Short Order Cook - Part 2

OK, so that backfired! I tried the "if I cook it, you eat it" thing, only offering them cold choices if they didn't want what I cooked. Well, I was the only one eating all week! Today, I asked them what they wanted before I cooked. They had cereal for breakfast, nothing for lunch (my son had an apple) and they asked for spaghetti for dinner. Neither of them ate it, they both looked at it and asked for bacon instead! So, here I am at 6:15 at night, microwaving bacon so that they will eat. They had 3 pieces each already, and asked for more. I am happy that they are eating, but sad that I lost that battle. Tomorrow it will be a battleground as I regain some authority. I know I lost some when I gave in to the eating today, which has always been a source of contention around here.
The good news is my daughter has been nicer today. I haven't given in one inch on anything else, and I think she realizes I am just trying to help her when it comes to the food. She has been, if not an angel, trying to be one :-)
With hope for tomorrow,
One Christian Mom

G-Tube Issues

I have spent most of my life over the past two days researching the internet and on the phone trying to resolve what should be a simple G-Tube issue. Apparently I wasn't sent home with all the supplies needed for my daughter's tube, and I didn't know it until I needed something I don't have.
The "my way" finally came to a head yesterday when my daughter decided to let the tube hang from her body rather than tuck it into the belly band. I told her this was not smart, but she did it anyway. Well, the baby saw a fun dangly thing and pulled on it. The scream sent my heart into my throat! I pushed it back in, but some of the fluid that holds it in place must have drained when that happened because it will not stay in place. The insurance won't pay for us to go to the doctor or hospital for them to do it because I was supposed to recieve supplies to do this myself. So my poor hubby gets sent all over looking for the right supplies. I just got the call saying he got what he thinks I need and hopefully this two day extravaganza will come to an end.
In this instance, the punishment was the outcome, she has to live with the tube being uncomfortable (not painful) until this is resolved. But sometimes it is not so easy for the mom, I am the one worrying and trying to resolve the whole thing!!!
We have had to MAKE her put the belly band on even after this happened! She says it is uncomfortable. I asked her what is worse, the band or it being loose from the baby pulling on it. She got sassy with me and told me to keep the baby away from her! So she lost her TV privelages for the day. Usually they get to pick one show each, and they watch one while the other is in the bathtub, so about an hour of TV a day, or 2 hours on "special occasions" - when mommy is sick or there is a lot to do :-)
Anyway, I hope hubby gets home soon, I so want this to be over.
With love and patience,
One Christian Mom

Cleaning House, and "My Way"

You might think this post will be about cleaning the house my way, but that isn't entirely correct! I am talking today about clearing the clutter. Then I will talk about my daughter's new phrase - "my way"!

I started clearing the clutter! Yeay! My hubby agreed to let me do freecycle. I discussed with him the merits of giving our stuff away. First, we have been blessed by all the things given to us recently for the children. They want for nothing, especially clothes. But people have also recently given us toys and even some food. We have plenty of "things", or as I lovingly call it, "Stuffs" that can be blessing someone else rather than be collecting clutter in my downstairs. For example, I have some clothes in bags that will never fit me. I listed them today, and they were gone today :-) Yeay, some clutter gone! I also listed a baby swing, exersaucer, and bounser which will be gone tomorrow. And some baby boy clothes in 3 month size (he's way outgrown those!) They will be gone over the weekend. I have just scrached the surface with all I have to give away. It makes me feel good that I can give something to someone who needs it, especially since so many have blessed me recently.

Now, for the "my way". This has been distressing me greatly! My daughter has decided that she WILL have things her way. When I let her know things will not be her way, she goes ballistic. She started banging her head against the door earlier today saying "if you don't love me I will just die". The argument was over how to correctly write the number 7. She wanted to write it backwards. There was a tracing letter on the page. She would start at the middle, draw the line down opposite the one there. Then she would draw the line at the top fo the right. I would tell her that it wasn't right, please trace the letter there. She would "freak out" and start screaming. So I told her school was over for now and we would start again later. That wasn't good enough - she wanted to know she was going to be able to write the number the wrong way. She said she wanted to make it her way, or she wasn't going to do it at all ever again. Then I put her in her room for a time out. She started throwing things around the room. When she came out, she said I am never going to apologize ever again, and it was an AAAAAcident. (read short a - exaggerated).
She has decided that everything has to be her way, and as long as her way is not the way it is supposed to be. I am so frustrated. This wasn't the only incidence of this today. I don't even know if I am explaining it correctly because just thinking of it puts me through a range of emotions. I know I will handle it, God will see to that, it's just hard to do so.

