Quiet time and coloring

Ethan has not quite outgrown naps, but has become very reluctant towards the idea generally. So, we've had to create a new euphemism that gives me the blessed silence that I need a few hours a day, as well as calm needed to get Raina down for her own nap. Enter, "Quiet Time". Quiet time is a minimum of one hour in which Ethan has to lay in his bed and be quiet. He is allowed to look at books, or sometimes take some action figures or crayons/coloring book with him. The beauty of this plan is that the minimum one hour period usually is just enough for Ethan to go to sleep, giving me about two hours to rest while Raina sleeps. The second benefit is that, well, as a four year old, Ethan can't tell time, so an hour might be an hour and half, or a bit longer. Sometimes he lays awake, and I'll relieve him of his boredom, but most days it's....zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

Today, he awoke like a boy possessed. He had a late nap, but was still deeply snoozing when I came into his room. He fell asleep looking at a favorite Superman comic book, and it was laying across his chest. Ordinarily, he wakes up, maybe a little grumpy, or mostly ready to get up and play. Today he was immediately concerned about showing me picture in his comic book. His determination was strong I thought perhaps he was still in a lucid dreaming state. Finally he flipped to an image of a character, and pointed at it. "I need those colors mom. I want to color with those colors".

He made his way to the kitchen and pulled out his Spiderman coloring book. He flipped through to an uncolored page, and there was the same character as in the comic. He'd seen the guy during quiet time and remembered that he'd seen the same one in the coloring book. He insisted that I find the exact shades of blue and orange so he could imitate the art in the comic.

Coloring has been taking up a lot of his time lately. It's something he's only done now and again in the past. He could be distracted by it for a few minutes here and there. But lately, it's one of his favorite hobbies. He spent about two hours one morning coloring page after page, while I worked in the kitchen. I think perhaps the fascination with coloring is related to writing readiness. He's also started absorbing more information about his letters, and asking to practice writing more.

His resolve about coloring this character was so great, that I let him work on and finish the picture, even though I had dinner ready when he got up from his nap. Here is a photo of him working away.



Rudy on the other hand, rarely misses a meal, especially meatloaf!


Yum!

The chore chart

For about the last month, Ethan has had a chore chart which allows him to earn sticker stars over the course of the week. At the end of the week, he earns $5 if he's earned 20 stars. So far, he hasn't earned more or less than this (he really gets his nose to the grindstone the last couple days of the week!), but if he does, I'll add or deduct a dollar for every 5 stars.

This has been a surprisingly effective tool. He's typically eager to help anyway, and now he's motivated by those little stars. Children naturally want to participate in real, "grown-up" activities, like cooking or wiping, so why not utilize this? At times, I really need to engage him in an activity, focus his energy on SOMETHING, ANYTHING. After all, the kid is with me nearly 24/7. The Montessori philosophy says that it's about the process, not the product, but I do push for quality in as far as it's possible.

Chores started with Ethan's desire to be responsible for feeding the dogs. He also regularly likes to help with basic cooking activities like mixing, breaking eggs, pouring, and measuring. These, along with wiping tables, and picking up (which must go above and beyond me screaming to pick junk up off the floor) were his original chores, along with a category called "other" in the event that I came up with more things. Since then, we've expanded to add emptying small garbage cans, watering plants (which is actually more of a chore for me since I have to lift him to most of the plants in the house), helping unload the dishwasher, outdoor work (he helped Ben with the leaves), and again, "other".

Ethan has been carefully saving his money in his new red, velcro, trifold wallet. The money occasionally burns a hole in his pocket, and he splurges on some hot wheels. This has also been a great tool to get him to stop begging for me to buy him toys when we go out. He gets to use his own money which makes him proud, but also seems to make him much more conservative in his choices about what to buy. If something costs more than he has, we talk about how long he'll have to wait to be able to buy it, and if he spends just a little now, he'll have more saved for coming weeks. He still begs for toys, but then reevaluates based on the knowledge that he'll have to pony up the cash.

"In praise of exercise" or "What a drag it is getting old"

Around this time last year, with my 30th birthday approaching, I made the decision that to stop letting my body go downhill. I was starting to feel some aches and pains, found myself tired a lot, and wondered if I'd ever be able to keep up with my two young kids. I decided not to look back on 30 and think, "Wow, that's when my body really started falling apart". Instead, I wanted to look back and say, "Wow, that's when I really started getting into shape and being healthier". Also, I really wanted Ethan and Raina to know exercise as part of their lives, and not have to struggle as adults with trying to figure out how to fit it in, how to start doing it, so on. In essence, I started hitting the gym for them.

