Category Archives: Bean

Jan12

I Think Her Medicine is Laced with Sugar & Other Tales

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Yesterday when I picked up the Bean from school she was pale, wouldn’t really talk to me and wouldn’t stop holding her right ear. It didn’t take a genius to figure out she was sick, so off to the dr’s we went (huge thanks to them for getting us in with 10 minutes notice!).  Final diagnosis: strep throat and an ear infection.

Awesome.

I asked for a different kind of antibiotic to give her since she flat out refused to take the last kind, so we have a new med we’re using. This one is actually going down, thank goodness. But I think it’s laced with crack because Beaner hasn’t slowed down once since taking it. So the good news is she’s feeling much better, the bad news is she’s learned how to scale the kitchen cabinets.

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One of the things I’d like to do better in 2012 is keep track of what I read. There is nothing I hate more then getting a book out of the library (or worse, buying it!) only to realize 10 pages in that I’ve already read it. So I started tracking my books on Good Reads.  Not sure if this link will work- but here are all the books I’ve reviewed so far.  I’ve reviewed either some of my favorites (The Outlander Series, for example)  as well as the books I’ve read in 2012.  I picked up 6 new books from the library this week, so I hope to update it again soon.

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My other goal this year is to be more consistent with my workouts and to start working out with a trainer. That is why I haven’t been online as much- it hurts to type.

 

Jan10

Siblings

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I wasn’t sure if Scorch was going to have a sibling.  The long road we traveled on to have him was full of a lot of disappointment and heartbreak- I honestly wasn’t sure if I had the strength to go that way again.  Plus, Scorch was perfect. How could we improve on that? We had gotten everything we wanted in that one miracle baby- were we tempting fate to try to have another child?  So, we didn’t try.  We didn’t not try, either- but we didn’t actively set out to have another baby, the Bean just happen.

The minute I saw my two babies together I wondered why in the world I thought having two kids was a bad idea.

Now my two babies are 5 and 3 and I wonder a lot of things.

> How can two kids torment each other so much?

> How does the Bean know just what to say to rile Scorch up so quickly?

> How can two kids profess to hate each other one minute and be as thick as thieves the next?

> How does the Bean know just the right thing to say when Scorch is throwing a fit to make him laugh?

> How can Scorch be trying to whack the Bean one second and then agree to play “Daddy” when she wants to play house the next?

These children of mine, they are a mystery to me.  But I don’t ever, ever wonder why I had them.

Dec15

Not The Answer I Was Looking For

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Beaner is going through a big Daddy phase right now- which means she wants Daddy, and only Daddy, to put her to bed at night. That’s fine most of the time, but tonight the Hubs is sick. He’s battling a bad cold and really doesn’t have the energy and patience to deal with the bedtime dance.  So before bedtime, I sat the Bean down and we have a quick conversation- Daddy doesn’t feel good, he needs to rest, so you just need to say goodnight to him once and then go to bed, ok?

She nodded her head earnestly and says “OK, mama.”

But I could tell she was not really listening, so I asked her what I said. Without missing a beat, she goes “Blah blah poopity blah.”

And that right there is why I love my daughter and why I’m scared to death to see what she’s like as a teen.

Dec4

Logic Wins Again

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It’s 8:50 pm and the kids should have been asleep an hour ago. My patience is running thin and I really just want to go unwind after a really fun, but really busy day.

When the Bean comes out of her room for the gazillionth time with some fabricated excuse, I finally pulled the Buddy card. I got right down on her level and spoke to her really seriously-

“Bean, Buddy is really upset with you now. If you don’t go to bed right this second and not get out again, he’s not going to move and he’s going to tell Santa you’ve been naughty.”

The Bean glances up at Buddy and without missing a beat says to me:

“Actually Mom, Buddy is smiling at me. He thinks I’m funny.”

Clearly the inventor of Elf on the Shelf didn’t have any little kids because if s/he did, the Elf would have two facial expressions.  Trying to scare my kid into submission with an Elf who won’t wipe that grin off his face isn’t working at all.

