Scenes from the Weekend

I am always a day or two late with these weekend updates! But in my defense I have had quite the busy weekend. If you read my last post you would know Kinley had strep so we've been dealing with that and the past two days Matt hasn't felt good either.

So lets say my weekend (Thursday and Friday) consisted of many toddler snuggles and Curious George. I really really don't like Kinley to watch a lot of TV but when you have a fever of 104 for a few days that kiddo gets whatever she needs. I think she will be OK watching TV for 2 days! It's all about balance remember! Read more about that here. At least I tell myself that!

Friday afternoon we went house hunting again. No such luck.....again! I am really trying to tell myself to be patient and the right house will come but it is discouraging. Honestly we have only seen 9 houses so I am sure there are many more in our future. But when your realtor sends a list of 75 houses and you only want to go see 6 you feel defeated. We saw a few that we liked but none we absolutely love. I just won't spend that much money on something we don't love. It will come it will! After house hunting we enjoyed some yummy Chick Fil A. I rarely ever eat fast food but it was 5:30 and the in laws had Kinley and there was not time to cook dinner. It was tasty though! She was starting to feel a little better and loved the horse my in laws got her.

Saturday I worked all day like usual but it went by pretty fast. Matt did a lot of fixing up at the house with the help of his parents. There was some much needed TLC that needed to be done. We have had some bites on renters so we want to be prepared. We are going house hunting again this week so please please wish us luck!! The rest of the evening was spent watching some Teen Mom and to bed early! I was looking forward to sleeping in my bed without a toddler on top of me. Don't get me wrong I love her cuddles but she is not fun to sleep with.

Sunday we went over to Matt's parents for brunch and enjoyed the beautiful day. Kinley loves blowing bubbles with poppy and checking out her pumpkins that are getting massive! I think they are going to be done way before Halloween. Matt wasn't feeling well when we got home so he took a nap and actually didn't get up for the rest of the night. I put Kinley down for a nap and ran to the grocery store. Sometimes it is wonderful to go to the grocery store alone! I like to grab some Starbucks but it was getting late in the day so I try not to have any caffeine so I skipped this time. I got home and all the groceries put away and decided what I was going to make so I had dinner for the next day.

Kinley woke up and Matt still wasn't feeling well. So I put Kinley to work helping me prepare Stuffed pepper casserole. She loves taking one bite out of the veggies and then putting them back LOL. Don't tell anyone there might have been half bitten veggies in the casserole. Hey you will never know because I chopped them all up in the Ninja! It turned out really good and will be eating it again for lunch tomorrow. And Kinley even took a bite! WIN!!! This child of mine is so picky!! I hope this stage passes soon!

When we were done we headed up to the park for a little. Of course she had to have the baby with the stroller. Thankfully she left the picnic basket behind this time. Surprisingly she pushed the stroller all the way to the park and then took the baby out for a swing in the swings. She wasn't too interested in pushing it back home so while carrying her and pushing her mini stroller we made it home. I was sweating, she was sweating, the baby was sweating! Oh wait maybe that was my sweat that dripped on the baby. Gross :)

I prepared another dinner for the nights dinner. I made chicken breast covered with cream of mushroom soup mixed with Lipton Onion soup mix. It wasn't my favorite. It was a little too salty for me. After getting everything cleaned up it was bath time for Kinley. Oh did I mention I had to feed Kinley dinner while she played with play dough. Dang this child of mine!

After she was in bed I thought I was going to be able to relax for a little after cleaning up her toys and the dishes that I didn't get to. Well it was for a little until she started screaming at 815. I don't know what was up with her besides wanting me to stay in her room and hold her or stand by her bed. She never lets my husband go into her room  at night. She screams worse. And has always been like this. It makes my patience wear very fast. She really knows how to doubt my skills as a mother. That went on until about 930 when she finally laid down. She always asks to eat. I know it is a stalling tactic because I always offer her something and she eats about 4 puffs. I really don't know what else to do! If you have any ideas please share!! Besides letting her scream until she passes out I don't know what else to do. Parenthood is always challenging and testing my limits!

