Sometimes I'm just a frustrated parent!

Having 2 toddler girls so close in age is sometimes a blessing and sometimes a nightmare! Lately it has been a nightmare OFTEN!!! I love my kids and how different they are, but I could do without the conflict and chaos they bring into our home!

It has been a very BIG struggle lately to make them listen, obey and/or cooperate with us as parents. We have tried to be consistent from day one, but they seem to forget all the rules and boundaries every single morning. It never fails that I have to repeat the expectations in our home (like a broken record player) over and over each and every day. 

I know that if I stick with it that they will eventually get it. 

I know that this is just a phase that will pass.

I know that consistency is the key.

I know that they are just toddlers testing me.

I know that I need to have patience.

I know that I am the Mom, and that I need to be firm.

But sometimes I'm just tired and I don't want to!

Sometimes I'm weary, exhausted, angry, disappointed, impatient, and VERY FRUSTRATED!!!

I'm not super woman, I am human and I am just so confused by my children's behavior lately! Why do they feel the need to push me so hard until I snap? Why can't they behave and listen the first time I say it? Why can't they be the perfect little girls that everyone think they are when we're at home?

I'm sure I'll get lots of comments by writing something like this, but I honestly just needed to vent. I wish my kids came with a manual and there was the perfect answer in it for every situation they've thrown my way lately!!!

Happy New Year Party for Toddlers

This year my husband and I had no invitations to any adult parties for the New Year and we had a hard time trying to find an idea that would work for the whole family. We wanted to celebrate the New Year, but it's hard to do something with three small children at home! Then my husband had a great idea (yes, I'm giving him the credit for coming up with the initial idea)... "Lets have a kid-friendly New Year's Eve party and invite all of the kid's friends over!"

So, that what I ended up doing. He had a great idea, but I ended up doing all the work! ;0)

It was easy to invite everyone and I kept it very simple. I asked everyone to bring a toddler friendly snack to share with everyone and planned an easy craft for us all to make. (The kids colored and put stickers on two small paper plates, I stapled them together and put dry macaroni in the middle for noise makers!) After they made their noise makers we turned on some Rick Charette kid's music and played freeze dance.

This was Bailee trying to "catch" Mia in her party dress!

(Yes, Bailee has a tattoo on her arm! Santa brought them for them at Christmas time!)

Because our party started at 5:30 and we had bedtime to think about, we had our New Year's Eve countdown at 7:00 instead of midnight! I found a simple countdown with fireworks and New Year's music on YouTube and played it for the kids. They didn't really understand the whole thing, but still had fun blowing their noise makers and yelling!

 Here is Mia blowing her noise maker with all of her might and ringing in the New Year!!

By the end of the night the kid's were exhausted and fell right asleep in their beds, so I guess that means the party was a success! :0)

Toddler New Year Resolutions

So, 2011 is here! I don't make New Year resolutions. I find it awful that every diet program, gym membership and all sorts of sports equipment/clothing are all over the commercials and in stores this time of year. Why don't we commit to "being better" all year around? (anyways, that's a whole other blog...)

This year I was pondering the thought of what my children would make for New Year resolutions. I know they are only 8 months, 2 years and 3 1/2 years old, but it was fun to think about. Here is what I think they would say...

Jack (8 months) - "I want to be fully independent of my mom in 2011. I will stop nursing. I will learn to walk and run. I will learn to torture my sisters for all of the weird things they've done to me in my life, and will fully assume the role of 'pesky little brother!' I will also give up all forms of baby food! I'm tired of eating mush and blender-made food."

Mia (2 years) - "I will finish this potty training marathon I've started and be a big girl on the potty! I will join the local diaper derby race and beat every kid in town with my amazing running abilities! I'm tired of everyone calling me 'tiny' so maybe I will weigh more than 20 pounds in 2011 and grow out of my size 4 shoes!!! I'll put my attitude and 'spunk' to good use and stick up for my little brother when someone picks on him! I will turn 3 in 2011 and maybe stop giving Mom such a hard time about everything!"

Bailee (3 1/2 years) - "This year is going to be a big year for me! I can just tell that my vocabulary and education is going to blossom! I will stop throwing fits about every little detail and learn to reason a little bit better. I plan on attending our public school's Pre-K program in the fall and hope to make lots of new friends. I'm sure I will have a few things to teach the teacher, but overall I think it will be a great time for me! As my sister tries to keep up with me this year, I will have to stand my ground and make sure she is clear about who is the boss in our relationship. I will not back down and will continue to dominate as the older sister. (Don't tell Mom, but maybe I can be nicer to her as I learn to be kind and more mature.)"

Me (the "Mom") - (if I could choose some resolutions for my kids, this is what I would pick!) All fighting between children will stop. No more conflict. Things won't matter to you, just the memories we made together. Please sit quietly when I ask you to. Don't pick your nose. And leave the attitude on your pillows in the morning. But most importantly, don't stop smiling! Sometimes that's what gets me through my day!

Happy New Year everyone!!!

Uses for Lansinoh lanolin...

