So Sad!

What happens when you're almost 2 and you stay awake singing in the car on the way home from the cabin instead of taking a nap like your big sister? Well, if the almost 2 year old in question happens to be Lily, it goes a little something like this.

Sing all the way home from the cabin (2 hours).

Sister gets to go to the "office" with Daddy and pick out a movie at the "movie store."

You on the other hand, get to cuddle with Mommy and drink a bottle. However, instead of enjoying the cuddle, you will whimper the entire time.

Momma will lay you down in your bed where you will alternate singing and crying for about an hour. Maybe you will nap for a few minutes.

Then, when Momma takes pity on you and rescues you from your crib, you will do this ... She justs wants her "bottle."

It's All About Lily

Lily is "ticky, ticky" Daddy's toes! She thought it was hillarious to tickle Daddy's toes. She just kept going back for more.



...and for your viewing enjoyment... Lily singing! Sorry for the shakiness at the end. I was laughing at Addie and couldn't control the shakes. She's not at all used to being the center of attention.

The Business of Being Born

Check out The Business of Being Born. You can rent it from Netflix, or go to 4 different showings in the Menomonie area the weekend of February 23.

This is obviously something that is near and dear to my heart. I believe that women should have options about where their children should be born and in what setting. Our bodies are made to birth babies and if left to their own devices our bodies do amazing things. The medical community is taking this power away from women.

Medical studies consistently show that for most women, midwife assisted childbirth is as safe as or safer than physician-attended birth. Midwife-attended women are:

• 9 times less likely to have severe perineal tears
• 3 times less likely to have postpartum hemorrhage
• 6 times less likely to have fetal distress before birth
• 4 times less likely to need help to start breathing
• 4 times less likely to develop an infection

The routine use of medical interventions such as induction of labor, episiotomies, electronic fetal monitoring and cesarean sections is the greatest cause of complications associated with childbirth.

Sources: Center for Science in the Public Interest, the World Health Organization, and A Good Birth, A Safe Birth, by Diana Korte and Roberta Scaer, 1992. General Questions

The Girls Are Home!

They're Baaaackkkk.... Grandma and Grandpa brought the girls home on Saturday. Our quiet house immediately got loud and raucous! Addie immediately had to catch up with all her snuggles. She just kept walking up to us and giving us hugs. At one point she said, "Momma, I like your lips. I like your nose. I like your eyes." Do you think she missed me?

Lily settled right in by taking a 4 hour nap on Sunday. She woke up with a horribly runny nose but other than that, she's doing fine.

My favorite quote of the weekend was Addie saying, "I have to pee, my eyes are green." Hmm... where did she get that?!

I Miss My Girls

The girls are at Pirate Grandma and Grandpa's house this week. Our house is so quiet. I was able to get quite a bit done this morning before leaving for work. It's amazing what you can get done when you don't have 2 little ones to get ready as well as yourself!

I'm trying to keep myself busy all week long. Hopefully the week will go fast. I am really going to need some serious "nuggle" time with the girls when they come home though.

Lily's Spot

"Oh baby, you tired?"
"OK"
"Night, night baby"

I think every kid should have a little spot to call their own. Lily has carved out a spot between a chair and a table in between the living and tv rooms. When she wants to play quietly by herself, she takes a baby and it's blankie and puts it to sleep in her cradle. She sings to it and talks quietly. All of her mothering instincts come out.

Rock-a-Bye Baby!

Behavior Modification

Every once in awhile I get to use my psych minor. We started a behavior modification program with Addie yesterday. First, some background. Addie has been having trouble following directions lately. She laughs and runs away when I ask her to do something. It's a struggle to get dressed in the morning, a struggle to get her outside clothes on, a struggle to get home after daycare. Basically it's the Terrible 3 1/2's. She is constantly asking for treats and throws a temper tantrum if she doesn't get them. Lily has also picked up on this behavior, mostly because she sees that it gets Addie attention. Something had to give.

Yesterday I told the girls that they would be getting check marks on their hand every time they followed directions or shared with a sister or friend. At night we will count up the check marks that they have gotten. Both girls were very excited about their checks. Right now I am giving them check marks for anything that is remotely good behavior just to get them into the routine. We may do a weekly treat if they have earned a lot of checks, but they don't seem motivated by a long range treat right now. The checks seem to be incentive enough.

Last night as I was making dinner, Addie wanted some blueberries. I gave her the package of blueberries to share with Lily. They ate them all and came into the kitchen looking for more. When I told Addie that the blueberries were all gone, she threw the package on the floor. I asked Addie to throw the packaging in the garbage. Addie said, "NO!" Lily calmly walked over to the packaging and threw it in the garbage. Lily got a big hug and a check mark. Addie didn't like this one bit. She threw a total fit, screaming and kicking on the kitchen floor.

When she wouldn't calm down, I asked her to come into the living room with me. I asked her if she would like a chance to earn a check mark. The waterworks stopped. "Yes." I asked her to pick up the blocks that Lily and Addie had been playing with earlier. "OK, Momma, I can do that. Can I pick up the ponies too?" Absolutely!!

It's Day 2 of the program and the girls are still going strong. They are doing much better getting dressed without a struggle. Sometimes as a mom, you just have to try the crazy things that don't seem like they would work!

Photographer in the Making

One of Addie's first attempts at taking a picture by herself. She does really well looking through the viewfinder, if only we can keep her from flinching when she pushes the button. That expression you see on my face? It's me saying, "Do you see mommy in the picture?"