The day after

How was your Thanksgiving? Ours was good - full of food that the kids wouldn't eat (of course), but otherwise a nice warm relaxing day. (Notice the heavy fleeces instead of our arctic winter coats? Yep, we had a warm spell - it got up to 45.)

How was your Black Friday? Do any shopping? Not me. No way. Even if stores were giving away free stuff, I can't justify waking up at the crack of dawn to join thousands of other people in a crowded store scrambling for the same items. But that may just be me and my extreme dislike of shopping.

Instead, we planned something much more fun - to fix the bathroom floor - despite the fact that Linus woke up early in the morning with a horrendous stomach virus. Poor little guy couldn't keep anything down and just laid on the couch all day.

By the afternoon he was so bored he asked to sit on the floor just to get a different perspective.

Any sane person would opt for shopping or just sitting around instead, but of course we went ahead with plans even though we had one sick kid and one very energetic house-bound kid. It's always a good idea to take one of our two toilets out of commission, right? Especially when neither one of us were feeling that great either, and Brian was working around an open sewer pipe.

Nice.

On the plus side, we now know a lot more about toilets and plumbing than we ever wanted to. And we managed to put everything back in working order before the day was over...

...and it only took two tries with an extra trip to Lowes.

At least Linus was back to his normal self by evening.

I think Brian and I need to get our heads checked.

Preschool update

Thanks everyone for all of your advice. Things were much, much better this week.

I was going to tell their teacher on Monday that I would be willing to talk to the director of the preschool with her to explain the situation if it would help. But, lo and behold, the director was at our class on Monday morning setting a few ground rules and putting everyone in their place. It was wonderful to see.

Since then the problem kids have either not been there, or there has been a parent or guardian with them supervising the entire time. If they (or anyone else) gets out of line it's an immediate time out in a separate room, something that I thought should have happened from the beginning. Maybe I'm a strict parent, but I don't put up with a whole lot from Sadie and Linus aside from the usual testing of boundaries. If they throw something that isn't meant to be thrown or if they intentionally do something I've asked them not to, they get punished. Period. But I'm also quick to praise them if they are acting the way they are supposed to. I also have never threatened something and not followed through. Apparently that's not the case in every family. Or maybe I am unbelievably blessed with relatively easy-going kids? Who knows. Bottom line, I feel like a preschooler knows what's right and wrong, and I'm happy to see that there are now clear rules in class and consequences if the rules aren't followed.

I'll keep you posted on how things progress, but all in all I am feeling much better about the kids in preschool this week than I did last week.

On a lighter note, I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving filled with family, friends and a lot of good food. We're having a low-key holiday at our house with just the 4 of us, a big feast, and then a date with our bathroom subfloor which Sadie is kind enough to point out.

Considering our DIY abilities, stay tuned for either really exciting posts about toilet removal, or a post about how we chickened out and waited for my family to come at Christmas.

It's been awhile...

...or so I've been reminded by more than a few people. What can I say? Yes, it has been awhile, so here's an update of what we've been doing for the past few weeks:

First, Brian was out of town for almost a week to give a talk in Japan.

While he was dining on octopus and God knows what else, my mom came into town to help with the kids and to tackle some decorating projects. I thought we would just be slapping some paint on the walls. Good thing I had an expert to help out because who knew you had to sand down the walls first? Or use joint compound to fill in the plaster cracks which then had to be sanded as well? Who knew that it could take hours to remove an already peeling ugly wallpaper border from one of the smallest bathrooms you've ever seen? Not me. After a couple of days and a lot of hard work (mostly on my mom's part), we finished painting the bathroom. (I thought I had a "before" picture, but now I can't find it. Trust me, it's a dramatic difference. That's Sadie, pointing it out to you).

I think it turned out great. Now we just have to replace the brass fixtures. And eventually the floor. And one day the ugly box on the wall that is our only storage in the entire bathroom. (Look behind the kids next to the sink).

But Sadie and Linus love this little box. They spend many afternoons reorganizing the drawers, and I'm not about to rock the boat even if it means giving up aesthetic appeal.

All in all, I love the bathroom. I am so happy to be living in a place without white walls for once. And with a couple of days left before my mom had to fly home, we decided to tackle Sadie's room too. We were able to finish this half of the room...
but not this half...

Looks like I have a project for this weekend.

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It has snowed three times already this year. Each one of these times it has only been a dusting on the grass and houses, but I know this is only the beginning. And it has been downright cold.

I tried to take a picture of the beginning of the most recent snowfall, but the flakes were so tiny that I don't think you can see them.

I think I'm more excited to see snow for the first time in 6 years than the kids are. Each time it has snowed I asked the kids if they want to play in it, and each time they told me "No way! It's too cold. I want to stay inside where it's warm!"

They are my kids for sure.

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We've also been really busy with the kids' preschool class. I had left them a couple of times while my mom was in town so we could work on the house, but on the second day Sadie accidentally got knocked down by one of the older boys and she was inconsolable. Their fantastic teacher (who is very loving) held her for awhile and had Sadie sit on her lap during story time, but we both decided that I should stay with them at school for awhile until they feel more comfortable.

