Monday Mishaps with Mom - Deadlines and Sick Kids

This week is for those facing a deadline and the interruption of sickness in the house.

Now, many of you here know I'm an author. And that means I have deadlines for completing books. My editors don't like it too much if I'm late. Today is one of those days. I am attempting to finish the revisions on a novella, but I have had next to zero time the past 3 weeks to work on it. And when I say revisions, I mean my own edits, not those from the editor once it reaches that stage in the process.

This past weekend was awesome as my husband took care of the kids for most of the 2 days and allowed me uninterrupted time to write. But, I didn't get as far as I needed to get. And this morning, the infant only slept for 45 minutes (normally 1-1/2 to 2 hours) then decided he wanted to scream for 30 minutes. The toddler wouldn't keep her hands off him, only making his crankiness worse.

To top that off, there has been sickness and tummy issues in the house for the past 2-1/2 weeks. Both kids had it and my husband caught it as well. That meant I played nursemaid, washer woman, disinfecting queen, and chief house mother to everyone. I washed 2 loads of laundry every day, cleaned out soiled clothes and spent a lot of time cuddling or snuggling. Praise God no one got a fever, but it wasn't easy getting a toddler to eat when everything she ate came out in a rather unpleasant fashion. She simply didn't want to eat or drink anything.

So, looks like I'm in for a marathon editing session during naptime today with a ton of prayers that both kids sleep well during that time.

How about you? Have you ever been under a deadline of any kind, and your best laid plans were interrupted by the needs of your family? What happened, and how did you handle it?

Tune in next week for the next "Monday Mishap with Mom." See you then!

And you can always look at the labels at the bottom of the right column to find "monday mishaps with mom" and read up on any week you've missed. My goal is to encourage mothers who feel a bit frazzled, and to help brighten your day as you start off your week. You're not alone.

Monday Mishaps with Mom - Cereal Art & Tired Baby

This week is for those "helpful" older siblings who in their minds are doing what they can to alleviate Mom's burden, only they end up creating more work in the process.

Now, many of you here know I'm an author. And that means I have deadlines for completing books. My editors don't like it too much if I'm late. Thankfully, they allow quite a bit of time in between each deadline, but as we all know, life loves to get in the way of our best intentions. The same holds true for attempting to write a book on deadline, and even getting started early. I start out great and establish a somewhat decent routine each day. Then, a doctor's appointment, a sick kid, a teething kid, or a kid who won't sleep, interrupts that routine.

Sometimes the interruption is necessary. Sometimes, it's an imposition. And sometimes, it's downright funny...even though you need to scold the older sibling in the process.

That's what happened this week. My son was in his jumperoo, having a grand old time bouncing and playing with his toys surrounding him or hanging from the cloth bar above his head. It all seemed so peaceful, and the kids were in the playroom, playing nicely.

That should have been my first clue.

I'm in the middle of cleaning up supper when all of a sudden, I hear, "Oh no...Tori! No!" I shut off the water and rushed into the other room, almost colliding with my daughter running away from my husband. It took me a moment or two to figure out what happened. Then, I got a good look at my son. You can see it best in the picture to the right.

Yep. My daughter decided her little brother needed more to eat, so she grabbed the cereal bowl and fed him. Only she didn't get the cereal in his mouth. Instead, she painted with it all over his head and ears. I have to say, it isn't easy scolding and reprimanding one child for doing something she shouldn't be doing, when all you want to do is laugh at the comical sight. But laughing would only encourage her to do it again. So, we had to force stern faces when we spoke to her, then smile and snap pictures behind the wall, out of her view. Let's just say it's a good thing that night was bath night. Our son really needed it.

Oh, and this past weekend, I was at my desk working with my son sitting in my lap. He was playing with my arms or random paper he could reach. But after about 20 minutes, he grew very still. One moment he's content watching my type. The next, his head is down on my desk and he's fast asleep. I guess my schedule is wearing him out too. :)

Tune in next week for the next "Monday Mishap with Mom." See you then!

And you can always look at the labels at the bottom of the right column to find "monday mishaps with mom" and read up on any week you've missed. My goal is to encourage mothers who feel a bit frazzled, and to help brighten your day as you start off your week. You're not alone.

Monday Mishaps with Mom - Leave the Baby Alone!

This week is for those moms with kids who refuse to leave their younger siblings alone.

