Focus…

30 October 2011 By 3 Comments

I feel like I need to apologize for my lack of presence in this blog lately. But I really have to blame it on attention to presence in my non-blog life. I’ve been spending a lot of time this past week attempting to remain present and “in the moment.” Y’all, that is some hard shit to do. I had a friend in town to help out while Jon was away, and instead of my usual multi-tasking of blogging while watching TV, I turned off the laptop and focused on enjoying what I was watching for a change, and being engaged with my friend. I have to admit, I didn’t miss the blogosphere as much as I thought I would. Which makes me kind of sad in a way. I really need to find a way to organize my time so I can internet (that’s right, I just used it as a verb!) to my hearts content, yet not feel like it pulls me away from those around me.

I’ve also been busy doing “homework” as requested by my therapist. It’s not horrible, soul searching stuff where I have to chart emotions or write for hours and hours in a journal. It’s doing some reading and listening. I’m revisiting Eckhart Tolle’s A New Earth, this time via audio book. I don’t know if it’s getting a first hand description of how the super ego works from my therapy visits, or if it’s just listening to the book from a human voice other than mine, but I have to say, I’m getting a deeper understanding of things this second time around. I think when I read it the first time, my thought process of the egoic mind was more of the “woe is me” type. But what I’m finding in myself is that my super ego doesn’t operate that way. Mine? It likes to turn it out to others. So their story becomes mine. That whatever they say or do seems like a personal attack. When really? It’s just their story. A complicated concept that I’m still trying to get a grip on. But, overall, I’m feeling a little lighter in mood. A little less tense. A whole lot less angry. And that feels like progress.

Oh, and I started group therapy as well. Scared the living shit out of me at first. I’ve only had one meeting, and on the drive over, I felt like I was going to puke. See, there’s this whole confidentiality thing about group, so no one could tell me what group was going to be like or what was going to happen, and likewise, I can’t tell you either. But the fear of the unknown is a mighty one, and I didn’t like not knowing what I was in for. And wouldn’t you know it? It wasn’t nearly as scary as my mind had made it out to be. That super ego is one magnificent liar.

Filed Under: A New Earth, Eckhart Tolle, super ego, therapy

Lining up…

26 October 2011 By 3 Comments
This past Saturday, I did the unthinkable. I took the squirts down to the Children’s Museum to wait in line to see the man himself, Lightening McQueen, in person. Along with his cohorts, Mater and Finn McMissile on their Agents on a Mission tour. Up close and personal. Or so we thought…

Lining up...

Here’s the thing: my son’s very first official movie that he actually sat through from beginning to end was Cars. Like every other young boy I know, he watched this movie a bazillion times and has the whole thing memorized. He couldn’t wait for Cars 2 to come out. And in his eyes, it didn’t disappoint. So when we heard that these cars were going to be in our town, life-sized and greet-able, it was a no-brainer. I knew it would be crowded. I had no idea how bad it would be though. Y’all, we waited for over two hours. The kids did great. Probably better than the adults. And even though I had an array of iPhone apps to keep them occupied in times of irritability, they stuck it out very patiently. When we finally got up to the State Farm sanctioned area, Mr. B scored with a free beach towel. Miss P? Well, she didn’t fare so well, coming out with only a dinky air freshener and a magnet. But, c’mon, that wasn’t what we were there for, right?

Except, it wasn’t what I expected. Once you got to the cars, they zip you through the photo line like cattle. You go to one X in front of McQueen, say cheese, then get quickly ushered to the next X and the next. We got a total of about 1.5 minutes with these cars, these characters that have provided hours and hours of entertainment for my kids. And the photos they take for you? Have the freakin’ barricade ropes in them. I don’t think Mr. B had any expectations of having a conversation with Lightning and Mater, but it would have been nice to feel like the wait was worth it. C’mon, give the kids a chance to one-finger touch them, at least! By the time we left, we were exhausted and starving and ready to get the heck outta dodge.
But here’s what I love about kids and their mindset. When asked today what he thought about the whole thing and if it was worth the wait? Mr. B beamed a huge smile and exclaimed “YEAH! And I got this cool towel!”
Filed Under: cars 2, lightning mcqueen

Trickling…

20 October 2011 By 7 Comments

A week ago, we were at a standstill with my daughter’s trials at potty training. I mean, DEAD standstill. The kind where she would pitch a royal fit and cry hysterically when placed on the toilet. I don’t know what’s happened, but all of a sudden, she’s been going on the potty a ton! The last few nights, she’s gone from nap time to bedtime wearing just fancy underpants and very minimal accidents. And today? Today she hit the jackpot, going #2 not only once, but TWICE. I hesitate to make any lasting assumptions about her progress, but I’m feeling hopefully optimistic.

