In my home this week, John is feeling rather smug because we had two successful outings with Caleb. I won't burst his bubble and tell him it's NOT the outings that are at issue with the child. And yes, I'm using his name and will in future use all the other's names once more as well. You all know who everyone is anyway and what's going on because you are smart enough to figure things out. No secrets shared, just returning to normal, ok?
No, outings are not an issue. It's the daycare environment that seems to be his ruination. Not saying that it's all smooth as melting butter at home, because there are rough days and I promise you if no little voice ever screeches NO at me ever again in this lifetime it will be the biggest blessing of my life. But we see progress in inches. Potty training this past week: abysmal. Not one success, lots of "I'm done," without any effort at all, or truly meaning it because when we got to the bathroom he really was 'done' and obviously had no need. It wasn't until the last time I took him on Friday evening that we had a bit of success. Mini M&M's coming right up...and for the record, I won't worry that he's eating too much sugar if we get just six mini M&M's in one week. Seems kind of silly, doesn't it?
On Friday morning, when I switched his safe place from a cramped corner to a larger hidden space in the living room that he also finds comforting, the change was met with approval by him. However, I admonished him reminding him not to play with something in the new area, though I was certain a temper tantrum was to follow, and he quietly and sweetly said "Yes Ma'am". John and I both gasped and stared at one another. Three steps back and one step forward. We'll do this in bits and pieces, I guess.
Work:
Just so did the work in the house get done last week, in bits and pieces. I didn't hit all my goals for the week for extra work. I never made it out to the shed at all, but I did manage to get the front porch blown free of all the stuff that the wind and cat and dog managed to deposit on the floor. That looked much better. The kitchen got clean. I took Caleb to the playground and on my own at that without any help.
But those lists? Not made. I've been too tired to think and that's truth. John's not feeling well at all and it's worrying me no end. He did make a doctor's appointment, so that's on this week's 'work' list.
More potty training. I do recall that Amie spoiled me horribly when I went to train her. It took something like one day and she was done and never had an accident. Samuel...that was a trial. He was still having accidents well into age four and almost five. Katie was trained by the nursery she attended, and she had accidents too, well into her fourth year, but she was trained quite early, well before her 2nd birthday. So, we go on. Comforted deeply and often by Anne's comment here that someone told her when she was training her boys.
Zone 2: Living and Dining Room. We cleaned the ceiling fans last week because we got a new vacuum with a longer reach. Lovely. I need to dust for sure. If at all possible, I really need to sort out the buffet and straighten the bookshelves for the 1000th time. I ought to dig into the two cabinets that I seldom look into and see what is in each and whether it's something we want to keep.
Just survive the week. Seriously. Anything extra I can pull off one of my previously written work or monthly goal lists will please me tremendously.
Kitchen:
The single biggest help last week was a day of meal prep last Monday. Boy did that make the week go a lot smoother as far as preparing supper went. I want to take time this week to plan out all three meals of each day and I'll do what I can for prepping them.
I'd like to make one of my shoe box meal ideas. Not one I've already tried but one that is new to me. If I get a few moments, I'll try to put a few of the meal kit ingredients together with recipe cards inside the bags.
I made a Roasted Chicken on Friday for an easy evening meal. Leftovers to use up this week include some of that chicken and the leftover roast that I froze.
Make apple pie(s) and egg rolls to go into the freezer.
Meals:
Gramma's Fried Chicken, Mac n Cheese, Salad
Shredded Bbq Chicken Sandwiches, Sweet Potato Fries, Coleslaw
Tuna Casserole, Green Beans, Tomatoes OR Tuna Pasta salad with tomato soup, but tuna and pasta in some form or other and tomatoes, too.
Beef Pot Pie, Pub Fries, Grape Salad
Ham with Pineapple, Butter Beans, Potato Salad
Southwestern Style Chicken Soup with Rice, Cornbread
Steaks, Salad with Caramelized Mushrooms and Onions, Garlic Bread
Personal/Leisure:
The only task on my list I managed last week was to finish the Mary Stewart book, The Last Enchantment. At the time of this writing, I haven't yet chosen another book to read, but I will. I just needed time to get the residue of the last book out of my system. Some books just soak in a little more than others and leave me with a feeling of being hung over when I'm done with them. Do any of you feel the same about certain books? I think I'm in the mood for a bit of Miss Read, or Grace Livingston Hill.
Pedicure: exfoliate, smooth, Polish.
Wardrobe set up of at least ten outfits. Just as well I didn't get the heavy sweaters switched out of my current wardrobe. I've been informed that by the end of this week we'll see 46F as a high and below frost point for a nighttime temp. That's quite a plummet from nearly 85 and humid...Y'all just pray for these peaches and strawberries down this way, please.
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6 comments:
My husband's Christmas present to me this year was a box of 25 old Grace Livingston Hill paperbacks. This will provide reading material for the whole year!
You are such an encouragement Teri. You are doing a hard, but wonderful work in keeping your home running, in order, and keeping a young grandchild. You encouraged me this week when I was feeling a little low and overwhelmed as we have more month than money this month :). I have plenty of pantry/freezer stores to pull from, but it all involves work to make it happen. Between working part-time, caring for my home and the people in it, caring for my 97 year old mother-in-law, and preparing for a daughter's wedding in May, I feel like meal prep is the last thing I want to be doing. But do it I will-as I was shopping trying to fill in some gaps I thought, "I can picture Teri, Brandi, and Patsi cheering me on." I hope your next week is a good restful one.
And Annabel! 🙂
I bet Caleb would thrive in an integrated preschool setting—that would be via a special education evaluation. All your posts indicate, to me, that he is sensory seeking and would thrive with a little Occupational Therapy as well. Does your county offer evaluations for children 3-5? I’m Renee Lee on your FB. How I love your blogs, mama. ❤️
I know just what you mean about a book hangover. I felt that way about the last book I just read - The Dry Grass of August by Anna Jean Mayhew. Whew. On to something frivolous and light! I took myself to the nail salon on Saturday and had someone else do my nails and toes after having such a rough February mentally. I nearly fell asleep in the pedicure chair and that was without the massager on! I rarely splurge like that but it was good to feel a little pampered. Now it's time to pick my fanny up off the proverbial floor and get back into some sort of routine and get myself and my home cleaned up.
I agree with Nilsa as I have raised one step child and 3 grandsons with those issues. IF not dealt with correctly it will be a lot worse when he goes to regular school.
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