I have mixed emotions about the school so far. Since we started a few weeks ago, the kids have learned how to use scissors, they are interested in painting and other crafts which they never showed interest in before, and they have great exposure to structured and unstructured activities like song and dance, dress-up and pretend play, circle time with learning activities, etc. And as I've said before, I think the teacher is wonderful.


On the negative side, this is a school for people with "special circumstances". I think most of the kids are extremely well-adjusted, but there are a handful that are pretty much horrendous to deal with. Of the 4 boys and one girl that create most of the problems in class, 2 of the boys have attentive families who have them in other programs to help with behavior issues. They meet with the teacher after every class and I can tell they are all really trying to figure out the best way to teach them appropriate behaviors. The other 2 boys and especially the girl are just out of control. From what I have observed (and I know I've only been there for 3 weeks), these kids are severely hyperactive and have no sense of right or wrong. Just today I had one boy purposely walk up to me and smear his freshly painted hands all over my sweater while laughing. Then, another boy spit on the teacher while the girl (who is about a foot taller than everyone else, and at least two feet taller than Sadie and Linus) walked around stealing toys from everyone. Now, I am vehemently opposed to corporal punishment, but I was about 2 seconds away from taking each one of these kids and shaking some sense into them.

Thankfully I'm not a teacher.

One of these kids is severely disturbed. He was taken out of his house (I'm not sure why - maybe his parents are in jail?) and is living with a few other orphaned kids in a homeless shelter. I have no idea what his future holds and I do feel sorry for him. He has attachment issues, for good reason, but is also defiant and creates many problems in class. For the other two kids I completely blame the parents. Just today the teacher tried to talk to the mom of one of the kids about what he was doing in class and she walked away! Need I say more.

I need to think about the best course of action. The teacher tries her best, but her hands are tied in terms of how she can discipline these kids. I thought about contacting the director, but I don't want any negative repercussions for the teacher. Any thoughts? Finding another preschool right now is out because of cost, and except for these few kids I love the class and think it's a great fit for my guys. Maybe I should just give it more time and see how it goes.

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In other news, Sadie now calls Linus "Big Guy", and Linus calls Sadie "Sweet Pea" on a regular basis. I guess I need to start using their real names more.

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My advice for the week: Never leave a pile of leaves sitting on your lawn for over a month. Who knew it would turn into a decaying pile of mush so fast? Not too appealing when you now have a 5 ft by 4 ft brown patch of mud in your yard. And definitely a pain when it's right at the bottom of the stairs so the dogs trample through it every time they go outside.

Preschool

When we were in San Diego, I didn't consider sending our kids to preschool. I really liked the Mommy and me class we went to, I loved the playgroup that we were a part of and connected with every week, and I enjoyed the time spent with the kids at all of the cool places San Diego had to offer (ie. Sea World, Wild Animal Park, Legoland, etc). With everything going on, there was no need to send the kids to school yet - maybe when they turn 4 - but not at 3.

When we first moved to Chicago, I thought about preschool in the same sense that I think about college for Sadie and Linus - I wonder where they'll end up but I have no interest in starting the search so soon. However, in the last few weeks I have felt that both the kids and I need a little structure in our lives. I have a lot to do here at home, so the kids end up stuck in the house all day. They also have a sincere desire to defy everything that I say. For instance, if I tell Linus not to throw the ball in the house, Sadie will immediately get the ball and throw it while Linus finds a car to throw. If I tell Linus not to jump off the bed, Sadie will immediately jump off the bed while Linus finds a shoe to throw down the stairs. You get the picture.

Bottom line, we all need a change.

So, a neighbor told me about a preschool program that her kids attend. It is actually at one of the elementary schools in our community, and it is state funded. The only caveat is that it is for kids with "special circumstances" so you have to qualify to get in. Now, this is a pretty vague term and can mean anything from autism to biracial parents - Sadie and Linus qualified because of their preemie history and because they're twins.

After registering last week, we started class yesterday.

I am planning on staying with them this week until they get settled and then evaluating whether they (or I) am ready to leave them alone. Yes, I know I am acting overprotective but my concerns are:

1. They are the only 3 yr olds in a class full of 4 and 5 yr olds. And they are young 3 yr olds.

2. Some of these kids do have behavioral problems - not that they are mean or violent - but some are very hyper and tend to run around and knock things and people over. Sadie and Linus weigh at least 10 lbs less than the next smallest kid.

I don't know. Maybe I am being overprotective.

It seems like a great class. The focus of the class is all about choice and independent creativity. In the morning, all of the tables are set up with different activities on it and each kid can pick what they would like to do until everyone arrives and gets settled. Then, there is a brief circle time with songs and dancing. The next 30-45 minutes each kid can pick which "station" they want to go to including dress-up, pretend play, blocks, puzzles, reading, arts and crafts, water table or sand table.

There's time outside to play on the huge playground, and of course have a snack.

There aren't any set activities meaning you don't have to go to each station. It's about letting kids explore what they are interested in and fostering creativity in an environment that encourages it. Since we all know about my lack of creativity, I am all in favor of fostering their creativity. I'm much more comfortable teaching them letters and numbers at home than trying to think of an art project that they'll immediately discard or throw down the stairs.

