Change Will Do You Good

It's been a weekend of firsts as our humble abode. Colin had his first successful attempt with the potty and he got his big boy bed in his room! Let's not get carried away though, neither are by any means mastered accomplishments. The fact that he was even willing to sit on the potty though is a step in the right direction. And his giddy laughter with his bed is a bonus as well.

The potty. Lately he has been telling us either as he's peeing or immediately afterwards that he's "made a shooie." We took this as a sign he was uncomfortable with a wet diaper and therefore maybe ready for the potty. He was ready and willing to go commando on Saturday. We went to the potty no less than 10 times, with no luck. I tried to make up a song, a dance, we took toys, we went without toys, but nothing seemed to do the trick. It wasn't until he started peeing in the floor that I was able to pick him up and get him to dribble a little more in the actual potty. He was so proud of himself. He immediately jumped up to look at his prize (the pee in the potty). Ten minutes later he proceeded to pee in the living room floor and then immediately in a diaper. So in the span of 15 minutes, the kid peed 4 times! Seriously, is that normal?!

This probably wasn't the best weekend to start this seeing as how Wes and I had a date night Saturday and Colin stayed with Buff and Grandpa. Mom eagerly picked up where I left off but he didn't manage to hit the target any more there than he did here.

We continued the nakedness today but he's either holding it in or he didn't drink enough because the child only peed 1 time all afternoon and that was, unfortunately, in the floor (at least it was hardwood this time). Practice makes perfect but I hope he doesn't lose interest in the meantime. You experienced moms can feel free to weigh in with any tips or comments. I have the stuff to make a reward chart and I plan to start that tomorrow or Tuesday. I'm not a fan of sweet treats as rewards but I'm not opposed to stickers or small toys after so many stars.

The big boy bed. I consider it an accomplishment in and of itself that he even likes the thing. He's not a big fan of change and I worried that this would be too much, too fast for him. Wes' family was here when Colin came back from Buff's and got to see his surprise in his room. He immediately got the biggest grin on his face and wanted up.

Silly me, I thought this would mean he'd also be so excited to sleep in it. Well after Wes' youngest sister wore him out from running with him for 2 hours, he was exhausted. I thought this would be the perfect situation for the inaugural event. No so luck. He sang, he read books that he has memorized, he talked to his critters, and eventually just got out of bed. After putting him back up twice, laying with him, leaving him alone, I realized no nap was in the cards. The bed had become a play zone, not a nap zone.

Tonight he was SO exhausted, as were Wes and I, that he went down straight away. He's been down for 30 minutes or so and I'm just crossing my fingers that I don't wake up eye to eye with a little being about 3 in the morning! I added some extra pillows to make him feel more blocked in than he was during his nap. Here's hoping we'll all get a full night's sleep! Again, tips of the trade are greatly appreciated here.

I wanted to share the sweetest Colin story with you. Last week he had a rough day where he hit and bit Buff. He got scolded from all directions and apologized, for what that's worth in a 2-year old's mind. The next day he had school and when I asked him how his day went, the first thing he told me was that he didn't hit anyone, he only gave hugs. I told him that was very nice and he said, "No, Buff said that was sweet of me." Sweet or nice, I'll take either!

I'm SO ready for Spring!

After the down right balmy temperatures we had this weekend, I can without a doubt confirm that I am officially ready for spring! I think a large part of the country experienced the little tease of warmer temperatures and sunny skies. I'm sure it's safe to assume most people were smiling because of it!

I went to run some errands on Saturday and it was like someone had opened the flood gates and freed the caged animals. Every single store I went in was packed to the gills and the parking lots were crammed full. After shedding my coat from the sweat I worked up, I called Wes on my way home to see if Colin wanted to go to the park. Dumb question, of course he said yes.

We got super muddy getting from the car to the park but once we got there it wasn't so bad. He had a blast and it was so nice for him to run off some of his energy and not be cooped up in the house. He tried every piece of equipment and even though he was timid at first, he warmed up to all of them and bravely did them all. I planned ahead and took my camera but after just a few shots he told me "no more pictures." I guess that might be why I can't ever get him to actually look at the camera.

Who's that kid with the oreo cookie?

Wes came home yesterday and announced that if Colin ate all his dinner, he would get a special treat. Unbeknownst to me, he meant one of the 3 Oreo cookies we saved from the Oreo Truffles from earlier in the week. Colin, like any kid, loves surprises and could hardly wait to see what it was. He asked a dozen times what it was - he's still learning what surprise really means. Finally it was time and I begrudgingly allowed him to have it.

