Conversations With Liam

These days we never know where a conversation with Liam will take us.  It could be short, sweet and to the point or it could be long and confusing, leaving you wondering where this child came from!  One thing is for sure, there are a lot of laughs to be had.  And I really don't know how the kid knows the things he knows!

Here are some of my favourites from the past few days.

Liam: "Today I was a bad crocodile."

Me: "How do you be a bad crocodile?"

Liam: "I do this." <looked at me with a mean glare>  "And I have a big long nose with very big, very sharp teeth.  Crocodiles have big scary teeth."

Me: "Yes, they do have big teeth."

Liam: "And crocodiles have sharp toes with very sharp nails that come out of their toes for scratching, like this." <he put his hands up to demonstrate scratching>  "Crocodiles have really big, very big tails that they use to hit things.  And they swim in the water.  Bad crocodiles eat animals that they hit with their big tails and grab with their sharp toes and sharp nails."

Me: "Are there any good crocodiles?"

Liam: "No, crocodiles are all bad.  They bit and scratch and hit.  They are just bad crocodiles."

Liam: "I know how to make tuna melts.  

First you put the tuna on and then you put the cheese on.  

And then it just melts."

Liam: "Mommy, I want to you to get in the bath with me."

Me: "No thank you, I don't want to take a bath right now."

Liam: "But it is fun to play with dinosaurs and sharks in the bath with me."

Me: "Maybe another time."

Liam: "We need to buy you a bathtub of your own so that we can have baths together.  We can go get it later at Walmart.  No, maybe we'll get it at Costco.  Costco is better."

On the way home from work/daycare:

Liam: "Daddy, who built your truck?"

Henry: "Ford built it."

Liam: "Where does Ford work?  Does he work at Walmart or Costco?"

Henry: "Ford isn't a person.  Ford is a company that makes trucks."

Liam: "Where is Ford now? Is he going home?"

Henry: "Ford is not a person.  This truck was made at Ford in Virginia"

Liam: "Why?"

Henry: "Because there is a big factory in Virginia where Ford makes lots and lots of trucks."

Liam:"Does Ford do it all by himself?"

Henry: "No, lots of different people helped to build this truck."

Liam: "How?"

Henry: "Someone makes the engine, someone makes the radiator, someone puts on the doors, someone puts in the seats."

Liam: "What do they use to make trucks?"

Henry: "Metal, screws and bolts."

Liam: "And glue.  Ford uses white glue to build trucks."

Henry: "No, they don't use glue, glue wouldn't hold the truck together."

Liam: "Yes it would.  Ford uses white glue to put the door on.  They just use lots and lots of it."

Henry: "White glue is just for paper.  It wouldn't work for building a truck."

Liam: "Yes, it does.  I know it does."

Liam: "What is this yellow stuff in my ear?" (in a very concerned tone)

Me: "Wax."

Liam: "Who put yellow wax in my ear?" (sounding horrified)

Me: "It's OK, wax just comes out of your ears sometimes."

Liam: "I don't like it when wax comes out of my head into my ears."

Big Boy Means Big Changes

March 1st, 2012 was a day that we have been thinking about since Liam was 6 days old and counting down to since his last visit to the Orthopedist, in September.  March 1st, 2012 was the day that we could finally say that Liam was finished with treatment for his club foot, finished treatment that started when he was only 6 days old.

In the three years that he has been wearing his Denis Brown Boots and Bar, we have gone through three pairs of shoes, from the little tiny ones that wouldn't stay on his feet because they were too big to the biggest ones, that we soon going to be too small.

We were all thrilled to be able to put the "sleepy shoes" away forever!

The end of the sleepy shoes for Liam meant that it was time for another change.  Even though he was already 3 years old, Liam was still sleeping in his crib as we didn't want him trying to walk in his boots and bar.  However, the last few months, he's been asking for a big boy bed and it would break my heart every time.

Last night sleeping in his crib!

Last night sleeping in his crib!

The first Friday after we were done with the sleepy shoes, we set to converting the crib to a toddler bed.

Liam was excited, not only to be getting his big boy bed, but also to help Daddy!

What is this piece for?

I wasn't sure how the transition to a bed would go.  I have heard lots of horror stories of kids who wouldn't stay in their beds, wouldn't sleep in their beds, parents who would sit outside the bedroom door for hours to keep the child in the bedroom, I could go on and on.  

