Life As We Know It

Thoughts, please.

This is such a stupid little thing to bother my mind with right now, but I seem to be consumed by this.  I am on this mad search for bedding for Porter... for ideas for decorating his room.  His new room... the room he'll have when the baby comes.  (Porter's moving to the play room, and the baby gets P's old room... saving us the hassle of painting the nursery again AND taking the crib apart and moving it to the play room). 

Anyhow, I want to redo his room for his birthday.  Might as well make it a gift, right?  Here are my dilemmas... I'll bullet them so its easier to read. 

• Bedding... colors... scheme... theme.   Right now P's room is sage green, navy, red and brown.  And some slew of colors inbetween.  A "boy" colored room.  I'm kind of over the red and the mish mash of colors.  I want something soothing and somewhat monochromatic.  Maybe.
• HOWEVER... Porter has an airplane mobile that Ryan's uncles bought him and he LOVES it.  I want to keep it in his room.  The planes are Red, Green, Yellow and Blue.  Nice primary colors.  LOL. 
• I also painted a plane picture for his room.  Blues and reds.  GRRR.
• And, he has these cool, rustic license plates on the wall that I like, but those can go, I guess.
• So... I originally thought I'd buy a navy blue quilt, maybe some truck sheets to satisfy the truck obsessed two year old, and paint the wall a mossy green color.  Or a nice mocha tan. Keep it soothing.  I found one I liked at Target.  Its not in the store.  I hate paying shipping if its going to be that cheap "motel comforter" type.  I want quilt... thick, stitching holding in all the batting kind of quilt.
• I went to Target today.  Found this quilt that I *LOVE*.  I thought I could toss in some navy blue sheets to make it a little darker, more "masculine" than the pastelly blue and citrus green.  (it really is a citrus/lime/sage green... kind of mixed.  Not yellow).  I bought two of them as we're still undecided on the bed situation (single bed or bunk... what if the boys share a room in the future?  I want matching quilts.)
• I also found these red quilts that are nice.  They reverse to tan.  I thought that might work. Solid color.  Not busy.  Could change up the theme in the future.  It'd work with his plane mobile as well as his plane picture.  But... red.  UGh.  I'm just not into red right now.
  
• I should also mention... the quilt I bought Porter (the blue/green one above) is so similar to the nursery colors.   However, I'm just really into the blues/greens right now. 

What to do.   I guess here are my questions I want your thoughts on:

1. Considering that the baby's bedding is blues/greens/browns... do you think its weird that Porter's room would be the same color scheme (although his would be more trucks, planes etc and the baby's will be zoo)?
2. I really LOVE the blue/green quilt. 

• Is it too babyish? 
• What if I add the navy blue sheets and more navy blue in the room? Would that make it better? 
• Do you think the airplane mobile would look hideous with that comforter?
• What color would I paint the walls?
• Do you have any decorating ideas for it?  I had really liked these wall things from Land of Nod... but they don't go very well.  Maybe the navy or red would be better.

1. 
1. What do you think about the bunk bed situation?  I guess I should explain more.  More than likely, we'll end up in another 3 bedroom home while our kids are younger. (we're hoping to move soon.). If there is a 4th bedroom, it'll probably be my office.  Not a problem if we just stick to 2 kids, but I am pretty sure somehow or another we'll have a 3rd.  Not until this baby is at least 3, probably 4.  So, logic says Porter and Baby 2 will share a room (they'll be closest in age, and are both boys). 
   
   • I think bunks would be the best option, right? 
   • Or, should we just buy a twin headboard set for Porter for now and if we end up lodging them together buy the bunk beds later?
   • What about the bedding... should I keep two quilts or just say screw it and assume I'll redecorate if the boys ever share a room? 

GAHHHH!  Decisions.  Yeah, they aren't that important right now... but in the long run I don't want to double buy, double decorate etc if I don't have to.

So.. PLEASE!  Throw out all your ideas. 

Diaper Issues

If its not one thing, its another.  Well, this time we're having TWO different diaper issues.

Issue #1:  Naptime.  Porter has begun to think its quite amusing to dink around in his crib at naptime, throw all his animals out, take off his pants and diaper.  I can usually tell when this happens as he'll become extremely loud, banging on the crib, yelling and running in the crib. Yes, maniac indeed.  Usually I just go back in and he asks for his diaper and pants, which I put back on, and that is the end.  Well, yesterday he took off his stuff twice.  So, today this was my solution:

Yes, that is electrical tape on his diaper.  We didn't have duct tape.  Yes, I made him stand there and post for me.  Poor kid.  Well, he is sleeping finally and his diaper is STILL on.

Issue #2:  Bedtime.  For the last oh, 6 months or so (maybe more, maybe less) we've had problems with Porter leaking through diapers at night.  For awhile I summed it up to us giving him a cup of water in bed, and once we quit that *most* of the leaked through diapers stopped. 