Oh my, it was love at first bite. He savored each and every bite, as he fondly gazed at his "Horeo!" Ah, the simple pleasures of life!

Stopping for a quick drink but not laying the cookie down for a minute.

In an Oreo coma.

Looking longingly at his last bite.

Weekly Recipe Roundup

How about some sweets? When I made the deal with myself to only make 1 new thing a week, sweets weren't part of that equation. Up until about a month ago, baby boy wasn't a fan of sweets and therefore I didn't partake. Now that I'm in control (ha), I've gone back to my sweet tooth (sorry I ever left you friend) but I'm trying to control it.

First up, treats for the OB's office. The girls loves their treats and who am I to deny them of their guilty little pleasures?! If only they knew how incredibly easy - really, I almost feel guilty for claiming that I put any effort into these at all - these Oreo Truffles were. I didn't sample one but I heard rave reviews from the girls at the office and from Wes (he got 1).

I thought I had some extra pumpkin in the fridge that I didn't want to go to waste. So when I ran across this recipe for Brown Butter Pumpkin Cupcakes, I was sold. I had already started melting the butter when I got said pumpkin out of the fridge. Only to find out it had sprouted some white and green dots - mold my friends. Great, now what? I debated searching online for a regular browned butter cupcake recipe but then I saw Colin's jar of applesauce eyeing me from the back of the fridge. Applesauce and pumpkin are interchangeable, right? Right! The cinnamon and spices match just as well with apples as they do pumpkin, so I was set. I topped them with my own almond cream cheese frosting and they are divine. I'm not sure I let the butter brown long enough to really intensify the flavor but it's still there and I love it!

I have a friend who is half Filipino. She and I lived together for a couple years during college and post college for me. One time when I went to her house, her mom taught us how to make Filipino eggrolls (yes they are different than the variety at Chinese restaurants). She would send us home with Ziplock baggies full of these little gems. What a treat when we thawed these out and fried them up. Heaven! My friend would also make Pancit to go with them. This is another Filipino dish that is basically noodles with whatever kind of meat you want to add to it. She recently mentioned that she had just finished up some and it got my mouth watering and my mind racing. Why couldn't I make it? I had watched her many years ago but I remembered it wasn't too terribly challenging. Thanks to the glorious internet, I found this recipe. I had a heckofa time finding these "egg noodles" but I finally found them at an Asian supermarket (after going to 3 other locations). I chose to use chicken and shrimp and I only used about 1 1/4 cups chicken broth because I thought it seemed like way too much liquid. It was worth the wait. It's so simple yet it's so tasty. Just goes to show complex, fancy dishes aren't the only way to make a stellar meal.

It's a Small World

Today my mom took Colin to Gymboree for his weekly class. There are 2 things you should know about that - 1) Wes normally takes Colin to his class but due to all the snow, the schedules got out of whack this week and Buff was filling in and 2) My mom is a very friendly, never-met-a-stranger, careless woman. Even though it's taken me many years to grow out of my shyness, I'm slowly but surely becoming just like her. That's definitely a good thing, I hope to be more and more like her as the years go by!

Now that we have those 2 small details out of the way, I can continue to story. There was a little girl in his class today that my mom heard her mom refer to as "Abby". My mom's ears immediately perked up and she quickly popped over to the mother to interrogate her. My mom asked her, "When is her birthday?"

The lady, with I'm sure some trepidation, responded, "June."

My mom eagerly asked, "June 26th?" By this point I'm sure the lady thought my mom was a crazy person (see the careless description above).

"Yes," the lady replied.

My mom excitedly launches into her story. She tells the lady how Colin was born on the same day and that she and I were both in labor at the same hospital at the same time. My mom spent the day with her parents and her in-laws and even went so far as to recall what they did for a living and where they were from (retired teacher at Henry Clay and in-laws from Louisville).

The girl said, "Yes, that's them." By this time she either wanted to run as fast as she could to get away from the nut case or was amazed that my mom somehow put this connection together.

My mom was giddy with excitement. She has been looking for this family ever since Colin was born. In her defense, I guess you do form a special bond with people you spend the better part of a day cooped up with in a 6x8 room. I won't discuss the stalkerish links she's gone to to find this family but I can assure you now that she's found them she's not letting them go. She asked me if it would be okay to ask the mom next time if Colin and Abby could have a playdate sometime. I said sure. I just hope the lady doesn't think my mom is completely off her rocker.