But, really, Liam has been amazing!  He stays in bed, even when he is upset and doesn't want to go to sleep, he doesn't get out of bed.  He stays in bed in the morning until I go in to get him up.  Even after his afternoon naps, he doesn't get out of bed until someone comes in to get him!  Not sure what we did to get this lucky!!'

Trying out the newly assembled toddler bed.

First night sleeping in his Big Boy Bed!

Sound asleep like he'd been sleeping in a bed for months!

My sweet little angel! 

Kitchen Renovations - Part One

I came to the realization a few months ago that at big part of the reason that I have come to dread cooking and hardly ever bake is that I hate my kitchen.  I know that as long as we live in this house, I will never have a kitchen that I am totally in love with, it just isn't feasible, however, I need to have a kitchen that I can stand to be in for more than 30 seconds at a time without wanting to run away from home!

When we bought this house in late 2002 and started painting and making it ours, I was dead set on a blue and yellow kitchen.  And although I did, at the time, like the finished product, it was never quite what I had in mind when I planned for blue and yellow.  This time, I didn't know what I wanted.  We had dozens of paint chips stuck to the walls and cupboard doors for weeks, trying to decide.  And we changed our minds almost every week.  

My blue and yellow kitchen, getting ready for a makeover.

My blue and yellow kitchen, getting ready for a makeover.

Finally, we decided on green and tan.  We choose a light, sage green for the walls, and what Henry calls a coffee with too much milk colour for the cabinets.

Tennessee Haze and Onion Skin were the colours we settled on (third from the top on both cards).

Over the course of a week, we spent our time on the weekend and after work, painting.  Everything needed two coats of paint to cover up the old colours.  The cabinet doors had to be taken down to paint.  It was a big job but it was so worth it!

Newly painted kitchen!

Newly painted kitchen!

Newly painted kitchen!  Complete with Henry's latest batch of hard cider, fermenting in the white pail!

Newly painted kitchen!  So much brighter and enjoyable to spend time in!

Yesterday, Henry took down the old, very dirty ceiling fan and put up a nice new track light.  He also installed LED strip lights over the counter, sink and stove!  The lighting is so much better now!!

New track light!  Prettier and better lighting than the old ceiling fan!

We are still a long way from done, the kitchen still needs a new counter top, sink and floor.  Unfortunately, these renos have been put on hold for a little while as we have some outdoor projects that need to be completed this spring.  But as soon as the outdoor projects are done taking up our time and money, we will be back to finishing the kitchen!

Until then, we have done enough to make me enjoy my time in the kitchen again!  

Potty Training Tuesday #16

When The Time Is Right . . . 

We have finally had potty training success with Liam!  Since my last Potty Training Tuesday post in . . . August, has it really been that long?  We have had literally no success with potty training.  

A couple of times Liam announced that he was a big boy and didn't need to wear diapers anymore, but he also refused to use the potty.  

Over the Christmas holidays, I tried some serious potty training, wear underwear and sitting on the potty every fifteen minutes.  Still nothing.

Although I desperately wanted Liam to be potty trained, I wasn't going to push the issue.  At his three year old check up in January, the pediatrician told Daddy that Liam really should be potty trained.  His advice . . . put him on the potty every 30 minutes if he wants to or not and give him a sticker when he pees.  (I am not even going to get into all the things that are wrong with that advice!  At least not right now!!)

Daddy thought that this sounds like a good plan, so we gave it a try, for about two days.  Liam was miserable every time we made him sit on the potty and we had absolutely no success.

At the beginning of February, the daycare decided that it was time for some hardcore potty training for a number of the children in Liam's group.  

I crossed my fingers, prayed to the potty training gods, sent lots of extra clothes and hoped for the best, but expected the worst!

In the beginning, there were LOTS of accidents and no success.

The there were fewer accidents but still little to no success.  Liam's teachers seemed to think that he was "holding it" as he would pee as soon as they put a diaper on him at nap time.  And although it's not as good as actually using the toilet, it is a good step as it is a sign that the child is gaining some control.

Then, finally, one day there was a pee on the toilet! And soon after that, success was a regular thing.  But only at daycare.  At home it was a struggle to get him to sit for even a few seconds.  But I was not discouraged!  Progress is still progress even when it is slow!

