Positivity

As I write this, I'm feeling a little stressed.  But I do have a glass of wine at my side so hopefully my stress will begin to ease and I can write something positive about the week.  I hope I'm not the only one that has these negative moments.

Well, something positive happened at the start of the week. Our fridge fixed itself! So the helpline of the manufacturer had told me that the display would correct itself in 24-48 hours but as the advice that it was still cooling was wrong we had decided this must be wrong too.  However, within 48 hours the display suddenly came on and it started working again.  So we think we managed to save all the food in time by getting it into the garage or our other freezer.  And we managed to save ourselves a callout charge from a service guy.  So that was a good start to the week.

But another thing that I mentioned last week was Naomi's behaviour.  Unfortunately, as this week has progressed we haven't seen much improvement and I've seen a lot more accidents occurring.  Very frustrating.  I'm trying so hard to be positive but just like the last time, it's difficult.  It's not so much the wet pants that gets to me.  More than once I've noticed and know that she needs to go to the toilet (she only does some of it in her pants), she then fights me saying she doesn't need to go.  Clearly she does.  After a lot of fighting and threats, she eventually gets on the toilet and of course does a big wee.  And then there is usually a fight over washing her hands.  She is in full-on defiant mode at the moment. So difficult.  I had one very bad parenting moment where I shouted so loudly at her that I actually hurt my throat.  It was just the last straw for that day.  I did apologise to her a little while later (a hard thing for a parent to do) and we were friends again.  So the challenge continues on how to get her to be more obedient and on how to get her to the toilet on time.  This week is Spring Break so there is no school.  So either everything will be better because she's not exhausted from school where she is still trying to get used to everything there.  Or things will be awful, as life has changed again for her and I don't have a break from her in the week.  It's going to be interesting! (that was my attempt at being positive – I'm actually dreading this week).

Elsewhere, I'm having dramas with Lydia and my attempts to wean her from breastfeeding.  I had stopped breastfeeding Naomi by this age and had wanted to stop by the time Lydia reached one.  Well that happens on Friday.  She was having 3 milk feeds a day.  Last weekend I dropped the middle of the day one.  Pete took her a sippy cup of milk (so that she wasn't confused by me being there). One day he had no success, the next she drank it all.  However, I haven't been able to get any into her.  I have been trying for a few weeks but had always given in and breastfed her after a few screams.  But now that I'm not giving in, I'm still having no success.  I still have 2 feeds to drop and am out of ideas.  I really don't want to go back to expressing (besides its all packed away in a box somewhere in the basement). We tried cow's milk (even though she is a week off one – the age she is allowed to start on cow's milk).  No joy.  Pete tried again this weekend and nothing.  She physically pushes the bottle away, screams and then thrusts her thumb into her mouth.  She can get quite upset over it.  So I have no idea how to wean her off the other 2 feeds and still get calcium into her.  We had lots of calcium problems with Naomi too.  Trying to get enough in her diet is virtually impossible.  Not everything can be made with milk or cheese.  And there are only so many yogurts one baby can eat.  Naomi barely touches yogurt now after so long having them forced onto her.  I'm dreading having the same battle with Lydia.  Maybe I just need to stop breastfeeding and after a couple of weeks she'll figure out that if she wants milk she'll have to take the sippy cup.

Gosh, I'm not being very positive am I?  I'm sorry everyone.  More wine needed – and maybe some chocolate too!

Well here's something positive.  We had another great Alaskan moment this weekend.  We went to watch our first Iditarod (a dog sled race run over about 20 days and 1,150 miles and fairly extreme terrain). I've attached a picture below. It was a beautiful day.  Cold but sunny.  It was great to watch the teams coming past with the beautiful mountains in the background.  But I'm glad I could get into a nice heated car after an hour or so and not have 20 days spanned in front of me standing on a sled in freezing conditions.  Rather them than me.

Let's hope I can get some positivity happening before tomorrow and Spring Break begin. A nice relaxing night in front of the TV is planned.  Switch my brain off time.  Hey no cheeky comments – yes my brain is switched on now!