Live and Learn

With our new-found parenting skills - really a lot of it was coming together with a really consistent method that we both liked - our kids have made some good strides this past week. After only a few days of the new "system" (which is a lot more detailed and better than I make it sound on the last post - we've learned more about it since we started) Logan has shown a notable difference in behavior. He is still his stubborn little self, but I'm starting to feel like we are getting through to him a little more and he's actually been a lot more helpful around the house and obedient. I think part of that too is me being happier and nicer and having more patience with him and actually letting him do more.

One thing that I have noticed is that when I'm disciplining one, the other is learning. If Damon has to go to "calm down time" (that's what we call it) for something, I notice Logan veering away from that and vice versa, especially if it is a new boundary or limit that we have recently talked about. And because we have been consistent with both of them on the rules, Logan doesn't get as mad at Damon when something happens because he knows I'll take care of it...at least if it really is worthy of the now dreaded "Uh-Oh...." It does require me to be a little more on top of things, but I'm finding that because I am, there is less fighting between the two of them and I actually can get things done while they are playing together as long as I still have them in sight. I can clean the kitchen while they are playing cars in the living room and I've even been able to fold laundry in the living room with the door open where I could see them playing outside and they stayed in the boundary...that really was a glorious day for me, you have no idea!

One last quick cute story about that. The other night it was time to clean up and we gave the usual warnings and choices and such that goes into that and Damon was helping clean up all the little cars really well. (He loves to throw them in the bucket and say YAY) Logan was over playing with another toy and I told him that it was time to clean up and we needed his help, and he said no. So I said, Logan, I need you to come and help us clean up please. He said no again, so I said Uh-Oh.....and he immediately jumped up from his chair and was frantically saying, "I can help, I can help" you should have seen the dedication that little boy had to clean up every last toy in the room. It was an awesome mommy moment and exactly the way the Uh-Oh is supposed to be working. It was a rough few days while I was trying to train myself, and them, and it's still a work in progress, but it has been so worth it.Morgan is now in study mode with his final final final final certification board exam in only about 8 weeks. He usually gets to stop at home to grab some dinner play with the kids for a few minutes, maybe throw in a story or two with them and then heads to the library for a few hours of study. Friday night we still get our "date/movie" night and as long as he gets a couple study sessions in on Saturday we can go play together in the evening. This past Saturday after two study sessions we went to the Pleasant Grove Discovery Park.

The boys had a blast. Logan loved this swing because he didn't feel like he was going to fall out. He never lets me push him so high, but he was having a blast with daddy.

Of course we had to have a little snack break and the boys would wander over and grab and handful of fruit snacks and then go back and play some more. It was such a beautiful day. I'm so loving spring and warmer weather.

Damon and Daddy playing with the letters. Damon is really good at his letter sounds, but is still working on the actual letter name. One week every letter is "b" and the next it is "a" :) silly boy.

Logan loves his letters too. He'll sound out a word and then say it spells a completely different word. My favorite is still when he's looking at the letters on the van and says S-I-E-N-N-A spells mama van, now he just does that with letter sounds. :)

Damon is coming out of the little beehive. I don't think he really liked the confined spaces all that much, not with so much to explore.

We've been having a lot of fun with Logan's birthday presents, especially Play Doh and train tracks lately. Some days just those two things will keep them entertained for hours, but other days for only a few minutes.

Logan is getting the hang of putting the tracks together by himself now, so it's a little less work for me and it's fun to see what he comes up with. It's so fun to see them having fun together, I just love it! I know we are still going to have rough days and rough times, but the last few days have just been extra good and I really needed that. I'm just glad that we're starting to figure things out a little better when hopefully they are too young to remember all the mistakes we have made so far. :) So, until next time.....