Something else that is an added perk are the school-wide activities. Just this morning a traveling opera came to the school to perform in the gym and since the preschool is part of the school, everyone got to enjoy it. (The kids are in the front row).

Well, Sadie and Linus enjoyed it for about 20 minutes and then they had a major meltdown. (I was pretty impressed that they lasted that long - it was a 45 minute production). But, they were able to see an opera, and hopefully they'll see the symphony and ballet too. The more exposure the better I think.

So, that is the big change at the moment. More stories to come...

Oh no - it's daylight savings again...

Every time daylight savings rolls around and we change what little schedule that we have left, it makes for a cranky and sleep-deprived household.

Case in point, we kept the kids out until 8pm last night hoping that this would help them with the time change. Around 7:45 when all of the other kids at the Halloween party were downstairs watching a movie, Linus and Sadie were pulling on our legs telling us how tired they were. They let us know in no uncertain terms that "They were ready to go. Now".

Once we left, they immediately fell asleep, and we were hoping that they would at least wake up a little bit later than normal, if not the entire hour.

What were we thinking?

Apparently they forgot the whole Spring forward, Fall back mantra because they woke up an hour earlier instead.

That's right. I was up with them before 5am.

Fun.

Instead of going back to sleep when Brian woke up like any normal person, we hoped in the car and headed to the Morton Arboretum to see the leaves change. Even in my sleep-deprived state I thought it was amazing! We had been told this was one place we needed to take the kids, and everyone was right. They had a huge area just for kids with a maze, tree house, and Children's garden, not to mention trees as far as you can see.







To all of you who come to visit, guess where we'll be taking you?

(PS. I hope your house is adjusting to the time change better than we are).

Happy Halloween!

I hope you all had a great Halloween! This year was very different from last year in terms of the kids understanding and appreciating what this holiday is all about. (Why, candy of course).

At first they were a little hesitant about the Halloween theme. They weren't too sure about costumes, didn't understand about pumpkins, and thought the spiders and skulls in people's front yards were a little scary. We talked about it, read some stories and watched an episode of SuperWhy which explained that Halloween was just pretend.

Then the kids really got into it.

We picked out pumpkins and talked a lot about jack-o-lanterns. They were psyched to get started so one day while Brian was at work we set up the deck with everything we needed: pumpkins, markers, spoons and a knife. Seeing as all of our knives are about as sharp as a butter knife, this was a much more difficult task than I was anticipating. But, we finally were able to get into the squishy parts of the pumpkins.

And they didn't really like it. At all.

I told them how much fun it is to scoop out the pumpkin innards, but as soon as they touched it, they wanted no part of it.

Fast forward about 45 minutes and we have two jack-o-lanterns, two clean kids and one very dirty mom.


So, pumpkins are done. Check.

We needed the kids to have something to carry their candy in, so off we went to the store and got them the exact same pumpkins I had as a kid. (Some things never change, huh?) Sadie and Linus love these things. They hang them up on their doors at night so they know where they'll be in the morning. They constantly walk around filling them up with random stuff and dumping them back out. Needless to say, on Halloween they were more then excited to get started. (So excited in fact that they forgot their pants, but luckily they remembered their slippers).


What next? Oh yeah, costumes.

When we talked about costumes for them, Sadie decided she wanted to be a kitty and Linus was determined to be a giraffe (the two animals that they have to sleep with every night). The kitty was relatively easy once you were able to get past all of the sexy kitty outfits for kids (who lets their kids wear this stuff?), but the giraffe proved to be much more difficult. I searched in a few stores and spent a lot of time online, but they were mostly for babies or very, very expensive. After a few weeks of searching I told Linus that he would have to choose something else - maybe I could find a different giraffe costume for him next year. He reluctantly agreed, but then enthusiastically decided he wanted to look exactly like Sadie.

A pink and white kitty.

This was one battle I wasn't about to fight, so two pink and white kitties it is.

Luckily for us, Halloween turned out to be much warmer than the weekend before when we attended the Oak Park Halloween parade. It was freezing. We walked down there, did the short parade and high-tailed it back to the car. The kids were shaking they were so cold, Brian and I were cold and no one was having all that much fun. It was in the 30s and I was worried about how we would all do during trick-or-treating on Halloween at night!

It turns out I had nothing to worry about. First of all, trick-or-treating hours are from 3-7 and surprisingly people adhered to the time. (We only had one person come by our house after 7). So, the sun was still out when we were walking around. Secondly, it was unbelievably warm - in the 70s! It was so nice that all of the neighbors were outside on their porches giving out candy.

After an hour of helping, we dressed up the kids and went out ourselves.

It was so nice and there were more people out than I could have ever imagined. We ran out of candy (5 large bags worth!) around 6:30, and we were gone during part of that time. Several neighbors said they bought anywhere from 15 to 30 bags - can you imagine?

All in all the kids had a great time. We have one more Halloween party to go to tonight and then that's it. The costumes will be put away until next year...assuming they will still want to be pink and white kitties.