See that picture to the left? My daughter looks so peaceful, and her brother seems so content. But wait just 30 seconds after the picture is snapped, and she'll be squeezing him around the neck, grabbing him by his head, dragging him by his arms or legs across the floor, or just rolling him over and over on the floor, even sitting in front of him and pulling him up to a sitting position, then letting go so he falls back.

Every day, I have to tell her to get off his head and stop trying to pick him up by his head. And it's even worse when he's taking his naps. The afternoon nap isn't problematic, as they take that one at the same time. But the morning nap, if I don't keep my eye on her every second, she's down the stairs and into his room, climbing into his crib, dumping stuffed animals on his head, and waking him up.

That makes for a very cranky infant who just wants to be held, and since he won't go back to sleep after being awakened, it's a VERY long morning.

Oh, how I long for when this little guy can crawl and get mobile and start fighting back. Sure, I know that will mean being a referee to a greater degree, but when they can both do for themselves, those blocks of times when they entertain themselves will increase...I hope.

Would that I could watch my daughter during all of her waking moments, but that isn't possible. And I HAVE to work from home to supplement our income. But all of this is sapping my creativity for my writing, and it's making my clients suffer because I don't have enough blocks of time to do the design work necessary.

They say it takes a miracle to survive a 2-year-old, and I can see "they" are right. Of course, it will be a miracle if I *and* my infant son survive. Praise God we pretty much have our daytime living on one floor or I'm sure she'd be dumping him down the stairs as soon as I turned my back. It's enough to make a mom pull out her hair or scream, only I can't do either. (sigh)

Tune in next week for the next "Monday Mishap with Mom." See you then!

And you can always look at the labels at the bottom of the right column to find "monday mishaps with mom" and read up on any week you've missed. My goal is to encourage mothers who feel a bit frazzled, and to help brighten your day as you start off your week. You're not alone.

Monday Mishaps with Mom - Potty Training

This week is for those moms with kids who refuse to go potty or cause trouble with the whole ordeal.

I tell you, I'm at my wit's end with this mess. We have been attempting to potty train our daughter for nearly a year now. She showed her first signs at 17 months and even successfully went potty (#1 and #2) several times during that first month. Then, around 19 months, she regressed. Came back to trying it again around 21 months and seemed to be well on her way toward success when her little brother was born.

Wanting the attention we were giving her baby brother by changing his diaper, she reverted to making messes in her pull-ups and refusing to go in the potty. She even climbed up onto his changing table and asked to be changed there.

We put a stop to that right away, and for the past month, we've tried her in big-girl panties, using pull-ups only at night and naptime. She's 2 years and 5 months old.

Have to admit, she's had some fantastic days, and we give her big rewards as well as praise when that happens. But for the most part, she adamantly refuses to go in the potty. Instead, she will tell us she doesn't have to go, then 5 minutes later, stand there and pee in her pants or on the floor. There are times when she takes off her panties and pees where she's sitting or standing.

Nothing seems to work. We've tried rewards with candy, stickers, little trinkets, clapping and tons of praise or hugs and celebrating, and even singing a silly song I made up for success. We've read books, watched videos, and talked about it. She's been put in time out, smacked once or twice on a bare bottom, scolded, and even had the trinkets/stickers taken away when she's had accidents. I've tried getting her to clean up her own mess, but she actually has fun taking the towels and patting the puddles. She thinks it's a game. And she especially loves the Spot Shot or carpet foam cleaner, so I don't do that when she's looking anymore.

This past week, she even started taking off her panties and hiding them from me, so I wouldn't see the evidence. And she's gone in more out-of-the-way locations, like right up against the couch or chair, or over by the wall in the play room. When I see she's without panties, I ask her where she went and what she did with her panties. She then walks right to where she hid them and points. Then, I go on a scouting mission to find the wet spot.

It was easier to train our dog than it's been to train our daughter!

She can say the words, get her potty seat and stool all by herself, and even turn on the light in the bathroom.

Praise God she doesn't mess her pants with a BM anymore. If I had to clean THAT up, I'd *really* be ready for the insane asylum.

Would that I could watch her during all of her waking moments, but that isn't possible with an infant who needs more of my attention. And I HAVE to work from home to supplement our income. But all of this is sapping my creativity for my writing, and it's making my clients suffer because I don't have enough blocks of time to do the design work necessary.

Of course, family comes first, so I make sure to spend a lot of quality time with my daughter, and I even engage her when playing with her brother. We read, we play toys and puzzles, we dance, and we run around. In fact, she probably gets more of my attention than her brother. So,I know this isn't an attention-getter.

