire!"
"Uh, I don't think you can make a fire inside Grandma's house, okay?"
...later retelling this story to Grandma and Grandpa. Grandpa says "you better hide the matches from him!" I replied, "well, at least if he lights a fire we know he can put it out by peeing on it!"
A good laugh after a long week.
The fun times:
Saturday: "Mom, look! I have an owie!" The Prairie Kid had pulled up his shirt on one side and was pointing to a round, pink fleshy area. "An owie, Mom. I have an owie."
"Sweetie, that isn't an owie. That is part of your body. It's called a nipple. If you pull up your shirt on the other side you will see you have another one."
Shirt comes up. "Oh, nother one!"
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Augmented Locution
I have decided it would be a good idea to document The Prairie Kid's lingo. This is such a fun phase of lingual development. There are great twists and turns to sentence structure and they're too good to not record!
- It is so normal for a little one to flip-flop words. The Prairie Kid is no different! Here is one that I have picked up on: Instead of saying "I didn't do that!" he says "Not I do that!" And when I have called him "Bubby" or another pet name he sometimes replies "Not I Bubby!"
- Fully developed linguists would say "The other one." The Prairie Kid says "The nother one."
- And did you know the his favorite instrument is a "Too-tar" (not to be mistaken for "guitar")?
- Also, The Prairie Kid has such enthusiasm for his world that we are consistently hearing "That my favorite!" A trip through the grocery store is full of "That my favorite one, Mom! And that my favorite!"
- My recent favorite: For a long time The Prairie Kid has been saying "last day" instead of "yesterday." Actually, it could have meant yesterday, tomorrow, last week, last year, etc. In a sentence it would go something like this: "Oh, yeah, I work with Daddy last day."
"yesterday." Of course, things take time and there are transitions so it would only make
sense that he is saying... Lasterday.
"Oh, yeah, I work with Daddy lasterday."
- "Where it goes?" really means "Where does it go?"
- "I want to do it by self."
- "Mom, how do this shirt for mom?"means "How do I put this shirt on?"
- "Ta-da-lah!" means ta-da!
- Lots of kids go through the "why?" phase. The Prairie Kid is going through the "What that for?" phase. "What that towel for?" "What that ball for?"
- Instead of saying "I don't want to" The Prairie Kid says "I can't like it!"
- And he is still regularly saying "Oops-a-daisy!" along with "Oh my!"
And by the way, augmented locution means "greater or improving phrasing." I get a little bored with my post titles : )
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Precious Moments
This morning my mommy heart was overflowing with thankfulness for my son. I think since the holidays threw us off so much I am just in a position to recognize the blessings so much more now that things are back to normal. When The Prairie Kid got up this morning he said, "where are my blue blankies with the tunnels in them?" These two blankies are The Prairie Kid's favorites...I was shocked that he even went to bed without them last night. None of us noticed their absence. This also made me happy that he isn't too attached to them to freak out without them though. I never wanted my kid attached to something so much it would cause problems.
You might have caught that he called them blue blankies with "tunnels" in them. The Prairie Kid calls holes "tunnels." Cute, eh?
So I plopped him down on the couch and went to find the blankies. I returned to him and just couldn't help but verbally tell him how I was feeling in my heart.
"I love you! I love you so much that I just can't help but say it. I am so thankful that God gave you to me and Daddy. And I am so thankful we can live together, and play together, and grow together!"
The Prairie Kid replied, "Mom, you're so silly!"
And I love him even though he is 3 but acts like he's 15!
You might have caught that he called them blue blankies with "tunnels" in them. The Prairie Kid calls holes "tunnels." Cute, eh?
So I plopped him down on the couch and went to find the blankies. I returned to him and just couldn't help but verbally tell him how I was feeling in my heart.
"I love you! I love you so much that I just can't help but say it. I am so thankful that God gave you to me and Daddy. And I am so thankful we can live together, and play together, and grow together!"
The Prairie Kid replied, "Mom, you're so silly!"
And I love him even though he is 3 but acts like he's 15!
Monday, January 12, 2009
Ready Or Not, Here I Come!
This morning the adorable Prairie Kid was calling for me when he woke up. This is our routine: he calls, I go get him. He was still laying there in his bed and he gazed up toward the blind-covered window. He said, "Where's the sun shine?"
I said, "Oh! It isn't here today, the sun is hiding behind the clouds and it's snowing!"
"I want to see." So we peaked out the window but all we could see was white sky because our bedrooms are in the basement and the window well blocked our view. So we headed toward the stairs and as I carried him up he buried his head in my chest and began counting "1, 2, 3, 4..."
The Prairie Kid was playing Hide 'N Seek with the sun.
I love being a Mom.
I said, "Oh! It isn't here today, the sun is hiding behind the clouds and it's snowing!"
"I want to see." So we peaked out the window but all we could see was white sky because our bedrooms are in the basement and the window well blocked our view. So we headed toward the stairs and as I carried him up he buried his head in my chest and began counting "1, 2, 3, 4..."
The Prairie Kid was playing Hide 'N Seek with the sun.
I love being a Mom.
Saturday, January 10, 2009
Swept Off My Feet
The Prairie Kid is full of the kindest, cutest, Mommy-heart steeling things these days.
These next few things have just been said in the last 15 hours.
"Mommy, come cuddle with me."
"'Daddy, come cuddle with us."
"Dad, you look handsome! Like Mommy look handsome."
"You're my best friend, Dad, you're my best friend."
"Mom, you look cute when you dance!"
Short and sweet. That's all it takes to make a mom feel like she's on cloud 9.
Ahhhh.
These next few things have just been said in the last 15 hours.
"Mommy, come cuddle with me."
"'Daddy, come cuddle with us."
"Dad, you look handsome! Like Mommy look handsome."
"You're my best friend, Dad, you're my best friend."
"Mom, you look cute when you dance!"
Short and sweet. That's all it takes to make a mom feel like she's on cloud 9.
Ahhhh.
Saturday, January 3, 2009
Old Dogs Can Learn New Tricks
I am really excited that I finally learned how to color a portion of a black and white photo on the computer! I know in posts long ago I wrote about GIMP 2. This is the FREE software I downloaded from online that is very comparable Photoshop. I have done a couple of Google searches for a tutorial on coloring a part of a black and white photo but I hadn't found anything that I could understand completely or had the patience to pursue. Thankfully some dear person uploaded a video on YouTube of how to do this and I figured it out!
Here are the photos I have played with so far:
These pictures are from our wedding:
Here is The Prairie Kid at 14 months old...oh where has time gone?
And this is my VERY pregnant and going-to-pop-any-day-now friend Faith the Fabulous (and looking fabulous!) sporting her home-converted Cruel Girl maternity jeans. These photos are from a shoot we did a couple weeks ago so that she can market her conversion to Cruel Girl and make millions (or at the very least harass the company for not making a jean for pregnant cowgirls).
So, the color on this next one isn't great but trust me, it is a HUGE improvement from my first attempt.
Hang in there girl...he's due in just 6 days!
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