Tonight Wes asked Colin what he did in Gymboree and he said nothing about the class, only that Abby was there. Wes asked him if that was his new friend and he said, "No, she's Buff's friend." Out of the mouths of babes!

I must admit, crazy as it is, it is really amazing that after 2 1/2 years, we randomly find a little girl who was born at the same hospital and the same day as Colin. Small world! Just think, if my mom wouldn't have taken him today, we wouldn't have had this chance encounter. Crazy!

Snow, snow go away!

Funny, I don't remember moving to North Dakota! Seriously, what is with this snow? We've had more episodes this year than I can remember, well, ever. Wes and I have clearly expressed our disinterest so many times around Colin that he's taken our same point of view. Saturday morning when we had a few flurries, I told Colin it was snowing again. He said, "Again? No way!" Our sentiments exactly buddy.

Imagine our displeasure when we awoke to a sea of white yesterday morning. Not only was there a good 4+ inches on the ground, it was still snowing and showed no signs of letting up anytime soon. We trudged on to my ultrasound appointment but not before Wes suggested I reschedule. Uh, 18 weeks waiting for this day? I don't think so. So off we went.

We asked Colin if he'd like to play in the snow and he said no, it was too cold. He changed his tune when Daddy was going out to shovel the driveway. Suddenly all thoughts of cold flew out the window. As we got him dressed and put on his shoes, he sat perfectly still - an amazing feat for this always on the go kid.

Off we went. I was ready to come back in within the first 5 minutes but not Colin. No mention of the cold temps now! His little cheeks were rosy red but he never once complained. He got stuck several times in big 1 foot piles of snow and he just calmly called to be pulled out. He and daddy stayed out for almost an hour. He would have stayed longer but the promise of lunch won him over.

Here's a few pictures from the outing:

And then Daddy taught Colin how to make snow angels.

The Verdict is In...

It's a BOY!!

It seems the majority thought girl but this little guy had other plans. He wasn't real cooperative this morning since he was perfectly content in the breech position but he did show his stuff long enough for the technician to get a peek. I'm still terrible at deciphering those images. All I could make out was the spine that looked like a fish and a big old noggin. Since he wouldn't budge, we get to have another sneak peak next time to get a closer look at the 4 chambers of his heart.

Wes was sort of quiet during the process and I thought maybe there might be a little disappointment but he later assured me he was just trying to keep Colin from tearing the place apart. He went on to tell Colin all the responsibilities of being a big brother - everything from showing him how to do things, playing with him, and most importantly sticking up for him and protecting him. I thought that was super sweet and I think Colin will fit the role just great. He has such a caring heart that I know he won't let anyone or anything hurt his little brother!

So the transformation of the pink bedroom will soon begin. It does make me a touch sad because that's one of the first bedrooms I redid when we moved in to this house 9 years ago. I love the colors, the bedding, and the window treatments but I guess 9 years is a long time to get to enjoy it. I'll have to post some before pictures so you can all appreciate the pink. Colin and I took a tour of one of the big boy beds and talked about how one of those would be moving in his room soon so that the baby could have the crib. He seemed perfectly happy with that and eagerly told Daddy about it. Let's hope the excitement is still there when the move actually takes place.

Wes and I joked that we'd be saving a lot of money with this one but that he'd never have anything new. There's a chance he'll be a different size though and then he'll get to have some new duds. I know me though, I won't be able to pass up the super cute baby clothes!

Now the naming fun can begin. We agreed to not think about it (too much) until we found out the gender. Now that we know, the wheels have already started spinning. I'll warn you, that's the one little secret we keep to ourselves until the baby arrives. You never know, he may come out and not fit that name at all. We don't want to commit to anything too quickly either! We both agreed early on that boy's names were easier than girl's names, so ask me in a couple of weeks if I still feel that way!

We're super excited and we got some great 3D pictures too. I don't think we got any of those with Colin and I didn't ask for them today. I've always thought they were a bit spooky but she didn't ask, so I gladly laid back and enjoyed the show. It's amazing to me how formed and baby-like they are at only 9oz. What an amazing blessing!

Thanks to all of your well wishes and guesses but I'm sorry to report none of you correctly guessed boy. This pregnancy just goes to show you that you can have 2 completely different pregnancies, yet end up with the same gender both times.

"The first woman a boy falls in love with is his mom." - Anonymous

Happy Valentine's Day

Even though I'm not a huge fan of the Hallmark-inspired holiday, I'll still gladly take any and all the love anyone throws my way. My 2 valentines were very good to me today and treated me to a yummy brunch at Azur and allowed me to take a good 2-hour nap (heaven). Wes got me a gift certificate for a prenatal massage and I'm already dreaming of the relaxation. I'm trying to wait until the perfect time but it might just have to be sooner, rather than later.