I truly am out of ideas. Do YOU have any suggestions? In hindsight and further down the road, this will make for humorous stories. But for now, it's merely aggravating, exhausting, frustrating, and obvious defiance.

How about you? What potty-training struggles did you or someone you know have? And what worked for you? I'm open to just about anything at this point.

Tune in next week for the next "Monday Mishap with Mom." See you then!

And you can always look at the labels at the bottom of the right column to find "monday mishaps with mom" and read up on any week you've missed. My goal is to encourage mothers who feel a bit frazzled, and to help brighten your day as you start off your week. You're not alone.

Monday Mishaps with Mom - Toddler Woes

This week is for those moms who find the daily trials of parenting a toddler completely exhausting.

I just mentioned to my husband last night I feel I can never stay on top of the household chores AND the kids, as well as my at-home career. When we were in our condo, I seemed to have it under control. But now, in a house with two kids, it seems to have quadrupled. You add 1 child, and the universe flips its orientation. It's making my writing and my client work suffer.

Not only does my daughter love to go down into her brother's room during naptime and get into the crib with him or dump stuffed animals on his head, but she won't leave him alone when he's playing happily in his jumper or on the tummy-time mat. Her interaction with him almost always ends with him crying or screaming. To her, he's her personal dolly, and she can do whatever she wants to him.

And I posted back in July about the mishaps with the fish. This most recent time, I was sure the fish would never last. I knew something was wrong when my daughter came into the sunroom/playroom/office with a banana and her fingers were covered in this brick-red stuff. At first, I couldn't figure out what it was. Then, it dawned on me...and I rushed into the kitchen.

To the left is what greeted my eyes.

In a matter of 5 minutes while I was on the phone with a client, my daughter had grabbed her stool from the bathroom and brought it into the kitchen. She climbed up to reach the fish food we'd put at the back of the counter. Deciding the fish needed to be fed, she proceeded to dump half the container of food inside the tank, giving the tank decor a healthy coating of red flakes. Maybe she wanted it to appear more festive?

I could go on with far more stories, but then what I would post here each week. Next week, I'll be sharing potty training stories. This experience is going to kick my butt if we can't get on the other side of the struggle soon. It's been almost a year trying to master this. Progress is going very slowly. And nothing we do seems to work. (sigh)

Don't get me started on the toys she's completely ruined. Good thing almost everything we have has been passed down to us and we didn't spend money on them, or I'd be much more upset. It never ceases to amaze me how a 2-year-old girl can destroy something in just a few weeks that has previously survived THREE boys through these same years and beyond.

Makes me cringe thinking about what my son will be like at this age. They might just team up as Destructo and Ruinous Havoc. A dastardly duo of disorganization. I better figure out a way to channel these penchants for good before it's too late!

How about you? If you have/had children, what helps/helped you get through these years? I'd love to hear about it.

Tune in next week for the next "Monday Mishap with Mom." See you then!

And you can always look at the labels at the bottom of the right column to find "monday mishaps with mom" and read up on any week you've missed. My goal is to encourage mothers who feel a bit frazzled, and to help brighten your day as you start off your week. You're not alone.

Monday Mishaps with Mom - Food Painting

This week is for those kids who discover playing with their food is far more fun than eating it.

Sure, my daughter has played with her food since she first started eating solids. But, initially, it was exploratory and for the most part, innocent. Sadly, neither I nor she can say that anymore. What's worse is she knows it, and she looks right at me, then does it anyway...sporting a rather large and mischievous smile on her face.

The little imp.

And it's not just the rather harmless items like macaroni and cheese, or squishing green beans. Oh no. For her, it's applesauce, mashed potatoes, spaghetti, pudding, etc. Anything she can squeeze between her little fingers, or use as paint for her arms and legs, she'll do it.

Unfortunately, because I also have to feed an infant, we don't always have our meals together. There are times when I need to be on the couch with my son while my daughter is at the table. Or, I have to be on the phone with a client, or even at my computer working on a deadline. Those times are the worst. I can still see my daughter from my desk, but she knows she doesn't have my undivided attention.

That's when she strikes!

So far, the food has made it everywhere EXCEPT her face or her mouth...at least when she's playing. When she's eating, she does great. And she hasn't yet discovered the "fun" in painting her brother yet. I'm sure it's only a matter of time. Making mental note to keep those two at opposite ends of the table.

Now, if only I could focus her attention long enough to eat then get down, we'd be in good shape. All I can say is...praise God for plastic drop cloths!

