Thank the Dentist

Here at our house things are explained in terms of how we might feel..for example, if Jacob wants to watch a particular show and we feel he has watched enough we might tell him (or his mom might tell him) that Curious George isn't on right now--he is tried and needs to sleep.

Or I have told him, while trying to get him to finish his lunch, that his banana is sad because he isn't eating him. Is that bad? It works and so for now I use it when needed.

Jacob has been using a sippy cup and we found that he was using it like some kids might have a special blanket--for comfort. He wasn't walking around the house with it, but he was beginning to want it like he had used a bottle as a baby. I just was not in the mood for the fight about taking it away--being at home with him for 14 hours a day--I was not up to it, but I knew I needed to be at some point...in case he wasn't planning on growing out of it.

We've had all sorts of sippy cups...


...and I really like them because I don't have to worry about spilling (unless I have put the lid on wrong...which I have done a time or two). We have gone through several different types because Jacob tends to chew through the soft top ones.

In April we went to the Dentist. Jacob had a great check up and the Dr. gave us a paper outlining what were good and not good things for the teeth (i.e. fruit snacks=bad; nuts=good, etc.) Sippy cups are on the not so good list...Dentist says, other than not spilling, they are not any better for your child's teeth than a bottle. So, I thought, we have to give it up...he uses it to fill up when he hasn't eaten enough, he uses it for comfort....need to change...muster up the courage for a battle.

I told Jacob what the dentist had said. That we can't use sippy cups anymore--it is bad for our teeth. He accepted it. He still asks for it, but he'll drink out of a cup, rather than fighting me on it--like he used to do pre dentist.

Mom still has one weak spot. In the morning I bring Jacob into bed with me and we cuddle while he has a little drink of milk out of the sippy cup. I know, I know...I'm weak, but I just don't want to start my day at 6:30. Finding things to keep a 2 year old busy is hard enough to do 12 hours a day--one hour makes a difference to me. :) Bless the dentist for making the transition easier.

Improvements for the Mall

With Utah's touchy spring weather, we went to the mall today to run around. They have wonderful toys for the kids to play on!

There is the escalator, South Town mall's glass elevator, toy cars (where you insert a quarter to watch it shake your child into a happy state--unfortunately for Jacob I don't bring quarters, so my child just gets to sit on them and use his imagination), and even strollers you can rent. Jacob wanted me to rent one (since it was a car and anything that remotely resembles a car--he is all over it!) But we didn't need a stroller, so I just sat him in one to enjoy pretending he was getting to ride one. Funny thing is other toddlers passed by with parents and thought it was a ride. Poor other parents...since Jacob was in the front cart there were no other "cars" to ride.

Problem is there are no "Mom benches" to sit on while you watch them play on the rent-a-stroller, toy cars, or in the elevators (as you ride up and down). The escalators are definitely not child proof and so I am unable to sit and watch him ride up and down--I need to ride also. ;)

All kidding aside, they do have a great little play area for kids called Dino Towne. It is perfect for those days when it is too cold to go outside and your child still needs to get out and slide, climb etc. Dino Towne does have "Mom benches" which I am thankful for. :)

It is Just Some of Those Days

For the past week or so, Jacob has gotten to bed much later than he should. Well, yesterday it caught up with us.

Ever had one of those days where at 8 a.m. you were wishing it was 7:30 p.m. and you were putting your darling child, who is crying at every little thing, to bed? That was yesterday. Luckily, 7:30 did come. We went upstairs, brushed our teeth, read ONE book and he was in bed (whether he wanted to be or not). He cried for about 3 seconds at being put in bed and then was asleep.

That makes today much better! We ate breakfast and I had finished mine. I was out of the room for a minute and came back to the sounds of "Whee!!" There he was, arms flying around, flinging what remained of his hot ceral, out of the bowl and onto anything close enough to be hit. He was loving it. :)

Funny Things He Says

I have to put these down before I forget:

While in Chicago I was saying good-bye to him:
Me: "I love you Babe."
Jacob: (Turning around and looking up at me) "I love you Babe."

I like to watch House Hunters International. I was watching one on people moving to New Zealand. There was a shot of the outdoors, people riding bikes, etc.

Jacob: Saw the kids riding bikes..."Bike ride." "Amazing....Amazing." Then, "Cool bikes, cool bikes!"

Last Sunday. We had come home from church and he wanted a drink. I was trying to put stuff away from primary.

Jacob: "Milk, milk."
Me: "I'll get it, just a minute."
Jacob: "Milk, milk."
Me: "I know, I know. Please hold on just a minute. I'll get it for you--I promise."
Jacob: Began to say two words that I couldn't quite make out. I asked him to say it again. He said, "Chill pill" and then laughed. "Chill pill."

