Saturday, February 18, 2012

Medals, Magic, and Night Cream

First of all, I want to say thank you.  Thank you for your blog comments, Facebook messages, emails, and phone calls.  Between the three year-old fears and the three year-old fits and the regular ol' toddler shenanigans, we've had a doozy of a time around here lately.  Your kind words of sympathy, commiseration, and encouragement have kept me chugging along.  It's really nice to have a place where I can pour my heart out and have little bits of it mended up and handed back to me.  Thank you!
My cousin suggested bestowing a bravery medal upon Little Guy, and it seemed like just the thing to fit his personality and temperament.  The Mister selected a commemorative medallion from his father, the Air Force Colonel, complete with the outline of an airplane, and gave him an awesome father-son speech about being brave in the face of his fears, like his Grandpa and the pilots of the Air Force.  And I added in a part about being brave like his Daddy!  He's held it close a couple times as the fire alarms in our building were tested, and it seems to have given him the little confidence boost he needed to begin conquering many of his fears.  Yesterday, there was a brief wail from the fire alarms {I have no idea why those things must be tested so often!} and he didn't cry and he didn't run.  As he said, he "just shook my head and be brave."  Now, as long as he can hear me singing "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" from a distance, he'll even venture into another room alone for a quick errand.  And for several nights, he has slept in his own bed until 4:30 or 5.  Things are looking up.
A friend who teaches kindergarten recommended the book 1-2-3, Magic for our behavior issues.  I'll admit I was a little reluctant to buy into it, because it advises using a counting system.  I've always shied away from counting, because I want to set a standard of first-time obedience.  Well, as it stood before, we certainly weren't getting first-time obedience.  Or second or third or even, fifteenth.  The behavior was way out of control, the Mister and I were boiling underneath, and all the while, another set of very admiring little eyes was seeing extreme defiance and aggression modeled several times a day.  This past week, I grounded us in order to engage in discipline bootcamp.  We were not fit for playdates.  I read 1-2-3, Magic, and immediately put its counting method to work, following all its guidelines, and y'all, there is peace in this house today.  There has been no spanking since we began, the number of time-outs earned has decreased each day {not a single one today!}, Little Guy is generally stopping bad behaviors on the count of one {Hello, first-time obedience!}, and my blood pressure stays even all day long.  We're having so much more fun with one another!  Now, it's only been four days.  I may be back next week, pouring out my heart again, but I am hopeful.  I am so, so hopeful.
In other news, I will be turning thirty next month.  THIRTY!  In honor of this momentous event, I have purchased night cream.  It's supposed to be ageless-ifying or something.  It does smooth on real nicely.
The only problem is my new night cream habit interferes with my longstanding Breathe Right strip habit.  I've mentioned before that my first and most persistent pregnancy symptom is nighttime congestion.  As a result, I heavy breathe all night.  {Note: heavy breathing is not to be confused with snoring.}  Breathe Right strips help us all sleep better.  BUT an application of the ageless-ifying goop makes the corners of a freshly applied Breathe Right strip pop loose.  And once the corners pop loose, the length of the strip slowly begins peeling away from the sides of my nose until, in just a matter of minutes, the only adhesive connection remaining is at the very bridge of my nose, with the wings of the strip splayed out to either side, ready for flight.  So, I go to bed looking as if my nose is set to alight from my face at any moment.  And I heavy breathe.  But at least I'm ageless-ified.
Maybe I'll figure out a solution to this dilemma by the time I turn thirty.  That's very old.  Very wise.

10 comments:

Sara said...

Might have to look into that book! I am like you and didn't want to use counting, but if you say it works (and worked so quickly) I will have to check it out...thanks for the recommendation! Also glad his confidence is up (I am sure Uncle David loved being his role model!)!!

Margaret said...

I've commented before I believe when I first found your blog and now have to again. We started 1-2-3 Magic for Christian Parents at the recommendation of our pedi at the end of January. I too was reluctant but we needed some changes in behaviors for our little boy and little girl, and I've been amazed. It. Does. Work. We have peace now and they are listening and being obedient and respectful..its great! Glad its helping in your home too! Precious boys BTW!

BettieBoyd said...

You do not need any night cream! Even Andrew's growing pains cannot have aged you that much since Christmas! So glad the new book is working. He is so sweet underneath these temporary storms. All our love to our always-Baby Girl!

Anna Ruth and Will said...

Elizabeth-
I love keeping up with your family. Have a wonderful birthday!
-Anna Ruth

Wanting What I Have said...

Hooray for Air Force and Band medals! What a brave little guy!!! Welcome to almost thirty! I hit it nearly a year ago...guess I need some face cream, too? :) Happy early birthday!

Malacy said...

The best part about 1-2-3 is that once they get use to it, you can just use your fingers in public (or quiet places like church). Good luck!

Golden Gate Fam said...

Glad things are looking up for you guys! I'm not sure exactly what the book says, but I do know that my mother used a 1-2-3 counting system on me and I think she thought it worked well. I was more of a wait-till-2.5 kind of gal, while my brother was obedient at 1. What can I say? :)

Anika said...

Yay for the medal and 1-2-3 working!! Yay for things looking up! Woohoo!

Tricia said...

I went out and bought night cream and under-eye wrinkle cream about 6 months ago- and even if you don't need it now, why not get into the habit now? At least that's how I feel. Happy up-coming b'day. I still always remember yours every year, since it is just 2 days before mine =). Hope all continues to go well with the young'ens! Love Trish

Ruthie Douglas said...

Night cream, day cream...all of it! I swear, its only 30 but it feels younger and seems older. YAY for our bdays!