I need some help, folks.  See, Savannah isn’t a baby anymore. Which means she getting quite independent, testing her boundaries, and knows what she wants when she wants it.  Our problem?  Disipline. Her biggest offense is when we tell her “No” (no, we aren’t watching a movie right now, no we have go inside now, etc.) she hits us and throws things.  We quickly hold her hands and tell her sternly, “We do not hit.” And try to explain how being angry doesn’t mean we can hit or throw.  Usually, she’ll just do it again and then she goes to time out.

The problem here?  She likes time out. Currently, time out is in her crib because it’s a place she can’t just get up and out of.  However, the pacy resides in the crib as well, so now she asks to go to time out just to be with her pacy.  Yes, we’ve taken the pacy away during this time too once we realized what was going on, but it still hasn’t altered her behavior.

Also, I do not feel comfortable with spanking/popping my child in most small cases like this.  Especially, when she just got done hitting me and I tell her “Do not hit!” and then I hit her. I don’t want to send mixed messages.  I don’t believe a child has to be spanked to be appropriately disciplined (something my husband and I differ on).

What do I do?  What do/did you do at this age? It’s so hard to know what is appropriate because she is still so young and may or may not understand why.  Tell me your secrets!

Oh goodness, it’s one of those days. Savannah has been whining since the moment she got up at 6:30 (clearly, way to early for her to be up). She’s only some-what content if we’re outside. But really? It’s like an oven out there and it’s not even officially summer yet! We surely cannot spend all day out side baking, but try explaining that to a 15 month old teething girl. *sigh*

She screamed when dinner wasn’t quite ready yet. And when it was ready? She screamed some more. Mark’s Dad gave me a lecture on how I’m not firm enough with her and she takes advantage of me. And then? She pooped in the tub.  A nice slimy one that got everywhere. Ugh, ugh, ugh.

I’m discovering that being a 24/7 SAHM Mom is very wearing.  By the end of the week I’m spent, and by Saturdays I’m really needing a break. Remember last Saturday’s cry?  It’s odd that Saturdays are my worse day of the week now, it’s like my new Monday.  But that’s the good thing that by Monday I’m refreshed and ready again.

And on top of this, my little heart is hurting with adoption stuff. Kaylee’s birthday is less than 2 weeks away and this is always the hardest part…leading up to it. I’m dealing with issues like guilt, that I’m not letting her know I love her enough. I don’t call and ask to speak to her. I don’t send her letters. I don’t even know simple things like her favorite color or food. But then again…I don’t want to intrude on their lives with these things, they’re already busy enough. Oh, it’s hard to find the right balance.

Here’s to hoping tomorrow is a better day. With no poop in the shower, please.

Thank goodness the colds and other sicknesses are finally laying off. At one point this whole house was sick (which is 6 total). Whew. Savannah has been the worse of the lot though. But, antibiotics have finally kicked in and the cough is getting to be non-existent. It’s a good thing she’s wonderful at taking medicine, she’s had a lot lately!

Of course, being sick doesn’t make the world stop going round. My to-do list keeps piling up with homework, Savannah’s first birthday party plans, more book selling (I’ve never been to the post office so many days in a row my life!), and ya know, the whole laundry/cleaning thing. But, I do have to commend my wonderful husband for cleaning while I’m away at school. He even changed the sheets! Which, is a dreaded chore of his. He is simply wonderful, and it helps this momma out a lot.

Oh yes, and this to do list can only be done between 11-1 and 3-4 and after 8 pm when she’s asleep because other wise I am under the ruling of Princess Savannah where she must be glued to me at all times. Also? I have come to dread meal and bath times. These used to be the absolute high lights of our day, so this is quite a frustrating shift. We used to have so much fun trying new foods, watching her learn how to feed herself, splashing in the tub and singing Ernie’s “Rubber Ducky” song (Yay! Sesame Street!).

But now, these are the two areas of the day that she is at her worst testing her limits. She throws and drops food, refuses to sit in her high chair (that’s a lovely fight…eventually I win), throws her cup down after each drink, spits out water after drinking, etc. She used to be so content as long as she had some food to eat. *sigh* And bath time is full of, “No Mam! Sit down! You’re going to fall!” And then she fights me for the wash cloth I just wiped her butt with and throws the wet bath toys over the edge so they become infected with toilet scum since it rolls near the plunger. Fun. Fun. I think Daddy needs to take over bath time because my nerves can’t take this every night.

Other than that though, she is absolutely full of laughs and giggles. She is laughing ALL time now, at every little thing. She thinks the world is such a funny place right now, and that puts a smile on my face knowing that I can make her that excited. Which, I guess, makes the 2 frustrating parts of the day not so bad, eh? (some one remind me of that tomorrow.)