The best gift of all comes tomorrow when we get to take a look at peapod! We'll find out if baby is a he or a she and we'll be happy either way. Colin has pretty much claimed the baby as "his baby" and also determined it's going to be a girl. Wes thinks so too, so it sounds like I'm going to have 2 confused people tomorrow if we see a little something else (: I just pray for a healthy baby and a healthy pregnancy. So far so good! Anyone want to guess the gender? Now's your last chance. I'll post the results tomorrow!

I hope everyone felt the love today on Valentine's Day!

Weekly Recipe Roundup

In trying to stick to my game plan and minimize the number of new recipes, I only have 2 for you this week. We're still eating well, I'm just doing old favorites and other things that don't require my brain. These 2 are both from Cooking Light and both worthy of a second chance.

Fettuccine Alfredo with Bacon - I couldn't believe a recipe like this made it to Cooking Light but I was glad it did. I love fettuccine alfredo but I always feel so guilty after eating it. All I can think is butter, cream, and cheese - not exactly vitamin packed or hip-friendly. This recipe has no butter or cream, yet somehow tastes pretty darn close to the real thing. It's not as creamy as the traditional dish but the flavor is still very much the same. Some of the comments on CL's website suggest rinsing the noodles to keep them from sticking together but I didn't have that problem. I did use an extra piece of bacon (seriously Wes' favorite food) but otherwise kept it as written.

Beef Tips with Peppered Mushroom Gravy - This dish is very similar to beef stroganoff but since it's from CL, it's missing some of the calories. I added an extra 1/2 T. of flour because I wanted to ensure the thickness of the gravy. I also added 1 T. of sour cream at the very end to give it a little richness. I definitely have plans to make this one again - super easy, easy ingredients, and tasty!

Eye On the Prize

First I want to thank all of you who left comments on my plea for advice. The "no" phase has subsided for now and our old Colin has returned. Not only has his behavior improved, his sleeping and appetite have returned to normal as well. I can't help but think these were all side effects of the antibiotic he was on. It's no coincidence that all of these things magically disappeared after the medicine was gone. Whatever the case may be, we're delighted to be back to normal for now.

As I mentioned, his monster appetite has returned with a vengeance. He's apparently making up for lost time because his breakfasts extend throughout the morning, consuming the equivalent of 2 meals. He is such a good eater and for that we are so thankful. We've always offered him a wide array of different foods and he's always responded well. Perhaps we have the next Top Chef on our hands!

The one thing he's not fond of is meat. He gets it honestly because I could go several days without it myself. Tonight's meal was Beef Tips with Noodles (recipe to come in another post) and green beans. I knew he'd gobble up the noodles and green beans but I wasn't so sure about the meat. Enter the bribery techniques. One thing he'll always eat (unless he's sick) is bread. I had a crescent roll from several nights ago and it spoke to me when I saw it on the counter. There wasn't enough for all of us but I could use it as bribery to make Colin eat all of his dinner. I told him he could have a roll if he ate all his dinner. He of course wanted to know where it was and what it looked like. I told him but then I decided a little visual temptation might have more effect. I put it on the table so he could see it. Um yeah, he literally inhaled his dinner, meat and all, and never took his eye off the prize. When I finally gave it to him, he let out a giddy chirp and proclaimed, "I'm so happy!" He ate every bite and I loved every minute of watching him and his enjoyment. It's the simple things!

There's a story behind the "happy" thing. Wes tells him that he's not happy with him when he does something he doesn't approve of. So Colin has taken to asking both of us if we're happy at random times. It's really quite pitiful and makes us feel about 1 inch tall but we have to stick to our guns when we're not happy. Recently he's also started asking us what makes us happy. I'm not sure if he's been trying to find out what the word really means or if he'd like us to tell him when we ARE happy and not so much when we AREN'T. Either way, I think he's got the meaning down.

Oh and Pillsbury, feel free to contact me if you'd like to use any or all of the above images in a commercial!

0 to 80

I often wonder what and how the new baby will add to the mix. Will he/she have similar personality traits to Colin? Will he/she have colic - dear lord, isn't one child enough? Have mercy please. Will Colin teach him/her things...good things? Will Colin suddenly want to do big boy things like use the potty, sleep in a big boy bed, cut his own food, and/or feed himself. I certainly hope all of the latter are true but I honestly worry for my sanity if he/she has the same energy intensity as my redheaded ball of fire.

