Always the Comedian

The Pouch is such a goof. Hubby's foot has been really hurting so before we took him to the doc yesterday, Pouch was trying to be a helper and fix daddy's foot. She had my sewing measuring tape, so she wrapped around daddy's foot and said "wrap the snake around it, feel better?" Where does she gets some of the stuff she says? She also likes to say "hurry guys, snakes coming," when we are going upstairs for bed. I have also passed my slight driving aggression on, so whenever someone is not driving how she sees fit, or if I say something, she either says "crazy dude" or "drive dude." Two is such a fun age! It amazes me how fast she is learning to talk. It is fun trying to get her to say "big" words. She is even starting to use them, She said "yum delicious" about breakfast this morning. Giggy is beginning to say little phrases and expanding her vocabulary as well. Most days, being a parent is so gratifying.

Lost in Ancestry

A post on one on my favorite mom forums about ancestry got me thinking and searching. I don't really ever act on it, but I love learning about my family's history. I know very little about where my family came from. I know my paternal great great? grandfather came here from Sweden. Apparently, its up for debate, his last name was changed when he immigrated to the US. My mother's family history is pretty well documented. One of her cousins did the whole family history going back for generations. She was even able to track some of them coming over on the Mayflower.

Some of the coolest things are looking at some of the family photo albums from the turn of the century  Some of the photos bring to light activities that would like to be forgotten, but it was a different culture, different time. Some are just a look into the past, what clothes they wore, how they did their hair, fun little history lessons. My mom even has a old signature book from when my great grandparents were married. The hand writing alone is exquisite. The language they use is well thought out and something that will probably be forgotten.

My search got me on the internet searching for what I could on ancestry.com. I was able to find census documents from both my grandmother's families. They were just children at the time but still neat to see. One of the coolest finds was the Ellis Island website. You can go on and see records for all the immigrants, including the ship manifestos. I looked up my hubby's last name, as it is very unique. I only found 9 results. One of the women immigrating from Germany had the Pouches name. I don't really know if they are directly related to my hubby's family but I will take the leap and say they probably are.

Some day I hope to dive in even deeper. Maybe make it a summer project with the kiddos when they are older. See what lessons our family history can teach us.

Love and Logic

Trying to find my place as a mom is one of the most difficult things I have done. Like it has been said many times before, kids don't come with an instruction manual. I am in the trenches with Pouch in the terrible twos and Giggy is right behind her. So I have been asking myself, how I can be a better mom? I feel like my day only consists on yelling "no" ALL day. With one of my goals this year being to stay positive with the girls I have been looking for a new way to discipline. I think I found it in the form of a modified Love & Logic. For you who dont know, Love and Logic is based on 4 main concepts.

1. The first is building the self-concept. Basically you offer empathy, understanding and unconditional love. By allowing kids to solve their own problems, make non life threatening mistakes and learn from them. Thus giving kids the chance to think for themselves, and hopefully they begin to make the right choices for themselves with guidance from me. 
2. Sharing control is the second. Rather than demanding something be done you can offer your kids control when you dont need it, so you can have some back when you do. If you give your kids choices, a basic human need, on small stuff like what shirt do you want to wear? what do you want for bfast? You can take control when absolutely necessary  You can also give them choices on some big stuff you just have to make sure both options are within the limits you have set. 
3. Give empathy before delivering a consequence. This is also letting your kids make small mistakes they can learn from. You can give a enforceable statement, meaning you can dole out an actual punishment if not done. So an example "Hey! Feel free to keep any toys you pick up," if they aren't picked up you keep them, and the kids have to earn them back. So when kids are toddlers, you come up with a simple statement "Uh oh" "Bummer" "How sad" ect. Instead of yelling at your kid to stop throwing their food on the floor, you say, "How sad. Dinner is over." By taking away their meal and truthfully they will probably go hungry until breakfast, depending on how old they are, you are teaching rather than just yelling. Remember fight or flight, usually screaming at kids get a negative reaction, you want a positive. 
4. Last but not least, Share the thinking, by raising a kid who feels good about themselves, has a strong bond of love and trust, allowing them to make mistakes and learn from them, and by giving them strong problem solving skills. Once your kids are a little older you actually have them help think of an appropriate punishment for their crime. If they draw on the walls, you ask them how they are going to solve it? Hopefully by that time they are able to think for themselves enough to figure it out. Often times they think up punishments worse than necessary. 

Well I will be trying this approach. I hope to be successful at it so my life is easier, and my kids are calmer and happier. I will keep you all posted on how we are doing, and hopefully my sanity begins to return. 

Giggy the gymnist

We started the girls in gymnastics a few weeks ago. Giggy seems to enjoy it. She likes playing with the little kids and she is a climber so being able to do that as sport is right up her ally. The balance beam and and slide seemed to be her favorite today. She is by far the tiniest in her class. I think it ranges from 12 months to 24 months and I would guess she is the youngest. But she doesn't let anyone leave her behind.

Now pouch is a different story. She is not all the sure about it. We have yet to stay for a whole class. It is all an experiment so we can try something different when she is done with this session. I think her calling may be music related so we can look into that. Or starting swimming lessons, every time we go to the rec center she asks to go swimming. But that would also require me to get into a swim suite...

After class we went to the park. The girls love it. All this nice weather is giving us a chance to try out the parks around town. We are excited for the cool new park opening at the rec center. It looks pretty fun.

Pouch The Incredible

Pouch is the newest member of the potty club. She did amazingly well. We started last Friday now she is pretty much fully trained. She learned so quickly I was amazed. I chose the three day method. Basically you don't leave the house for three days, take off the diaper, have nothing on their little bottom and show them the potty. We may have broken the don't leave the house rule, but she did great. With some Reese's Pieces and a few bigger prizes she is 95% potty trained. She is now wearing regular undies like a big girl. Even Giggy is showing interest now, maybe Pouch can teach her a thing or two. Daddy said she can get a bike in a few months for her big prize once she is a fully established bathroom goer.

Jumping In

Its a new year! I figured I wanted to jump on the band wagon of the blogging world. Mostly just for my own pleasure and saving a few memories so my mom brain can look back on them.

Some of my goals for this year:

1. Making an effort to feed my family wholesome food. I have a seriously bad habit of eating fast food while on the go. It needs to stop. But mostly I want to feed my family more veggies, fruits and grains, and less processed foods. 
2. Going off of above, I really want to cook meals at home every night. We don't really go out that often, but we go out more than we should. Also, I want to start making my own bread, and other foods I count on the store to provide me. 
3. Teach my kids something new each month. Their little brains are ready for learning! Pouch already knows her numbers to about 15, although she ALWAYS forgets 6. This month she is potty training. Next month is letters, both by sight and saying her alphabet. Giggy's goal is to learn her body parts. Next month is working on knowing her animals. 
4. Reconnecting with my mommy friends. 
5. Making a bigger effort to spend "us" time with my gamer nerd hubby. 
6. Get rid of Facebook. It really is a distraction and their is not too many positives to having it. This way I am more purposeful in my relationships with friends and family. 
7. Last but not least, being a better mom. Pouch is in the midst of the terrible twos, and giggy is emulating her big sister very well. I am learning to be patient but I need to out weigh the No's with more positives through out the day.