God's Work

Introducing Royal and Ruby McKinney

Royal and Ruby

Royal Sumner and Ruby Tresler (my maiden name) were born on December 29th around 8:15 in the evening.  Royal weighed 5 lbs 14 oz and was 18 inches long and Ruby weighed 5 lbs 11 oz and was 19 inches long.  Both were born very healthy and strong.  

I ended up having a c-section after the ultrasound showed both little ones were transverse.  Though I wish I could've delivered vaginally, the labor and delivery part of it was way easier.....the recovery, not so much.  I'm just glad it's getting better everyday.  I feel great, though a little sleepy.  

I'm SO grateful for my little ones and I think it's such a blessing to have twins.  They are beautiful in every way.

Tooth Fairy???

My daughter lost another tooth today. She put it under her pillow with a letter to the tooth fairy asking very politely for a picture of her. She explained that her friend at school doesn't believe in tooth fairies,Santa Claus or the Easter bunny. Sp she wants a picture to show her. Yeah, what do I do here? I hate to ruin childhood innocence, but do I need to tell her the truth? I seriously thought about finding a picture of someone in a fairy costume under her pillow, but that seems a little too much to me. Well, I guess asking for advice on this at 11:30 at night doesn't help when I'll have to do something by morning. Oh well. What would you do?

Potential Nightmare

My oldest daughter (3.5 years old) hates to see the doctor. She doesn't want strangers touching her. She remembers the shots. She doesn't want someone looking in her eyes and ears and mouth. It's almost too much to even ask her to stand on the scale, but she will, reluctantly with a bribe. But that's about the limit of her cooperation. The last time she needed a vaccine, she pulled the needle out of her leg and threw it at the nurse (it was impressive, but not shocking, although the nurse sure didn't see it coming). To say that she makes a scene is a huge understatement. This is just the way she is and she's always been that way. I would like her to see the dentist (I think she needs it, given that she makes it extremely difficult for ME to brush her teeth), but I fear things will be even worse than the well baby visits. I have a friend who is a dental hygienist for a pediatric dentist and she has tried to convince me that these people are really good at what they do, and they would know how to handle my daughter (hmm...). She says that kids who are three years and older leave their parents in the waiting room and see the dentist by themselves. I'm pretty against that idea, not just because it would be traumatic for her (they'd have to drag her), but also for safety reasons. But even if I'm with her, what would they do for a child like mine? There's no way she'd be cooperative even for an x-ray. I'm thinking they'd have to knock her out completely just to get a glimpse at her teeth. Does anybody have experience with difficult children at the dentist? What can they do? And if they have to dope her up, is that safe?

Meltdown Prevention

I mostly only have major meltdown problems with my 5 year old (and sometimes myself). I actually had my son wait an extra year before kindergarten because he seems to have meltdowns often. He has gotten better about it since he started pre-school again this year. The first day he came home from school and said, "My day wasn't so good. I threw five fits." As the month has gone by he has thrown fewer and fewer fits, probably because his new more business-like teacher won't put up with it. I thought this article listed some great ideas for meltdown prevention.

Monkey See Monkey Do

So, I wanted your opinion on this item. I recently purchased this Backpack/Harness, but lets be honest, it is really a leash. I got it because when I set Elianna down to grab something in the truck she takes off and I would be mortified if she ran out into the street or road. I also bought it because, we are taking our family vacation at the end of September to the Monterey Bay Aquarium. This would be perfect, I can keep her in range and not be totally stressed trying to keep her right next to me at all times. This would let her get tired too, sitting in the stroller doesn't have the same effect. She isn't physically doing anything. She is a busy body. This would allow her to roam but safely. What do you think about it? Am I seriously sick minded?

Let the guilt go!

"Their physical brain develops through play"

Forever my friends and I have been worried, that as young moms, we didn't know enough or do enough extra activities with our kids in their first years. Many of us didn't have the budget to sign-up for art classes when our baby was 18mo. or buy the expensive electronic learning system toys for Christmas. We all just tried to make ourselves feel like what we were doing was going to be good enough.