You have to know that many times when he is impatient for something and I'm trying to get it for him, or can't get it right that minute I tell him I'm going as fast as I can--take a chill pill. Always gotta watch what you say! :)

Our Gadget Child

Jacob loves buttons. He loves the TV remote, light switches, ceiling fan switches, (he loves to stand between my bedroom and his watching the fans spin--loving the fact that he is the one controlling their fate of if they are on or off.) and the computer.

Lately I've been on the computer with him using the Star Fall site. It is a great one for preschoolers (www.starfall.com) We do the alphabet at this point...he chooses the letter and I click on it making different things come to "life" on that page.

Certain letters have music and really cute animations. So I have positioned the cursor over the letter and taught him how to click the button on the mouse pad (it is on our lap top).

Last night we were doing dishes and he wanted to see the motorcycles go and we put him on. A few minutes later we heard him beginning to pound on the keyboard. We try to stop it immediately when we hear that...this time he must have popped off one the letters on the key board, discovered this and before we could get to him, had begun to pick off other letters. Now our keyboard looks like this. It does work, but typing on it is quite a challenge. One of my coping skills for times like this.

Trying to Follow the Teachings of General Conf.

O.K. So our Family Home Evenings have been a bit hit and miss with a little boy around. By after dinner I am tired and have considered it one more thing to do. On the flip side I also feel this urgency to teach Jacob everything he needs to know to gain a testimony. We started to work on mealtime prayers when he could sit in a high chair to eat, we started to say prayer with him as a baby before he went to bed. We look at pictures and he can identify Jesus and the prophet, Pres. Monson. I'm not saying this to brag, only to help me remember that we have been trying.

Still there is so much evil in the world that he will confront one day...he has to have the ammunition to deal with it.

In General Conf. Elder Anderson said:

"In our world today, each child, each young man and young woman needs his or her own conversion to the truth. Each needs his or her own light, his or her own “steadfast and immovable” faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, independent of parents, youth leaders, and supportive friends.
The stories of Jesus can be like a rushing wind across the embers of faith in the hearts of our children. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” The stories of Jesus shared over and over bring faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and strength to the foundation of testimony. Can you think of a more valuable gift for our children?"

Last night I renewed my efforts for FHE. I have the nursery manual and we were talking about I Am A Child of God. I had a picture of us as a family, we read a scripture, we talked about how everyone is a child of God. We pointed to people and said, "Is he/she a child of God?" Jacob repeated back, "God." For the 5 minute lesson he did pretty well. Afterwards we had a rousing game of Ring-a-Round the Rosie. He LOVES that! We finished the evening off with ice cream and a chocolate chip cookie. All-in-all I think it went well.

I have approximately 850 more FHE's to try and teach him what he needs to know (Figuring 50 weeks a year, 2 weeks leeway a year, x 17 more years)...besides the daily tidbits. :) He absorbs things so quickly I need to teach him all I can now, while he is still listening to me, and still wants to cuddle. Love that little boy!!

And the Party Continues...in Chicago

We left last week for Chicago to visit my sister, Joy, and her family. Jacob did a great job flying. He looked out the windows and read the In Flight magazine.
He really is a good little kid to travel with.

The evening we got there we had the birthday cake Kristen had made for Jacob. My brother-in-law, Matthew, was out of town on business, so the next night he opened his b-day present from their family.



Talk about the birthday that keeps on giving. This was it! I'm just glad he is too young to remember it and won't expect a month long birthday every year.

Besides visiting, we went to the Children's museum with his cousin Ryan. The museum was too young for Ryan (who is 10), but it was fun that he would come and hang out with us and Jacob.



I had a pedicure with my sister Joy and niece Kristen (LOVED it!!). Went to the Science and Industry Museum with the family...there was a farm area where kids could climb up and drive a combine (those things are huge!) and a tractor. If Jacob had his way he could have sat in those things all day. But there were lines of other kids waiting to sit there too...so alas, he had to be pulled out and was not happy about it.
Finally the farm exhibit was too much for him (seeing those driving machines and not being able to drive them) so we went to other exhibits. One was a WWII german sub. It was amazing to hear about it, see where the men slept, the small kitchen and to hear how they didn't take a bath during the time they were on board. Water was saved for drinking, cooking, and cooling some of the machinery. 59 men for 70 days---ugh! Smelly!!
We also went to the zoo. They have a great one there--it is quite big and lots of great animal exhibits. Here is a picture of one of the baby giraffes and a beautiful lion.

Our last evening we had Chicago style pizza from Giradonos. It was delicious!
Jacob loved playing with his cousins and they were all so good to him. One morning Jason took these pictures of Michael and Ryan doing slam dunks in the BB hoop they have in the family room. The boys would run across the floor, jump on and then off of an ottoman and into the air to make these shots.
Looked pretty impressive. Actually, it was impressive in that I could never make a shot like that.
Ryan wears a BYU hat that Jacob wanted to wear (since Ryan was wearing it). Ryan was a good sport and let him wear it. We had a great time and I am ready to go back.
Besides having fun their weather was 65 degrees when we left and we came home to this. Is it spring yet???