Ok fellow Bloggers. I have a question for you regarding pictures in your blog. Have you ever been told you've reached your picture storage capacity on your blog? What do you do? Do you keep your blog intact from day one or do you archive it so that you can't see all of your blog anymore? Do you just delete the pictures from your Web Albums that they magically get put into when you upload? I can still put pictures in my blog posts, but when I go to upload a picture for the header of our blog layout it says that I've reached some capacity with pictures.
Help.... what do you do?
Monday, January 30, 2012
Saturday, January 28, 2012
Please Be Patient
Please bare with me as I am changing up our blog. It has been a LONG time since we had a face-lift on What the Heck...so it's taking me a little while to figure out all the numbers/formatting again.
If anyone can help me it would be greatly appreciated. I want to narrow the side polka-dot area so that I can widen the actual writing area.... do you know what part of the HTML this normally is under?
Thanks for being patient and any help you can shoot my way.
If anyone can help me it would be greatly appreciated. I want to narrow the side polka-dot area so that I can widen the actual writing area.... do you know what part of the HTML this normally is under?
Thanks for being patient and any help you can shoot my way.
Monday, January 23, 2012
Parenting Strategies - Calling for HELP
Ok friends, family, blog readers and blog stalkers. I need your help. I don't care if I've never heard from you before or if you comment all the time, I will welcome any comment, feedback or advice you might have because I need your help.
You see, I have these two very sweet and loving boys. Did I mention I need your help? Oh wait... back to the sweet boys. Here they are.... Meet Ethan who is 7 years old (on the left) and Trevor who is 5 years old (on the right). See they both look very sweet with their smiles, don't they?
Most days they were happy, loving, silly, and best friends (ok, I may be exaggerating on the best friends thing, but sometimes they are... just not ALWAYS). However, recently, it's like they are arch rivals, enemies, nothing even close to resembling friends! That is, unless you are talking about the middle and high school aged girls that are BFFs one day, SOOOO... NOT friends the next day, and then BFFs once again 2 days later. Then that might explain my boys. But, they are at each others' throats from the time they wake til the time they go to bed. (again, I might be exaggerating a little bit as there are glimpses throughout the day when they play like the happy, loving, silly and best friend kids I mentioned above.) But nonetheless, it's been very different lately. And oh, yeah, remember.... I need your help.
What do I do with them? How do I get them to stop fighting with each other? How do I get them to stop annoying the other one (that is really Trevor annoying Ethan)? How do I get them to get along again? How do I get my happy, loving, silly and best friends for brothers back? I'm not going to be greedy, I don't need them to be best friends all the time, but I would like them to get along, not yell, and not bicker with each other about EVERY. little. thing. that. goes. on.
Here are some recent examples:
- Trevor, was writing a name of a classmate on a post-it before heading out to school. He innocently made the C backwards in this person's name. No big deal, but Ethan told him about it (and of course, Trevor was ok with it being written "wrong" because that's just how Trevor is and he was just proud that he could write the name all by himself.) But it ended up in them running around the kitchen (Ethan chasing Trevor) because Ethan HAD to show Trevor the right way to write a C and Trevor didn't want to give up the pen! Along with the chasing was yelling back and forth about "Give me the pen so I can show you" and "NO, you can't have it!" How did something as innocent as Trevor, minding his own business, practicing his writing with no instructions from me to do so, end up a terrible thing that gives me anxiety?
Another example - Ethan and Trevor have been playing with a mini football around the house and it went missing. Trevor was supposedly the last one to have it the day before and Ethan is "less than thrilled" that they can't find it. He is on Trevor's case all day long (this was over the weekend) because he "SHOULD" know where it is. Mind you they were throwing it everywhere, rolling it, and having fun with it in every area of the house. Neither Rick nor I had seen it either. But of course, Ethan knows where EVERY thing is in this house (yeah right) so Trevor should know exactly where it is. It went on all day long.
Need another example - They were playing nicely on the air hockey table. Trevor decided to stick his hand in front of the goal to stop the puck. Ethan said, "you can't do that" to start the conversation and then things went from bad to worse. Trevor didn't really acknowledge Ethan's direction and it turned into Ethan saying, "Well turn it off then" and walking down the stairs....all the while, Trevor crying (very loudly) because Ethan just up and left and left him in the dust. And Ethan is mad because Trevor can't stick his hand on the table!
