Nope.
Not so much.
Most days I feel like I'm learning all over again how to be a mother to an almost-toddler and a four-year-old. With Hannah, it's always new 
territory, so there's no surprise about the constant change (by the way, doesn't she make a precious snow-bunny??? I just love bundling her up and sending her out into the snow in this stuff!), but I confess that some days I'm downright surprised that parenting Jonny and Caleb still comes mysteriously. This is the process of experiencing the reality that we think to be true--our God didn't make two of us exactly the same. I won't go into the intricacies of each of my unique children--but suffice it to say, they have all challenged my ideas of parenthood in their own special ways.
These days, in particular, I'm wracking my brain trying to think of activities to do with Jonny (what in the world did I do with Hannah, anyway???) and pulling out my hair trying to figure out what "in the whole world" (as Jonny would say) Caleb is whining about, particularly at meal times. So, on those two particular daily challenges, this week I've had a little more success than normal. For all of my mommy readers, I thought I'd share these little easy things that, knock-on-wood, have helped the past couple of days.
territory, so there's no surprise about the constant change (by the way, doesn't she make a precious snow-bunny??? I just love bundling her up and sending her out into the snow in this stuff!), but I confess that some days I'm downright surprised that parenting Jonny and Caleb still comes mysteriously. This is the process of experiencing the reality that we think to be true--our God didn't make two of us exactly the same. I won't go into the intricacies of each of my unique children--but suffice it to say, they have all challenged my ideas of parenthood in their own special ways.These days, in particular, I'm wracking my brain trying to think of activities to do with Jonny (what in the world did I do with Hannah, anyway???) and pulling out my hair trying to figure out what "in the whole world" (as Jonny would say) Caleb is whining about, particularly at meal times. So, on those two particular daily challenges, this week I've had a little more success than normal. For all of my mommy readers, I thought I'd share these little easy things that, knock-on-wood, have helped the past couple of days.
With Jonny (pictured here holding the advent dove ornament that we made out of salt and glue and glitter for our "jesse tree")--Priddy Books brand My Big Sticker Book has been awesome! We've sat down each day for as long as
he's interested (usually 15-20 minutes) and worked on this book together--really fun, and really easy to engage and encourage him (side note--these are actually really easy for his age--I did them w/ Hannah when she was two! Jonny got this book about two years ago but only recently was interested in actually doing the sticker activities) Anyway, just a little something new we've done together. For you mommies of 4-year-olds, I'd love to hear what you do WITH your child when you're together.With Caleb--who would've thought a rubber-band and a muffin pan would dramatically change
my world??? How, you say?
I've begun serving Caleb his meals with his usual 3 or 4 choices of food served in a muffin pan (I got a huge rubber-band to secure it to his highchair tray). I don't know what the magic of it is for him, maybe the order, or the clear-cut variety? Whatever it is, he's stopped whinning and crying, throwing his food on the floor, and he's eaten a TON more than normal. This may all stop at my next meal, and then I'm back to Caleb's whine-fests and pulling my hair out, but so far, it's been a true gift that Josh and I have savored. Here he is with his ghett0-rigged plate and a snuggly, i'm-so-happy look on his face.
And a couple of meal discoveries:
My whole family, but especially the kids have discovered a love for homemade oatmeal with a 
little brown sugar and costco's frozen mixed berries. I can take the oatmeal piping hot off of the stove, put directly into bowls and throw in the frozen berries. They immediately cool off the oatmeal and soften up to make the oatmeal taste more like the filling of a berry pie. Mmmm. Yea for Berry Yummy Oatmeal!
little brown sugar and costco's frozen mixed berries. I can take the oatmeal piping hot off of the stove, put directly into bowls and throw in the frozen berries. They immediately cool off the oatmeal and soften up to make the oatmeal taste more like the filling of a berry pie. Mmmm. Yea for Berry Yummy Oatmeal! 
Caleb, handing me his spoon, asking me to fill it up with more!
Got some leftover turkey and stuffing? I made a yummy cassarole last night with ours! I adjusted a recipe I already had for stovetop stuffing and used what I had:
1. Turkey (cut into bite-sized chunks)
2. 1 can o' mushroom soup
3. 1/3 cup sour cream
4. random bits of frozen veggies (i used a tiny bit of corn, carrots, and green beans, probably 2/3 of a bag)
5. Stuffing
Mix first four ingredients together in a 9x13 dish and top with stuffing. Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes (or until it's warmed). Voila!!!
Phew! That's all of my great ideas. Probably won't have any more for a long while! :) Bye for now!
2 comments:
I don't even have kids yet... but loved all of your ideas sis! What a awesome ghetto rigged tray! I want my meals like that! Hannah is a sweet little snow child! See you in 17 days or so.
Your snowbunny sweet girl is beautiful! And your ideas are so "do-able"... Judy P.
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