Recently, I been feeling guilty because I didn't put my second son, who just turned 3, into preschool this year. My first son went to preschool when he was two, mostly because he needed to the social interaction. So, he ended up going for three years and now, in Kindergarten, it's not like he is any smarter then the kids who only went for one year. Well, I saw this Today Show segment and it made me feel like, OK, my child will grow-up to be just (if not more) innovative then the child who had violin/art/chorus lessons and a personal computer when he was two. Let the children play!

Potty Training

I need help with training my daughter. The only time she goes is when she is really relaxed (naptime and night sleeping). I have her sit on the "potty" after she gets up, before nap, before bed at night and anytime she wants to but there has been nothing. Does it take along time for them to get the hang of it or is she still too young?

School Time Snack Ideas

Does anyone have any great school snack ideas? Claire's first grade class is asking for people to just randomly bring snacks in that the teacher can pass out before they go to recess. They need to be something easy and fast and preferably, not sugar. It all sounds great, but I think that the kids are gonna end up with a lot of pretzles and grahm crackers. Anyone have any other great ideas?

Chemical Toxins and Processed Foods...

My 7 year old daughter has ADHD. She was diagnosed about 18 months ago. We ultimatley decided to put her on medicine, which has helped her tremendously in the school setting. My husband, Ryan and I have gone the rounds many times over whether or not this is best for Maddi. On one had, I see that she was top 3 in her class this year with nothing below an A all year, but on the other hand we struggle with putting what is considered to be a highly regulated "narcotic" into her body everyday. I feel like although it helps control her symptoms, it masks her personality. She doesn't seem the same. Along with this, it is very expensive. With every dosage increase, the price tag goes up. Right now, it is $112.00 a month, that is with our insurance covering only 50%.

So, yesterday Ryan and I were talking once again about whether this is the best choice for her. It is summer time and a prime time for me to try other alternatives. I have heard of some herbs that may help that I thought I might check out.

Now on to my point. :) I use to enjoy watching Good Morning America in the morning, but I just don't usually have the time anymore to sit down and do that. This morning for whatever reason I flipped it on just in time to see this interivew:

http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/OnCall/story?id=5221554&page=1

I feel like it is no coincidence that I saw this just after the day I had yesterday. I have heard a little bit about red #40 and it's reaction in some children. What startled me was that Great Britain (pretty sure thats what the video said) has a ban on all these kinds of chemicals becuase of some studies that they have done. So, Mars (the candy co.) have taken these chemicals out of there starburst and skittles candy that they sell there. The woman in this video goes on to talk about how she had taken all the processed food out of her kids diets and all the positive things that have come from it.

I was wondering what you guys take on all this was? Have you heard about any of this? Have you done any of your own research? I am considering trying this. I know its not a cure, but I figure it may help her symptoms and promote a more healthy lifestyle.

TV and vegetables

As you can see from the new poll, I've been thinking about TV watching. What do you guys think is an appropriate amount of TV time for kids? What are some good alternatives to pass time? Sometimes letting Ollie watch a show or movie is the only way to get him to settle down and just rest for a while. Also, how many servings of vegetables should we really expect our kids to eat every day? Any suggestions on that?

On the road

Okay Super mommies, here is my dilemma. My two year old terrorizes her older siblings in the car. Poor Kenzi has to sit next to her and gets hit, scratched, pinched and her hair pulled almost daily during drives to and from school or running errands. How do you put a kid in time out while you are driving? I tell her to fold her arms, but you can guess how well that works. I've tried playing silly kids songs on the stereo and bringing toys along to occupy her, but it doesn't work for long. For some reason she prefers to pass her time by beating on her sister. Any suggestions?

My Own Quasimodo

This is what happens when you decide to play midget, a game I have told my kids over and over again is offensive to little people. I think Ian at least learned his lesson. He was on a bench in the kitchen and tucked his arms and legs in his sweatshirt and then tried to walk off the bench. He fell off and hit his head on the tile floor and a goose egg popped up. I hope it is not a sign of my neglect that this is the second time he has had a hematoma within two years. Later as I was icing his head as he lay on the couch, he said, "I cracked my head open like an egg!" 