Oh and here's another one (I told you it's been a lot lately) - The boys recently got some Squinkies (and I really still do not understand the point of these things so please enlighten me if you do). But anyway, they have these Squinkies and supposedly Trevor threw one at Ethan and hit him in the back. Now, if you know what Squinkies are, you know that it probably did not hurt a 7 year old that much, if at all. But Ethan came running down to tell me (in a manner suggesting that his brother had just thrown a 10 pound brick at his back) that, "Trevor threw this at me!" He had just the little car in his hand... not even the little, marble-sized, plastic ball that they go in. Now, I know Trevor shouldn't have thrown it at him, but really? It could not have hurt him. (And I know that Trevor does throw things (some things that can hurt) for no reason.... and that we are working on.)
Those are just a couple of examples. The list really can go on and on from recent things we've witnessed.
So, what do I do? How do I get Trevor to stop "bugging" Ethan? What are the consequences for throwing things? How do I get Ethan to just let stuff roll off his back when Trevor doesn't do things the "right" way? How do I make Trevor understand that Ethan (and eventually other kids) are not going to want to play with him if he throws or hits? How do I get my boys to stop being at each other's throats from the time they wake up til the time the go to bed? There seems to be no middle ground these days... either they are getting along, laughing and the best of buds or they are yelling and screaming at each other. And as I've said, recently, it's been more of the yelling and screaming than the best friends.
I need your help.... what ideas, suggestions, prayers do you have for me? I will try anything.
Signed,
The Stressed-Out Mom (and Dad, too)
You see, I have these two very sweet and loving boys. Did I mention I need your help? Oh wait... back to the sweet boys. Here they are.... Meet Ethan who is 7 years old (on the left) and Trevor who is 5 years old (on the right). See they both look very sweet with their smiles, don't they?
Most days they were happy, loving, silly, and best friends (ok, I may be exaggerating on the best friends thing, but sometimes they are... just not ALWAYS). However, recently, it's like they are arch rivals, enemies, nothing even close to resembling friends! That is, unless you are talking about the middle and high school aged girls that are BFFs one day, SOOOO... NOT friends the next day, and then BFFs once again 2 days later. Then that might explain my boys. But, they are at each others' throats from the time they wake til the time they go to bed. (again, I might be exaggerating a little bit as there are glimpses throughout the day when they play like the happy, loving, silly and best friend kids I mentioned above.) But nonetheless, it's been very different lately. And oh, yeah, remember.... I need your help.
What do I do with them? How do I get them to stop fighting with each other? How do I get them to stop annoying the other one (that is really Trevor annoying Ethan)? How do I get them to get along again? How do I get my happy, loving, silly and best friends for brothers back? I'm not going to be greedy, I don't need them to be best friends all the time, but I would like them to get along, not yell, and not bicker with each other about EVERY. little. thing. that. goes. on.
Here are some recent examples:
- Trevor, was writing a name of a classmate on a post-it before heading out to school. He innocently made the C backwards in this person's name. No big deal, but Ethan told him about it (and of course, Trevor was ok with it being written "wrong" because that's just how Trevor is and he was just proud that he could write the name all by himself.) But it ended up in them running around the kitchen (Ethan chasing Trevor) because Ethan HAD to show Trevor the right way to write a C and Trevor didn't want to give up the pen! Along with the chasing was yelling back and forth about "Give me the pen so I can show you" and "NO, you can't have it!" How did something as innocent as Trevor, minding his own business, practicing his writing with no instructions from me to do so, end up a terrible thing that gives me anxiety?
Another example - Ethan and Trevor have been playing with a mini football around the house and it went missing. Trevor was supposedly the last one to have it the day before and Ethan is "less than thrilled" that they can't find it. He is on Trevor's case all day long (this was over the weekend) because he "SHOULD" know where it is. Mind you they were throwing it everywhere, rolling it, and having fun with it in every area of the house. Neither Rick nor I had seen it either. But of course, Ethan knows where EVERY thing is in this house (yeah right) so Trevor should know exactly where it is. It went on all day long.
Need another example - They were playing nicely on the air hockey table. Trevor decided to stick his hand in front of the goal to stop the puck. Ethan said, "you can't do that" to start the conversation and then things went from bad to worse. Trevor didn't really acknowledge Ethan's direction and it turned into Ethan saying, "Well turn it off then" and walking down the stairs....all the while, Trevor crying (very loudly) because Ethan just up and left and left him in the dust. And Ethan is mad because Trevor can't stick his hand on the table!