I hope everyone had a great weekend and your week is off to a great start!

Why I am Thankful for Midnight Screams

It has been a long week. Monday night Kinley was up 11-2:30am. She just screamed and would not go back in her bed. I felt so awful I did not know what was wrong. She didn't have a fever and no other symptoms besides being upset. I know she has 2 teeth cutting and possibly her 2 year old molars as well so finally at 2:30am I gave her Tylenol and put her in my bed.

I really really don't like her sleeping in my bed. I have never been a fan of co-sleeping especially when she was little and now that she is a little older she moves so much and I hardly get any sleep when she is in bed with me. I really don't get how people co-sleep. It just isn't for me. If it works for you then by all means go for it!

She was up early on Tuesday, I think 530-6ish, geez I can't remember. But we did get a nap in before I had to go to work. She seemed ok but I was concerned she was up screaming so much so I made a Dr appointment. Matt took her in and the Dr said she was fine just figured she was teething.

Tuesday night she slept like a baby...hehe!!! I really don't know where that phrase comes from since most babies are up every 2 hours! Especially mine in the younger days. Read more about our struggles here. Maybe because they look so peaceful while sleeping. Anyways she slept 7pm-730am. Wednesday wasn't a bad day for her but she wasn't herself. My mother in law said she barely ate any food through out the day. I guess her teeth were really bothering her, so I thought. When she was younger she always ran a slight fever while teething but no fever as of Tuesday.

Wednesday night I worked until 10:00pm like I do every Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. I came home, brushed my teeth, got in to bed and started reading my book. I was pretty exhausted from the night before. So I turned the lights out about 11:15.

12:05am I hear Kinley screaming. I get up and look at the monitor and she is laying there screaming. I have to admit I was feeling a little frustrated we were going to go through another night of endless screaming with no answers. I gave her a few minutes and went in. I touch her and my heart sinks. She is burning up. My stomach drops and I am consumed by guilt for feeling the slightest bit of frustration 5 minutes earlier. I knew I needed to get a temperature on her and some medicine in her. Her temp was 102.6. I felt so bad for her! Something was really wrong....she has ran a fever that high maybe once when she had strep when she was much younger. I put her back to sleep in my bed because I was too terrified to put her in her crib alone with a fever that high.

We had a restless night but at least she got some sleep, me not so much. We got up about 6 and she was still burning up. 104.3. The emergency room crossed my mind but I thought I would call the on-call nurse first. Poor girl was miserable. The on-call nurse said manage the fever and call the Dr when they open. So that is what I did.

We took her in later that afternoon and what do you know. She has strep and Fifths Disease (which is basically a rash on her face and arms). She has been so miserable all day. I have to admit, I have enjoyed all the cuddles! She is usually not much of a cuddlier so it's been amazing! She got some antibiotics and hopefully will start to feel better at some point today. This is the 3rd time she has had strep and I have no clue where she gets it from. Though it really could be anywhere!

As frustrating as those midnight screams are sometimes you gotta step back and be thankful. They don't know how to ask for help at this age, or tell you what is wrong. They scream....that is their way to communicate. And it is heartbreaking! There is nothing worse than watching your child be miserable and there is nothing I can do but hold her. So next time she screams at midnight I am going to remind myself that she needs something, she is screaming for reason. Maybe it is just for a drink of water, or a cuddle, but it is something, and that is how she communicates.

A lot can happen with high fevers so I am so thankful for that midnight scream! I would not have had it any other way. She needed to be in my arms and held by her mommy. I'm so very thankful! The days are long but the years are short. Sometimes it is hard to embrace the frustrating times but taking a step back and remembering that is important!

Wish us luck! We are going to look at more houses this afternoon!