So, what’s my gripe about? Is there really anything to complain about? Goodness, no. However, I have to admit something here. We tried the sticker incentive program for months with no avail. What HAS worked, however, was the specially purchased pink and purple M&M’s. She’s been getting one for peeing and two for pooping. Add that up, and that’s a ton of chocolate during the day. Not to mention how squeamish I feel giving her chocolate at 7:30 in the morning. I’ve made the switch to gummy bears for peeing, but I still feeling like I’m some kind of horrible drug pusher, handing over sugar every time my toddler makes a deposit. I’m hoping that one day she’ll just forget to ask for her “reward” and that stickers will continue to be enough. But what if she never lets it drop? I have no idea how long of a process we’ve got ahead of us, and c’mon, this could go on for months!

Have you gone through something similar? And what did you end up doing?

Filed Under: potty training

Heywood Banks on Kid Tune Tuesday…

18 October 2011 By 4 Comments

ktt2 Heywood Banks on Kid Tune Tuesday...

1009 Heywood Banks on Kid Tune Tuesday...
I first heard Heywood Banks‘ little tune Toast in the car a long, long time ago while driving around Indianapolis with Jon. Heywood Banks appears on their local Bob and Tom show, and when I heard this the first time, I couldn’t stop laughing. Heywood Banks is a pretty witty lyricist, and the french verse is reason enough to love this song. So, I was more than tickled to find it being played on Kids Place Live. I’m not sure it’s technically a kid song, but the words are accessible for young ears. And the little ones LOVE a good reason to scream along with a song.

And now for the results:

MR B: Yeah TOAST!!! four%252520sippy%252520cup%252520white Heywood Banks on Kid Tune Tuesday...
MISS P: Agreed…YEAH TOOOOOAST! four%252520sippy%252520cup%252520white Heywood Banks on Kid Tune Tuesday...

Technorati tags: childrens music, kid tune tuesday, heywood banks, toast

Filed Under: Keywood Banks, Kid Tune Tuesday, Toast

Hi guyths…

13 October 2011 By 4 Comments

I probably shouldn’t be posting this about my daughter, but she has this little quirk that’s so cute I can’t help myself. I don’t know if I’d call it a lisp, per se, but she over-exaggerates her tongue motion when making certain “S” sounds. As in, “c’mon, guyths…let’th go.” I’m sure she’ll grow out of it, just like most kids with their r/w mix up or l/y thing Mr. B had. I don’t know about you, but we’re pretty impressionable around our house and will find ourselves talking back to Miss P with the same little listhp. Not in a mean way, but in the same way you’d tell your son if he wants some “Dodo’s”, even though normal people call them Cherrios. Or in that way that you might find yourself suddenly speaking in a Southern accent when you converse with someone who has a very thick and definitive Southern drawl.

Here’s the thing, though. I find myself talking like this now. Outside of the home. It’s become a habit. Much like the time period when I’d find myself going in to Baby Talk mode to complete strangers after having spent days on end with a small baby and no other contact with human beings. The checkout people at the grocery store must think I’m a nutter. But I also know that one day we’ll be talking to Miss P and it will hit us like a ton of bricks. The quirk will be gone, and with it, her toddler days. It will be replaced by Big Girl words and thoughts, but hopefully the hugs will remain just as consuming and cuddly. Sooner than I’m prepared for, there will be no funny word for this or that. I’m not ready for her to grow up just yet. I want to keep calling her pajamas “Jammas” and revel in watching her sing with her eyes closed. I cherish the fact that she’s not self-conscious about those things yet. And here I will be, singing with my eyes closed as well and twirling like a fairy princessth along with her for as long as she will let me.

Filed Under: Uncategorized
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