Oh and here's another one (I told you it's been a lot lately) - The boys recently got some Squinkies (and I really still do not understand the point of these things so please enlighten me if you do). But anyway, they have these Squinkies and supposedly Trevor threw one at Ethan and hit him in the back. Now, if you know what Squinkies are, you know that it probably did not hurt a 7 year old that much, if at all. But Ethan came running down to tell me (in a manner suggesting that his brother had just thrown a 10 pound brick at his back) that, "Trevor threw this at me!" He had just the little car in his hand... not even the little, marble-sized, plastic ball that they go in. Now, I know Trevor shouldn't have thrown it at him, but really? It could not have hurt him. (And I know that Trevor does throw things (some things that can hurt) for no reason.... and that we are working on.)
Those are just a couple of examples. The list really can go on and on from recent things we've witnessed.
So, what do I do? How do I get Trevor to stop "bugging" Ethan? What are the consequences for throwing things? How do I get Ethan to just let stuff roll off his back when Trevor doesn't do things the "right" way? How do I make Trevor understand that Ethan (and eventually other kids) are not going to want to play with him if he throws or hits? How do I get my boys to stop being at each other's throats from the time they wake up til the time the go to bed? There seems to be no middle ground these days... either they are getting along, laughing and the best of buds or they are yelling and screaming at each other. And as I've said, recently, it's been more of the yelling and screaming than the best friends.
I need your help.... what ideas, suggestions, prayers do you have for me? I will try anything.
Signed,
The Stressed-Out Mom (and Dad, too)
Friday, January 20, 2012
Peas are....peas
No matter how you do it - store bought or homemade - peas are peas. Baby food peas are just not something I crave (not that I crave any baby food). They do not look appetizing at all. Thankfully babies don't know the difference and the appearance of food is not what draws them in. If it were, there would be very few babies that would want to eat their peas for dinner. But I made them and now hopefully Cooper WILL eat his peas for dinner.
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
cool dudes made by daddy
Dad has a thing of putting glasses on the boys. With Ethan it was his actual glasses. And he was a mere 6 weeks old, defenseless and couldn't do something about it even if he wanted to. (and Daddy even gave him a mohawk to go with the glasses)
Cooper, well, Dad waited a little while to do it to you. But it finally came. You are 6 months old and could have swatted them off if you wanted to, but you actually enjoyed having them on. You even gave Daddy a smile or two with them on and just continued to play like nothing was different.
Blenders & Baths
It was a relaxing weekend around here. A few things that we had to do like a company party, church, and folding laundry, but other than that it was low key. So, it was a great time to try some new things.
First new thing was bath time with 3, yes THREE, boys in the tub. For quite awhile now, Ethan has been taking showers rather than baths, but when he heard that Trevor was going to play in the tub with Cooper, he decided a bath wasn't just for "little kids" anymore. They had a blast and poor Cooper didn't even realize that he was right in the middle if the cross-fire.
Then on Sunday, since we had some down time after church before the Packers played, I decided to make some food for Cooper. Carrots and sweet potatoes to be exact. He loves his carrots and now we moved to sweet potatoes which he loved just the same. This is the first time I have made my own baby food and I have to admit that it is kinda fun to do and I feel really good when I know he is eating food that I made rather than the store bought food. Not that it makes any difference (as Ethan and Trevor both had the store bought food), but it's fun to do something a little different with each child.
So that was our weekend of blenders and baths...
First new thing was bath time with 3, yes THREE, boys in the tub. For quite awhile now, Ethan has been taking showers rather than baths, but when he heard that Trevor was going to play in the tub with Cooper, he decided a bath wasn't just for "little kids" anymore. They had a blast and poor Cooper didn't even realize that he was right in the middle if the cross-fire.
Then on Sunday, since we had some down time after church before the Packers played, I decided to make some food for Cooper. Carrots and sweet potatoes to be exact. He loves his carrots and now we moved to sweet potatoes which he loved just the same. This is the first time I have made my own baby food and I have to admit that it is kinda fun to do and I feel really good when I know he is eating food that I made rather than the store bought food. Not that it makes any difference (as Ethan and Trevor both had the store bought food), but it's fun to do something a little different with each child.
So that was our weekend of blenders and baths...
Thursday, January 12, 2012
Hot Little Piggies
All of our boys are little "hot boxes". Ethan and Trevor will run around in shorts and t-shirts all winter long if I would let them (which I don't - because they make me cold just looking at them). And Cooper is following suit! His little toes are ALWAYS roasting! I would have never thought to take socks off of Ethan and Trevor when they were only 6 months old and it's January and we're out in public. But Cooper, being the 3rd, I do it in a heart beat.
