Wordless Wednesday - My Boys

Reflections and Good News

Look at me posting twice in one day.

That last entry was hard for me to write and I had to hit publish straight away before I lost my nerve and deleted the whole thing. But the fact is I have memory problems and the more I have written down the better, for me to go back and look at.

After calming down and talking to Mim about everything, I can see things more clearly. My meltdown's over his behaviour come generally because of silly little things - tonight it was because we were told that he was making kids cry at after school care because he was playing handball and basically being a little Franco (dictator) about "his" rules because it was his ball and he was being over the top bossy. And when one of the carers confronted him about it apparently he lost his shit and started yelling at her, which I will. not. tolerate. I raised him better than that, to have more respect than that.

But after some quiet reflection tonight, I know three things.
(1) I have a tendency to over react
(2) I was a bossy ass kid too who had few friends until I grew up a bit in high school
(3) He is not a "bad" kid, and I need to remember it could be worse and this too shall pass.

He actually reminds me of a mixture of me as a child and my childhood best friend. My best friend was universally disliked by all the teachers for being a smartass and disruptive, but he has turned out ok in the most part. I was quiet and teachers loved me but other kids, not so much, because I was so bossy.

I have decided to take a step back and not go mental every time he does something. He is an 8 year old boy after all. I need to just focus on loving him and helping him where I can, and letting go and letting God in other respects. He is on a limited diet to help control his behaviour, and I think its time to take him to the naturopath to see if theres something more we can do.

He is a lovely big brother and generally a good boy and I love him. I just hope he outgrows this stage! I just need to keep repeating my mantra - I love my family, I can do this! Look at them, they are worth it!

On a happy baby note - I have a scan on Thursday to check that everything's where it should be and whatnot. Three more sleeps...I am bloated as all get out and definitely feeling pregnant so fingers crossed it's all good news.

Speaking of good news - I am celebrating twice as hard for my very good friend who has just got her BFP after almost 3 years of trying! Now if my other bestie would get her BFP (due to test next week) it will be like winning a trifecta - I can't imagine anything better than going through it all with two of my most special friends - 3 IVF BFPs can you imagine anything better?

Wits End

I feel like a fraud.

What am I doing having another child when my eldest is in such a state?

Every day seems like a struggle. He is generally a good kid. Well, I think so. But he is constantly in trouble at school. I am at my wits end. Apparently he is disruptive, and answers back, chats non stop and jumps all over people (literally). Nothing I say has any impact. He doesnt do his school work because he is too busy being silly. I have spent the last three years trying to get him to change his behaviour and I dont know what more to do! It seems like it all goes in one ear and out the other. So I try to shock him into changing (you know, telling him they will suspend him from school [which they actually said they will do soon!] or telling him he will go nowhere in life if he continues to misbehave and choose to be silly and naughty) but it has NO IMPACT whatsoever. But do something like tell him to go to bed without watching Masterchef and he bawls his eyes out!

I feel like everything I try to do with him, I'm doing wrong. I have no idea how to handle him and his behaviours, and now I'm thinking "what the hell are we having another baby for?!?"

I need help but I dont even know where to get any.

Easter for Kids who can't have Chocolate...

Growing up, I was on a strict zero sugar diet for quite a few years. It was hard to stick to, as almost everything processed has sugar in it. I wasn't a fan of carob at all either (ew). Easter was a particularly hard time for me as I watched everyone get mountains of chocolates! My parents always got me a giant stuffed rabbit and various other little things to make up for it.

My Rocket has a sugar intolerance. Unlike mine (which was a health issue) his is behavioural. If he has more than a small amount of sugar, his behaviour is atrocious. And of course, he gets in trouble for it. He also can't control his emotions, so when he gets in trouble he wails and cries like we've just told him he has to sleep outside with no dinner, when in fact we've simply said something like "quit swinging off the balcony while shrieking the theme song of Spongebob Squarepants".

People used to think we were cruel for not letting him have sugary sweet things, so they would sneak them to him behind our backs. I tell you what is cruel - giving him sugary things. Because all it does is end with him in trouble, us with headaches, and him crying his eyes out. GIVING him sugar is cruel.

The point of all this is to say that I - like my parents - have had to be creative with avoiding chocolates as gifts at Easter. It is a tradition now that we give each other shoes at Easter. Really cool shoes, mind you, like Chucks with flames on the sides! This year we went with slippers and ugg boots though because coming into winter we are going to need them!

This year I came up with my favourite idea yet though....

I bought a packet of plastic eggs from the dollar store that flip open for you to put little gifts in:



I already had some packets of Lego that came free in a box of cookies a while ago (so yes, I went and bought about 20 boxes of these cookies when they were marked down!):


I broke up the Lego sets into little pieces and put a few pieces into each little egg:


I plan on hiding these all around our shack for him to find on Easter morning - that way he gets a special Easter themed treat that is not chocolate - AND - we get something to keep him occupied for some time while he puts them together! (AND the whole thing cost a grand total of $2!)

I love these eggs, I think we'll be reusing these for many different things in years to come!

Do you have any special Easter treats for your kids that are not chocolate related?? Please share :)

Good Morning - a contradiction in terms

Hello my pretties.

I have a number of posts in the works - including some tutorials on the decorations I made, and the party favours I slaved over at 2am. I told my partner "Next time I decide to go all etsy on a party...SLAP ME."

You know the worst part? I didn't even get a photo of them all lined up before they were given out! My partner says to me "oh well you'll just have to make some more and take photos of them!" I couldn't work out whether to cry or to slap her!

It's a difficult morning this morning. On a good day, I am not a morning person. But today is not a good day. Monster is still waking at all hours of the night with his little cough and it's wearing me down! This morning it was so difficult just to open my eyes, I stumbled out of bed and barely made it to work on time. Actually, truth be told I was 10 minutes late and Rocket went to school with left over party food in his lunchbox! Ah the shame, the shame.

I just went to the bathroom though and caught sight of myself and did a double take. Is that what I look like today? I almost cried (again...I get teary when I'm tired!) How embarrassing. My hair is unwashed and looking limp and terrible, my face is pale (and not in a china doll way....in a pneumonia patient way) my eyes look tired and the outfit is just barely passable. I ran back to my desk for my emergency fixer upper supplies...only to find someone has pinched all of my bobby pins! I had to make do with one hair comb and some bright pink lipgloss. Again I say ah the shame, the shame.

I guess I should actually do some work...all my party photos are at home so I will post them when I get home from work tonight - If you're here from ICLW - check back on me later today!!

xxx

one last thing - a small request. My soul sister - a fellow DBM with 7 little starbabies of her own, is pregnant with her long awaited little girl. She has entered a contest with one of her belly photos which I just adore. Please go to her blog and follow the link to vote for her beautiful photo of little Stella in utero :)

Another Year Older

I cannot believe that my big boy is turning eight years old today.
Why it seems like only last week my 17 year old self was learning of his existence and wondering (a) how I would finish high school and (b) just how fat would I get and could I still go to hardcore gigs?

And now he is eight years old. Going into third grade this year. With a face full of freckles and a wild mane atop his head as he refuses to let me cut his hair at the moment.

He is so clever, but with a memory like a sieve. He can remember how to put together a 2000 piece lego set from memory but could not tell you what he had for lunch. He both drives me slightly insane and fills my heart with pride. He is the gentlest soul, with a serious obsession for My Little Ponies and a huge love for his mommies. He is a doting big brother to the little bruiser and proudly tells everyone "this is my little bro".

Happy Birthday my sweet big boy. I cannot wait to see what you come up with next.