Sadly, I don't have a picture this week, as I was too busy cleaning up and bathing above-mentioned toddler to grab my camera and snap a pic. We'll see what next week brings.

How about you? What foods did your child(ren) explore or love to use as paint? And what's your favorite "playing with food" experience. Please share. I'd love to hear about it.

Tune in next week for the next "Monday Mishap with Mom." See you then!

And you can always look at the labels at the bottom of the right column to find "monday mishaps with mom" and read up on any week you've missed. My goal is to encourage mothers who feel a bit frazzled, and to help brighten your day as you start off your week. You're not alone.

Monday Mishaps with Mom - Refrigerator Curiosity

Ok, here we are at week 6 with this new series. This week is in honor of those toddlers who discover they can open the refrigerator all by themselves.

My daughter discovered this last week, and now it's her favorite thing in the world to be a "big girl" and open the door. Of course, she then stands in front of it and stares, like the contents within are an amazing work of art of some jaw-dropping collection rendering her speechless.

But when she's not in awe, she dives right in and gets what she wants. I am thankful most of the contents are on shelves out of her reach--for now. But she can still get to the door shelves and the 3 drawers at the bottom. That's our meat, cheeses, produce, and all our drinks.

And after she decided to make herself a ham, turkey, shredded cheese, cucumber slices, and sausage "sandwich", we put a child-safety lock on the doors. We'll slowly ease her back into responsibility when it comes to the refrigerator, but for now, she's on lock-down without an adult present.

How about you? Did your children ever venture into the refrigerator and decide they wanted to "prepare" something for you or themselves? Please share. I'd love to hear about it.

Tune in next week for the next "Monday Mishap with Mom." See you then!

And you can always look at the labels at the bottom of the right column to find "monday mishaps with mom" and read up on any week you've missed. My goal is to encourage mothers who feel a bit frazzled, and to help brighten your day as you start off your week. You're not alone.

Monday Mishaps with Mom

Ok, here we are at week 5 with this new series. You can always look at the labels at the bottom of the right column to find "monday mishaps with mom" and read up on any week you've missed. My goal is to encourage mothers who feel a bit frazzled, and to help brighten your day as you start off your week. You're not alone.

This week is for all those who have ever tried to train their children to NOT make a mess in the bathroom. I know, I know. Lost cause, right?

Well, as is normal with a toddler, you can't take your eyes off them for a second. And if they're quiet, you know they're into something they shouldn't be doing.

I had just cleaned up some spilled cereal on the floor and was in the kitchen cleaning up after dinner. My husband was on his computer and our son was happily sitting on the couch, cooing and taking in his surroundings. Everything seemed so peaceful and quiet. I enjoyed the break.

But, then I finished and came out into the living room. Someone was missing. "Where's Tori?" I asked my husband. He swiveled around from his desk and shrugged. "She was just here a minute ago."

That was when I heard the water running in the bathroom. Oh, no!

Thankfully, it wasn't as bad as it sounded. But it was still a mess. And the picture to the left doesn't show the mounds of toilet paper strewn across the vanity. At least she hasn't discovered the fun of flushing things down the toilet....yet.

The moment I said her name, my daughter looked up and immediately hopped up. As I came into the bathroom, she started grabbing for the toilet paper and her pull-ups, saying, "Help, help, help." She has this new penchant for wanting to help do everything, or wanting to do it all herself. And if she hears me sigh or notices me getting on my hands and knees to clean up one of her messes, she rushes in to "help."

Sometimes, though, it's just easier to get her out of the room and dump her on my husband. :)

How about you? What amusing bathroom/toilet paper stories do you have involving your kid(s)?

Tune in next week for the next "Monday Mishap with Mom." See you then!

Monday Mishaps with Mom

Ok, here we are at week 4 with this new series. You can always look at the labels at the bottom of the right column to find "monday mishaps with mom" and read up on any week you've missed. My goal with these weekly posts is to encourage mothers who might be feeling a bit frazzled, and to inspire giggles or laughs to help brighten your day as you start off your week. Also, to let you know you're not alone.

I've been receiving consistent comments on Facebook (since this blog feeds into both Twitter and Facebook), but so far, no comments here on the blog. Perhaps you'll be the first. This week is for all you artists out there.

We all want our children to express their creativity and explore their self-expression, right? We want them to be comfortable with their artistic outlets and have fun in the process. After all, art is the expression of the soul.

But what happens when your child decides to express herself (or himself) on the table, carpet, chairs, and her (his) own body?

