Sharing

During the day there is always a fight over toys. I am a broken record telling them to share and take turns. Carlos and Gavin even have war wounds from some of their better fights. Today is slightly different. Gavin was walking around with his snack cup full of Lucky Charms, and at one point he put it down to grab a toy. Emma crawled to it as quickly as she could and started helping herself. Gavin then realized Emma had his snack cup and said mine...I was thinking here we go again...so Gavin got the snack cup from Emma and started feeding her. He then turned to me and said in his almost two year language that he was sharing with Emma. It was very cute, and I was happy that he was sharing. We will see how sharing goes the rest of the day.

Mine

Carlos' vocabulary is definitely growing. He repeats almost everything you ask him to with a big grin and smile. He can count up to three, and finds it funny to count with me when I am counting as I am waiting for someone to do something or listen. It's hard to stay focused because he breaks my attention with his charming voice and smile. Every once in a while, you get a stern "no" if he doesn't want to do it. He has definitely started using "no" more liberally, and he has also started using "mine." I am sure those are every two year old's favorite words. He is quick to tell Emma and Gavin mine when they want to play with a toy he has at the moment. Tonight I had Carlos, Emma and Sammy in the bath together. Carlos likes to play and walk around in the tub. When he was standing near Emma she was reaching up, when I heard Carlos say "mine." I'm sure you can imagine what Emma was trying to grab, and lets just say that it was not toy. It was hard to not laugh, but I didn't want it to become a game for Emma, so I gave her as serious as a look as I could at that moment. She went back to playing with her caterpillar cups, and that was the end of that. My baby boy is growing up and that makes me a tad sad, but at the same time I am happy that he knew his body is his.

Tell me what you want me to do...

you can be my master. I don't really know where this game came from, but I heard Sammy tell John David this twice. John David never told him to do anything, but Sammy would even call him master. Sammy is still in his pretend world every now and then...I just don't like him being subservient and calling his brother master. I guess we will have to wait and see what happens with this.

Go Gators

This morning I packed up the kids and we went to see John David at his track and field day. Everyone had a good time munching on lots of snacks and sno cones. John David and his classmates had a good time. It was obvious which activitities he preferred over others, but he definitely had fun. The favs were hula hoops, parachute, obstacle course, and both the fish and sand relay. He will definitely be tired when he comes home from school today.

Potty Time

Carlos has been getting better about telling me when he needs a diaper change and he goes potty before his bath everynight, so I decided it was time to try some underwear. We got out the Elmo underwear and he was sooo excited to wear them. So yesterday he wore underwear for a period of two hours, and had 3 accidents. By that time I was ready for diapers and so was he. He definitely did not like the wet clothes feeling...he was quick to let me know he needed a change. This morning we were going to be out so no underwear today. We will try again another day.
Now I must also share the potty story from last night. I told him to go potty before his bath. He walked over to his little potty chair, and straddled it. Then he put both of his little hands on the wall for support, and then he went pee pee. It was really funny...he was imitating his older brothers. My baby boy is definitely growing up.

