Hooray for the Fair Party!!!

This year marks the first year of an actual Hooray for the Fair Party!!! Of course chain saws, "bomb fire", kids staying up way past there bed time, and alcohol consumption were involved. It was a great time to hang with great friends and kick off to the "Peanut butter and fluff fair (quote from Mary-Ann)"

Obstacles of Life!

Life always presents so many obstacles. Over the past year and a half I have been extremely stressed. I am trying to take on numerous roles. I am a student, pursuing my doctorate degree in physical therapy, a mother of two small children, a wife, and a per diem physical therapist assistant.
When I decided to go back to school I knew it would present some challenges but nothing like it has. If I am not physically entertaining my children I am studying. I drive with notecards, I sleep with notecards, I walk with notecards, and keep notecards in my purse. If I don't have my notecards on me, my son says, "mommy don't you need your notecards? When are you going to be done with them anyways." It is cute, but sad. Last year the most stressful part of school was studying! This year the most stressful part of going back to school is babysitting.

Recently, I was completely thrown of guard. It all started after I received a 3 1/2 page letter from my sitter stating that she had to "take a toy" out of my sons hands. Honestly, who hasn't taken a toy from a 4 year old. What 4 year old doesn't test you? Not to say my son is perfect because, by all means he is not. Yes, he should have listened when the sitter asked to put the toy down, but he didn't. Lesson learned (hopefully). From this point on, every time I mentioned my sitters name he would scrunch his little nose, and pout! If I told him he was going there he would hysterically cry...it was heart wrenching. I would constantly ask "why he was crying" and he would cry harder. I had the worst images going through my mind...he kept shutting down.
After a week of trying to talk with him and getting no were but him producing more tears, I decided to ask Mary-Ann. When I approached her the first thing she said to me was "Mikey was bad, and was locked in a room for a long time!" My heart sank to my toes, literally. My little boy was traumatized. Locked in a room-come on!!!

Needless to say, Michael and Mary-Ann are no longer going to that sitter. I approached her on it and she assured me that Michael wasn't "locked" in there but was placed in quiet time/time out for a half hour the day she took the toy away. It hurt me in many ways as a mother. Completely believe Michael should have been reprimanded for not listening, but a half hour in quiet time for a 4 year old, in a room he hadn't been in? I think that penalty doesn't fit the crime.

This week the kids will begin with a new sitter. I am praying for happy children to come home. I have never felt so stressed before. I can't calm down and continuously cry...I think, I have too much on my plate and need me time!

It is Almost Fair Time!!!

Mary-Ann has informed us that she is really excited for the "PEANUT BUTTER AND FLUFF FAIR!"

Moms compared to Dad's in the eyes of a 3 yr. old!

Mary-Ann informed me today that.....

"mom's are fat......and dad's are big!"

Is she trying to tell me something?

Princess Mary-Ann

Today, I was able to watch Michael and Mary-Ann at morning meeting at school, before we all left for a field trip. All the little kids sat around in a circle and morning meeting started with a sang...

"Hickledy, Pickledy, bumble bee won't you say your name for me...."
and each child says there name and then passes the bumble bee to their friend,
and they sing it again...14 times to be exact!

Prior to school starting one of my biggest fears was that Mary-Ann was going to introduce herself as Poodle, because, that is what we call her, and/or Princess Poodle.

Half the class, has said there name, and the bumble bee gets passed to Mary-Ann who is sitting very quietly. I get a little nervous, because who knows what Mary-Ann will say or do. The whole class begins to sing and I can feel anxiety coming on....

"Hickledy, Pickledy, bumble bee won't you say your name for me...."
and Mary-Ann shouts out, "my name is Princess Mary-Ann".

Only Mary-Ann I thought to myself! Gosh...she certainly does have a lot of CONFIDENCE!!!

Goodbye Training Wheels!

"OOPS! Crash 1"

Up we go...lets attempt again.

He is doing it!

and....he is off!

There are many milestones that a child reaches, however, no milestone has been as emotionally touching as the one I experienced the other day! Michael, doesn't have a lot of confidence in himself and gets frustrated very easily if he can't "get/do" something right away. The other day Michael had a major confidence booster!

Monday, Michael came home from the babysitters disappointed that he couldn't ride his bike without his training wheels. He has tried to ride a bike without training wheels, however, gave up the second he fell. I told him that we would give it a try, and warned him that he may fall a couple times, but that I would run along side of him.

Riding bikes in New Hampshire, isn't easy. The road we live on is dirt and we are surrounded by hills. This doesn't stop a little boy though. On Tuesday, September 21, 2010, Michael, was determined to conquer this goal! We headed up the driveway and began our journey together. Michael was able to ride his bike straight without any problems, however, once he had to turn....he would........FALL!!! He fell a hand full of times, until he got it. Running down the road for the 10th time in 15 minutes, I finally gave up, and totally let go! This was Michael's reaction when he learned he was on his own:

"OH MY GOD! I AM DOING IT! I AM DOING IT!"

He had the hugest grin and smile on his face and had to call everyone to brag about this milestone. The moment was tearful! I was overwhelmed by emotion.

His conversation with Ahma was:

"Hi Ahma, you need to come over her quick...I have something to show you."

His conversation with Pat (our neighbor),
"Hi Pat, call me when you get home...I have something to tell you!"

His conversation with Nan,
"Hi Nan, I am a big boy...I don't need training wheels anymore...I can ride my bike ALL BY MYSELF!"

This was the first time I have ever seen Michael as excited and proud of himself! I am so PROUD of my little man! Good bye training wheels....and hello to many scratches and boo-boos!

Fall!

Fall is my favorite time of year! I love the fresh air, apple picking, going to the fairs, Halloween, and of course celebrating the birth of my handsome little boy, Michael! To kick off the fall season we always go apple picking! Apple picking is so much more fun with kids. Michael, taught all of us the "correct" way to pick an apple was to, "twish and pull." This past weekend Michael, Mary-Ann, Ahpe, Ahma, and I all went to Stoneybrook Farm in Gilford to get our bushel of apples! As always we had a great time and got TONS of Apples!