Preschool

Since I posted Hunter on his first day of 10th grade, I shouldn't overlook the little ones for their preschool. This was a few days into the new school year (oops).

Owen Preschool 4's and Quinlin Emerging 3's



Thank you Pinterest- Teacher Gifts

I searched all over pinterest this year for a gift I could give Owen's pre-school teachers for the end of the year. I tend to get the teachers a gift card of sorts once Quinlin graduates their classrooms, as it is too expensive to do both for all of the teachers between the two of them (about 8 total). So, when Owen started graduating classrooms, I didn't do much and when Quinlin would graduate, I would include a card thanking them for their love of both Owen and Quinlin.

This was the first end of a school year though, as Owen has graduated from 3's pre-school. He will stay with one teacher through the summer (regular daycare) and his main teacher will work in the office on lesson plans for the following school year. So I wanted to do a little something to show my appreciation. In my search, I found an easy thank you gift that I hope they will love.

Thank you to 2 silly monkeys blog for the idea and printables!

I purchased two mason jars, 3 bags of peanut m&m's and ribbon. And the jars were on sale for $1. Score!

 The ribbon- that looks like m&m's

The notes to attach. I love what it said: Green is for the inspiration you give each day. Blue is for the patience in showing kids the way. Orange is for your warmth and caring style. Yellow is for the way you make everybody smile. Red is for all the lives you've touched this year.

I filled the jars, and realized 3 bags weren't enough. :(

 So I found more m&m's and completed the filling process. Then I just added the ribbon and voila- they are done!

I just love how they turned out. I included Owen's last name on the cards since there were two Owen's in his class, otherwise, I would have taken a better picture of the finished project.

Yay pinterest!

Wordless Wednesday- Owen...aka Batman

The daycare is having "dress as your favorite Superhero" day at the end of May. Wouldn't you think by now with Halloween we would own superhero costumes? Nope- we were a football player last year, an elephant the 2 years prior and a turkey the first Halloween. Though- I guess, even if we did own costumes, they probably wouldn't fit him.

So- I went and purchased (and learned that it was a good time to buy. The costume was about $23 and I had a $20 Amazon gift card... so out of pocket $3.97- woo hoo). I didn't know it would be such a hit!

Batman- as soon as it was "ripped from the packaging"

The next night...and our neighbor Adam quickly ran in to get changed as well. 

Muscles

 He works out...

 Quinlin had to get in the mix as well... she is so powerful and tough, she only needed the cape.

Nothing wrong with Batman in May I have learned either... crime doesn't take a holiday.

The bathroom shoe incident

So- on top of the awful yucko day that I had with Hunter on Monday, I got a call from the daycare saying they needed me to bring up another pair of shoes because owen stepped in poop in the bathroom. I get the call and his teacher says "I have a predicament... Owen was in the bathroom and there was poop all over and it's on his shoe. can you bring him a new pair?"

so I drive to the school with a pair too big for him and start talking to the teacher. I asked how he could have gotten poop on his shoe. My first question "was it his poop?" and she said "I think so. There was poop in the urinal and when I asked him about it he got really quiet". So I was like- Oh- my kid pooped in the urinal? and she nodded. so embarrassing. It hadn't hit me until right then that my precious angel would do such a thing. LOL

We asked Owen about it when we picked him up. He said he had to go and knew he wouldn't make it to the toilet and his pants were already down. OMG. he's such a boy.

And- to top it all off, he got rewarded, as the shoes I brought him were a pair that I had set aside to grow into, so I needed to run to the store and buy him new everyday shoes (no, I was not going to scrub poop off his shoes).

What he's learning at school

I love picking up the babies at school and seeing all the new things they are learning. Owen can, most of the time, count to 20, tell you all his colors and FINALLY say the ABC's. I was wondering if he was learning those (I knew he was) but didn't know if he was even paying attention. Last night we were singing his favorite songs (bringing home a baby bumble bee and take me out to the ball game) and all of a sudden he finally started singing the ABC's. We did it a couple of times too where we would take turns and I would stop and he would need to continue with what letter we left off. He gets it!

And- I just had to share the cutest little art project he did while learning the color pink.

So creative. I love picking him up and seeing the new projects being sent home with him. I try to save the really cute ones- this one may need to be a keeper!