It took his daycare teacher telling him that if he used the potty at home for me that she would give him a big sticker the next morning, to get him to start at home.

And now, about 6 weeks after they started, I am thrilled to say that except for naps and night time, Liam is about 95% toilet trained.  He wears big boy underwear, has very few accidents and can mostly use the potty by himself.  He still wears a diaper when we are out, just in case we can find or get to a bathroom fast enough but even then, he usually asks to go use the toilet!  

So, when you are getting discouraged that your child isn't potty training fast enough, just think of me, the daycare teacher who has potty trained countless kids in her 14 years of working as an ECE who couldn't potty train her own child!  

It will happen when the time is right!

Stay tuned for more tips, tricks and advice every Tuesday!  And please do share your own experiences!  I am always looking for ways to make potty training easier for myself, not only at work, but also at home as I will soon be jumping in head first to potty train Liam!

Simple Valentines Sun Catcher

I am a crafty person.  My Mom is and always has been a huge crafty person, instilling her joy of creating things in her kids.  As Liam gets older it is getting easier to do crafty things with him.  And I am thrilled that although he is 100% a Daddy's boy and into tools, building and doing stuff with Daddy, he often asks to do crafts with me.

This week, we made these super easy, no mess involved sun catchers.  These can be adapted for any season or any theme and are fun for a ranger of ages.  I do them with toddlers (18 months to 2.5 years old) at work and I've done them with my Brownie group (7-8 years old).

Materials Needed:

card stock

clear contact paper

tissue paper (cut into squares for younger kids)

glitter (optional)

scissors

Directions:

Step 1: Cut your shape from card stock.

Step 2: Cut two pieces of contact paper, each slightly larger than your card stock shape.

Step 3: Remove backing from on sheet of contact paper and position card stock shape in the centre .

***If you are doing this craft with a young child (toddler or preschooler) you may want to complete steps 1-3 before involving your child!****

Step 4: Sprinkle a small amount of glitter on to the inside of the shape. Not too much as you need the sticky surface for the tissue paper.

Step 5: Fill the inside of the shape with tissue paper pieces.  It doesn't matter if some pieces are loose or if the tissue is layered in places.

Step 6: Sprinkle a small amount of glitter on top of tissue paper. Note: There won't be anything for the glitter to stick to right now, so be careful or you will have glitter everywhere!

Step 7: Remove backing from second piece of contact paper and position over top of tissue paper.  Press into place to ensure two layers are adhered together.

Step 8: Trim excess contact paper, leaving just a little bit of an edge around the shape.

Step 9: Hang in a window and enjoy!

Conversations With Liam

As the days and weeks go on, the things Liam says are get more and more interesting.  Sometimes, they are simple, random comments. 

"I want to buy a stock car and race it really fast.  And I want to buy a derby car and crash it."

"Mommy, here's a marker for you.  But don't colour on yourself with it.  Wait for me to get you a paper."

"Daddy, go and put on a handsome shirt, so you can be like me."

"I want to be Iron Man when I grow up."

Ashely: "Liam, can I carry you?"

Liam: "Yes, but I am NOT a baby."

 Other times, they are full conversations.

While having, we are having soup, Liam is having mac and cheese.

Liam: "Mommy, you make good, very good soup."

Me: "Would you like some?"

Liam: "Eww! No, I don't like soup.  You can just make it for Daddy."

Five minutes after opening a new hot wheels car.

Liam: "Mommy where is my shark car?"

Me: "I don't know, you'll have to look for it."

Liam: "I need you to look for it.  Please help me."

Me: "Where did you have it?"

Liam: "It was in my hand.  Not it's not. Can you find it?"

And this is the conversation we had on the way home from daycare Friday night.  I had been told at pick up that Liam had a rough start to the day, that he was very grumpy and not listen, also that he threw his shoes and was put on a time out.

Me: "Were you grumpy and not listening to Terri this morning?"

Liam: "Yes."

Me: "Did you have to go on time out?"

Liam: "Yes."

Me: "How come?"

Liam: "Because."

Me: "What did you do that made Terri put you on time out."

Liam: "I threw my shoes."

Me: "Why did you throw your shoes?"

