Life with a 2 year old!

Ok...so two weeks down and two more to go and then I can resume my "summer vacation". Work has been crazy busy, but the time has really flown by.

Claire has developed separation anxiety to the max all of a sudden. She is crying for REAL when I take her to her class each morning. Meanwhile, Jake is so grown up he cant' understand why I have to walk him to his class and why he can't come and go as he pleases in my school.

Speaking of Claire and growing up...

We recently transitioned Claire to her "toddler" bed (her crib converted). We thought we were home free after only two weeks because she was doing so well with staying in the bed and going right to sleep. Well...GOTCHA!!!! The little princess has turned the tables on us and now we spend about 2 hours each night fighting the "GET BACK IN BED" battle with her.

I refuse to give up and put the crib back together, instead I am holding my ground and fighting the fight. I actually had to give her a spanking last night :-O I know , I know......call CPS and lock me up!.

Trust me it was much worse for me than it was for her. I felt so bad afterwards that when she was finally asleep, I went in and picked her up and loved her while just watching her sleep.- But di you notice I said she was ASLEEP!!!!- It actually WORKED. While I don not advicate beating you kids, every now and then going a little "old school" as a last resort can actually be effective.

Meanwhile...Jake is staying up later and later becoming more and more addicted to the night time cartoons and the various "kid friendly" shows that can be found on Nick and Cartoon Network. Did you know that Sponge Bob Squarepants is almost ALWAYS on!!??

You see...I can't start yelling at him to go to bed until I know for sure that she isn't going to hear me or hear him arguing with me. If she even THINKS she is missing some good "fuss at Jake" action, she is up and out of room in a flash. Thus creating a vicious cycle and causing me to run out of their rooms screaming I GIVE UP!!!!

Andy will usually intervene at this pint and help with the yelling and take a turn putting kids to bed. This is about the time that the true "momma's boy" comes out in Jake and all of sudden my self sufficient, all grown up, nearly 6 year old crumbles into the needy, whiny 3 year old little boy I once new who needs mommy to tuck him in and sing to him, and rub his back, and get him a drink of water (all the while, daddy is allowed to watch whatever he wants on T.V.).

Daddy is a very important part of the kid's day, but man...bedtime seems to all about MOMMY...gee...I feel so loved!

By the way...those of you reading this that remember ME when I was 2- SHUT UP!

Back to work...

Jake and Claire and I all went back to school (or at least to CAMP). I went to work and they are at camp at my school. It started yesterday and and today, after 3 weeks at home with Mommy, Claire announces that she "doesn't like school and she'd like to go home now". This was about 5 mins after I took her to her room. She did get over it and ended up having a fun day.
Jake is having a great time having kids to play with all day. he is so easy going when it comes to this sort of thing. He'd MUCH rather go than stay home.
My school is very large and serves a clientele that is made up of primarily upper middle class to extreme upper class families with mostly stay at home moms. WE do not live very from the school, so the areas that we live, work and play in all mingle together. I can't go ANYWHERE without running into someone from my school. Sometimes it's nice and others, I find myself ducking and going the other way to avoid the awkward conversation. Yesterday I was at the pool when a mother came up to me and started talking about the first day of camp and how she was sure all would settle down, but that she was a bit uneasy about her 2 year old's class....and BLAH BLAH BLAH!!!! Geez!!! I am trying to relax and enjoy a nice afternoon swimming with my kids. I am happy yo talk with you and all, but does it have to be about my work?!
This stuff happens to me ALL THE TIME! Don't get me wrong... I really love my job and my school, but sometimes I don't think people realize that I have my own life and kids to pay attention t just like they do and that just because I am the director at their child's school, that doesn't mean that that is all I am.
Thanks for letting me VENT...
On a happier note, I just found out that my sister is pregnant with a baby GIRL!! And that my cousin is TOO. They are due within a week or so of each other. I am so excited to be having a niece :-)

VBS

This week has been a new experience for us. Jake has been attending Vacation Bible School.
This is a concept that is completely LOST on Andy. As a Catholic, VBS was unheard of. It was something the "other"kids did (meaning the protestant kids). Since I grew up protestant, I attended many VBS programs as a child and knew exactly what Jake would be getting into.
This particular VBS is actually being offered by a Catholic Church that we attended for a couple of years and where I know lots of people. Several of my friends are sending their kids there as well.
Jake has been having so much fun and has come home each day babbling on and on about the cool things he has learned. On Monday he had tiny dot stickers all over him. I asked him what it was and said it was "leprosy". With a smile, I asked what it meant to have leporasy. He told me his version of a disgustin disease. He then went on to tell me that Jesus cured the people with leporasy. Ahhh...my heart felt good :-)
Yesterday he said "Mom!...did you know that Jesus could walk on WATER??!!?? That is so COOL!"
- Hey...I'm just thrilled that he's having a good time. If some bible stories are sticking with him...then all the better.

Kindergarten Graduation

I can hardly believe that my baby boy is actually old enough to be going into first grade this coming fall. Where has the time gone?

I know all mothers say this, but It really doesn't seem possible that he is this old....

The St. Ambrose Kindergarten Graduation was last Thursday evening. The kids recited (short) essays on what they enjoyed most about kindergarten and sang several songs. Then they received there "diplomas" and various award certificates. There was a nice little reception afterwards. This completed Jake's second year at St. Ambrose School.

Now we are full on into our summer break and are keeping busy with fun stuff every day. Monday we went to the Science Museum (the kids REALLY like to go there). Tuesday we went swimming, Wednesday we found a super cool indoor play place that was so fun I could hardly get the kids to leave. And today, we plan to go swimming again. "Kung Fu Panda" is on tomorrow's agenda. Next Week Jake will attend Vacation Bible School for the first time- that should be fun :-) Then the week after that... we all go to my school for summer camp for 4 weeks. Busy, busy, busy!

Oh yeah...T-Ball officially ended the season last Saturday. The Blue Jays came in 4th place (out of 6 teams- we were NOT the total underdogs-yeah!!!). Each member of the team received a very nice medal and a bobble head trophy-very cute!