SCHOOL HAS BEGUN!!!

As some people call it “Mom’s New Year”!!  It is that time of year where routine comes back and the kids are out of the house for more than two hours.

With back to school comes new stuff, I asked myself do they actually NEED new back-to-school items?  My answer was NO, for certain items.

I found that my kids don’t need new bags or lunch boxes EVERY year, I took a quick look at their backpacks and found that my daughter can use hers for another year (this will be the third year), but my son has a massive hole in the bottom of his backpack from dragging it, so he required a new one.  As for their lunch pails they both were in great condition and didn’t require replacement.

The only new things the kids actually needed were indoor and outdoor shoes, water bottles and the items on the teachers list (i.e., pencil crayons, pencils, markers, glue sticks etc.), but before we went out to buy any items on the teacher’s list I made sure to double check to see what we had left over from last year.  I was able to save on glue sticks, erasers and scissors.

I am really trying to teach my kids that you don’t need new items every year just because it is a new school year.  If your bag or other items are in good condition you can use them again.  This is a personal decision I have made for my family, which works for us, but it might not work for every family.

Some tips I use when back-to-school comes around are:

1. Take inventory about what you already have.
2. See if your kids can use their backpacks from the previous year, as well as any pencil cases and lunch pails.
3. Check your kid’s closet to see if those clothes from spring and last fall/winter still fit and are in good condition to minimize the amount you need to get for this upcoming fall/winter season.
4. As for those dreaded indoor shoes and most likely outdoor shoes, as kids grow like weeds year to year, try and find sales like buy one get 50% off, or go for the items on sale.
5. I also like to search for any coupons that can be used either online or in store. A lot of the time if you sign up for emails from a store you can get a discount on your first purchase.

I hope this new school year is a great one.

Until next time!

YOUR THIRD CHILD

We had our third child five years after our second, purposely! I know crazy!!

The way we are doing things with our third child compared to our first child are drastically different, at least in my case.

Here are some things I did differently:

1. I let the baby sleep! I did not wake him up every 3 hours to feed, if he was hungry he would wake up and let me know.
2. I didn’t fuss over every thing! If the dog licked his face, it wasn’t a big deal. If his soother fell on the floor, I didn’t sterilize it, just a quick wipe with a cloth.
3. I didn’t pay attention to when he was supposed to start crawling/standing/walking. As long as he got around to it and the doctor’s were not worried, I didn’t worry. Actually I secretly wished he would take longer to walk because as some of you know, as soon as they walk, they want to run and that means fights to stay in a stroller, car seat, chair, etc.
4. I wasn’t worried about if he was getting the exact amount of solids recommended, but would listen to him when he didn’t want anymore solid food and just wanted his formula.
5. NAPPING!!! It didn’t bug me if he slept longer or less during his naps. By bug I mean I didn’t have to check on him if he went past two hours and just realized he either didn’t get enough sleep during the night or was growing.
6. Freedom!! I didn’t feel the need to be constantly be entertaining my third baby. He was perfectly happy playing with some toys on his own, while I got some stuff done like tidying up, folding laundry or getting a meal prepared. He was always in the same room as me but very very happy to be playing on his own.
7. Toys. Most toys were hand me downs from my older son and daughter. He didn’t need the newest most educational toy out there. He was happy just playing with cars, hockey sticks and balls.
8. Waking up at night. My third child was the complete opposite then my older two at night. He didn’t start sleeping through the night until 2 years old and even then would wake up crying at some points. I have learned that letting them put them self back to sleep works the best.

There were certain things I did do the same as the older kids. I am very keen on routines. Mainly a nighttime routine, such as bath, pajamas, brush teeth, read a story and then bedtime. This seemed to work for all three kids as they would go to sleep fairly quickly after laying them down in bed.

Until next time.

Your Introverted Momma

 

Tantrums and the Terrible Twos!

via Daily Prompt: Tantrum

If you have or had a two year old at any point, you completely understand what I am talking about.  A two year old is starting to learn to do things on his/her own and they don’t understand why they can’t do what they want to do.  Explaining why they can’t do something just doesn’t work.

I currently have a two year old and have two older kiddies who were two year olds.  The one thing they all did was through huge tantrums over little things, such as wanting a snack right before dinner, but you cannot explain that to them because they don’t understand that dinner will be ready soon.  They only know they want a snack and they want it NOW and you are not giving it to them, so the screaming, kicking, sometimes headbutting begins.

