Lunch with Bren and other tidbits...

Lunch with Bren was extremely eventful today. Made him a sloppy joe sandwich all while he was screaming at me. Mind you, he wanted 2nd's last week when I fed him this same SJ mix with the turkey. But this time he was in a state b/c I wasn't getting it fast enough. AND, he wanted waffles and a banana, NOT what I was fixing him.

I told him he wasn't getting that right now but he would get it tomorrow morning. I was trying to fix everything up for him with him screaming at me so I told him to go sit at the table and gave him his water. He calmed down a bit. I gave him yogurt with a spoon (rare treat) and put a sleeved bib on him. THAT was the END of the WORLD. He got himself up in such a dither that he started doing that coughing thing and proceeded to intensify and threw up. I'm thinking that earlier this week that's why he threw up and not because he was actually feeling badly. My memory is a bit slow and I can't remember who it was, but I remember someone saying their child would use vomitting to try to gain sympathy and get their way much as some children will hold their breath till they pass out.

I took the "you'll start breathing eventually" (figuratively) approach: cleaned up the vomit, made him sit there even though he was saying "down" and crying and told him that in 10 mins. he would be going up for a nap either having eaten or not. Got my lunch ready and sat across from him while he proceeded to tell me how "yucky" everything was--grapes which he LOVES and mandarin oranges. He picked up a grape and I told him not to throw it on the ground. He looked right at me and tossed it. I got up from my chair, picked him up from his, swatted his bottom once, and put him back and told him he had 5 mins. before it was naptime so if he wanted to eat, now would be the time.

He stopped crying after a few minutes realizing I wasn't going to cave--but neither was he--and when the timer went off, I took him upstairs and put him down for a nap. I had him give me a hug, told him I loved him and that he needed to nap. He screamed bloody murder as soon as I set him in the crib and I told him to stop and if I heard anymore screaming he'd get a spanking. He stopped right away, and I checked on him after Alex had his bottle and he's sound asleep. I know this war isn't over yet, but at least MY side (the Mommy/Parent side) is winning these little battles. I feel like I'm on the right track of being firm and not giving in to his whimsy all while trying (not all the time succeeding) to stay calm and not get angry and yell. I had yelled at him about a 1/2 hour before for something else so I really didn't want to repeat that bad behaviour on my part so I stayed calm and just laid it out for him. I want him to know I love him, but "coddle-time" is over and he's learning that the hard way. He's my son. Would he learn any other way? Course not!

I have been trying to teach him the difference of "naughty" vs. "nice" and he got it on Wed. at the dr.'s office. Before we left, I told him that we were going to be doing something that Mommy had to do and that he had to be good and come when he was told and not pitch a fit because that would be "naughty." He repeated, "Noddy No No" before we left so it gave me encouragement when we got to Flt. Medicine for my appt. He was having fun with 2 of the books they have there for kids when they called me back and I told him we had to go and he did his "stand-in-place" and say "unh-uh" for "no way jose" and I reminded him about being nice and not naughty and he just stood there, looked very pensive like he was weighing his options, I gave him the "mommy look" and he chose wisely--to come with me and behave! I praised him all the way back to the truck when the appt. was over so hopefully he'll remember that for NEXT time.

I'm seeing the light at the end of the tunnel on *some* things and other battles are only just beginning--wearing a bib, eating what's put in front of him, not screaming to get his way, not whining for every little thing, etc. He is a sweet kid for the most part and even kissed Alex just out of the blue this morning and then hugged him as Vin was getting Alex ready to go. Then it was hugs all around for me, Vin and another one for Alex. Cute. AND, more importantly, although he does have his moments, he is being very good about giving Alex one of Alex's toys to play with and sometimes even shares his own--but only one piece at a time. He could have 1000 blocks and Alex can have 1 while he has the other 999. Hey, it's progress.

He's also very good at putting Alex's paci in if I've got Alex in the swing to take a mini-nap and Alex is fighting it and spits out the paci. Bren will go under the swing, retrieve it, and "plug him up" and he's even shared his precious "blankie" with Alex if Alex's blanket falls off. He doesn't put Alex's back on Alex, he puts his own on Alex and gives him the "Snugli" bear to hold--which Alex just chews on or drops on the floor.

Alex's 2nd bottom tooth--the right one--is just about to break through. Finally got a good look after his lunch today. YAY teeth!!! They are SHARP little buggers. Found out the hard way that he is NOT ready for puffs however. He ate 5 last night w/o too much trouble as they dissolve into goo at the first drop of saliva. But this morning, I gave him one and even though it was on the tip of his tongue, it hit his gag reflex and out came about 2 oz. of formula. I put the lid back on the puffs and tossed the ones still left on his tray and went to the bathroom and then heard Bren with the container and I had told him HE could have some so I thought that's what he was doing. Then I heard Alex cough/gag and there went about another 2 oz. Again, Bren *trying* to be sweet and helpful.

Alex has started Separation Anxiety but not half as bad as what Bren's was/kind of still is. I can drop Alex off in the nursery at church on Mother's Day Out, Ladies' Renewal (Shepherding a Child's Heart by Tedd Tripp--the BEST!!!), and Church/Bible Study on Sunday without any troubles b/c he's so used to being in there by now and hasn't known anything different as he's been doing that since he was 3 months old. I started with Bren later and he still gives me a guilt trip--or tries--most of the time when we go but then as soon as I'm around the corner he stops and starts having fun.

Bren was *promoted* and *demoted* all in the same day at the church "Round-up" last week. He had been in the Toddler room but is now 2 so he was moved up with the other 2's but when all the "Rounding-Up" was finished, they had 21 2 year-olds and 2 Toddlers so they had to re-shuffle and Bren's back in Toddlers' which is fine b/c they're mostly the same crew he's used to and Caden Fox is someone he sees a lot from playdates and just squadron stuff in general. We're sure sad that Ella Rose Livingston is gone now but glad that she's being her sunshiney self in her new church in Texas.

I have photos to post but this Blogspot is not the best here in Germany. Had no trouble with it when I was home in the states over Christmas, but it's a bit whacky over here and not sure if it's the connection or the country so stay tuned.

Love to all :)