New year, new house, new baby... New me?

As the new year approaches I feel that I am finally ready to start making big changes to my lifestyle. We recently moved into a new house and had a new baby, so why not seize the opportunity to make everything new and reinvent myself?
For the past few years I have not been healthy. I haven't been sick, everything's in working order, and I don't have a terminal illness... I'm overweight. I'm not proud of it but I am ready to admit it. They say the first step to recovery is admitting that you have a problem. Well my name is Stacie and I'm overweight! I have no concept of portion control, I'm addicted to sweets, and I've had a 29-year love affair with bread!
Why now? After years of making poor eating choices why is it that I'm now ready to make a change. Well it's like that moment in all romantic comedies when the girl realizes that the guy she's with is a total jerk and the perfect man has been right in front of her all along. She's at that point where she needs to make a difficult decision or risk loosing the man of her dreams forever. Well I'm that girl. I've been chasing after doughnuts, fast food, and greasy pizza my whole life. I lust after junk foods that treat me poorly while healthier options look on from across the grocery store. I've been the unwitting victim in an abusive relationship with food. But now it's time to dump the junk and begin a new (hopefully long-term) relationship with fresh, healthy foods.
Now I know that it's terribly cliche to say that my "New Year's resolution is to go on a diet". So I'm not going to do that. What I'm looking for is much more than that. I'm looking to change my relationship with food. To educate myself and my family on healthy eating habits and change our lifestyle. I know it won't be easy but it's a challenge I'm ready to accept.
So here's to 2013! Let it be a year of change, growth, and a healthier me!

Undies and lies... More adventures in potty training

All summer we attempted to get Jack to use the potty with no luck. The boy just has no interest. SO I was pleasantly shocked and surprised to learn that Jack has been going on the potty at school every day! He's been averaging using the potty twice a day while at school. This led me to believe that Jack would use the potty at home this past weekend. However, I couldn't have been more wrong...
On Saturday morning Jack told me he wanted to wear his new big boy underwear. He assured me that he would "not pee on Thomas (the Train)" so we gave the underwear a try. He sat on the potty several times but nothing happened. I was doing dishes in the kitchen when I noticed Jack struggling to carry his Mickey Mouse upholstered chair into the living room. He set it down and the following conversation ensued...

Jack: "The chair's wet"
Me: "Why is it wet buddy?"
Jack: "I don't know"
Me: "Did you pee on the chair?"
Jack: "No" as he walks away back into his room

I, of course, followed Jack back into his room where he again denied that he had peed in his underwear and on the chair. I checked his underwear and not only had he peed in it he had also gone number two! When I told Jack what I found his response was "Oh, I did?"
I cannot help but wonder why he uses the potty at school but not at home. Could the peer pressure at school be responsible for Jack's occasional potty success? If so, how do we harness the power of positive peer pressure to use at home? I'm running out of Resolve and Febreeze.

We love to read!

"Once upon a time, Conor read a story to his brother."

This was what I heard as I was doing dishes yesterday morning. I looked into the living room to find the boys sharing the recliner with a book spread out between them. Conor is only four, so he was not actually "reading" to Jack. He was however tracking the print from left to right with his finger and using the pictures to create his own story. When they turned the last page Jack shouted "the end" and both boys jumped up to grab another book to share.

So how did I end up with two little boys who love to read? Well there is no magic formula, no special programs or classes. The answer is quite simple... I read to them! Every night we choose 2 books to read (usually about trucks, lol) and we sit on the couch and read them together. I also let the boys see me read because one of the best ways to create a love for reading is by being a role model for your children. We visit the library every Saturday and spend hours looking at new books (and playing with the train table). Books have become a part of our every day lives. They're in our living room, bedrooms, kitchen, and cars. The boys even willingly bring a book to preschool everyday to share with their teachers. I am so proud of the love of literacy I see blossoming in my boys and I hope that it continues to grow along with them. I know that because of this early love of reading they will be better prepared to enter grade school. And as an elementary school teacher myself, I cannot tell you what a difference that makes!

So I have to ask... When was the last time you sat down and read a book with your child?

Streaking and Storytelling... Adventures in Pottytraining

Everyone always says that parenting is an adventure that you should enjoy every minute of. That life with your young ones goes by fast and you need to relish in the little moments that make parenting so rewarding. Deep down in my subconscious I know this is true, though days like today make me question if the people who so generously offer this advice have ever tried pottytraining a two-year-old.
Jack began showing an interest in the potty last week. So we took out the little potty for him to give it a try on his own. What we have discovered is that the phrase "going potty" has an entirely different meaning for toddlers. "Going potty" to Jack means asking to go every five minutes, sitting on the potty for twenty minute stretches, and streaking around the house while mommy frantically attempts to wrestle on another diaper. We are a week and a half into it with no "potty" yet. Actually the only one to successfully use the potty so far is big brother Conor who ensured me that it was ok. "I squatted down mommy so it all went in."
The funniest part of it all is that as soon as Jack's little bum touches the cushy foam seat he starts talking. What he's saying, I'm not entirely sure. It's a mixture of baby babble with the occasional word thrown in. All I can make out is "pee coming!" and "I all done" (both of which are never true). I'm sure amongst his friends at daycare he is quiet eloquent, though I find that all I am able to do is smile and nod.
I guess what I'm trying to say is that pottytraining is a chaotic and messy, yet amusing right of passage all parents and toddlers must embark on. I know eventually we will experience success, though when your in the moment it feels as though the "pee will never come". Pottytraining is a roller coaster of little adventures all leading up to the momentus occasion when your little one finally goes "potty".
Hopefully that day arrives soon... ;-)

The wisdom of four-year-olds...