Parenting Styles

Today I took the kiddos to Target and then we headed to the playground. While at the playground I had an interesting experience...it was one of those things that makes you think.
Here is the scene...we arrive at our neighborhood park, and it was empty. I started unloading the kiddos and the toys. While we are finishing the process another car pulls up. Most of the time my clan is the majority at the playground...but not today. The second vehicle that pulls up joined us with 6 children and two adults. The approximate ages of the children were..5 year old boy, 4 year old girl, 4 year old boy, 3 year old girl, 2 year old girl, and 1 year old boy. They had the Regalado clan out numbered....this was a first at the neighborhood park. So the two adults were two men...and they each had children within the bunch of six, but not all the kids were theirs. How do I know this you ask...a talkative 5 year old from this bunch told me so...they were however all cousins. Kinda like Gavin with us.
After being there about 5 minutes a lady arrives with her one son...I would say he was about 2 years old. From the minute he got there he was not on his best behavior.Within minutes he throwing and kicking rocks and all she did was give him a look...so he kept right on doing it. He walked right to where Sammy was playing and threw rocks into Sammy's truck...Sammy was not too thrilled and told him "no, my rolly pollies are in there." However he kept doing it...mom just looked at me and said "sorry." She made no attempt to correct his behavior or explain what Sammy was telling him. Sammy had found some rolly pollies while playing and was wanting to keep them in the truck. He later showed me that one of his rolly pollies was no longer moving...and that it was the little boy's fault.
So this men had complete control of the children at all times. These two men were blowing bubbles for about 15 minutes to entertain the younger ones. They pushed the little ones on the swing, and made paper airplanes for some of the older ones. At one point the children had asked to borrow some of our shovels, and my gang and the older four from their gang were playing together along with the single child. The single child starting knocking down with a rake what all the other children were doing. Mommy who was within 2 feet said "be nice," and he continued swinging the rake around. Couple minutes later he hits one of the girls...once again mommy says "be nice." Somehow this mom leaves to go to the other side of the playground so she can chat on her cell phone. I just can't imagine what could be more important than watching your child around 10 children you don't know. During this phone time...one of the dads says to the kids no more shovels, it's time to run around and play. I almost laughed because that sounds like what I tell my kids when all the want to do is swing. All the kiddos dropped their shovels and started playing...not a single complaint. Then the dad told them to return the shovels, and they obeyed at the first request...and they were all returned with the appropriate thank you's. The oldest boy asked me if he could play with one of our trucks...I said yes...and he was so excited to see that he could scoop rocks, and dump them out by releasing a lever on the truck. He asked if he could show his dad the truck, and was grinning from ear to ear when I said yes. When he brought the truck back, he asked me where we got the truck...and if Santa had made it at his workshop. Very cute! He is also the one who was trying to tell me who was related to who in the bunch, and all of his aunts and uncles names...so I got a tad lost on the genealogy...after all I had to watch my kiddos at the same time.
My thoughts on this scenario...are kids from families with multiple children better behaved than only children? I would like to think that if John David were my only child he would just as well behaved...but would he be able to get away with more? Does the number of kids affect the parenting style? So for me with four kiddos routine is a must...or it would be hard to manage all of them. Or is it the gender? The guys never got a single moan or complaint. When it was time for their group to leave...they told their children to get their water bottles, and get in the car...and they all listened at the first command. I have to admit that i got a whine from Carlos when I took him off the swing so we could leave...but a simple refocus on a drink of water did the trick to soothe him. It also seems that JP gets less attitude than I do from the kids as well. Or is it that some parents are too concerned about being a friend to their child, and letting them express themselves at the expense of everyone else? If a child does not listen at age two, what will cause him to listen at a later age? I know this is extreme, but is this child going to diagnosed with some disorder all because he was never taught to listen or pay attention as a toddler? If a mom is willing and able to leave her child for a phone conversation in a public area...what kind of attention does this child receive within their private home. Is it good or bad that the child is so secure in a public place, surrounded by strangers and never stopped to look for his mom. He just kept doing his own thing...swinging rakes, and rocks. I can't even go to the restroom without someone following me in our own house...they would definitely track me down in public as well.
All in all I must admit that I was very impressed to see the two dads out there with their group of kiddos...having a good time.