Tell All Tuesday 12/21

• I am home from work sick today. I love my children- I love that they are so giving and want to share- but they can stop sharing their germs with me. Owen's sneezing, coughing, snots, etc have finally caught up to me. Oh how I love daycare.
• Though- such a catch 22- I really do love daycare, aside from all the germiness. We found a great one and the ladies take such good care of my children and they truly are learning so much. But- they are sick- all the time.
• Speaking of daycare, I need to get my daycare providers with holiday gifts. The first year, I bought chocolates. Last year, I did wine. I think we're going with wine again...but I have 8 ladies I need to buy for (and actually I'd like to include one of the floater ladies, Louise, and the cook) but I dont know if I can afford to do 10- holy cow!
• I am laying around my house and need to do something, like cleaning, but have no motivation.
• Sean was out of town for a week and that really sucked so much energy. I am thankful that I took vacation time next week and can enjoy some of winter break with Hunter.
• I had to bribe Hunter with a trip to Subway so i could get him to the barber shop. His hair was pretty raggity (is that a word?)
• I need to start planning Quinlin's birthday party! I wanted to do an evite, but feel the pressure to do actual invitations since I did for Owen's first birthday party. Her party will be much smaller than his. It's winter and we simply dont have the room.
• I should finish wrapping gifts since Owen is at daycare...but I just want to stay in bed. I sound really whiny- it is just a bad cold. I also need to finish buying things but that isn't happening today.
• I tried to watch a DVD from netflix this morning but it kept getting stuck...annoying.
• Sean's cousin Jeff's wife, Karen's, dad passed away. Calling hours are tonight. I hope I'm feeling up to going.

Ok- I guess that's my tell all tuesday for the week. Now my sister, who looks forward to these, can feel in the loop since she lives so far away!

Now I know why my child gets bit

See this face? Cute and Innocent? No...

I picked Owen up from daycare yesterday thinking it was going to be a good night. We were on our own, I had a plan, I thought it would be great. As soon as I got to the room, the teacher Angie was having the remaining four kids left for the night clean up some toys. She asked Owen to come help and instead he looked at her, looked at me, walked away and went up to a large toy (taller than him) and started dismantling it by throwing it across the room. "Owen, no" I said- a common phrase in my household. He continued throwing the toys. Danny, an 18 month old, came over and took the top piece that Owen threw. Owen grabbed him and tackled him and pulled him to the floor. Ok- I thought... here we go. Owen started throwing more toys and Lucas, a 20 month old, came over and Owen grabbed him by the hood of his sweatshirt and brought him to the ground. I couldnt believe it. Not my angel. Not my sweet little boy. I had never seen such aggressive behavior from him, in my life. So- now I know why he gets bit at school. He's an instigator. Though- it's always Nora who bites him and she and Owen have a love hate relationship. They are very much like brother and sister and I used to question why she always bit him. After seeing Owen today, I know why this happens.

So- back to last night...Owen then went to the cabinet where they keep suckers for the kids who stay dry all week and demanded a sucker. Both Angie and I told him no, and he threw himself onto the floor. Screaming, crying, full blown tantrum. I was so embarrassed. I told Owen I was leaving and was going to get Quinlin. I went into Q's room, and could still hear Owen throwing himself around. (the other kids in the room looked at him like he was nuts, by the way). I left Quinlin's room and tried to drag Owen with me. That didnt work. It was so bad that one of the assistant directors came down to try and help. Nothing was working. I finally, with the help of Q's teacher, Karen, got her coat on and ready to go and tried to focus on Owen.

I always thought I would be one of those parents who never would have to bribe their kid...Yep- no. I bribe. At this point, I choose which battles I want to win. Otherwise, it just isn't worth it for me. So- I talked calmly to Owen and had a brilliant idea. I offered up Quinlin's extra daycare binky. Oh- did that work wonders. So- he toddled on out, binky in mouth (purple binky with Quinlin's name on it), happy as a clam. I really need to break the binky habit. He uses it only at night in bed, so I felt like the one time walking out of school would be ok. But- what a disaster it's going to be when we take away the night one. I am dreading that day!

Off we left- to McDonalds- mother of the year- and came home, ate dinner, got my washing machine fixed while my friend Kerry and her son Adam were over and that was our night.

Quinlin's first McDonald's cheeseburger:

I gave her some spinach to make her dinner a little more healthy...

a much happier Owen (and a happy Hunter- who is always happy)

Oh- for those of you reading- avoid large loads with little socks. $100 later, we found a sock stuck in the pump of our washer. Yikes!

Make that a Double

So we took Quinlin to the doctor last night where she was diagnosed with croup and an ear infection- a double ear infection actually. I'm glad we took her in- she's such a happy baby and the barking cough in addition to the ear tugging had us concerned. Her last ear infection resulted in a rash we think to being allergic to amoxicilin. So- our pediatrician put her on a z-pack. we'll see how it goes and if it clears the infection up. We were up all night- she was either coughing or squirming. I finally went in at 3am and gave her a sippy with water which she very much enjoyed. She started cooing and singing- I was so scared she was going to wake her brothers. As much as I wanted to go back to bed, I wanted to enjoy the time with my daughter- just her and I. I think I layed down about 3:45am, but of course, couldnt sleep.

