Growing pains

So, life has taken us for a ride lately.  It seems it's all I can do to keep up with two kids.  And although I know I've surpassed the "survival mode" that you enter when you bring home a newborn, I still feel as though I'm only keeping up and never getting ahead.  I'm certainly not about to start getting into the Super Mommy debate, but seriously, how do some people do it?!

Cole will be 7 months next week, and he has made tremendous strides.  Not only in the fun developmental things, like rolling, sitting up, babbling, etc, but in his sleep patterns, too!  Yeah!  I will never forget the days of chronic 30 minute naps, but they are starting to fade.  I can now spend a good hour or more alone during the day, which is fantastic.  I should truly take a hint and take a nap, but I don't.  I enjoy attempting to get things done and keeping up with this blog is one of the things I've had to let slip, along with exercise, laundry, and cooking!  He is such a fun age right now and it's amazing to watch his personality really start to emerge.  Time is really flying. 

Max is 2.  Do I need to say more?  Some days that translates to "ugh."  And some days it's so great.  His vocabulary is awesome.  He stuns me at least once a day with his ability to put concepts and words together.  Max also has a very sweet disposition.  He absolutely adores Cole and loves to be my helper. My heart soars when I watch him do things to make Cole laugh or go in to hold Cole's hand through the crib slats if he cries and I can't get there right away.  And then there are those days when my blood pressure skyrockets and my patience is unraveling.

I know that transitions are hard.  Especially big ones like moving from Colorado Springs to Salt Lake City.  Max has watched most of his large belongings get sold off.  He has tolerated it really well - better than I would imagine any kid doing.  We just told him that we were sharing some of our favorite things with others who needed them.  He gets sharing very well.  He actually got excited when we explained a new house, near a new mountain, picking out a new bed, etc.  But, that's a big change coupled with a loooong drive.  So, despite being exciting, it has caused some oppositional behavior.  I realize that this is just his need to exert some control over the situation, but man, is it ever tiring.

So, what does a mother do?  Google, of course.  And I came up with a fun craft project for me and a reward system for Max.  A friend of mine was making a chore chart for her son and offered to create one for Max.

I love this idea for teaching responsibility and am hoping to expand upon it using a token economy for good behavior.  After the last few days, I want to encourage and use incentives instead of bribing or depriving.  I know he needs some time to adjust, but perhaps this will help turn defiance into harmony.  I'll post pics of my completed project.  No really, I will this time.

Parenting is a whole new kind of education.  Not unlike school or work, there are challenges and areas for improvement on a daily basis.  Being in charge of a toddler, teaching him to listen and respect, assert himself at the right times and slow down and be careful at other times is probably one of the hardest things I'm learning to do.  Because of course, all of this happens concurrently with your everyday responsibilities of clothing, feeding, and trying to diaper and/or potty train your children.  I've come to realize that some of the things I struggled with as a child, adolescent and adult, have come back to me in parenting my own kids.  It's such a blessing to have the chance to correct or learn to manage the things that weren't my strengths.  I guess you kind of have to.  So, we're all growing.