Liam: "I wanted to play with the fishies in the bucket.  And Terri said no."

Me: "Why did Terri say no?"

Liam: "I wanted to take the fishies at preschool out of the big bucket and put them away."

Me: "What kind of fishies?"

Liam: "The ones in the big bucket on second floor.  I wanted to but them in the basket with the humpback whales."

Daddy: "Are you talking about the aquarium?"

Liam: "Yes, I wanted to take the fishes out."

Me: "You wanted to take the real fish out of the aquarium?"

Liam: "Yes, I wanted to play with them and put them in the basket with the other fishies."

Me: "The real fish need to always stay in the water in the aquarium."

Liam: "But I want to play with them."

Me: "Real fish aren't for playing with, they are just for looking at."

Liam: "But humpback whales are like fishies, the fishies should go in the basket with the whales."

Me: "Not real fish.  Toy fish can go in the basket, but real fish always have to stay in water."

Liam: "They have to stay in the bucket at preschool?"

Me: "Yes."

Liam: "OK."

Depression Sucks

I suffer from depression.  I have for about 8 years.  I take medication everyday and hope that it continues to keep things under control.

This past year, most of 2011, things have not been good.  My medication did not keep things under control the way it should have.  There was no precise trigger to blame.  Nor did I just wake up one morning feeling depressed again.  I was a slow, gradual descent into a life I do not wish upon anyone.

At some point last winter, I started to slowly slip back into what would be a year long struggle.  In the beginning, I didn't even see the signs.  Henry would point it out the changes in my mood or personality and I would instantly deny it or blame it on something else.  In March, I saw my doctor.  I told her that I was tired all the time.  But I didn't tell her anything else.  I was still in denial.  I thought I was still in control.  She suggested SAD (seasonal affective disorder).  I agreed and promised to come back if things didn't improve with the weather.

My energy did not improve, nor did my moods, my motivation my interest in anything, my desire to do interact with anyone or my memory and concentration.  Nor was I any more willing to admit that there were issues or problems with any of these things.  By the end of the summer, very little in life gave me pleasure.  It was a struggle to get out of bed in the morning.  I had to push myself to do anything.  It was all I could do to make it through the day at work.  Aside for going to work and cooking dinner, I did nothing.  

My house was a mess, my gardens (which are normally therapeutic for me) were full of weeds, I had dozens of unfinished projects around the house and yard, Liam and Henry weren't getting the amount or quality of attention that they deserved from me, there really wasn't a single aspect of my life that wasn't affected by this.  But I really didn't care.  I was full of excuses for my actions and promises to change but I couldn't do a thing about any of it.

By the end of the summer, I was finally ready to admit that there were problems.  But I still wasn't ready to do anything about them.  But it gave me an excuse, a scapegoat.  My depression became my excuse for everything that I didn't do, didn't want to do or didn't do correctly.  

Finally, in October, I couldn't put it off any longer.  I had to see my doctor.  Not only did I need a prescription renewal, I needed help.

By this point I was drowning in feelings of hopelessness, sadness, loneliness and just about every other negative  emotion you can think of.  My ability to focus and get things done was non existent as was my memory.

I was practically shaking as I waited to see my doctor, afraid that I wouldn't be able to convince her that there was a problem.  But at the same time feeling like I could wait it out a little longer to see if things got better without help. (I knew full well that it wouldn't but that's how my brain was functioning at the time.)

Within a few short minutes of talking with my doctor, she was giving me a prescription to increase my meds by one dose for three weeks and by another dose for a second 3 weeks if needed.

Just having that piece of paper in my hand made me feel somewhat better.  It is amazing how our brains function sometimes.

After the first three weeks, I felt a slight improvement.  After six weeks, I felt more improvement but still not enough.  I still didn't feel "normal".

Back to the doctor I went.  Again, she was helpful and added a second medication.  More than a month of being on a higher dose of my regular meds as well as the second medication and I am feeling much better.

There are still day (and probably always will be) where I have to push myself to do things and I still don't have quite then energy that I wish i had, but things are definitely much better.

Now, i face a new challenge - breaking the habits that I formed while suffering through this past year.  But that's another post, for another day.

My goal for 2012 is to learn how to control my depression and not have it control me.  And to write about all the ups and downs along the way.