I know all children are bundles of energy and like to climb, run, and play but do they all do it with such intensity and ALL the time? He and I took what I thought to be a quick jaunt up to the mall this weekend. He refused to ride in his stroller and I've learned to not even take the darn thing because all I'll be doing is pushing it empty while trying to chase him or watching as he tries to escape out the side, tipping the entire thing over. So since he's of monster weight, I told him he'd have to walk.

What was I thinking? Really? We stopped at every mannequin to notice whether or not she had a head, what her hands were doing, how many there were, etc. Then we got to ride the escalator - seriously the highlight of our entire trip. He does surprisingly well on them and stands perfectly still, holding my hand with one hand and the rail with the other. Then we get to the department and I attempt to look around. I tell him to stand close and within 2 seconds, he's gone like a flash. I found him quickly the first 3 times but the next one wasn't so fun. My heart literally sank as I was yelling, "Colin" with no response. I began to feel a cold sweat come over me, as all the millions of terrible scenarios start playing in my head. Finally he appears with a huge grin on his face. I swat his tail (no reaction) and pick him up. He knows exactly what he's done because 2 seconds later he's pleading with me to let him down and he promises not to run away. I've always hated these things:

but now I completely appreciate them! I seriously think that's the only way I'd be able to contain him.

We go on out into the mall where he now refuses to hold my hand. Great, he's only 2 and it's already not cool to hold your mom's hand. We go in William Sonoma, which Colin fondly refers to as the "sample store". I always pretend as if I'm actually looking for something, when in reality all I'm looking for is the sample. He gladly eats whatever it is and then proceeds to pick up everything in site. I think nothing of it because he's within both my site and reach and he hasn't broken anything yet. Little did I know that the nice saleslady who greeted us as we walked in (and I'm sure eyed us all the way to the treat stand) had been watching us the whole time. I told Colin it was time to go. As he pulls the sticks out of a fondue pot, the stalker lady asks as we walk out the door, "Is he always 0 to 80 like this?" I kindly reply, "Yes, all the time." And I thought he was being good?!

Lesson learned here is that shopping that requires any browsing or thought is not for us right now. Perhaps peapod will be a little girl who loves to shop and I can train her right from the get-go! Until then, maybe I'll invest in a "Leash me go!"

Warning!

Just because you're pregnant does not give you the right to eat a pint of ice cream in one sitting! I did manage to put the lid back on before polishing it off but it was a struggle for sure. Keep in mind, I'm not even an ice cream fan. Sure, I'll take it if there's nothing else but I'd never pick it first. So why the sudden change of heart? Let me just show you:

I don't know who this Hannah Teter person is but she's a culinary genius in my book! Thankfully the words read "Limited Edition" around the lid because this could be deadly to my waistline (which is currently nonexistent anyway, thus the rationale to eat the entire thing). It's a perfect marriage of caramel, blondie bits, and maple. Seriously my mouth is watering just thinking about those little bursts of doughy goodness!

I would tell you to rush out and try it but I'm not here to advocate bad behavior. So here's my warning label for you - WARNING: This ice cream may cause severe addiction if not consumed in moderation!

And thanks to my good friend (who was also preggo at the time), A, for turning me on to this. I owe ya one!

All New Low

Thanks to my beloved reality tv, I've stooped to an all new low. It's really nothing new that VH-1 has successfully taken any decency (and there wasn't much) out of reality love shows - For the Love of Ray J, Flavor of Love, and I Love New York to name a few.

But last night as I was flipping during commercials, I came across Rupaul's Drag Race Season 2 (yes, horror of horrors, I managed to miss the first season somehow). This particular episode caught my attention because it was a blatant ripoff of the popular, Project Runway. The queens had to create their own runway attire and present both that and themselves to the judges at the end of the show. The bottom 2 then had to sing for their lives to remain on the show (another ripoff).

Also in typical VH-1 fashion, each queen has been given a special name, all of which are female of course. Some of my favorites were Jujubee, Tyra, and Jessica Wild. These women, er men, have such sass and style that I found myself getting drawn in. So besides the fact there were really no redeeming qualities of the show, somehow I found it hard to turn it off and go to sleep. It's not going on my dvr list but I'll gladly stop and watch it again if I'm flipping.

Queen or no queen, Ru is one pretty lady!