Anyway, back to making a list of things to donate!
With God's strength,
One Christian Mom

Short Order Cook

How many of you out there are short order cooks for your family? Probably not too many, I have seen your impressive menus! :-) I have been one lately, and that ended today. I was happier, but my kids sure weren't. I decided that now that I know my daughter is getting at least some nutrition through the feeding tube at night, that I will regain my life. It was a concious decision, and I will take it step by step, but the kids don't rule the roost anymore!

Today, the first step was food. This has been a major source of contention in my life since my daughter was born. So for the past 5.5 years, my life has literally revolved around getting my daughter to eat. In the beginning it was getting her to keep down her formula. "Don't let the baby cry, she might throw up." Or, "Did the baby drink her bottle? No, ok, let me try." Or, "She threw up again? How much, I need to give her more medicine if it's a lot."

Then it was, "Doctor, my 12 month old had oatmeal for breakfast, about 2 bites. Is this normal? No, I should force her to eat more? OK." "Hello doctor, she threw up the oatmeal. Take her off foods again? OK."

To make a really long story not so long, the feeding tube and reflux surgery is hopefully the end to an over 5 year struggle. She has been allowed to eat whatever she asks for whenever she asks for it for about the last year. And she has manipulated me with it for way too long. Today, after they woke up and begged me for three different breakfasts, I explained the rules. Here they are in a nutshell...

1. We eat in the kitchen ONLY. Don't ask me for food anywhere else in the house.
2. We eat what I am cooking or you eat something cold. Don't ask me for nuggets or pancakes if I am making fish. You can, however ask me for cereal or ham.
3. If you don't eat what you ask for, don't ask for something else.

That's it. Simple enough. They were NOT happy, LOL. Breakfast was eggs, and the baby and I ate them. The older ones had cereal. Lunch was nuggets. Daughter had applesauce, son refused to eat. Baby and I had nuggets. They all like nuggets, but I think it was a protest. Dinner was homemade chicken and dumplings. Baby and I ate chicken and dumplings. Daughter ate some, probably as much as her stomach would let her. Son had cereal again.

I hope he gets tired of cereal soon!

In hopes for reclaiming my rightful post as the one in charge,
One Christian Mom

Clearing the Clutter

One of the recommendations that my Pastor's Wife (read below if you haven't) suggested is that I start clearing the clutter. Don't worry about if I will use it "someday." I should analyze each thing by thinking of how long it has been since I did use it, or since the kids played with it. The baby will get new toys as he grows up, I don't need to "save" my older son's discards for him. I pray she is right and things don't get harder as we go. But I do need to get rid of this clutter. I have a house full of it.

I run into two problems while trying to clear. The first is that the kids see me getting rid of things and start complaining. Especially if it is one of their things, but they complain even if it is a kitchen utensil. I think I taught my daughter too well, because she will say, "We can't throw that away, it's still useful mom!" :-) So I put it in a give away box. Then that creates more clutter. The only time the Goodwill is open for donations is in the middle of the day, so I have to pack up the kids and the boxes and try to get them all there and I can't carry the boxes and the baby at the same time, he's just getting too heavy.

Then I tell my hubby I want to freecycle it. For those of you who don't know, go to Yahoo.com and click on groups. Type in freecycle and your city or area in the search box. More and more areas have freecycles these days. What it is is a group where you give away your things and you can ask for other's unwanted things. For example, I have been giving away all of the baby's infant things on freecycle, and been asking for clothing in my kid's current sizes. It really works. The stipulation is that everything is completely free, and that the receiver picks up the things at the giver's house. That is where my hubby sees the problem. He doesn't want strangers knowing where we live, and that we have 3 small kids.

So now what? I want this stuff gone! We have been trying to organize a garage sale since about 3 years ago and just never get our act together. I figure the least I can do after having so many people help me is give away what we no longer need. But I need a viable way to do it before all of this stuff hits the trash heap (or stays in my downstairs storage area forever.)

Today we hope to get the tree up, if we do I will take a picture of it and post it later today. I pray you all are having a blessed Sunday!

With hopes for a clutter-free house,
One Christian Mom