Nov29

Suspicious Minds

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Upon returning from our Thanksgiving travels, the first thing I did was get out our Elf on the Shelf, Buddy.  This is Buddy’s third Christmas with us. Buddy has been with us for the past 3 Christmases and even though the kids still don’t know what to make of him, they wanted to know when he was coming back.  The first year we had him, he scared the life out of Scorch- in fact, Buddy never moved because Scorch would freak out if he did.  So Buddy spent all holiday season watching us from the top of our china cabinet while Scorch adjusted to having him around.  Last year was more successful as Buddy was allowed to move around our house- but he was NOT allowed in the kid’s room.  Scorch wasn’t having that.  Bean all but ignored the Elf- until this year.

She’s oddly fascinated by him and will not stop asking questions-

“When Buddy goes to the North Pole do his legs work?”

“Why doesn’t his head move?”

“Why is he always smiling even when we’re being bad?”

“If I stand here or here or here or here can Buddy still see me?”

And on and on and on.  You can tell she doesn’t quite believe but she’s scared not to believe too.  Right now I’m trying to sell Buddy as best I can to the Bean in the hopes that he keeps my little tornado in line for the next month!

Nov15

Smells Like Syrup

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The Bean is  incapable of keeping her shoes and socks on.  When we’re in the car, it doesn’t matter how far we’re going or how cold it is out, the first thing she’ll do it take off her shoes and socks. This morning’s ride to school was no exception.

“Scorch- smell my shoes! They smell like syrup!!!”

“I don’t want to smell your shoes.”

“SMELL THEM!!”

pretending to smell her shoes. “Yup-smells like syrup, Bean.”

*pause*

“Scorch, they don’t taste like syrup. Yuck!”

Today I’m thankful for curious kids and unexpected laughs at 7:45 in the morning!

Nov10

Choices

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As noted earlier, the Bean is going through a control freak stage. To try to circumvent that, we’ve been giving her choices when ever possible.  Choices in her clothes, the stuffed animal she can take to bed, her drink, her snacks, books- you name it and we try to give her options.

But there are times when there are no choices to give- like bedtime.

Me: You need to go to bed. It’s bedtime and you’re tired.

Bean: But I don’t have a choice.

Me: No, you don’t. It’s time to sleep and that is that.

Bean: But I want a choice. What’s my other choice? I no like this one.

Me: There is no other choice- it is what is is.

Bean: But…but…but.

Round and round we went for a few minutes before the Bean finally caved.

Tonight I’m thankful for my clever girl who clearly gets what we’re trying to do and isn’t afraid to turn our logic against us to win another round.  May she always use her powers for good.

Nov8

Follow Along & You Won’t Get Hurt

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I’ve mentioned a time or twelve that life with the Bean is anything but boring.  That child is joyful and funny and smart and animated and amazing.

But she’s also a bit of a control freak.

As one of my oldest and dearest friends pointed out when I called her in a panic earlier this week about the Bean’s recent behavior, I too can also be a control freak.  As can the Hubs- it’s his way or the highway.  Somehow Scorch managed to miss most of those genes, but whatever he’s lacking, the Bean got in spades.  Here is a conversation (I’m using that term loosely) that we had the other night at bedtime.  Beaner had seen a mom nursing earlier in the day, so she wanted to know who she knew that was also nursed by their mom.  Easy enough, right?

Bean: Mommy, I’m going to ask you a name, kay?

Me: Ok.

Beaner: Jane?

Me: Yes, her mommy nursed her when she was a baby.

Bean: Don’t talk to me!

Me: What?

Bean: You can’t talk- only I talk.  You just look at me.

Me: (WTH??) Ok, fine.

Bean: Did Jane nurse?

Me: *staring, not talking*

Bean: Did Jane nurse? Mommy- did she? Did she nurse?? Mommy- answer me!

Me: Yes

Bean: I SAID DON’T TALK TO ME!

Then her head rotated 180 degrees and she started speaking in tongues.  Or at least that’s what it felt like.

You can swap in various other scenarios, but the script is the same.  Like earlier today, it was the Bean asking for a snack, but not telling me what she wanted and then getting mad when I dare ask her and getting even more mad when I don’t ask her when she tells me not to talk.  It’s maddening and I’m scared silly over how she’s going to try to lord over us when she’s older if she’s like this at 3!  Any one else raising a dictator?