With me, I would also get tantrums when trying to leave the house and they saw a sandal from the summer in the closet that they want to wear out, but it is the middle of winter!!  So, when you say “no” and try to put on the winter boots more screaming and flailing begin, to the point where they have to be carried out to the car with no boots or coat on and put in their car seat (have you every put a toddler in a car seat when they didn’t want to, it is like trying to hold an unruly cat who doesn’t want a bath), they you have to go back into the house to grab the boots and coat to attempt to put on them on in the car.

For all the Canadians out there, TIMBITS!  When these delicious little balls of dough enter the house, the two year old automatically assumes they are his and takes the box, but as soon as you try to get a taste a tantrum ensues, with screaming “MINE”, pushing, kicking and trying to take the box somewhere else where he can eat it all to himself.  Trying to tell a two year old to share isn’t a easy task, but still making this little fireball is also necessary.

My now two year old HATES getting his diaper changed, so right there I know there is going to be a tantrum.

Let me know your stories of your most famous tantrums!!

Until Next Time.

Your Introverted Momma

WHO LIKES SHOPPING ALONE???

I DO!!!

I love shopping alone (must be the introvert in me). I can go were I want and take as long or as little time as I want.

No need for small talk, no opinions and no waiting around for someone else.

No don’t get me wrong, going shopping with someone every once in a while is great, especially if lunch is involved, and I am not really shopping for myself, i.e., Christmas.

I enjoy just being able to wonder and go into the stores that I like. Maybe trying something on, or just walking around the mall window shopping with a tea in my hand. Just writing this is making me feel relaxed.

Now the only downfall of this is, dodging those annoying sales persons.

RENOVATIONS with small humans!!!

We have decided to slowly start renovating our home.  We have come to our kitchen.  Instead of spending a huge amount of money completely redoing our kitchen we have decided to have our cabinets repainted and a new fresh coat of paint on the walls.  Here is a photo of our before:

How to Renovate with small Humans?

I wanted to talk about this as it can be a big headache keeping the kids away from the renovations.  They are so curious and want to know what is happening.  Especially toddlers, who I equate to tiny tornado’s, as all they want to do is pull everything out and throw everything around.

Tip No. 1 – Find a place in your home where you can spend your time with the kidlets where they dont have access to the area you are renovating.  I had plans to use the small part of our basement that was finished.  But our tiny tornado was good and managed to stay away from the open cabinets.

Tip No. 2 –  Wait until the kids are asleep!!!!  No questions, no little sticky helping hands and you save a lot of time.  When we had to prep the kitchen for the contractors we had to clear everything off the counter-tops and move the fridge and stove to another area.  Waiting until the kidlets were asleep saved a lot of yelling, crying and TIME!

Doing anything around the house with kids is a pain in the rear, but once it is complete it looks amazing.

Here are the after photos, let me know what you think.

Until next time!

 

I am not a B*tch, I am an Introvert

If you know me you might not agree with this statement, but for someone who doesn’t, they may think I am standoffish, a snob or just a plain bitch!

I hate small talk, being around a bunch of people I don’t know, I am not a chit-chatterer (is that how you spell that), and I am super awkward trying to talk to people I don’t really now.

What I want to say in my head doesn’t come out of my mouth the same way.  Here comes that awkward feeling!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Don’t take offence to my non-verbalness (is that even a word) and if you do I am ok with that.

“Then why are you doing a blog for all to see?”  Well to answer that question, it is easy to write and think about what you are going to say, alone, with just a computer in front of you (reading it over and over again) versus standing in front of a group of people and trying to come up with something to say on the spot without any thought.

My kids are in extracurricular activities and going to the games, practices, competitions, etc., is not at the top of my favourite things to do, but I go, smile, talk to the one or two people I know and watch. When the event is over I just stand-off away from everyone until my kids are ready to go.  If you want to talk, come on over, there is no way I will approach you, and I think that is where people confuse me with being a bitch.

I hope this helps the Chatty Cathys and Talking Tommys out there understand why some Moms or Dads don’t chit-chat at games or make small talk at the school pickup/drop-off and I really hope it makes another introverted momma or poppa not feel alone!!

Until next time!

Organized, I am not!!!

Life with three kids, two dogs and a husband is messy and busy.

Some part of my house looks like a tornado has hit it on any given day.  The moment I finally get to cleaning up one room, another room is a disaster.  It drives me absolutely crazy, but I just keep telling myself, it wont last forever.  IT WILL NOT LAST FOREVER!!!

