It's a jungle sometimes!

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What to do when tempers flare... hmm... Well, with an almost-15-month-old, that can happen way more than I'd like it too. So let see what the best way to handle it is:

1) Scream and yell. Well, I'm pretty sure that's not going to work. That's only going to escalate the situation! On the upside, it can show your kids that you have feelings and get frustrated too, though it probably wouldn't be the preferred method of choice.

2) Ignore them/Walk away from them. Ahhh, yes. As much as I would LOVE for this one to work, it just won't, most of the time. Why? Safety issues. If I ignore my daughter and she finds an uncovered outlet, we're going to have some big, big problems. (Not that I have any uncovered outlets in my house, mind you.) There are a few times that I think it will work: in the supermarket/department store/park/etc. If you ignore the behavior (assuming it's a temper tantrum in the middle of the isle), kids will learn that they won't get the attention they want that way. However, tantrums are ususally a way of a kid expressing their frustration when they don't have the vocabulary for it. They can be scary for kids, because they don't know why their out of control.

3) Firmly tell them why they can't do what they're doing. This one probably makes the most sense to me. Besides, what you're doing is establishing rules/guidelines/givens or any other thing you call them in your house. Using words like "Stop" instead of "Don't" or "No" will likely work better, because, frankly, what's the first think you want to do if someone says "don't open the box on the table!" Get the drift?

So, now it's 3:30pm, way past nap time, your kids having a meltdown, and you can't cope anymore. How do you take care of YOU? Some tips from me.

1) Put your kid in his crib, pack 'n' play, somewhere safe and take a shower.
2) Grab the stroller and go for a walk (weather permitting).
3) Count to 10.
4) Get a drink of water just to get out of the room your in.
5) Seek out help with the kids.
6) Change your laundry over from the washer to the dryer.
7) Tell your kids what's wrong. You'd be amazed at how much help they want to give if you say you're having a hard day too.
8) Try breathing deeply.

Then, start creating a normal routine that incorperates things you enjoy in your free time (whatever THAT is!):
1) Try a new hobby
2) Exercise
3) Become financially savvy - not the same thing as having all kinds of extra money, just know how to use what you have wisely.
4) Delegate tasks. If your kids are old enough to empty the dishwasher, let them! If their not, teach them how to put away the tupperware.

Those are just a few tips from me to you on navigating the "Mommy Meltdown." Don't let the stress get you down - don't let it get to you in the first place!

So much time, so little to do....

...Wait a minute. Strike that. Reverse it. =)

I feel like I haven't done a family oriented post in a while! But, here I am again, and I've got LOADS of pictures to share of Hannah! =)

She and I have been keeping very busy lately. We joined another playgroup, and we get to that when we can. We'll be hosting a playgroup here in May, too, which will be exciting for us!






These are from when our playgroup met at Rochester Commons last week. Hannah thoroughly enjoyed taking advantage of the playgroup, and we hope to get back there again soon!

We had a nice Easter yesterday, though we didn't get to spend it all as a family as I would have liked. John had a gig in York, Maine, so he spent the day with his family. Hannah and I drove to Hancock to visit my family. We had a nice time! It would have been even better had the weather been warmer - it was bordering on downright cold! But our Easter dinner was delish (great job, Dad!) and Hannah got to try eating ham for the first time. She didn't really care for it though. She did a great job sitting through church on Sunday morning, considering the 1h40m drive it took us to get to Hancock BEFORE going to church! The rest of the day, she had a great time playing at Nana and Grandad's house.







I apologize for the "out of order-ness" of these pictures - it's just how they get uploaded. Anyway, I LOVED Hannah's Easter dress this year, and I'm looking for any excuse to have her wear it again, so if anyone has any ideas, let me know!

That's about it from here, though!

TV Tyrants?

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So, just how much TV is too much TV? Well, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics, kids under the age of two shouldn't be watching any TV at all, and that kids over two should only be watching about an hour a day. Riiiiiiight. And how many of them HAVE kids?

Many of them, I'm sure. But still, how realistic is it to think that many of us are going to say "Oh no! The AAP says no more! Let's turn the TV off right this second!"

I try not to let Hannah watch too much to much TV, and when she watches, I watch too. I don't always like her reaction to the TV being on though - that glazed over look she gets when standing there in front of the TV, the lack of movement... it kind of reminds me of that Dunkin' Donuts commercial where the kids are all watching TV in the dark room, and they start getting sucked in like a Poltergeist movie or something.

Unfortunately, sometimes, TV is just the nature of life. I use it to gain access to the news, because at home, I can't pick up NPR on my dinky little radio on top of my fridge. Hannah LOVES the show Wheel of Fortune with a passion. Don't ask me why, but she's the cutest little contestant you ever did see, standing in the living room yell "D!" even when someone called an "R."

I don't think she misses the TV when it's not on. I think Hannah could either take it or leave it. Mostly, I have it on for background noise. But now that the weather is finally getting nicer and warming up, I'd much rather take her outside for a walk any day.

It's Hip Hop, Baby!

Last Friday, I got the best thing in the mail - It's Hop Hop, Baby!

Hannah (14 months) isn't quite old enough to understand all the songs on the "All Your Child's Favorites" DVD we got, but she sure did enjoy it! With great games like "Simon Says" and "Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes" all put to upbeat music, it's a kids movie that I actually enjoyed watching and participating in with her! She sure thought that jumping up and down with mommy during "Simon Says" was a good time! Although she doesn't know how to do "Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes" yet, she sure figured out that she should be dancing with that music on pretty quick!

We had a wide variety of songs and short breaks in the 30 minute video. I think the best part was when the kids were asked their favorite letter, and my daughter chimed in with the letter "C!" (Okay, she didn't really know what she was doing, but she just learned how to say the letter C, so she heard other kids saying it, and she was NOT going to be left out of this.)

This is a great way to get parents and kids up and moving together. I actually am looking forward to getting to watch it with her again!

It's Hip Hop, Baby is available at Amazon.com here for the great price of $7.99 or on their website. I definitely think it's worth it!