Finding a Balance

I have been struggling with this thought in my head for awhile now and how to tackle it; technology and how to find a balance with children and more specifically how to find the right balance for my child. Technology for children these days is such an important part of their life. It is their world and what they are growing up with. Things have changed so much since I grew up and I need to remember that, but I also want to find the right balance.

From the beginning I knew I didn't want Kinley sitting in front of the TV at a young age. The AAP (American Academy of Pediatrics) recommends no screen time until 2.  You can read more about there recommendations here. We made it 15 months with no significant time in front of a screen. In times of need she was allowed to listen to music on our phones and or place an educational app if needed.

When I was little there was not much TV. I don't really remember my parent's restricting our screen time, but more so just not wanting to watch TV. We had the desire to be outside, or playing doctor, school or airplane if we were stuck in the playroom. I don't feel like there was a desire to watch TV or be on the computer when we eventually got one that we were allowed on. Though I do remember waiting patiently for my turn on our computer with the dial up Internet to come up. It was so exciting.
Today so much has changed. When it comes to my husband and I we probably spend entirely too much time on our phones and computer but we are trying to get better and hey this post isn't about what I do :).

Today's world is so different when it comes to technology. The computer is some children's life line. There are so many positive aspects of having the technology we have today. It is saving lives! I think there is a definite difference in letting children benefit and learn from technology vs. developing a dependency on the screens. As parents we all want what is best for our children, so what is best? How do you find that happy medium?

It is unbelievable how much my daughter already knows about technology at 20 months! You would seriously think she sits in front of the TV all day long or playing games on my phone is the only thing she does. It is scary to me! She watches what we do a few times and picks up on everything. It is quite amazing! I promise she does many other activities that she loves, she is just smart! The kid didn't even watch her first show until she was about 15 months old. We tried making it until the age of 2 but life gets in the way at times and sometimes after trying every other thing under the sun I give in. Choose your battles wisely right :).  I am not perfect and neither is my child, but we do our best and we do what works for our family.

I have seen her throw herself on the floor with the most dramatic tantrum ever because #1 I will not turn on the TV or #2 she can't have my phone. It is awful sometimes. It makes me regret ever giving her the phone. On the other side of that though there are great learning apps that we love and sometimes I really need 10 minutes. Yes I am sorry I am human! In the mornings it is just her and I and sometimes this momma needs a shower and there is no other way to keep a 20 month old from taking everything out from under the sink and putting it in the toilet while I take the faster shower of my life. They are fast little stinkers I tell you! So yes I give her my phone to learn her ABC's while I take a shower.

With all that being said I have discovered some tips that have helped me find a balance with benefiting from technology and developing a dependence on it.

1. Have Guidelines

Kinely knows when she gets up she is allowed to watch 1-2 shows, it depends on the time she gets up because at 7:00am I don't like the shows that are on so the TV goes off. I really have no clue how we even got in this habit but it is part of our routine, so for right now she is allowed to watch PBS while she eats her breakfast and drinks her milk. We don't have cable and for the most part I think the shows on PBS are great. When she watches TV it is Sesame Street or Curious George. She loves Curious George. She knows that after Sesame Street is over the TV goes off and it is time to find something else to do. Most days the TV never gets turned back on. There are some nights she watches a little George before her bath. I am pretty strict about how much TV she gets to watch. I don't like her being glued in front of the TV for a long period of time and plus it isn't good for her eyes. So we will always limit screen time. She rarely gets our phones anymore because she just loves it too much and it was starting to bother me. Like I mentioned above if I have to take a shower or do something where I can't keep my eyes on her the chance is I will give her my phone. I have a few educational apps that she loves and I am ok with.

I do believe there is a difference if she is learning and interacting with the screen she is watching. Like I said there are some great educational apps out there; we love the Fisher Price apps and Speakaboos. She also loves looking through videos and pictures. I do think that is learning because we talk about all her family that isn't close. That way she knows who I am talking about when I tell her we are going to Colorado.

