We have lots of random things going on in our house right now.  We are trying essential oils on the kids (and us) at night to see if it helps with sleep.  Definitely not claiming victory.  The first two nights, he got up around 5:30am - which isnt TERRIBLE but he refuses to go back to sleep or stay in bed.  This morning, he got up at 4:45am and went back to bed for 10 minutes and then got up again and refused to go back to bed.  That is still way too early to be getting up.  We get notes from his teacher that he gets grumpy and sassy and its clearly because hes tired. 

Were not really following a rigid plan with the oils.  There are six different ones and we tried putting certain ones in certain places according to the hippie directions on the internet, but Tyler pretty much wants to run the show and pick what goes where.  So whatever.  We are just rolling with it.  If it starts to work consistently, I dont give a crap where he puts the oil!  Or maybe to GET it to work consistently, we need to follow the hippie directions.  I dont know.  Im so not in tune with this kind of stuff.  Too fluffy for me.  Maybe thats why its not working spectacularly - first I must truly believe!  :D

At Lilys doctor appointment yesterday, I talked about how stubborn she is and all our struggles with dinner time, bed time, get dressed time, bath time - well you name it, Lily will have a tantrum about it and be stubborn to the point of bringing me to tears of despair and frustration.  Constant power struggles.  I told the doctor about how we try so hard to stand firm and most of the time we do, but sometimes we just cave because were exhausted.  She said it sounds like were doing everything right except the occasional cave - that has to stop.

She also said that the whole fixing of 2 or 3 different suppers needs to stop.  The children will learn to eat what I fix.  They wont starve.  If they are hungry they will eat.  Etc etc etc.  Stuff Joel and I have discussed over and over.  We get it in our brains.  We know that this needs to happen - weve just never felt brave enough (energetic enough) to take it on.

Until now.  Last night, I had made turkey meatballs and zoodles (zucchini noodles) with a side of asparagus.  Probably not exactly the most kid friendly meal to start with so we compromised and gave them a tiny bit of meatball and a tiny bit of asparagus along with some fruit, cheese and yogurt (things we know they will eat).  They couldnt have a dessert and they couldnt have seconds of anything on their plate unless they tasted all items on their plate (pretty sure this was the rule in girl scouts except you had to eat THREE bites).  

Anyhow, Lily was stubborn and wouldnt touch the meatball or asparagus - flat out claiming that she doesnt like it.  Followed by the claim that she doesnt want a treat anyway and that was that.  No fit from her really.  Just stubborn defiance.  But I think she sensed that we really meant business today - I dont know if her hearing it from the doctor made a difference or what.

Tyler, on the other hand, threw a huge fit because he didnt want his meatball or asparagus.  He completely removed the asparagus from his plate to a napkin.  He was given umpteen chances to eat it.  I even gave him some ketchup in case the meatball could be more easily consumed covered in it.  He still refused, his plate was removed from the table and he was told he couldnt have a treat.  Then he screamed for about 30 minutes that he wanted his plate back so he could get a treat.  I finally distracted him with a bath and thats the only way we got out of that mess.

So, night #1 of not giving them PB&J or pepperonis for supper wasnt a COMPLETE disaster.  I was honestly expecting far worse.  I was expecting Lily to sit at the table for 90 minutes refusing to give in and try the food AND refusing to get up til she could have a treat.  I was expecting bed time to be a train wreck of Lily claiming that shes hungry followed by Tyler also claiming hunger and both of them screaming for grapes or pretzels for 45 minutes.  But none of that happened.  So, lets do this.  

Night #2 of giving them what we ate (pulled pork and salad) was a total success with Tyler.  He tried and/or ate everything.  He scored two treats (Hersheys kisses).  Lily on the other hand absolutely refused to taste the pulled pork.  But she did eat her salad - lettuce and orange tomatoes (tomatoes must be orange for her to eat them) - and everything else on her plate, so she scored one treat.  I would say this is a tiny, tiny victory with Lily.  Ill take it.

In addition to that advice from the doctor, Joel and I watched a free webinar last night on "Get Your Kids to Listen Without Yelling, Reminding and Nagging."  It was a pretty good seminar, and Joel and I laughed out loud several times because the speaker was describing our situation to a T.  But of course she only gave you this much advice >  < and a teaser to this much advice >                   < she has to offer if you are willing to pay $179 for the online course.  Joel, with his infinitely greater internet searching patience, is going to see what he can find for free before we spend any money.  But its awfully tempting if what she says works.  Would be worth every penny.

Other current events:

For Fun Day last weekend, we went to Crackerbarrel for supper (breakfast for most of us).  Tyler had said several times during the day that this belly hurt and his appetite was a little suppressed but he was acting totally fine all day.  Two bites in to his pancakes, he hurls all over himself and his pancakes.  Stomach wise, he was totally fine after he did that but he was completely distraught over his wet clothes.  Of course we havent carried an extra set of clothes in the diaper bag since Tyler was 12 months old.  But, alas!  Were at Crackerbarrel!  Where they have a "country store!"  I found this cute John Deere T-shirt on the clearance rack - but unfortunately no pants.  This bothered Tyler for a minute or two but then he got over it. 

I kinda like the tractor shirt / boots / no pants look.


We paid a visit to Kids Commons last weekend too.    The kids had never been there before and they had a great time.  Particularly in the giant toilet.






Fun with a wolf hat and a tea set.


Tyler recently became more interested in Lilys tablet so we finally took his out of the box from Christmas.  These two have been playing with them side by side.  And, if you can believe this, STILL arguing over them.  Each one wanting whichever tablet the other kid has AND THEY ARE EXACTLY THE SAME.  Crazies.