What do you do in this situation? You just got the 2 babies calmed down in their car seats and they’ve fallen asleep. It’s only 5pm so do you wake them up to get them tired again for bedtime? -or- Do you carefully ease them both into their beds? This is just one of those dilemmas of parenthood. So … what did I do you may ask? Take a guess (hint … I am blogging now but may be paying for it later LOL).
I just did a search on this topic and found nothing satisfactory by way of “how to.” It is really tough going to a movie with my little group since currently they are aged 6 months, 3 years, and 9 years. Still, I’ve made it through movies with all these ages before, and am attempting to get through the Golden Compass tomorrow with all of them! Here’s what I’ll be remembering:
1. Plan ticket purchasing and seating plans in advance (buy online if possible). Small kids are like wind-up timers, the more time you spend on anything besides the movie, the sooner they will get fussy.
2. Bring a bag with lots of snacks for the babies. Also, quiet toys they enjoy are great to have on hand. If the babies take bottles, bring 2 (for each). Now is not the time to say no to yummy candies and treats. Surprising them with “yummies,” as we call them, can keep them occupied for a long time.
3. Accept that one adult will be “on call” to take a kid outside if needed. If a child starts crying and won’t stop, don’t disturb the movie goers more than you already have, just plan to get up and get the details of the movie you missed from your spouse when you return or after.
4. Keep the baby up from its nap before the movie so she/he will be more likely to fall asleep on your shoulder during the movie or while you are taking a walk in the hallway calming the baby down.
5. Get the older toddler interested in a particular aspect of the movie: ie; “Look for the polar bears sweety!” or “can you see the little girl?” Small whispers like these while you stay close to them or hold them on your lap will keep their minds interested and focused and thereby quiet throughout the movie.
6. Finally: Have your bag with snacks and/or the snacks you purchased at the movies (have one parent get these while the other goes and finds seats) right close to you on the floor so when one child acts up you can have them immediately on hand to engage the child. You might also have a stuffed animal handy the child likes.
These are just a few things we have done to get our small children through a movie. I’m hopeful tomorrow will go well. What do you do to get through movies with your small children?
My wife Sarah and I at my first HD gig 2005Anyone who says marriage is easy was never married. It’s also fabulous, amazing, miraculous, and satisfying when you learn and take the time to do it right. (emphasize learn)
When you talk with your spouse, you have to understand that at least 75% of the terms you use are being heard differently than you intended. For example: if as a husband I say to my wife: “I spent 35 minutes listening to this person’s story, it was so amazing!” she may or may not be hearing the following: “Instead of calling you on my lunch hour to find out how the kids were doing and about your flat tire that day (or whatever … you can fill in the blanks here), I decided a virtual stranger at work was more interesting so I devoted my time to them.”
Now, dont think the wife here is being selfish, she is not. She is simply interpreting her husband’s words through the details of her day. On a day where she may have been very busy and not at home to worry about the call or lack thereof, his statement might have been harmless, but on a day like the one she’s apparently had: he’s blown it!
Instead of trying to explain himself in a situation like this, the husband is better off apologizing and admitting fault, not because he has done anything terribly wrong but because he neglected her feelings in not calling and in not putting her first that day.
Some might argue that the wife here in this situation is being overly needy, maybe even a bit demanding. I would say no, she is not. If the person he is talking about is truly important to the family and the marriage, then the husband would have a gripe. But is this random story really worth putting above your wife and her feelings?
I have learned that it’s important to prioritize your wife above all else. Just think about all she does for you? My wife is my prize and there is no one more important on a human level. I used to try and stick up for myself in times like the one above mentioned, but I have realized through time that it’s in the best interest of everyone to acknowledge my wife’s feelings and admit that she SHOULD be my priority. These situations dont come up every day, but when they do I am glad I know the way through, and more importantly, I know my priorites.
My kids again.
We had fun taking our kids around this Halloween. I have to say though that the streets around here seem less and less festive about this holiday. Three years ago I distinctly recall at least 5 “haunted house” style garages on our walk. This year, there wasn’t even anybody jumping out just for fun! That was probably just as well since we had our 2 1/2 year old out with us and she was scared a few times by quite innocuous things. I did see a kick-butt vintage Star Wars ‘77 “Jawa” costume though.
All the holidays pass by too fast for me. I take a breath and it’s the next one. I need to be more proactive about blogging about them . . . so I know they really happened :) Other things change as well. A year ago I could have spent a lot more time on photoshopping and adding 1,000 more words to this post. But I have to go now because the 5 month old baby is crying and I think I’ve said enough anyway ;) How was your Halloween? Do your holidays speed past like mine? Was your neighborhood festive?
When I had started talking to a cute brunette through Yahoo! Personals a couple times in July/August 2002 and I lived in Dana Point, CA in a tiny studio apartment that was undecorated and completely representative of a single 33 year old in limbo in his career and in his distant plan for a family, I had no idea that love was embedded in that very chapter.
The brunette was working in her 11th year at Carrows in Hesperia, CA. She lived in her own double wide trailer in a park in Apple Valley. She was dating someone, I had just broken up with someone. Actually she and him were on again off again, but they weren’t 100% over. This didn’t really concern me because after my last relationship’s lousy ending I was not in a hurry to get involved with someone. I just wanted to make potential dating friends in this new strange “high desert” area I landed a job in (Adelanto). She and I talked a bit before I made the move but once I got up here and started sharing an apartment with a friend, our conversations went on hiatus.
