All I want for Christmas...is sleep!

As new parents, you expect to be sleep deprived. Baby needs fed, baby needs changed...You walk around like a zombie for the first few months until a routine is established or the baby starts sleeping in 4-5 hour increments.

When babies grow into toddlers you begin to experience new sleep-related issues. Night terrors, sleep walking, separation anxiety...Monsters.

Yes, monsters. I have been dealing with the monster-situation now for over 6 months. It seems that monsters are a 3-year-old thing. According to "experts" on the web, this is the time when toddlers begin to realize that the world isn't so nice. It is a phase and if handled correctly, then your toddler's monsters are short-lived. (Apparently, when you handle these things incorrectly, the monsters stick around for-eva! Or, ehem, more than 6 months.)

Here is what they say NOT to do:
Don't brush-off the monsters or say "there are no monsters here."
Don't get angry or yell at your toddler.
Don't punish your toddler for being scared.
Don't avoid talking about monsters with your toddler.

Here is what they say to try:
Try monster spray (fill spray bottle with water and spray around the room or let your toddler spray it).
Lay down with your toddler and look at all the shadows and tell them what is making the shadows.
Get a nightlight.
Make a "No monsters Allowed" sign.
Read them a book about monsters and show them how to overcome the fear. (Where the Wild Things Are.)
Have them draw their monsters and then send them back to the "Monster Factory."
Give them a special stuffed animal to protect them.
When they get up, quietly walk them back to their room, put them in bed, pat their back for a minute and then leave quietly.
Buy them special sheets or a blanket to make their room more inviting.
Praise them when they sleep well through the night.

And if you can do this successfully, you will once again cherish that long-wished for sleep...Of course if you have done all of the above, like us, then think about bribery...'cause some are just too smart for these tricks...

Jelly bean on the phone with her Great-Grandmother..
GG "Did you sit on Santa's lap yet?"
JB "No, I stood by him. I will sit on his lap when he comes to my house. Down the chimney."
GG "Well, you better be asleep on Christmas Eve or he won't be able to leave any presents."
JB "We are working on that."

Yes, my 3-year-old said, "We are working on that."

Bribery my friends...stickers, candy, bracelet, a trip to the museum, library...whatever it takes. I think this is a sign that I am in trouble!

Imaginary Introductions

World Wide Web, I would like to introduce you to Bella, Becca and Alligator.

These three are my child's (Jelly Bean) imaginary friends (aka her alter-ego).

Bella is a girl (aka Bean's friend, sister and the angel)
Becca is a boy (aka Bean's friend, brother and the devil)
Alligator (to be determined)

Bella and Becca are twins. I find these two the most interesting, because Bella and Bean get along great...and they love to fight with Becca.

You see, Bella and Bean can do no wrong...they are perfect angels. Becca, on the other hand, is always up to no good...

"Who wrote on the table?" Daddy asks angrily.
"Becca did it." Bean says innocently.

"Who wiped the boogies on the car door?" Mommy asks angrily.
"Becca did it." Bean says innocently.

"Bean, don't spit, that is not nice." Mommy corrects Bean.
"I didn't do it mommy, Becca did it." With a straight and serious face, says Bean.

Are you seeing the pattern here? Hubby and I decided it was time to try some creative play. I thought it might help to put Becca into time out and talk to him about his bad behavior. But of course, Bean had to help me by bringing Becca to me (so I wasn't talking to thin air).

After I sat Becca down and talked to her (of course Bean had some words for her too), she sat in time out. A friend had success with this method with her daughter. But mine thought it was a game...

Next up...Daddy says, "For now on, if Becca does something she knows she shouldn't do, Bean gets in trouble too." Brilliant!

It seems that Bean is keeping Becca out of trouble lately!

Do your children blame someone else for something they do? How do you handle it?

You big bully!

Jelly bean has been visiting the next classroom up, Preschool, a lot more lately. She is expected to transition into that room in the Fall. And even though she is full of personality and has held the reigns in her own classroom as Miss Bossy-pants the big fish, in Preschool she is the little fish and object to other Miss Bossy-pants big fish.

"Mommy, J and A were not being nice."

"Why, what happened?"

"They said I was a baby and they were big girls, but I a big girl!"

"Yes, you are a big girl."

"I a big girl mommy, but they say I a baby."

She was really crushed.

And my civilized answer was...
"Well sweetie, next time you'll have to go find someone else to play with and ignore those girls."

And my uncivilized answer was...
"Well sweetie, next time they say that to you, you tell them they are big poopy-heads."


That'll teach them! Those big bullies!

Special Edition: A day in the life of Tobee, the fat cat

Here it is, the day after one of the most-hyped hallmark seasons of the year, but more importantly, the day after my birthday…which for the past 10 years, my owners have yet to deliver my very own personal “mouse” cake (not to be confused with "mousse" cake)…they did however feast on their chocolates and sweets - right in front of me - without sharing a single bite…only prompting me to walk between their legs, attempting to make them trip and fall -- hoping to snatch-up a single crumb. My efforts failed.

So I crawled in desperation to my usual spot - a worn left-over box from Christmas - hard but cozy warm. I curled-up in my usual position and began to nap innocently - while the short human taunts me with some sparkly-wand-type-thing…if only I could ignore her long enough she might just go away. Ahhh finally peace and quiet.

Soon I would be woken by the two tall humans yelling and the shorter one crying…something about blue pen and the couch.

Ah yes, this could be my chance, for once it is something I didn’t do, time-out little one, time-out! I’ll eat her sweets – throw them my way, purrrrr - meooow. I am King of the world! Nope - no such luck, they are too angry today.

What was that smell? It wasn’t dinner, it wasn’t my litter box -- EWWWW.…what was the tall human spraying on the couch? Hairspray? Ahhh, and what was that…rubbing alcohol? Yuck…nothing quite kills the appetite like the smell of these human products!

Time to retreat to my favorite spot in the basement by the fire to warm my old bones, maybe next year they will remember, maybe next year they will allow me to indulge in just one sweet treat. Oh well...Happy Birthday to me.

PS - The tall human was somewhat successful in cleaning the couch, all but a few shades of blue are showing...but - my paws are clean!

Happy Weekend!

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