I guess this picture to the left would be the result. Of course, I didn't get a good shot of the carpet and furniture. Just didn't turn out as clearly as my daughter's arm. But just imagine what you see on her arm also on the floor and furniture. :)

Oh, and she decided to do this just 20 minutes before my husband came home, and we had plans to go out to buy a "new" bed for our daughter. Guess what I had to do at the last minute? Yep...clean up the mess.

Thank God for washable markers!

How about you? What amusing art work stories do you have involving your kids?

Tune in next week for the next "Monday Mishap with Mom." See you then!

Monday Mishaps with Mom

Ok, here we are at week 2 with this new series. I received a lot of comments on Facebook (since this blog feeds into both Twitter and Facebook) on last week's story. This week's is sure to bring a smile to those of you pet-lovers. :)

You can always look at the labels at the bottom of the right column to find "monday mishaps with mom" and read up on any week you've missed.
My goal with these weekly posts is to encourage mothers who might be feeling a bit frazzled, and to inspire giggles or laughs to help brighten your day as you start off your week.

This week, the mishap involves are rather resilient Betta fish. We picked him out last year at my SIL's wedding reception. They were part of the table centerpieces. Everyone else who took one home no longer has theirs, but ours has survived despite many mishaps, dirty tanks, forgotten feedings, and at times, cold water.

This time, though, I was making important phone calls and heard my daughter playing in the water in the bathroom. She usually just likes washing her hands.

But not today!

When I got off the phone, my daughter walks up to my desk with her hands held out in front of her....covered in hand soap. If only that was the least of my worries.

I followed her to the bathroom where I discovered--much to my dismay--she had not only washed her hands, but she'd decided to feed the fish while she was at it.

This included dumping the entire contents of the fish food container into the fish bowl. The treats of blood worms were all over the counter and in the sink.

And the poor fish was swimming around in his tank, underneath the food. I don't think there was any clear surface above him. Needless to say, my daughter got time-out for making such a mess, and I had to do an immediate tank cleaning and bathroom wipe-down.

What a shame our doorknob locks don't work on that door. And if weren't for the fact she needs access to that room to go potty, I'd lock it off from her. Guess I just have to lock the cabinet instead.

How about you? What amusing pet stories do you have involving your kids?

Tune in next week for the next "Monday Mishap with Mom." See you then!

Monday Mishaps with Mom

Before I begin, I want to wish a happy 4th of July and Independence Day to everyone in the United States who might be reading this today. Here in Colorado, we're under extreme fire danger due to the lack of rain, so that means no grilling, and only controlled fireworks displays. Shucks!

Anyway, starting today, every Monday on this blog will be a short little vignette about the life of an author and writer with 2 little ones underfoot. Let me say this, it makes for rather interesting experiences...even without throwing my career from home into the mix. Those of you who have been through or are currently going through this phase in your life know exactly what I mean. :) But writing with young children brings its own set of adventures and mishaps.

My goal with these weekly posts is to encourage mothers who might be feeling a bit frazzled, and to inspire giggles or laughs to help brighten your day as you start off your week.

So, let's see. Which mishap should I highlight to start? Oh, I've got it!

I have revisions due on my latest manuscript for a book due out in the Fall this year. So, I'm working on those every spare chance I get. My infant son was down for his morning nap, and my toddler daughter was happily watching a Wiggles DVD.

Or so I thought.

It was rather quiet, so I decided to take a break and check on her....only to find out she wasn't in the room! With my ears, I heard her in the baby monitor and realized she'd gone downstairs to the baby's room (our bedrooms are on the lower level of our house).

Frantic, I rushed down the stairs, trying not to make too much noise and risk startling either child. Lo and behold, a sight that can only be described as comical greeted my eyes.

My daughter had climbed up onto the changing table and made her way into her brother's crib. She had pulled down several stuffed animals from the foundation ledge running along the one wall of the bedroom, and she'd managed to completely bury her brother in animals, surrounding herself with them in the process.

And my son? He was blissfully asleep and unaware of anything amiss.

Praise God for a sound sleeper!

As for my daughter? I immediately lifted her from the crib, returned the stuffed animals to their place on the ledge, and left the room, nudging my daughter out ahead of me. All the while, I managed to keep my cool and not yell. Thank God for that. :)

So, what sleeping baby story do you have to share? It can be from your own experience with your children or a story of another child. I'd love to hear some.

Tune in next week for the next "Monday Mishap with Mom." See you then!