Nutritional Meals Can Be Fast

Thank goodness for grocery stores that have already-cooked, cut, or otherwise partially prepared foods. I was quite proud of tonight's dinner menu.

• Rotisserie chicken
• Green beans
• Caprese salad (tomato, basil, cheese, evoo)
  

Chicken was already cooked, I just had to cut it off the bone. The green beans are fresh and come in a steam-ready bag. Just poke some holes in the bag and pop it in the microwave for 4 minutes. While that was cooking, I cut a couple plum tomatoes and sliced some mozzarella, sprinkled some olive oil and added some basil leaves. All set and on the table in about 10 minutes. It was yummy and colorful to boot. My husband and son both loved it.

Score:
Mom 1
Family 0

Toddler-Friendly Menu

Preparing dinner for our little one is always a challenge. By the time you make what he says he wants, he doesn't want it anymore and he wants something else. I've learned a couple things:
1) Despite what he says he wants, give him what you think he REALLY wants
2) Don't keep giving in, he will change his mind 1,001 times
3) Be prepared to offer and make both options you give

I've also learned good ways to make sure he gets a variety of food.

1) Frozen vegetables - I know I am not a fan of too many veggies, but that doesn't mean my son can't have them. Frozen veggies are great, you take what you want out of the bag, heat it in some water for about 1 minute, drain, and it's all ready to serve. The green bean, pea, corn combo is definitely a hit.

2) "Non-traditional" fruits - My son LOVES kiwi. It's easy to cut and it kind of tastes like bananas and it's packed with more vitamin C than oranges (well, I think that's what I read). He also loves pineapple - easily purchased already cut in cans or those little single serving cups. He tried plums, but didn't like them, but I'll try them again. Mango is another fruit he loves. When it's in season, it's always a treat.

Totally unrelated - when does the "I want to turn off the light" phase end?

Negotiation vs. Bribery

Discipline measures for a child vary from family to family and from parent to parent. We really try to do the same, but there is a slight discrepancy between what is actually negotiation to get our child to do what he needs to do... then there's bribery. The line is very slim.

I use stickers as a reward. Going on the potty. When I catch him doing a good deed. That type of thing. My husband uses stickers as bribery. "I you do XYZ, I'll give you stickers..."

Enter discussions. Problem solved.

Taking away of prized possessions seems to be the best tactic of them all. Take away when not listening/doing, earn them back when objectives are completed and asked for nicely.

At least that's what works this week.

Am I in a Circus?

As a working mom in a two-income family, there's a constant juggling act (I unfortunately, do NOT know how to really juggle). From the moment I get up to the moment I lay my weary head down, there is something to be done (and then some!).

Typical day for me (weekday):
6:20 am - Built-in alarm yelling "Mommy, where are you?"
6:30 am - Get milk and his clothes
6:35 am - Change into clothes for the day
6:40 am - Wrestle with him to keep his clothes on/divert attention
6:55 am - Gather my clothes for the day/get dressed
7:15 am - Find my gym clothes and items to take to work for the day
7:25 am - Give hugs and kisses/gather my things/make breakfast (PB sandwich and milk)
7:30 am - First attempt to leave house
7:32 am - Run back in to grab whatever I forgot
7:33 am - Second attempt to leave
8:05 am - If traffic is nice to me, arrive at work
noon - workout and eat lunch
4:30 pm - Leave work/brave traffic home
5:05 pm - Pick up from daycare
5:10 pm - Convince my son that the store/gas station/post office is the best place ever
5:12 pm - Stop at home for random missed toy
5:15 pm - Run errand
6:00 pm - Start cooking dinner (microwaves are heaven sent!!)
6:30 pm - Try to eat dinner
7:00 pm - Play outside or some type of entertainment that is not TV
8:00 pm - Navigate bath/book/bed routine (husband gets son ready while I do random chore)
9:00 pm - Back downstairs for some "alone" time
9:30 pm - Back upstairs to sleep
9:35 pm - Asleep

Of course, schedule changes from day to day, but the routine of the motions stays pretty constant. Sometimes this gets all thrown out the window when juggling a cranky, sick, sad, excited or otherwise described two-year-old random mood variation.

The funny part is that even though I loathed the thought of routine and "structure" prior to having a child, it doesn't bother me one bit. I love doing everything. I love juggling all the random things that come my way.

Some days are harder than others, but at the end of the day,
it's worth every second.

Life is Hard Being a Toddler

Being back from vacation means a lot of adjustments. I think my little boy had a rough time with our departure - maybe from leaving and returning? maybe because we left while he was sleeping? maybe from the length of our absence? Who knows.

Toddler minds are so hard. Just when you think you've learned it all - it changes. All part of growing up, on his part and on mine. One minute he's excited about water day, the next he wants to rip off his clothes so fast you would think he was on fire!

Parenting is fun and challenging all rolled into one little package. It's probably the most education I have received in such a short period of time. And with the next kid... a whole new set of instructions!

Oh wait... gotta re-write them again. They changed.

Home is Where the Heart Is

Four days in Costa Rica was wonderful. We saw the most beautiful scenery imaginable and our brought adventurous spirits. We explored various mountain terrains, ate fresh (not touched with wacky preeservatives) food and caught a glimpse of life outside our busy schedules. Not to mention, we could eat dinner without entertaining anyone else but ourselves.

But, we missed our baby boy. I felt like I wanted to know what he was doing every second of the day and the $1.99 per minute on my cell phone was the only thing prohibiting me from calling a gajillion times a day. In any event, after four days, we both felt refreshed and we could face the "real" world once again.

Ah, to be home. The comfort of your own bed. An A/C that works properly. And warm hugs can't be beat - the super good squeezy kind.

Now only if I can get him back to his non-spoiled self - we'll be in business.