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Given that it’s the month of Thanksgiving, I’m going to try to note one thing in each post this month that I’m thankful for.  Today, I’m thankful for the gorgeous weather we’re having this week.  Winter is nipping at our heels so these beautiful sunny days when it’s 68 degrees out are the best gift Mother Nature can give right now.  So glad we get one more gorgeous day before the cold hits- I’m going to run my kids ragged at the park tomorrow!

Nov3

I Fought the Law…

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“Hey Mom, do you remember when the police pulled you over here and gave you a ticket last year?”

*sigh* “Yes, Scorch- I do remember that.”

“Did you have to go to jail?”

“Nope, I didn’t go to jail, buddy.  I was pulled over by mistake* so the police officer just gave me a ticket so I could go tell a judge what happened.  The judge saw that it was a mistake, so he just let me go.”

I’ll spare you the rest of the conversation, but needless to say, Scorch and the Bean had a gazillion questions and I spent the next 15 minutes in the car getting grilled by my kids about the judicial system, traffic laws and car insurance.  Don’t you wish you were there?

The only upside to that long conversation (that I’m sure wasn’t entirely factual) was that now every time I ask the Bean to do something, she’ll ask me if she doesn’t do it, will the policemen give her a ticket?  I wish I could tell you had the strength to be straight with my kid and tell the truth.  No, the police won’t give you a ticket for hitting your brother. No, the police won’t give you a ticket if you don’t go potty. No, the police won’t give you a ticket if you don’t come here right now.

But that would be a lie.**

As far as Beaner is concerned she could be ticketed for anything at anytime. And not just by the police. We may or may not have mentioned to her the concept of a citizen’s arrest and that may have resulted in one of the most peaceful weeks we’ve had in forever. Judge me all you want, but I may have finally found something that works for this kid and I’m going to milk it for all it’s worth. She’ll catch on soon enough.

*I got pulled over well over a year ago because the policeman ran my plates at a routine seatbelt check and found I didn’t have insurance. This was 2 weeks after we bought the car I was driving and it was insured, but there was a glitch with the insurance company reporting this fact to the state.  My insurance guy came to court with me on the appointed day to explain to the judge that the error was on their site and that I was in no way at fault and that was that.

**Before you think I’m poisoning my kid against the law, please remember The Hubs is a police officer.  So while I may lie to my kid about what she can get tickets for, we also make sure to stress how awesome police officers are, how they will always help you and so on.  And if she does grow up with a complex- well, insurance covers therapy and she’ll get over it soon enough.

Oct26

Good & Bad

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The Bad

> Scorch came home from school feeling fine and then proceeded to puke everywhere 2 hours later. When the Hubs wasn’t home. So I had to clean it up. By myself.  All that = my worst nightmare come to life.
> The Bean woke up 2 days ago at 5 am and decided she was up for the day. I begged to differ, so I made her stay in bed until she finally fell back asleep at 6:15 am.  Last night she woke up at 3 am and we had the same battle until 4:20 am.
> Because of the Bean’s sleep battles, I’ve been too damn tired to get up and out at 5:10 to work out, so I’m feeling like an exhausted  slug.
> It’s supposed to snow tomorrow.

The Good

> I went to the library and found Bossypants just sitting there on the shelf for the taking. Mind you, it was the large print edition, but I’ve been on the waiting list for this book for months, so I’m thrilled. I also found a Vince Flynn book I hadn’t read (I hope!) and another good sounding book. Hoping this pushes me out of my reading slump.  I’m currently reading The Poisonwood Bible, but it’s still too early to determine if I like it or not.
> We booked our camping trip for the summer!  Sure, it’s 9 months away, but at least I’ve got something to look forward to.
> Scorch went to bed early tonight, so the Hubs and I got to spend some one on one time with the Bean.  Even if she is a pain in the butt, she’s pretty darn awesome and it’s fun to watch her shine.
> I didn’t gag, freak out, or run out of the room crying when Scorch got sick so I am feeling like a Responsible Parent.

Here’s hoping that tomorrows good outweighs the bad again!