The last time I posted on here I was 6 months pregnant with Dillon and now Dillon is just days away from turning one year old! I spent the morning running around town buying birthday decorations and ordering his cake. His day must be perfect, even if it is on Christmas eve! I'm pretty sure perfect it will be.
Our little Dillon is developing into quite the adorable little man. He's very close to walking and is now signing for "more" and "all done". He seems to have a knack for figuring things out and is very physical. Boys will be boys. He's finally sleeping all the way through the night and has a very sweet and even tempered personality. He's a little lover too often times just burying his head in your neck. He can't get enough snuggles. I just love that. Lexi was not affectionate as a baby at all so this is a real treat. I find it funny that he's often mistaken for being a little girl. I'm not sure if it's his sweet angel face or his curly locks but most strangers think he is a she. :)
Lexi is having a hard time (still) accepting that she must share her parents/grandparents/friends with her baby brother. You'd think it would wear off by now, but nope, she's still going strong with the attitude and desperate calls for attention. Whenever we pick up Dillon she suddenly wants to picked up. We try to pick up Dillon with one hand and Lexi with the other to accommodate them both but she then demands "no, two hands!" which is obviously impossible to do. One thing I've come to realize is that being a mom of two children is exponentially more challenging than being a mom of one. It's nearly impossible to please both of them at the same time and with both of them in such different stages it's hard to do activities that make them both happy. So Seth and I find ourselves dividing and conquering a lot. I don't know how single parents do it! I have such admiration and respect for them now.
I've been reading book after book about how to handle "this time" properly, but have come to the conclusion that all the books are full of crap. I've tried every technique and none of them seem to work. Lexi is too smart. She knows when I'm not being genuine and that just prompts more bad behavior. So I've decided that now when she purposely acts out in a ploy for attention I just tell her that if she doesn't like it then she needs to move in with the neighbor. That immediately reminds her that oh yeah, she does like it here and she normally stops whatever attitude she is pulling. Call me a bad mom, but it works and she's old enough to know better at this point. I'm no longer worried about damaging her emotional being. She's loved, well cared for, well fed and is treated like an individual. What more could we possibly provide her?
Both our children are the center of our lives, but what we must not forget is that WE are the boss. I do not wish to be my children's friend, I wish to be their parent. We do not respect our friends like we do our parents and that is where I think so much could go wrong....when you try to be your child's friend. Life is not about always getting your way. Might as well teach them that now as to save them years and years of disappointment. It's definitely not tough love around here either, if that is what you're thinking. :) This is their house, we just live here. Take one look at the place and that will become abundantly clear. Children's toys and arts and crafts everywhere. Who needs furniture, right?
We had a sad event touch our lives the Monday before Thanksgiving. A 5 month old child in Dillon's class at daycare died of SIDS while in their care. Dillon was there that day and Seth and I didn't learn about the incident for 8 days after it happened. When I heard the news my mind immediately went reeling. As a parent, I feel so unsure of what I should do. I struggled with pulling my kids and moving them to another center and reached out to everyone I knew who worked in that field to help give me a fresh perspective. In the end, I came to the conclusion that I do believe my kids are safe there and I do love all the teachers at their school. I do not blame them and know they did everything right. Sometimes these things just cannot be explained. I feel so much for the family and could not even imagine how difficult a time this must be for them. I did not know them, but my heart aches for what they have lost....
To have that happen so close to home was very emotional for me. What it did is made me appreciate my children and family so much. It made me shift my view of my role as a mother and wife, my life, my everything. It reminded me to appreciate each and every day we have on this earth with one another. It made me feel like all that I do each day is worth it. It reminded me just how fortunate I am to have a loving husband and two healthy and sweet children (well, at least most of the time). Sometimes we must be reminded of all the blessings we have, especially when much of your time is spent working and taking care of others. It's easy to lose focus and I don't want an event like that to be what makes me see clearly again. Everyday blessings, everyday blessings.....
Okay....so now we're back home and Lexi didn't get her way (can't remember what she wanted) and then....two....three.....one......MELTDOWN!!!
Once again, Lexi was spoiled rotten with dozens of gifts. but like before....she was more interested in the wrapping than the actual present. I think things will likley be much different next year. 
My mom got her this cute Gymboree outfit with the word "cutie" sewn onto the tush. Lexi enjoyed showing of her tush for this photo.