Mommies Day

We got an early start and joined JP's family for 8 am mass in Kyle. (Raja you should be glad did was not your wake up call day...I was too tired to remember.) By the time we reached JP's parents house he said that we would barely be getting out of church. In our early start we had already gone to mass, gone out to eat breakfast, and stopped by Shipley's for donuts. Shortly after that we headed to JP's uncle's house. The kids played outside while the daddies cooked. It was great to watch all the cousins play together. When the food was ready a decision was made to move the festivities indoors...it had gotten way too hot. We then ate some steaks and potatoes, and italian cream cake for dessert...yummy!
By three we were on the move again...back to Austin. The kids napped on the way to my sister's house. We made a stop for gas and for more desserts at Central Market. When we reached my sisters' house...more cousins to play with. We had ribs, steaks and rice. Plus the desserts from Central Market. We were actually sampling desserts for Julie's graduation party, so I think that she picked a dessert. The kids had a blast playing wii and dancing to DJ Marcos' music. By the time we headed home it was after 8...but John David remembered something.
He still had his presents for school...so he gave me an envelope. Inside there was a pot holder says ""i love mommy" and a card that he decorated with a picture of him. The picture is of him from the rodeo so he is in cowboy gear...very cute. Then Sammy remembered that he forgot to make me a card...so I told him that was okay.
I am very fortunate to have a wonderful hubby, and our four little ones. Despite it being a full day, I enjoyed spending the day with family.

Good Job, JP

On saturday I went to work. Upon my return I found JP surrounded with the kiddos as he was trying to arrange my beautiful red roses in vases. John David and Sammy were quick to say "happy mother's day", and Carlos was very excited as he was talking and pointing to the flowers. The boys said that the went to the store with daddy and helped picked them. To my surprise the instructions on the flowers called for 1/2 water and 1/2 sprite...never heard of that before. My dining room and kitchen table look and smell wonderful thanks to my boys, and Emma.
Later that evening JP went upstairs to tell the boys good night. Apparently John David whispered to his daddy that the flowers were a good idea, and that he did a good job. JP and I laughed at that.

Goodbye Nelly

So on friday we took Sammy to the pediatrician to have his stiches removed. He was a excited about no more wound cleaning, but a bit anxious about haveng the stitched removed. He did fabulous, and that was over in a about one minute. His cut has comletely closed and looks like any other cut now. The doctor asked if he wanted a band-aid and was very excited to receive a snoopy one. When he got him and looked in the mirror he said...look at all my snoopys. The snoopy band aid was remove don friday night, and he has been without one since. He has been good about wearing a cap, and about letting me put sunscreen on his face.

Be careful in the shower

So today was a fun filled day with a church picnic, and swimming at my brother's house. We came home to take showers and baths so we could go to bed. As I was putting Emma and Carlos in the bath, John David comes to tell me that Sammy fell. SO I get John David to stay with the babies. Go and check on Sammy and see that he has a cut on his cheek...looked deeper than a traditional cut, so my hunch was that it would need stitches. I called our friend Rusty who is a PA...he says send me some pics and I'll give you a call back. I tell John David and Sammy to get their jammies on, while I finish bathing the babies. Put the babies down for bed and then get a call back from Rusty. He said to take him in. I already had Mama Schneider on alert...so she comes over to have an adult in the house while I take Sammy to the ER. Rusty's concern was whether Seton Southwest would do the stiches or if I would have to go the children's hospital. Well let me tell you that Seton was awesome. The nurse made sure to explain everything to Sammy and let him touch some items to get him comfortable in his new environment. They used a topical numbing cream...so it took longer than lidocaine to kick in, but it didn't hurt or sting him. The only needle used was the one used to apply two stitches after having the cream on for an hour. We were back home in around two hours. Sammy was great while we waited and he lots of questions, but never cried...not even when he first fell. On the way home we stopped to purchase some bandaids and neosporin. In order he picked out Spiderman, Trans Formers, and Scooby Doo. We need to change out his bandaid twice a day...so we needed to stock up.
Downside of this is obviously minimal water to his wound...of course this comes after I mentioned to the boys that we could get the waterslide out this week....I guess maybe next week. Then we need to limit his sun exposure the next four months to minimize scarring...great summer is just about to start. I guess we will have to let him pick out a cool hat or cap for him to wear.
I must say that Sammy was awesome throughout all of this, and I am very proud of him! For example at the hospital he saw some cookies in the vending machine., and he asked if we could get them for John David. I told him we already had some of those at home, and he said John David likes those and that way he would have more when he runs out. He is such a sweet guy...thinking of others during his moment.