If you're a breast feeding mom, or have ever nursed your baby, then you probably have heard of or used Lansinoh lanolin ointment. It's a think vaseline type cream that you apply to your sore nipples when breastfeeding. It was a life saver for me when I started nursing my first baby, but did not need it for my second or third baby.

I was cleaning out my baby items the other day and came across a new tube of it that I had bought before having Mia. It doesn't expire and I hate to just throw things away so I researched what lanolin is used for. I was shocked at how many different things I could use it for! I am excited to try some of them!

The first and best use I found for it was to put it on cracked or chapped skin! Two of our kids have really dry spots on their faces that crack, dry up and get really sore. I cannot wait to try it on their dry spots and see if it helps!

Here are a few different uses I found... so, if you have any lanolin laying around, give one of these ideas a try!


1. Be used as lip balm.

2. Treat diaper rash.

3. Help heal minor cuts, burns and skin abrasions.

4. Soothe itchy stretch marks.

5. Replenish the lanolin in wool diaper covers and wool nursing pads.

6. Heal cracked, dry winter cuticles or wind- and cold-chapped cheeks.

7. Treat eczema.

8. Un-stick a stuck zipper.

9. Remove a too-tight ring from fingers swollen from pregnancy.

10. Moisturize dry and itchy skin on elbows, knees and heels.

11. Some sailors use lanolin to create a slippery surface on their propellers and stern gear to which barnacles cannot adhere. The water-repellent properties make it valuable as a lubricant grease where corrosion would otherwise be a problem.

12. Lanolin is often used by baseball players to soften and break in their baseball gloves (shaving cream that contains lanolin is popularly used for this).

13. Anhydrous lanolin is also used as a lubricant for brass instrument tuning slides.


14. Lanolin can also be restored to woolen garments to make them waterproof, such as for cloth diaper covers.

(I found all of this info at wikipedia.org and blisstree.com.)

Uh oh!

I'm in trouble! Big trouble! My son Jack, who is 8 months old, is starting to pull himself up onto toys, furniture and people. Just last night Tom came into the bedroom to tell me that Jack had pulled himself up onto the kid's wooden table and was standing by himself! I was excited and sad all at the same time!

 I have a few friends with children the same age and they are much more advanced than Jack, but I am in NO hurry for him to be walking! He is trouble enough already! He really is a good boy, but I don't need the added hassle of chasing him around everywhere! 

Here he is pulling himself up on his driving car and seems pretty pleased with himself!

In this picture he was actually growling, grunting and giggling all at the same time! He is ALL boy! :0)

Look out Bailee and Mia... Jack will be chasing you in no time!!!!

A few tidbits from my day...

Hello everyone! Long time, no blog! :0)  


I love the holidays, but I get so out of my normal routine! I've basically ignored all of my blogs, my Facebook friends, and I've only answered important e-mails. I've done minimal housework and spent all of my energy and time focusing on my family and friends. That's what the holidays are all about anyways, right? 


Tom also has had some time off from work, so I haven't kept up on my normal daily things, but we have spent all of my time "being" a family. Not just getting through the daily grind, but actually sitting down and doing things together. It's been WONDERFUL! 


I'm hoping to get back to my normal blogging and other household duties when he goes back to work, but for now I am enjoying our fun family time! (I have so much I want to blog about, but I'm not sure where to start!)


For now, here are a few photos I've snapped today...


All three kids were sitting on their little couch watching a baby einstein movie. Mia was so happy to "snuggle" with Jack!

This was the view from the back! Bailee's arm was around Jack and Mia was rubbing his head! SOOOOO Sweet!!!

We stayed in our jammies all day because there was a blizzard outside! Maine was in a "state of emergency" but we were in a "state of laziness!" I could certainly use more days like this!

Bath time was fun tonight. Jack was fascinated with the water I was pouring out of a cup. He kept trying to grab at it and would then giggle! It's the simple things!

I hope everyone is enjoying their "after Christmas" week. I know I am glad that the craziness of Christmas parties is over. We can now try to get back to normal life around here! :0)

My simple Christmas decorations

Inspired by my friend Sue & her blog, I decided to share some of my favorite Christmas decorations that are around our house. They are simple and humble, but they are special to me! Here are a few photos from inside my house...

A fresh bouquet of red and white flowers always brighten up a room and look Christmasy! 

 I have fresh boughs and berries in a simple white vase. I found this simple snowman stake at WalMart for $1.

 More fresh flowers with candy canes in my long wooden bowl.

I collect miniature nativities and have them ALL over the house! I love nativities and wish I could keep them up all year long! These figurines are about an inch tall each.

 I love snowmen because you don't have to take them down until February or March!

 Another nativity that is in our entry way (one of my favorites!)

Our tree is full of special ornaments. I don't like to put an ornament on our tree unless it has "meaning" to us! The stockings are also hung on the window, not a fireplace, but that works for us! :0)

 And, one more nativity!

The front door!

Our decorations are simple but kid friendly and have lots of meaning to us! Feel free to share your ideas too!!