At church this morning, he was warm. Not feverish warm. Just warm. He was kicking off his socks while he was rubbing his feet together and after putting socks back on 5 times, I decided I would just take them off. Yep, while in church. Yep, it's the middle of January. But that boy was as happy as could be!
And I kept them off even as we headed home. His car seat cover keeps him nice and toasty and his feet are enclosed, so why put the socks back on the nice, warm toes? Absolutely no reason to.
I just love these little toes... I just hope they stay smelling so sweet as he gets older and continues to be a hot box like his older brothers!
At church this morning, he was warm. Not feverish warm. Just warm. He was kicking off his socks while he was rubbing his feet together and after putting socks back on 5 times, I decided I would just take them off. Yep, while in church. Yep, it's the middle of January. But that boy was as happy as could be!
And I kept them off even as we headed home. His car seat cover keeps him nice and toasty and his feet are enclosed, so why put the socks back on the nice, warm toes? Absolutely no reason to.
I just love these little toes... I just hope they stay smelling so sweet as he gets older and continues to be a hot box like his older brothers!
how today will go
The plan for today....here it is. I have lots of things to do around the house, but I also have these things called a blog and blog book to work on as well. Not that I HAVE to work on the blog and blog book, but I really want to. So here is how today is going to work, ideally.
1. Work on 1 month of the blog book. Finish that month and close the book.
2. Do something around the house. Fold laundry, make boys' beds, change sheets, etc, etc, etc. I will pick one or two of the many things I could do. Finish the chore of my choosing.
3. Post one new story on blog.
4. Back to a chore. Finish the chore.
5. Work on another month in blog book. Finish that month.
6. Back for another chore around the house.
So....that's the pattern for the day. We'll see how far I get with it. Looks like I skipped right to #3...this is my new story on the blog. Next up...switch the laundry to the dryer, fold the already dry load and put in a new one.
Wait! That should count as three chores, right?? I can already see I'm going to have a hard time sticking to my own plan.
1. Work on 1 month of the blog book. Finish that month and close the book.
2. Do something around the house. Fold laundry, make boys' beds, change sheets, etc, etc, etc. I will pick one or two of the many things I could do. Finish the chore of my choosing.
3. Post one new story on blog.
4. Back to a chore. Finish the chore.
5. Work on another month in blog book. Finish that month.
6. Back for another chore around the house.
So....that's the pattern for the day. We'll see how far I get with it. Looks like I skipped right to #3...this is my new story on the blog. Next up...switch the laundry to the dryer, fold the already dry load and put in a new one.
Wait! That should count as three chores, right?? I can already see I'm going to have a hard time sticking to my own plan.
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
6 Months Already
Oh boy oh boy... 6 months already. It goes without saying that I am behind on my blog. I will get caught up. I know it. But today, I wanted to tell you about our Cooper, who turned 6 months on January 1st! Happy New Year, Cooper!
Cooper. Cooper. Cooper. At 6 months, he weighs 15 pounds 2 ounces (11th percentile) and is 26 inches long (33rd percentile). He's our little one, but he's definitely growing now. He is fitting right in to the family and his big brothers love him to death! He is a very mild tempered child except when he's mad. He will let you know it. Thankfully it doesn't happen very often - usually only in the evening if he's overtired. He's smiley, happy, and loves to watch Ethan and Trevor (or whoever walks by). He babbles a lot and has a high pitched squeal that he likes to let out every now and then.
He loves to lay on the floor and roll from back to tummy. At this point in time he has "forgotten" how to get from tummy to back so he gets very angry and likes to head-butt the floor in frustration. He also likes to sit up and play with his toys, but tends to take a few tumbles yet so the supervision is still around when he's sitting. Toes... he loves his toes. He doesn't put them in his mouth, but he loves to play with them, especially when he doesn't have socks on. He's grabbing at things (sitting at the table is no longer safe unless things are cleared away first), he's watching every move we make, and he's getting stronger every day.
Cooper. Cooper. Cooper. At 6 months, he weighs 15 pounds 2 ounces (11th percentile) and is 26 inches long (33rd percentile). He's our little one, but he's definitely growing now. He is fitting right in to the family and his big brothers love him to death! He is a very mild tempered child except when he's mad. He will let you know it. Thankfully it doesn't happen very often - usually only in the evening if he's overtired. He's smiley, happy, and loves to watch Ethan and Trevor (or whoever walks by). He babbles a lot and has a high pitched squeal that he likes to let out every now and then.