During the day we use cheap diapers- Luvs or Target Brand.  At night we were using Huggies, which worked fine up until a few weeks ago.  We stopped the night water, and he was still waking up with soaked pj's in the morning. 

So, we tried Pampers and those were working fine.  Up until this week.  Three days in a row he's woken up at 5:30-6:30am yelling "Mooo-mmeeeeeeyy! Mommy! Moooo-mmmeeeeeyy! Messy! Messy Mommy!"

He doesn't get water at night.  He doesn't drink an excessive amount of liquid before bed.  Last night we had dinner at 6, he drank a cup of milk.  He went to bed at 7.  I can't imagine stopping his liquids BEFORE dinner (granted, most of the time we try to have dinner at 5/5:30 but that doesn't always happen). 

So, any suggestions?!?  I'm at a loss, and short of waking him up before we go to bed to change his diaper (bleh!) I don't know what to do!

Thanksgiving, Schmanksgiving

What is it about this holiday, this holiday that we're supposed to be giving THANKS for all the wonderful things in our lives, that makes me just despise it altogether?  (No, Zoe, its not because that Columbus really was a dirty b@stard... but, I still haven't pieced together why this holiday really is a sham).  Every year its always the same... trying to work out schedules and places and people and food and trying to make everyone happy and ultimately trying to force ourselves to enjoy this day of "thanks". 

Normally, we split this holiday up between Ryan's family and my mom's side of the family.  Yes, that means we eat two of the same meals and normally they're only a few hours apart (the earliest being ready by 1pm, the next being served at 4/5ish).  Its rush rush rush.  Hi, stuff your face, goodbye see ya later!

I hate cramming it all in.  Every time we just get comfortable and having fun with one side of the family, its time to pack it up and head over to another meal. 

This year Ryan and I had a good long talk about it all and decided to change things up.  See, *ideally* we would have sold our house by now.  *Ideally* we'd be in a larger home and *ideally* we'd be the ones serving dinner and inviting both sides of our family over, as well as some close friends who may want to join, and having a big, 'ol "Thanks-for-all-the-great-things-in-our-life" meal.  But, of course we're still stuck in our tiny little house so that means yet another year of swap, chow, swap. 

So, our big discussion.  We decided that the only way to make this a happy holiday for US would be to only have one place to go.  We decided to do every other year with each of our families, that is, until we have a larger home and then we're going to start our own tradition of us being the ones serving Thanksgiving dinner.  I know our decision hasn't made everyone happy, but its a small price to pay to make it bearable for us. 

Now, I guess what my post is about.... I just wonder if there are any other neat ideas that your families do for Thanksgiving that make the holidays easier and less-rushing on your family.  Do you visit each side of the family on the same day?  Do you split it up into two days? Heather had suggested doing the meal (a late lunch) with one side of the family and then joining the other side later in the evening for dessert.   ((I do like that idea, however, this year we'll have dinner with my mom.  And the entire day after T-day we spend with Ryan's family regardless of who we spend T-day with, it seems silly to drive across town for a late evening desert and then drive back out the next morning.))

So, back to the question... what "schedules" have you made up?  Have you come up with a kick-ass plan that makes EVERYONE happy?  Share it, will ya!

Look who's been in Time Out! this weekend...

Yesterday, Porter kept putting Lion in "Time OUT!" and sitting him in the corner beside his changing dresser.  It was so funny! 

Speaking of time outs.... Porter has been getting plenty a day (I'm sure thats why he's feeling like putting a little of the brunt on poor Lion).  He is JUST NOT LISTENING!  This evening I'm not kidding... Ryan put him in 3 time outs in a row because he either asked him to do something and gave him a warning to follow through, or told him not to do something and Porter went ahead and did it.  Now... here's my question.  I'm wondering if we should reserve T.O's for things like hitting, excessive whining, throwing tantrums ("go to your room until you stop screaming" works pretty good so far), etc....

For example... we were just kind of lounging on the floor this evening in the living room.  About 15 minutes before, Porter had threw his bulldozer at me so I confiscated it (telling him of course that he couldn't play with it anymore today b/c he hit me with it and hitting is bad).  Now, we're lounging on the floor, and Porter hits Ryan with his hands (I think).  Ryan puts him in TO.  Then he tells him "You have another minute for throwing your loader.  I've told you too many times today not to throw your toys."

Ok... break! 

Now, I realize... yes, he threw his loader.  It is against the rules.  He's been way to into throwing toys and I have no clue where he picked this up from.  Driving me INSANE.  But... I personally think the double time out is way too confusing for a one year old.  I told Ryan this.  He said he broke a rule so he's getting punished for it.

