Never a dull moment...

We have had quite the tantrums in this house - from both kids!

Sarah has been a bit iffy here and there with her brace. She isn't a fan of being on the floor while wearing it and she can only do so much when I put her on her tummy. She scoots to the left and doesn't stay on the couch where I out her. She can't reach toys and gets frustrated that she can't get anywhere. She has, however, rolled from tummy to back while in the brace twice. She seems to be having a hard time doing it lately, though. I think she is just sick of it at this point. But I will say that it is a blessing that she falls asleep in it quite nicely. I was VERY worried about that.

Anyways, she has been letting us know how well her lungs and vocal cords work! She could very well be an opera singer one day.

Now, that dear sweet boy of mine that I truly love with all my heart? HORRIBLE!!!

He was in a hitting phase quite a while ago. It's back. So now we have to change up our discipline. We usually spank (when it is warranted) and go to timeout. But what is that saying to him when we tell him not to hit and then spank him?! We are trying our best to explain to him that he needs to be gentle and that he is hurting Mommy/Daddy/Sarah/etc. and that him hitting isn't nice. Especially after he gets a spanking I have been trying to get down on his level, talk to him about what he did that was wrong, and then I always tell him that I love him and give him a kiss. The hug he gives back is always welcome! I hate that he cries but we have found no better way thus far to discipline him. Politely asking him to get down from standing on the TV stand just isn't cutting it.

He has also started running away from me when he needs his diaper changed and when it is time for bed. He runs to the other end of the room and throws himself onto the floor as if I can't get him all the way down there. Which is sorta true...I don't have the strength most nights to lift a 30+ pound limp-as-a-noddle 26-month-old off the floor!! He absolutely fights bedtime even though he is dead tierd! We try to get at least 20 minutes or so of relaxing time in before we get into bed. Be it watching a cartoon, reading a book, or just sitting with one of us (usually Daddy). But come time to go upstairs he pitches a fit and screams about it. Tonight was THE WORST tantrum he has thrown to date.

I picked Limp Christian up off the floor to bring him to the changing table. He is screaming and arching his back trying to get down. I stop a moment to see if he will stop. Nope. So I try to give him lots of tickly kisses all over to see if that helps. Nope. I hold him like a baby, or try to as he is thrashing about and lying sideways trying to escape, and ask him if he is my baby boy. Nope (but, of course, he is sure acting like one!)

I bring him over to the changing table and the most blood curdling scream I have ever heard from my darling baby boy just emerged from the depths of his lungs. I was so shocked that my jaw dropped wide open, eyes bugging out of my head, and turned to Matt to see the SAME expression on his face. We were speechless!!

He is trying to smack me, kick at me, and yell even louder at me for daring to remove his underpants and put him in some comfy camouflage pajamas to go to bed. I'm just flabbergasted. Pj's go on, he was brought over to Daddy to get a goodnight kiss and we proceeded to go upstairs - all with a screaming child in my arms. I get halfway up the stairs and the Scream Of Death once again erupts from deep within. This time with the attempt of pinching my shoulder and a windup of the arm to go in for a swing. I stop dead in my tracks on the steps and growled "DON'T YOU DARE!" with my eyes glowing red. That put a stop to the swing and he threw his head back for another scream. To bed he went. I gave him a real kiss, blew him a kiss, told him I loved him, gave him his stuffed dog and his THREE blankies and said 'night night'. About 30 seconds of screaming and he was done.

I'm sure the 20-minute crying session he had after his very short 1.5 hour nap today didn't help the situation. He went down for a nap at 2pm because we were running around all morning getting a few things done. It's usually about 12:30 when we take naps. Being overtired probably caused a nightmare and he woke up screaming. He has done this quite a few times before. Always takes quite a bit for him to settle down.

It was a long day for the kids, I think. Didn't take either of them very long to get to sleep tonight. I hope they both sleep well tonight. Now it's time for Matt and I to catch up. Sweet dreams....