Before I knew it I was catapulted into teaching my 5th grade class like a whirlwhind. As a new teacher, there are more trainings called “in-services” than you can fill a schedule with and they just hit you one after another at the beginning of the year. When people at work would ask about my status, I would answer them: “I’m happy and single and happy being single, I don’t want a relationship.” Our secretary later joked with me that she wondered if I might be gay since I reiterated that over and over so much. But I guess that was kind of a lie anyway, because I picked back up talking to Sarah again online after the year got underway.
I was moved and attracted to 2 things right away about her: 1) She was a mommy. This was important to me because I really wanted to be a dad since as long as I could remember. 2) She wanted to get her degree and become a teacher. I felt that with these two traits, she was more than likely my type. Not to mention she looked cute in the pics she posted so I felt like she might be someone I could spend more time with for sure.
After talking online, me talking her ear off and playing her James Taylor songs over the phone, we were set for our first “real” meeting. It was scheduled, but one night Sarah decided she wanted to fish or cut bait and she said she wanted to meet THAT VERY night!!! I was a little worried, as is normal I think, but I figured we ought to get moving forward so I got as dressed up and one should for this sort of meeting and hopped in my Jeep to meet her. We met at Hollywood video and looked at videos, then had a first date I won’t ever forget. Some already know the longterm end of this story. We were married a month later. Don’t always be skeptical about online dating, it has worked for us and I talk to more people every day that have the same sort of success stories. Our 5th Wedding anniversary is this November 9th.
I am so divinely lucky to have found Sarah (is there such a thing as divine luck? Oh well, humor me!) I am a handful and she meets the challenge. We fit as people. And you kn ow what’s really cool? We both like Power Point and blogging! I was inspired to write about her as a result of listening to George Strait’s new tune today: “How ‘Bout Them Cowgirls.” Every time I hear it I think of how lucky I am to have my cowgirl!
How ‘Bout Them Cowgirls Lyrics
Artist: George Strait
I felt a rush of the Rio Grande into Yellowstone
I’ve seen first-hand Niagra Falls
And the lights of Vegas
I’ve Criss-crossed down to Key Biscayne
And Chi-town via Bangor, Maine
Think I’ve seen it all
And all I can say isChorus:
How ’bout them cowgirls
Boys ain’t they somethin’
Sure are some proud girls
And you can’t tell them nothin’
And I tell you right now girls
May just be seven wonders of this big, old round world
But how ’bout them cowgirlsShe’s ridin’ colts in Steamboat Springs
Bailing hay outside Abilene
She’s trying hard
To fit in in some city
But her home is ‘neath that big, blue sky
And the Northern Plains and those other wide open spaces
Now a-days there ain’t as many butRepeat Chorus:
Boy, she don’t need you and she don’t need me
She can do just fine on her own two feet
But she wants a man who wants her to be herself
And she’ll never change, don’t know how to hide
Her stubborn will or her fightin’ side
But you treat her right and she’ll love you like no one elseYeah, how ’bout them cowgirls
Boys ain’t they somethin’
Sure are some proud girls
But you can’t beat their lovin’
And I’ll tell you right now girls
May just be seven wonders of this big, old round world
But how ’bout them cowgirls
How ’bout them boys
To have the notoriety and affluent image associated with a personalized license plate, just take the numbers and letters in your random plate and assign meaning to them. ie;
4JUN443 = “The 4th of June at Four Forty Three in the afternoon I realized a milestone in life.” (whatever that is?)
Not only will this impress people at parties (though it may annoy your wife or husband who knows the jig is up) but it will also help you to remember your license plate number for all time.
BTW, thanks to my wife for reminding me not to list my actual lic. plate on my blog! You rock! To would-be commenters: Just a reminder to not list yours either.
A guest speaker came and spoke to the teachers in my district and what he had to say was stunning.
Apparently this guy had won a scholarship out of the projects and he played professional football for years. He talked about how his parents always stressed education as important. He tried hard in school and fought and eventually, won a scholarship. He felt as if he’d made it!
A few years living the high life he got a phone call that a couple kids had gone in and done a gang killing . . . killing all his family. He told us that they were illiterate and actually admitted later they hit the wrong house. They had read the street name wrong.
You can see his point. While he was the kid that mentors, teachers, and parents paid attention to, there were at least two that people gave up on. they got attention from the gang and without education went out to do the gang’s dirty work.
This particular NFL football player travels to schools to tell his story. As a teacher, it was a major wake-up call. There is always at least one student in the class that you are tempted to just let go, to ignore. You figure they’ll never get it and they’ll never try. Well, as the story so ghastly shows, those could be the ones who end up killing your family. Every kid is important. As a teacher I know how I can reach out. It might take more creativity for the average person out there. I think it’s worth considering.
We went to the library today as a family. It’s really a cool one up here. We checked out 27 books between us all! From Dr. Seuss to the Magic Schoolbus to books on what dad picked, you guessed it: Blogging!
I’ve been trying to define my blog since its inception. The saga continues . . . I checked out three books on blogging that look really cool:
Lately I’ve written about how studying the history of blogging is a great research tool. I’m a big proponent of going to the library and doing those sorts of things. Well, off to read what published stuff has to say!