Fastforward a whole 2 minutes later.  Ry and P are picking up Porter's blocks.  Porter starts to dump the container again.  Ryan can see his gears turning.  He warns him "Do not dump those blocks out or you will be in a time out."  (Now... at this point I would have helped Porter sit the container down and redirect him to finish picking up the block.  Ryan leaves him to his own poison, knowing he'll go on to dump the blocks, earning a time out).  Well.  Porter dumps the blocks.  Time out again.  All of these TO's Ryan explained to him that "You are not listening, Porter... I told you not to do ____________ and you did it." 

So, in a matter of like 5 minutes, he had 3 time outs.  A little much, no? I'm just not sure what to do... Yes, he is NOT listening.  He is being hard headed and pushing buttons.  But isn't there another way to discipline him for not listening?  I think T.O. is great for if he throws his toys, hits, climbs over the couch after being warned not to or told to stop, whining.... etc.... but I just don't think a kid Porter's age can grasp the "You're in a time out for not listening."  I mean, to him... what the hell is "listening".    Granted, when he doesn't listen, we are constantly saying "Porter, you're not listening.  I asked you to _____________."  but I'm not sure how much that is sinking in (or else I wouldn't be writing a post about my kid not listening HAHA!)

So... advice?  Please??

A few random questions for you all...

1. Forks
Moms of toddlers... what kind of forks to your little ones use?  Currently we have a slew of those crappy plastic Take and Toss forks (I'm sorry... but those suckers just don't cut it for poking into anything other than a heavily boiled sweet potato), and 2 or 3 different metal forks that are toddler sized.  Mind you, I haven't actually LOOKED, but where in the world would one go to find non-plastic toddler sized forks?  All the toddler/baby aisles have are plastic. 

2. Cough Meds
Porter has had a slight cough at night (mostly when he is sleeping) and we were out of Robitussin Cough.  I went to the store to pick up a few taste-bud pleasing foods today and picked up some Pediatric Robitussin for him, and the cashier says "OH did you see on the news where they were saying not to give any of these types of meds to kids under the age of 6?"  Well, I still bought the meds for Porter.  What are your opinions on this? Read about it at CNN and MSNBC.

3. Water in the night.
Here is where I *really* need your suggestions.  For the past month or so, Porter has been waking up occasionally (ok, a few times a week) around midnight, and is crying for "Waber" (water).  Now, for the first week or so we just gave him a sippy cup and put him back to bed.  Then I noticed that he started leaking through is diapers on the mornings after he'd had water at night (not just el cheap diapers.. but Huggies too).  So, I tried a few nights just letting him have a sip of water out of a big cup and sometimes that tides him over, sometimes he goes into a fit for a cup of water. 

Last night was a tough night.  He woke up, I tried to give him water out of a real cup, he dumped it down the front of himself so we had to change his pj's.  After that I got him a sippy cup, put him in bed and went to give him some medicine for his cough and fill up his humidifier.  Ryan got all ticked because Porter was still crying in bed and he thought I hadn't given him his cup. 

So, after all is fixed, we're in bed and I bring up the cup in bed topic.  Heres a *tiny* reinactment of our conversation:

Nic:  You know, we really shouldn't be giving him a cup of water to sleep with. When we start potty training we'll probably need to cut off liquids around 7pm

Ry: Thats ridiculous.  YOU wouldn't go without water from 7pm until the morning.  Why don't you try to do that every night.  He gets thirsty!

N: 7pm is only a half hour before his bedtime.  I would be fine if I stopped drinking anything half an hour before bedtime. 

R: He gets thirsty.  All he has is a few sips of water in his cup.

N: Ok, fine. You can be in charge of all the potty training if you don't think its an issue.  And when your son is 6 and still wearing pullups and peeing in class, I'll tell him to talk to you about it.  And when he's 10 and can't go to sleepovers because he pees the bed at night at his friends house, I'll tell him to talk to you about those cups of water in bed.  (of course, this was followed by us cracking up because I totally was being overly dramatic and sarcastic)

So, we never really "resolved" the issue.  I'm sure Porter will be asking for water tonight.  What do I do?  Do I "Just Say NO!?" or is it fine until we really start potty training (which probably won't be for awhile.  Frankly, I'm lazy).  Did any of you ever have kids that wanted water when the slept?  Did the WAKE UP NUMEROUS NIGHTS A WEEK crying for water??? 

HELP!

Kids Songs CD's

Porter is obsessed with Old MacDonald. He LOVES the song.  I have the 4-cd set "110 Silly Songs" and the first song on one of the cd's is... you guessed it...Old MacDonald.  We don't get past song #1. 

The cd set is pretty decent... especially seeing I bought it at a garage sale for $2.  However, I'd like to find some kid cd's that have "cool" music... kid songs that don't sound like they're sung by a choir of kids in unison. 

I've heard about Dan Zanes and Laurie Berkner... anyone have any suggestions on specific cd's or other "hip" kid song artists?

ETA:  I just found this artist: Justin Roberts. Anyone have any of his cd's?  I found him on Amazon and you can listen to clips of his songs. Meltdown sounds like a pretty cute song.