What did she do in there?

So, a few weeks ago we were out at a small cafe (just me and the kids) enjoying a relatively relaxing lunch together (amid things dropping on the floor, beans grabbing for my drink and food and bubble asking numerous questions) when I noticed bubble staring wide-eyed and slack jawed at a lady coming out of the bathroom. Before I could say anything he loudly asked "mommy, what did she do in there"? Embarassing, right....just wait though. Next he said, "what does it smell like in there, does it smell like poo"? Ak, what do you do? I quietly told him that she was having privacy in the bathroom and I didn't know what she had done and to ask so would be very rude. I wanted to pack up and run out of there but of course we hadn't finished eating and you can't just quietly pack up and run out when you have two little kids to dress. Do you think he stopped asking even after telling him it was rude, of course not...I managed to distract him after a couple of minutes, athough I did have to endure lunch hoping that she was too far away and it was too noisy to hear him.

The Beginning....Take 2

It took a little time but I'm back up and running.  Most of my current readers will know that I started to blog about 2 years ago when Q, or Bubble, was about 17 months old.  I did it for several months then stopped when I ran into, what I guess you could call, writers block.  I wanted to start again so many times but life just got in the way.  I actually have a partial blog written from the end of last summer but right around that time I became very ill with morning sickness.  Unfortunately it ended up to be a completely nasty pregnancy all the way through.  I had my head in the toilet for months.  Luckily I was rewarded at the end with what I would say was one of the quickest deliveries on record.  We delivered little girl 'Bean' at home and thankfully I managed to hold out until the midwife arrived.  Just barely though, as she didn't even have time to take her coat off.  

So anyhow, lots of ‘life’ has happened over the last year + since I wrote about Bubble.  We now have an additional family member - our sweet little Bean - but sadly, on the heels of finding out we were to have another child, we lost our beloved kitty, Miles.  Life goes on though and we are enjoying being parents to the two cutest little munchkins we know.  

Bubble continues to amaze us with his grasp of language and his understanding of the world around him.  He is imaginative, busy, industrious, and well...ummm...tyrannical or Spirited (as my friend aptly called him the other day)!!  He says things that make us laugh every day - although most often lately I have to hide my face and laugh.  Unfortunately for me (and Bean probably) he is having lots and lots of very loud tantrums lately and is throwing things I say to him back at me.  Lobbing out phrases like "Change your behaviour mommy”, or "I don't like your attitude"...all during time out and shouted at me at the top of his lungs.  I absolutely have to laugh (in private) to keep my sanity and to keep from shouting back at him.  


Yes, having a spirited 3.5 year old has proven to be VERY challenging, especially now that his daycare is closed and I am home with him full time.  I never believed I was cut out to be a full time stay at home mom, but that is what I am right now and although it is very challenging, it is proving to be a very good lesson in patience and self discipline for me.  For the first few weeks after Bubbles daycare ended, I admittedly fell into a nonproductive pattern of shouting and getting angry at him for his misbehaviors, but I have now realized (through discussions with other parents and parenting books : )) that my own behavior has been part of the problem and I need to revise my parenting strategy.  From the first time I ignored his tantrum and walked away without shouting or reacting, things started to change…ever so slightly…but the tantrums are getting a little less intense and frequent.  I of course make sure he is safe and check in on him and hug if necessary, but I am making a big effort not to give in to his fit and get angry now.  Getting angry and trying to reason with a raging 3.5 year old doesn't work...even though I want to rage at his rage sometimes.