Another Fun Find

I have a weakness for cookbooks and the other day I found this at TJ Maxx for only $4.99! What a lucky find.

The meals are definitely not gourmet, but most little kids don't want gourmet anyway. I haven't tried any of the recipes, but they look very family-friendly. The whole intro in the book is about how dinnertime should be a family affair and a chance to bond with our kids. (Has anyone else heard a lesson or two about that?) I really need to work on getting my kids involved with dinner preparations and making mealtime an enjoyable (rather than stressful) experience together. Each page in this book has an idea for "Together Time." For example:
"Color a tablecloth. Cover your table with brown paper or butcher paper, get out the crayons or markers and let the kids draw their neighborhood..." OR "Mix thing up for a little excitement on Wacky Wednesday. Serve dessert first, and pour your beverage into bowls to sip through straws. Have family members wear sunglasses or eat with their mittens on."
Doesn't that sound fun? These are obviously not things to do every night, but maybe once a week. It could be used as an incentive on the other nights for the kids to eat all their healthy food. If you guys want more of the "Together Time" ideas, I'll post more. I'm excited to try some of Betty's ideas.

Running away

Here is the latest problem I've been having with my 4 year old. Not all the time, but every now and again when I scold him for doing something wrong, he gets mad and tells me he is running away. He is going to go live somewhere else. I calmly ask him how he thinks that will work for him, where he will go, who he will stay with, where he will sleep, etc. He doesn't have an answer for any of these questions, but it doesn't deter him either. I also tell him it makes me so sad when he says that and I would sure miss him if he were gone. A couple of times he has gone out the front door when I'm not looking and hangs around the front of the house.

What do you think? Why is he threatening me with this? What should I do or say? I wouldn't put it past him to really take off one of these days when I'm not looking. Kinda freaks me out. Any advice??

Bout of Strep Changes Bad Rep

Ian and Aidan both have strep. Ian has it so much worse than Aidan that he hasn't been able to eat anything today because he says his throat stings. Collin and I were trying to spray some Clorets in Ian's throat and he was crying and trying to run away. Aidan said, "Ian, if you let them spray your mouth I will give you a prize. Do you want a toy prize or a candy prize?" Ian wanted a toy prize and promptly opened his mouth. Then Aidan went to his toy box and got out three toys he thought Ian would like and said, "Since you got three sprays, I will give you three toys." Ian said, "Wow, FANKS (not a spelling error, that is how he says it) Aidan!"

You know, I am sometimes so focused on the less positive aspects of having kids so close in age (constant bickering, tattle-tailing, physical violence) that I forget how sweet they can be to each other and occasionally helpful to their parents. This is our fourth or fifth bout of illness this winter but I am going to try and be more positive and praise the kids this week and not let this slew of winter blues and bugs get us down.

I especially want to focus on Aidan. It is true that he is usually responsible for mischief around our house. Yesterday he put on bright red lipstick, decided that it looked dumb on him [what, all the 8 year old boys around town aren't wearing Revlon's Ruby Sparkle?] and then smeared it on a white wall in the basement. But since he is the oldest we expect the most from him and discipline him the most. I think I should ease up on him because he is like the nursery rhyme about the little girl with the little curl right in the middle of her forehead. When he is good, he is very very good and I'll just overlook the last line of the rhyme.

How cute . . . I mean how embarrassing

We had ward conference today and the primary kids were singing "I am a Child of God". Aidan and Ian were standing next each other and Ian couldn't see. Aidan lifted him up onto a stool next to the podium and then was hugging him and stuff. I heard people behind me saying, "Look how cute, etc.," Then Ian decided he was bored and got out a toy to play with. Aidan (trying to make Ian be good) took the toy away and kept singing. Ian stopped singing.