2. Get excited

Getting excited about doing puzzles, reading books, coloring and building towers with blocks helps. Of course there are fun other indoor activities but those are some of our favorites. When I ask Kinley if she wants to do activities I make a big deal about them. I want her know I am excited too! It is extremely important to us to have Kinley not want to sit in front of the TV when she starts getting bored. There are so many fun indoor activities that can stimulate her mind. One of Kinley's favorite activities is to read books. She absolutely loves them! I really need to get a new book shelf to hold all the books we have. We also visit the library frequently for story time and to just hang out and pick out new books. They have many activities going on that don't include a screen. She LOVES going to the library and our library has the best children's section. We just finished our first story time at our local library and it was fantastic. We can't wait to sign up for the fall session. And it's free!! Win Win!!

3. Play Outside

We want her to play outside and know other activities are just as fun. Like I mentioned I never watched TV as a kiddo, I was always outside. Riding my bike, building snow forts, playing in our tree house, or just hanging out with friends talking...outside. Kinley really enjoys being outside. We have a few outdoor activities to include a sandbox, a water table, a sprinkler, a kiddie pool and chalk to name a few. Almost every night we go outside after dinner and draw with chalk. We have so much fun! As you can tell Kinley loves chalk and daddy is quite the artist. During the days it has been pretty hot, but we have some trees in our backyard that provide a lot of shade so I set up her water table and she plays away. We also have a park within walking distance that we visit often as well. Right now we go early in the morning before it gets too hot because it gets very sunny. Read more about our fun in the sun here.

Those are a couple quick tips that help me balance a little better. I do feel it is important to let Kinley understand what technology is and how to use it. Yes yes I know she is only 20 months, but I firmly believe instilling balance right now is important. There are definitely positives on both sides, though I want Kinley to know she can make friends by talking to people and not by her face stuck in a computer. Ironic that some of my best friends I met online and I am sitting here typing this with my face shoved in a computer :). But...we are talking about balance, I have many friends that I met face to face. Lets be honest though, I think we all could benefit from unplugging a little more often. I want to be a good example for my child so I will always do my best.

Have you seen that new Nature Valley ad? I do not want my child saying her favorite thing is to sit in front of a TV or computer screen. Oh my!!!

What are some ways you find balance with allowing your kids screen time?

Inspirations for a 2nd Birthday

Happy Friday! I hope everyone had a great week and I am sure you all are looking forward to the weekend. We have had a wonderful start to our weekend! I am looking forward to Sunday since I work Saturdays. Ok anyways, on to thoughts about Kinley's second birthday. Tears....

Is it too early to start thinking about Kinley turning 2?!!! I can't believe how fast she's growing up. She is definitely not a baby anymore and well into her toddler escapades. She is sassy as ever and knows what she wants when she wants it. The end! There's no negotiating that with her. I love she is so strong willed and independent, but man is it challenging at times! Especially when she's screaming at the fridge for the 800th time and it's only 8:00am and she just ate.

She's 20 months so we have less than 4 months to get this shindig planned :). With her birthday being the end of November our options are limited. She loves animals, so my thoughts are doing an animal themed party. She really likes the book The Barnyard Dance and loves signing Old MacDonald so I think it would be perfect.

I really am not sure where though. Our house is small so I am contemplating doing it somewhere fun, possibly the rec center so she can swim. Unless we move soon! Do you have any thoughts? It won't be anything big but it would be fun to be somewhere where she could have some room.

I really love all these invitation inspirations from Zazzle. I have never ordered anything from there but have heard wonderful things about their products. You also know Etsy is an amazing inspiration in it's self. I need to remind myself she is only 2...but she is only 2 once so why not go all out! I love planning things like this!

I think after writing this I am pretty set on doing the animal theme! It is so adorable! Does anyone have any suggestions on where to get party favors from your favorite shops?

And lastly I want to share some fun pictures Kinley and her friend Patrick at the World of Wonders, Norfolk Botanical Gardens. They had such a blast! The place is absolutely beautiful. We can't wait to go back!

We really had a great time! Hope everyone has a wonderful Friday!!