He loves to lay on the floor and roll from back to tummy. At this point in time he has "forgotten" how to get from tummy to back so he gets very angry and likes to head-butt the floor in frustration. He also likes to sit up and play with his toys, but tends to take a few tumbles yet so the supervision is still around when he's sitting. Toes... he loves his toes. He doesn't put them in his mouth, but he loves to play with them, especially when he doesn't have socks on. He's grabbing at things (sitting at the table is no longer safe unless things are cleared away first), he's watching every move we make, and he's getting stronger every day.
Over the holidays he officially stopped nursing - by his choice (makes me sad, but it is less stressful and he's happy as can be with his bottles and cereal). The events leading up to him ceasing his nursing days were foreshadowing for me (and I'll explain that when I catch up on his 2 and 4 month appointments), but I was still hoping for some miracle that he would want to keep nursing. Oh well, he's growing, he's happy and that's all that matters. Now I guess I get to have my body back and be a "normal" woman again ;)
Cooper is such a happy baby! He really is. Even when you wake him from a sleep, he gives you a smile and the glimmer in his eyes is priceless. I love that he is old enough to stay awake when things are going on, but still small enough that when he's tired, he will just fall asleep no matter where he is or what's going on. He is fitting in this family perfectly and just goes along with the flow for all our events and activities. For that we are so very blessed!!
Sunday, January 1, 2012
Happy New Year
Happy New Year! I hope your holidays were full of excitement, laughter, joy and relaxation. 2012. What is in store for this year? We have no idea, but I am hoping that it will be full of laughter within our house and lots of activities to keep the boys and Rick and I out of a "ho-hum" rut. I am excited for the year. I am excited for the things we will be able to do outside now that Cooper is getting a bit older. I am excited for the places we can go now that Cooper is a bit older and can go more than 3 hours without eating and will be able to kind of "eat on the move" for the nicer months of the year. I am just excited and looking forward to the year. (but it's early, so I am fully aware that my attitude can change at any time... and am ok with that.)
So every new year brings resolutions that you try to hold yourself to. This year is no different, but I am really hoping to accomplish just 3 things....
1. Getting back on the exercise train. I'm not putting a quantity on the # of days or an amount of weight to lose. I am back to pre-baby weight, but I just don't feel good yet. So, I just want to exercise so that I feel good about myself once again. That's all....no marathons coming up, no body building competitions to enter. I just want to feel better.
2. I want to get our house organized. From top to bottom, I want to throw stuff out. I want to slim it down, declutter, and just plain old organize things. The house kinda got away from me these past few months and I need to get it back under my control ;o) Again, not too much to ask. Just a realistic goal.
3. I want to be better at storing and backing up my pictures. The fact that I have ALL pictures from June 2011 til the present on my camera disc and nothing backed up or put on the computer says it all. I NEED to get those pictures off and back them up. That all starts by getting & keeping my blog up to date and even making the kids monthly collages a bit quicker than I have in the past 6+ months. So, I hope to get that under control as well. No deadlines (as of right now), I just want to start working on it soon.
So there you have it. Those are my things for 2012. Not too tough, but will take some work and discipline to get them done. But I think I'm up for the challenge and am ready to get back to work on the things I've neglected since having Cooper.
Happy New Year to you and may you have a good year getting your list of things done.
So every new year brings resolutions that you try to hold yourself to. This year is no different, but I am really hoping to accomplish just 3 things....
1. Getting back on the exercise train. I'm not putting a quantity on the # of days or an amount of weight to lose. I am back to pre-baby weight, but I just don't feel good yet. So, I just want to exercise so that I feel good about myself once again. That's all....no marathons coming up, no body building competitions to enter. I just want to feel better.
2. I want to get our house organized. From top to bottom, I want to throw stuff out. I want to slim it down, declutter, and just plain old organize things. The house kinda got away from me these past few months and I need to get it back under my control ;o) Again, not too much to ask. Just a realistic goal.
3. I want to be better at storing and backing up my pictures. The fact that I have ALL pictures from June 2011 til the present on my camera disc and nothing backed up or put on the computer says it all. I NEED to get those pictures off and back them up. That all starts by getting & keeping my blog up to date and even making the kids monthly collages a bit quicker than I have in the past 6+ months. So, I hope to get that under control as well. No deadlines (as of right now), I just want to start working on it soon.
So there you have it. Those are my things for 2012. Not too tough, but will take some work and discipline to get them done. But I think I'm up for the challenge and am ready to get back to work on the things I've neglected since having Cooper.
Happy New Year to you and may you have a good year getting your list of things done.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)