Weekly Recipe Roundup

Wow, it's been a while since I've gotten to use that title. I'm getting back in the saddle again but I'm trying not to overdo it, so as to not set the bar too high with baby #2 on the way. I don't want to create another expectation for myself to try to uphold with 2 kiddos. I'm sure I'll still do it to myself but it sounds good right now to try to stop it.

Baja Fish Tacos with Mango Salsa - I made fried fish...and it was good! I told a friend that and she said, "And..." I guess it does sound strange that I've never made that before, and I think I have but it wasn't good, but it's something I've always been afraid of. The fact that it's fried in a big pot of oil has something to do with it too but when I saw a recipe in Cooking Light, I thought I'd give it a whirl. The fish turned out perfectly. It had a great taste, a good flake, and just the right amount of batter. The salsa was a nice complement but I would prefer a touch more liquid just to allow the flavors to soak in and meld together better. Other than that, this was a great dish and I'll definitely be making it again. The fish could easily stand on it's own as a main dish.

Baked Macaroni and Cheese - I have a love hate relationship with mac-n-cheese. I love it because it tastes so good but I hate it when I think of all the calories it has (not to mention the missing veggies). Nonetheless, I'm always on the hunt for a lightened version that doesn't taste particularly lightened. I loved this recipe! Wes is not a fan of cottage cheese, so I'm always hesitant to try to sneak it in but this was one I thought I could disguise. Wouldn't you know, 2 bites into it he asks what the little white pieces of cheese were. I thought about making something up but since he had already tried it and liked it, I knew I was safe with the truth. As soon as I said it, he snurled his nose but when I asked if he liked it, he said yes. I would honestly be fine having this once a week!

Millionaire's Bars - I'm still trying to figure out where the name came from and the best I can come up with is that you feel like a million bucks after eating this delicious treat. These are dangerously addictive and taste a lot like a Twix bar. I had a can of what I thought was Dulce de Leche but it was really just condensed milk with a Mexican label. Both taste great but are handled completely different in this recipe. My caramel layer didn't end up quite so much like caramel but rather a silky layer of sweet milk goodness. I don't think you could go wrong either way but the caramel would make for slightly cleaner fingers. Oh and as an added bonus, I used Guittard chocolate for the top and I'm here to tell you that you can taste every penny of quality chocolate!

Banana Sour Cream Pancakes - Ina Garten makes some sinfully delicious-looking dishes on her show but the lady doesn't skimp on butter! Paula Deen has always gotten the bad rap for that but Ina is just as guilty in my book. I came across this recipe on someone's blog and was surprised to see it originated with Ina. I had some leftover sour cream I didn't want to go to waste, so I thought I'd give these a whirl. The cake was sweeter than most but also more cakey. I loved the combination but I do think thinning it out a bit would be better. I'll eat just about any pancake you put in front of me but I definitely have my favorites and know a good one when I find it. This recipe is definitely worth tweaking the next time I have some extra sour cream to use up.

Seeking Motherly Advice

Ah, the terrible two's. Silly me, I thought we had potentially escaped the dreaded phenomenon but alas, I was clearly wrong. I realize this milestone affects each child differently but I can't help but to think some of you may have been in my shoes before and may have some motherly advice for me that perhaps I haven't thought of. Even if you're not a mother, I'll gladly take your advice. Maybe just an outsider can see something I'm missing and I'll gladly take any suggestions you throw my way.

Let me paint the picture for you. It involves a lot of "no" and "I won't" no matter what the question. Just a general defiance but particularly the use of NO. I am so tired of that word, I could scream. I've tried to refrain from using it myself, thinking that kids this age are mocking birds but that hasn't seemed to have an impact. Tonight I thought I would attempt another bargaining power, I pleaded with him that we (daddy, mommy, and him) would all quit saying no and if any of us did, we'd have to go to the "uh-oh" box (timeout). That seemed to have some effect, that is until I told him to go tell Daddy and he said, "Mommy said NO!" Hm, maybe he didn't quite understand.

We've thought perhaps it was the antibiotic he is on, maybe he's tired, hungry, bored, but we've taken almost all of those situations (except the antibiotic) out of the equation and he still barks no at virtually everything. Sometimes are worse than others but in a given 10 minute period, he's bound to say it at least once, 10 times if he's on a roll. We don't laugh, we never has. He doesn't think it's funny either.

Argh, what is he doing and how do I stop it?! Someone please come to the rescue of my sanity and solve this mystery. I know many have crossed this bridge before but I'm at the point where I don't think I can cross the bridge without a life preserver (for me AND Colin!).