Bye Bye Binky

We are finally free of the binkys!!!!

And I say we because we were all involved in Nixon's binky habit.

We'd have to search for them before nap time, before bed, when we were about to leave the house, and when we were at home.

And the thing that bugged me the most was that he would talk with them in his mouth.

It was ridiculous.

And I got fed up with it.

I made up my mind that we were going to take them away.

Nic wasn't really on board with me.

I was 100% on board so I made the decision that we were doing it.

We were VERY nervous about it because for all of you that know Nixon, you know how attached to those he was.

We waited to do it over a weekend so that if we had some rough nights, Nic wouldn't have to get up for work in the morning.

So Thursday night while Nixon was asleep, I went on a binky hunt to make sure that I had all of them and that he wouldn't find one randomly someday.

I got all of them and then just cut the nipple off of them.

I let Nixon sleep with one Thursday night and when he woke up Friday morning I snuck and cut that last one.

I didn't show them to him.

I waited for him to come to me and ask for one.

When he did that, I handed him one and he looks at me and says, "What happened?"

It took everything in me to not laugh.

I said, "I don't know.  What did happen?"

He then said, "they broken" and then laughed about it.

I was surprised.

Every time he asked for one, I reminded him that they were broken.

He thought it was funny every time I reminded him they were broken.

I also reminded him that they are for babies and that he's a big boy so he doesn't need them anymore.

Nic and I were shocked.

We were expecting a huge fit/meltdown.

He never once cried for his binkys.

Putting him to sleep wasn't a problem either.

Nic and I both said that we wish we would have done it earlier.

He did end up getting really sick the weekend we took them away.

He got strep and Croup.

It ended up being a rough weekend and this whole last week he's been pretty sick.

He asked for them a lot this past week.

Great timing to take them away huh?!?  

We still stuck with it.

He doesn't even really ask for them anymore.

It's great!

We are so proud of him!!!

P.S. Thank You to Lindsey, Nic's cousin for the idea of cutting the binkies!!!

A Little Frustration

This shirt describes the Terrible Twos to a T.

Nixon is almost 2 1/2 years old and is right in the middle of the terrible twos.

We've definitely been getting a run for our money with him.

He's started hitting and kicking when he wants our attention, when he doesn't get his way, or just for no reason at all.

He hits other kids when they have something that he wants.

That's embarrassing.

And frustrating.

The kicking thing has just barely started and we have no idea where that came from.

He's stared asking why to EVERYTHING.

He doesn't listen and mind very well either.

He does things out of spite.
He's also learned some naughty words thanks to older cousins and neighborhood friends.
He'll say, "I say naughty words" and then say them.

How does a 2 year old know how to push so many buttons???

I'm feeling a little overwhelmed lately.

A little inadequate.

I feel like I'm doing the best I can, but it's not good enough.

I know it's his age and the stage he's at, but I feel like he has control over me some times.

That's not how it's supposed to be.

I'll give in sometimes so I don't have to deal with a huge fit or tantrum.

But that's my fault and I know when I do that, I'm creating a disaster later.

Sometimes I feel like it's just not worth the headache I guess.

I love him to pieces.

He brings so much joy and happiness to me.

He also knows how to push my buttons at just the right time.

Anyone else out there know what I'm talking about???

I'm sure there is.

And if there is, I would LOVE some advice.

5 Month Update

Our little Taters is 5 months old today.

I can't believe how fast the time goes by when you have 2 kids.

I can't believe 5 months has gone by already.

It's hard to remember what life was like without her.

She is such a happy little baby.

She makes us all so happy.

Mama and Taytum on Easter Sunday.

Daddy's little girl.

She is so smiley.

She loves when we talk to her.

She gets really excited and talks back.

She is now rolling over from her back to her stomach.

And she finally figured out how to get her arm out from under her.

This is her new thing that she does when she eats.

She always has her arm over her eyes.

We've decided she likes to have her face covered.

She'll always but her blankie over her face.

She also likes to have her face pressed up against the bumper in her crib.

That scares me.

I always move her when I see her like that.

She likes to sit up and see everything that's going on around her.

She likes to watch Mickey Mouse Clubhouse with Nixon.

She also enjoys the Baby Einstein DVDs.

We've started her on rice cereal.

It took her a little bit to get used to, but she's great now.

She's enjoying eating it.

We're now going to start baby food.

She's eating 5 oz. every 2 1/2 to 3 hours.

She is the biggest cuddle bug EVER.

She has been since day 1.

She loves to be held.

She loves to sleep while being held.

She loves to be cuddled.

We LOVE to cuddle her!

She's obsessed with her fingers.

She ALWAYS has them in her mouth.

She drools a ton when her fingers are in her mouth.

Love those cheeks.

She's still sleeping through the night great.

She's also getting better at taking her day naps in her crib.

She gets excited when music is on.

She kicks like crazy and flails her arms.

She hasn't been crazy about her car seat as of late.

We think it's because she likes to look around.

She's starting to hold toys in her hands and put them in her mouth.

She loves to sit in her bumbo chair and hang out when I'm cooking or doing something.

We have also gotten her cradle cap and her eczema under control!!! YAY!

We love this face!!!

She such a little chunker butt and we love it.