When I got on the treadmill, I'd focus on a marquee in the lobby at our local YMCA. It says something about "strong kids, strong families, strong communities". That's what I wanted, strong kids and strong family. For months, that was my mantra as I pushed through the pain of running and went a little farther, a little faster. Till eventually I looked forward to getting on that stupid torture device.

Now, a year later, my 31st birthday is breathing down my neck. It is somehow scarier than 30. In fact, I welcomed 30. It felt so adult; as though finally my age reflected my "mature beyond my years" attitude I've had most of my life. Being out of my 20's meant not being lumped in with partying college kids anymore. It meant I was approaching that period of feeling settled in my life, accomplished, confident, and not struggling to figure out who I am. Just being who I am. Being 30 makes parenthood seem more logical. But now, with 31 rapidly approaching, I just feel like I'm getting older. Not hitting some meaningful milestone that people will laud me about. Ho hum.

In contrast to this anxiety about my 31st year, I have accomplished much. I finished my long awaited MPH, however anti-climactic. I am still regularly going to the gym. My goals have evolved though. Now I find myself running for me, building strength for me, using that time to be inside my own mind (READ: An hour or two without small children vying for my attention). The muscle toning was the first benefit. In the beginning, it was driven by vanity. We went to Florida in May, and I wanted to wear a two piece swim suit. That goal accomplished, I started to see weight drop off of me. I wasn't actively trying to lose weight, just trying not to gain it. I figured that after two kids, and reaching ever closer to middle age meant that I'd be about the weight I was, and that was fine. I'm tall and have been fortunate never to struggle with my weight, though I gain tons when I'm pregnant. I exercised very little when I was pregnant with Raina because I was just too tired, and I got very big very quickly. I was more of an athletic eater. But, to my surprise, I dropped about 15 pounds from where I was at this time last year. I weigh about what I did late in high school, but am more tone, stronger, and healthier than I was then. I FEEL better. I feel more athletic. I can run. Well. I recently did a fitness assessment, and my cardiovascular recovery is excellent. Now I am trying to improve the quality of my workouts by adding more strength training and free weights. I have these cute little muscles showing up in my arms that I didn't know could exist. So sure, I might have to work harder than I did at 17 or 19 years old, but I'm worth it, and I'm pretty sure I could kick that skinny little girl's ass.

Raven Run

I took the kids to Raven Run Nature Sanctuary in Lexington today. We've been having a few days of unseasonably warm weather. Thinking this might be our last opportunity to make it out there till Spring, we packed up and headed off to hike the KY river overlook trail.

Ethan did fantastically on the hike out, about a mile and half, maybe more. Raina bounded along happily after her brother, refusing to get into the backpack till she'd fallen a few times. Finally, she got tired enough, accepted a snack, and let me put her in the pack. She passed out a few minutes later. I love taking Ethan hiking because I can fully engage in conversation with him, and as we all know, the boy loves to talk. The whole outing becomes a two to three hour ecology lesson. He racks my brain with endless questions, and asks more than a few with deep, complex answers that I can't fully explain. He's so smart!

The walk back was a bit more difficult, as he was very tired and hungry. He complained a lot, but was still able to be distracted by birds and trees and the promise of lunch. Here's a few photos of today's adventure:

Christmas/birthday wish lists

I've put together some wish lists for the kids for the holidays on Amazon and Toys R Us. Just suggestions that you can take or leave. Some things that they'd love are simply not on either of these sites.

Ethan is really into action figures, all things hot wheels or Monster trucks, playsets, outdoor (gross motor) toys, super heroes, etc. He is learning the basics of reading and numbers, and loves to play games. His birthday is going to be Batman themed.

Raina loves her babies, large stuffed animals, music, and all things girly. This child knows pretty!

As for clothing, Ethan is moving into 5T, and Raina is in 2T. Neither child is lacking for clothes, but items for upcoming seasons, or larger sizes will get used! Ethan is moving towards size 12 in shoes, and Raina will need an 8 by spring/summer, if not sooner.

Here's the links to the sites. If they don't work, you can search wish lists at amazon.com or toysrus.com for my name. I will be adding and changing them as December rapidly approaches.

Amazon

Toys R Us

Because some of you won't join Facebook...

So, I'm giving this blog thing a try. We've not done well keeping up the family photo website, as I've been using Facebook a lot to post photos. There's always lots going on with our kids, and our family, so I thought this might be a good way to keep family and friends up to date.

Here's my first shot at adding a photo. That's a happy little Rudy-bug and Batman getting ready for trick or treating.