Now on to Owen- we brought him back to the doctor with Quinlin because he still had his runny nose and cough. he was put on the antibiotics from his ENT but didnt get a full dose because Sean left if out and I threw it away assuming it was ruined since it says to refrigerate. So- his runny nose and cough came back since he didnt get the full dose prescribed to him. So- back on antibiotics he went for what she described as chronic rhinitis.

I lined up my parents to spend the day with Quinlin and went about my morning this morning dropping Owen off at daycare. I brought the antibiotic forms and the note from the doctor and they told me Owen couldnt stay. He needed to be on antibiotics 24 hours before bringing him back. I was pissed. I understand rules and guidelines... but I was pissed. One- I have brought him before in this exact same situation. Two- because I could have easily not told them that he was even on antibiotics. Three- he had been at the daycare- with no problems with his little runny nose...Four- his nasal drip was clear- not green- causing infection... Five- he already got two doses of the medication. Just a frustrating morning. I left there in tears, threw him in the car, drove home, dropped him with my parents and finally got to work- 45 minutes late. I am grateful my parents were over anyway, pissed how the daycare handled the situation, pissed that I didnt think he would be turned away, pissed I woke him up when he didnt have to get out of bed, pissed I had to go to work, pissed I was going to be late.

I think I'll have a drink....make that a double.

Tell All Tuesday

My random thoughts for the day:

• Quinlin is sick.... I was a bad daycare mom and sent her to school today. She has a barky cough and was pulling on her ear. I gave her motrin and am waiting for her pediatrician's office to call me back to get us in for an appointment. Guilt.
• Annoyed with said pediatrician office. You call to schedule an appointment, yet the scheduler wont talk to you. You are then forced to verify your personal information just to get thrown into a voicemail anyway. I now sit waiting for a call back...it's been 20 minutes so far. Yet- they tell me when I first call that I may not be able to get in. But- they wont schedule you until 8am the day of anyway for sick visits. I could scream.
• Hunter is the slowest movie creature on this planet. I watched him make his lunch this morning... I swear, he was putting lunch meat on his sandwich one in slow motion and two, piece by piece. I dont know how he makes the school bus every day.
• My fantasy team still blows yet managed to muster a win this week. We're now 2-5... I sat Britt on the bench and cost me 40 points...
• The Browns won though- fantastic game played by defense and special teams!
• Pediatrician just called back... appointments for 7pm tonight. relief.
• Super excited for 16 & Pregnant to start tonight. Yet- where will I have the time to watch it?
• frustrating day at work and I have only been here for 40 minutes. Lets hope the day gets better.

Adventures in Table Food

See above? That is the menu the daycare provides for lunches.... After Quinlin turned 9 months, I told them it was ok to start her on table foods. I thought we would go into it slowly, but my girl (mind you 75% weight) loves food! and to eat! So- I started her last week and its been a breeze. She's getting a balanced diet while attempting to eat real food. I still have her on rice cereal in the mornings in addition to a banana or fruit, but other than that, she's in it full force.

A friend asked me for good table food suggestions so I figured I'd put on here the things Owen ate at a year and also what Quinlin is venturing into:
Mini raviolis

Spaghettios
Morning star farms broccoli cheese bites or spinach bites
Fish sticks
Peas, carrots, squash cubes (in a microwave bag)
Chicken nuggets
Turkey lunch meat
Kraft crumbles- or cheese cubes in small pieces
Yogurt
I started PB&J at 13 or 14 months for Owen (but watched carefully with the peanut)
Pancakes
Waffles
French toast sticks
Bagelfuls
Apple sauce
Eggs are good (though Owen hates them- we keep trying)
Strained soup- see below about Quinny- the soups provide good veggies in them
Spaghetti
Toast
tacos- chicken or beef...cut into small pieces and eaten on a spoon to start

with Quinlin- she has gotten so far- chicken vegetable noodle soups- strained so she’s eating most everything but the broth
baked potatoes/mashed potatoes
salisbury steak
meatloaf
all fruit

Today on the menu at school for Owen and Quinlin is breakfast day- waffles, sausage, hashbrown, applesauce and milk. She should really like tomorrow too- chicken noodle casserole, green beans, peaches and milk.

I must say, one of the reasons we switched daycares, aside from the cost, was that the one we found provides breakfast, lunch, 2 snacks a day and is $400 cheaper a month (than if we would have stayed at Owen's old daycare. The food is such a HUGE advantage!