My favorite part of the day is the car ride to and from school with my boys. It's my time to talk to them, find out how their day went, and learn about what makes my inquisitive, impulsive little guys "tick". Jack's conversations are rather one sided at the moment. He will stop, mid sentence to point out the bus down the street (he currently calls school busses "buhbuhbuhkoo"). Conor, however, has profound insight during our daily commute...
Yesterday we celebrated Conor's fourth birthday. This morning on the way to school he asked me if he was a grown-up yet. I was curious why my bright little man was in such a hurry to grow up. He said "I want to be bigger like a grown up so I can cook pasta." Of all the reasons to be an adult I'm amused that this was his choice. Surely I though he would want to be a grown-up so he could drive a truck. He's been waiting to reach that milestone since he could walk. But my wise four-year-old realized something I had not; that life is not a matter of milestones, but a matter of moments. It's the unexpected day to day events that leave lasting impressions.
Here's to finding the extraordinary in simple boxes of pasta...!

Reflecting... again

It is the time of year when we all sit back, bellies full of turkey, tryptophan glazing over our eyes, and reflect on the last year. It is a time to spend with family and friends, laughing and eating. Instead I sit here reflecting on a week's worth of online coursework...
I found that the workload this past week was not too difficult, just terribly time consuming. It was challenging to find the right balance between my job, family, coursework, and Thanksgiving. Balancing my full plate is something I have always struggled with. My class being completely online for the past 2 weeks has made that task nearly impossible. Having said that, I did greatly enjoy creating the internet workshop for my students and reading about everyone else's projects. Everyone approached the project from different angles and used different media and Web2.0 tools. I love the idea of creating your own search engine and look forward to exploring the possibilities it has to offer. It would have been nice to see everyone present their projects that they put so much effort into. There is a tremendous sense of pride in presenting a project you created to your colleagues and friends. I learn so much from my peers in this class. They are fantastic teachers and I am truly honored to sit in class with them each week. Even though we have been in constant contact electronically this week, I feel as though I have missed out on valuable learning that would have taken place in our classroom.
When reading Alan November's (2010) book I found his Critical Planning Questions on page 33 intriguing, in particular "Do we have the capacity to support teachers after the technology is installed?" I often find that new technologies are implemented in schools yet never supported. How can we expect teachers to use technology effectively without teaching them first how to use these tools. New technology can be overwhelming to veteran teachers and new teachers alike. If schools do not provide professional development teachers will either use the technology incorrectly (possibly damaging it) or not at all.
Technology is a powerful tool for educating todays students. They live in a virtual world and we need to prepare them for their digital future. How can we be expected to do so if no one teaches us?

November, A.  (2010). Empowering Students with Technology. California: Corwin SAGVE Ltd.

The Hippo and the Potamus

At bedtime tonight, Conor decided that he wanted to read to me for a change. He picked up an alphabet book, this one happened to be all about the letter H. He held up the cover for me to see (there was a picture of the letter H and a hippo) and announced that this book was called "The Hippo and the Potamus"
This bedtime story is for you buddy...
It was a long walk to the watering hole. The hot African sun beat down on Hippo's tough gray hide, slowing his short stride to almost a crawl. Hippo was relieved when he reached the watering hole and found it deserted. "How strange that on such a hot day I am the only one here." thought Hippo. He walked to the edge and slowly inched himself forward into the chilly water. Hippo waded deeper into the watering hole and as he walked he scraped up cool mud from the bottom and splashed it up onto his back. Hippo was just starting to relax when he heard loud, thumping footsteps coming towards the watering hole. The footsteps were so distinct, that Hippo did not need to look up to know that Potamus had found his way to the cool water as well. Potamus, Hippo's brother, was not at all gracefull. In fact, Potamus was what you would call a klutz. Hippo had always been embarrassed of his brother, clumsily bumping into other animals wherever he went. So he pretended that he didn't see him on the shore.
As Hippo relaxed, mud-covered in his private watering hole, Potamus donned his swimming cap, goggles, and arm floaties. He climbed to the top of the highest acacia tree, and before Hippo could open his mouth to protest, Potamus cannonballed down into Hippo's refuge. Water splashed everywhere. Mud flew up into the nearby trees. If you remember, I mentioned that Potamus was not a graceful fellow. You see, even though he intended to do a cannonball, Potamus ended up doing the largest and loudest bellyflop in all of Africa. When the waves of cool water and mud finally stopped, the only things left in the watering hole were Hippo and Potamus. Almost all traces of wetness were gone, and only the two brothers remained. Potamus had landed on top of Hippo, whose back was still covered in cool, wet mud. Without the rest of the water from the watering hole the mud on Hippo's back began to harden, cementing Hippo and Potamus together. Hippo was so embarrassed. He tried to shake his brother off, but it was no use. The brother's climbed out of the watering hole in search of more water to moisten the mud and separate themselves. Hippo and Potamus searched for days with the hot sun beating down on them relentlessly. Finally on the third day they reached another watering hole, this one not as private as the last. Zebra, Giraffe, Monkey, and Lion were there cooling off and bathing in the water. They were surprised to see the two brothers stuck together because everyone knew how embarrassed Hippo was of Potamus. Hippo and Potamus went straight into the water hoping it would moisten the mud and free them. Unfortunately after days of baking in the sun the mud refused to let go. Hippo was upset and began splashing about wildly. The other animals teased Hippo and Potamus, calling them "Hippopotamus!"
.... to be continued
Goodnight buddy, sweet dreams