Wednesday, February 19, 2014

Growing boys and screen time

I can tell that my boys are constantly growing. Eli's been getting new jeans every 2 months and Drew grows into the ones that Eli retires. Thank goodness that I have 2 boys. I can't even imagine buying two separate wardrobes… On Saturday we were at the Monster Jam show and Andrew was complaining about his feet. Well, the poor child's toes were cramped up into the ends of his shoes. He'd been wearing this pair since the end of summer. I buy them with the suggested thumb nails length and I believe this is the longest he's ever worn a pair of shoes. This winter he's mainly been wearing his boots though so maybe that's why the tiny tennis shoes eluded my attention.
Yesterday Eli had his 4 year check up and shots and I thought Drew was due for shots since he didn't get any at two (they didn't have his immunization records at the time). They both were weighed and Eli is a little over 36 pounds and Drew is 33. I can't remember their height but when I called my mother in law to see what their measurements were at Christmas (my FIL measures them in the doorways), they'd both grown a solid inch. They're both over the 95th percentile for their height (Drew is also for weight) but Eli is in the 50th for his weight. Tall and skinny and tall and thick. Eli was still thick at Drew's age so I'm curious to see what changes are or aren't coming for him.
We've seen this Dr. one other time and I really wasn't fond of her the first time. When she was giving them their exams I answered a few questions about what was going on. I wish I was able to coherently type out the conversation that we had about Eli not starting school this year (5 days a week for 6 hours a day for a freaking 4 year old) but I get to upset when I think about it. But she was sure to mention that I shouldn't let them watch more than 2 hours of television a day. (Because that's what I do, throw them in front of the television with a big back of cavity causing candy full of red food dye!)
2 hours…really? I'm a stay at home mom. I cook, clean, play, teach, shop, shit, and everything else in between with my children right up under me. Lately our days start at 5am. My kids get a cup of dry cereal and a show while I drink coffee and make actual breakfast. Then, we play playdoh or paint or something like that. If we are going somewhere then I will go shower and get ready and while I do that, I turn the tv back on. Having the tv on means that my kids have a less chance of getting into something they shouldn't. Blah, blah, the rest of our day is spent grocery shopping, errand running, going to the playground if weather permits, nap or quiet time, legos, some "school" work or craft time, we spend a lot of time running around claiming which super hero we are and then when I start dinner the tv goes back on or I give them their gameboys or whatever they're called now. By now we've been doing this day for nearly 11 hours. Now, once dinner is ready (around 5:30) all screens are off for the rest of the night, no questions asked. 
I am annoyed that I feel the need to defend myself or the way I parent, but this lady has no clue what she's talking about. She wakes up, sends her kids to whatever childcare option she's using and then picks them back up at the end of the day.
 I think back to the school conversation and when I told her that they'd be in school for the next 13-14 years that this was my time, she looked so disgusted. Maybe not disgusted, but she just looked at me like I was some weird little alien who just fell out of the sky.
 I get that being a SAHM isn't for everyone. Some days, it isn't for me. But I truly believe it's what is best for my family. I am so thankful that Daniel is able to provide a comfortable lifestyle for our family and that I can stay home and teach my kids what I believe they should know. I can't imagine missing the things that I see and hear every day! I don't have to worry that someone is being mean to them or abusing them. I know that they are taught every day to use their manners, be kind to others, share, clean up their messes, pray before their meals, and how to count, identify shapes, colors, letters and numbers.
I don't know why I ranted this long, maybe to justify that my kids have 4 hours of screen time most days. If they grow up to have severe mental issues, y'all can blame me for letting them watch too much tv…



BTW, this post has nothing to do with working moms…Just how I was made to feel by one...












Wednesday, February 12, 2014

Pardon me...

If this post is totally incoherent. But I have to ask, "When is this going to stop?!" 
"This" being the constant notifications of my children's toys, safety seats, vitamins, medicine, and whatever else under the sun containing poisonous paint, not securing your child as intended and rubber in my food. 
Last week an article was passed around announcing that Subway's bread contained an "ingredient" that was also used to make rubber yoga mats and the soles of our tennis shoes. I mean, really? That doesn't sound like eating fresh to me. Another Facebook friend posted today about the dangerous ingredients in foods at Panera (which if you're like me, you love this place.) 
I'm so discouraged. There are hormones in my milk and meat if I'm not buying organic. God only knows what's in the noodles and sauce I made my lasagna with last night. What do I do? 
What do we do?
How is this legal? Studies are showing the side effects of the poisons that are being passed off as food and yet they're still on the shelves. Do I put my kids in daycare and go to work so I can buy 5-$8 gallons of organic milk a week…on top of the 3x higher price tag on fruits and vegetables that aren't genetically modified and doused in bug killing chemicals before they make it to the market? 
Do I make my own bread and pasta from scratch? I'd say I don't have the time but I'm sitting here blogging during a rare occurrence of naps in my home. I was actually vacuuming with all of these thoughts and questions in my head that I had to just sit down and write it all out.
I'm just so annoyed and upset that I'm poisoning my family daily, multiple times each day, with every bite we take. 

Thursday, February 6, 2014

This post is full of first world crap that makes me feel like a horrible person

I like to think that I would be much better at decorating my home if I had an endless supply if money.  I look on Pinterest at ideas and think how simple it would be to just hang some crap on a painted wall and call it a day.  And then I go to the store.  And the prices of things.  Outrageous.  I'm the type of person who would rather spend money on doing things. And I'm pretty sure Daniel is too, although he keeps telling me to please pick out some curtains to replace the ones that were hanging when we bought the house. But, when it comes to the weekend, I want to go to the movies, out to eat, take the kids to discover new museum or park or go shopping for "fun" stuff. I'm a sucker for board games and playdoh and paint and markers.  You see where I'm going? I'd rather spend my movie on things I can do with my family rather than things that get looked at hanging on my walls or over my windows.  BUT, I want our house to feel like a home. So yesterday I bit the bullet. I was selling some baby things at a store yesterday and next door was a Pier 1. I'm in love with that place. Can I just have everything??? I was so overwhelmed with all of the color choices and patterns and textures and my kids acting like Rabbids (a cartoon that you should never  ever let your children watch.) With my children as my own personal time bomb I finally decided on some throw pillows.  I figured if I found pillows I really liked then I would be able to pick a paint color and curtains from there? We will see. But I love throw pillows. I have to keep blankets on my seats because of my disgusting children who will wipe their snot or Godknowswhatelse on them. I'm not a total germ-a-phobe but I would rather my furniture not look like little snails had been drag racing like Justin Beiber all over my couch cushions. So here are a couple of the pillows I picked out. I won't be keeping all three on this little couch but my other one is covered with half folded laundry :/ The tags are still on them so please let me know if these pillows are hideous and I'm a colorblind idiot with zero taste.