I really do try to get things cleaned up and organized. I see how some of my friends’ houses are organized with no stacks of paper or clothes on the floor and the laundry room looks all neat and tidy, it makes me want to lock my doors and let no one in my house!  Some days I can barely keep my kitchen clean, let alone a laundry room, bedrooms and TV room.

With a toddler, an 8 year old and an almost 7 year old there always seems to be something sticky on the floor!!!  The other day I caught my toddler pouring his milk on the floor and playing in it.   I just turned around and walked away, I did not have the energy to deal with that mess after cleaning an entire kitchen after my tornado of a husband cooked.

As for my older two, I have made them responsible for cleaning their rooms.  So far their rooms are full disasters, but I really think making them responsible for their own space, regardless if they leave it messy with clothes all over the place, is a good step for them to start learning to take care of themselves and their possessions.  Every so often my husband and I will help them do a big clean to figure out what toys/clothes can be donated and organizing their room.

As for my bedroom, that is another story.  There are usually baskets of clothes that either need to be washed or are clean and need to be put away, but when I finally am able to get around to that I am way too tired at the end of the day, so there the laundry sits, in my room.

The one thing I hate is cleaning bathrooms and mopping floors.  I am actually thinking about hiring someone just to clean my bathrooms!!!  Do you know how much time that would save me.  If you have someone come in a clean your house for you, let me know how it has changed your life and if the money is worth it, as I am seriously looking into this.  I would love to come home to a nice clean house after work one day and not have to worry about the cleaning or if someone pops over!!

SOLITUDE and the best explanation of an introvert!

Once you start mentioning that you are introverted and enjoy solitude, you find a lot of other people in the same boat.

I have joined a Mental Health & Wellness Committee at work and attended my first meeting this past week and found another introvert (he actually runs the committee).  He stated that it took him a long time to realize he was introverted.  He had the best and easiest description of what being an introvert is like.  He stated that introverts start with 10 coins of social interaction for the day and a coin gets taken away for every social interaction and by the end of the day you have no more coins left (which makes you tired and in need of solitude to regenerate), but the opposite happens for an extrovert, they have no coins at the beginning of the day and as they interact socially they obtain coins, so at the end of the day they are full of coins.

When I heard this it made so much sense!!!  I have always been an early riser and had a good amount of energy in the morning, but by the time I get home and when the kids are finally asleep in their beds, I just plop on the couch exhausted and wanting to be left alone.

With a busy family life, I try to take time for myself wherever I can find it.  Some ways that help me regroup or regenerate are taking time for myself by going upstairs to watch TV an extra half an hour early, alone, or when my hubby goes out on a Friday just relaxing in the quiet of the house.  I also find I need to take a day off from work in order to get myself focused and back to good spirits again.

What are some ways you get that time you need for yourself?

First blog post

As the titled states, this is my first post as a Blogger.  I might as well introduce myself, so here it goes.

Hello my name is Nicole and I am an Introverted Momma!!  I am hoping this blog will relate to all those mommas out there who don’t do the PTA, avoid small talk with other parents at events and extracurricular activities, enjoy when the kids go to bed so you can have some alone time and are terrified of playdates.

I have finally accepted the fact that I am not a social butterfly and it has helped me realise that I don’t need to be to have healthy, happy, loving children.  I don’t do school field trips, I hate parent teacher interviews (but I force myself to go so my kids notice I am taking interest in their school) and I do my best to avoid playdates at other kids houses.  I am out of place in most social situations that involve new people and making small talk.  Mostly everyone I have ever met and happened to become friends with have told me I am a bit odd, “but in a good way”  What the hell does that mean!!

I have 3 children aged 8, 6 and 10 months.  My 8 year old, lets call her  Crazy A, she is outgoing, social and makes friends wherever she goes (just like her Daddy, Big G).   My 6 year old (lets call him Big C) is more like me, doesn’t want to talk to new people, only has a few friends and likes to be at home. My 10 month old (lets call him Little C) hasn’t shown too much of his full personality yet, but I think he will be like Crazy A.  My husband, Big G, is a HUGE extrovert.  They do say opposites attract, so I do rely and lean on him in social settings such as parties, school events and family outings, to be the one to do the talking.

My favourite thing to do is sit at home, ALONE, and watch a movie with a huge cup of tea.  This relaxes me and helps me regroup from being around little people most of the day. I find that always being around other people exhausting and I can end up getting really grumpy if I haven’t been able to be alone in a long time.  Big G doesn’t understand this as he is an extrovert and gets energy from being around people and socializing.

What are some of your favourite things to do to relieve the tense, stress and exhaustion from being an Introverted Momma?