 Angry tears started coursing down his red face as he POUNDED his fist on the podium. So it sounded like this, "I am (thump) a child (thump) of God (thump, thump, thump) and he has (thump) sent me here (thump, thump, thump)." By this time Ian was in complete meltdown mode and just sobbing and thumping. The primary chorister lifted him over the barrier and held him until I could get up there. I was mortified, but laughing at the same time. That one is going to go down in our book of Classic Ian Moments.  

How Sweet is This?

I woke up Sunday morning to the sound of my kids in the kitchen rattling stuff around. I went back to sleep because I assumed they were pouring themselves bowls of cereal. Then I heard our bedroom door creak open and Emma said, "Close you eyes OK?" We closed our eyes and waited and then all three kids came into the room and said, "Surprise, we made you breakfast in bed!" Emma had taped the sign to the left on the inside of our door (she meant 'holy' because it is Sunday). I was presented with a glass of water and some Harvest crisp crackers with peanut butter. Collin had a peanut butter and banana sandwich on thick sliced bread. 

It was Aidan's idea, but Emma and Ian helped. Emma got her Brownie pin this week and her GS leader pinned it on her vest upside down. The GS leaders told the girls they could do three good turns (chores, being kind, helping, etc.,) and then they could wear it right side up. After bringing us breakfast in bed, Emma said, "I think I can give my Brownie pin it's last turn and wear it the right way."

Have your kids done anything sweet for you guys lately? Most of them are probably too young, I think I have the oldest kids on this blog besides April.

Dawdle dawdle dawdle!

Hi guys,
I need help. I have a child (5 years old) who takes FOREVER to eat, get dressed, and pretty much do anything I ask him to do. Meals can last up to 1 hour if I let him go at his own speed (which doesn't usually happen, but just to give you the idea). I am worried that when he starts kindergarten next fall we are going to battle every morning and he is going to walk out the door crying and I will be frustrated... and I can only imagine how he'll do with the 15 minute lunch break they give the kids. I have to ask him 5 times to do everything. Does anyone have any kids like this or good ideas? I am spent and feeling particularly frustrated this morning.

The Birds and the Bees Revisited

My LDS friend here told me that her daughter was riding the bus and saw a teenager looking at a baby magazine. The daughter asked the teenager why she was looking at it. The teenager said, "Because I am having a baby." The daughter said, "Oh, are you getting married?" The teenager said, "No, I am having a baby with my boyfriend. We having been trying to make a baby for a while. We want to have a baby so bad." Has it suddenly become cool for teenagers to have babies? (Darn you, Jamie Lynn Spears!)

Aidan told me that he found the "s" word in the dictionary at school. I thought he meant sh--. So I told him that it meant poop and that we didn't use that word for it. Collin explained why swear words are swear words because they disrespect our bodies and bodily functions and how God created our bodies and so when we swear we are disrespecting God as well. 

Emma said, "Sex means poop?" And then she said, "Sex and the City," a couple times. I have no idea where she heard that because we don't watch that show. Anyway, then we had to explain what sex was to all our kids because they had the whole sex is poop idea. So we got out a children's anatomy book and showed them where things go and the book also had a picture of a sperm entering an egg. The kids asked what happens if a man pees inside a woman or vice versa and we explained that it usually doesn't happen. We also told them never to discuss sex with anyone else besides Collin and me. We told them that they can't try it until they are married. We told them that after murder, sex between unmarried people is the next biggest sin because it has to do with creation. 

There was so laughing and embarrassment. Aidan felt so embarrassed that he was covering his face with his hands and turning away from the table. Emma just had a huge goofy smile on her face. Ian announced that when he was a baby he drank milk from my boobs. But the house didn't fall down on top of us and the kids didn't spend the rest of the night talking about sex.

I know some of you don't approve of telling kids about sex at a young age, but our kids were already hearing about it and getting weird ideas that needed to be clarified. For us it felt like the right time to discuss it. I think if we take some of the taboo, mystery, away it won't seem like such a big deal. I guess we just tried to make it part of a normal conversation.

I think this is going to ruin my uptight, business-like reputation:)