Making Life Easier

We made life a little easier this weekend by removing the keyboard tray from our computer desk and setting the keyboard higher where Sage cannot reach. Our computer is in our dining room, which I like because it is in the open and it is where people aren't napping or sleeping. We want our computer in the open and where the family is so that when our kids are old enough to be on it, they can be easily monitored by anyone who happens to be in the room or walks by. So, we might as well get used to it and keep it out now. The problem is that Sage is fascinated by the keyboard and loves to touch it. I am sure this isn't uncommon. So, he was getting disciplined a lot for touching and personally, I was getting tired of it and probably too relaxed and would say Do not touch and then not follow up. My question is, is it bad to remove all temptation from his life? I mean there are other things we don't want him playing in or with so we have eliminated those things too. For example, the bathroom, I don't want him getting toilet paper and kleenex by himself or getting into the dangerous chemicals that are stored under the cupboard so I put a doorknob cover on and shut the door. What is the line between keeping him safe and not allowing him to learn self control? And can self control be learned at 18 months?

The other day, he brought his blankie out of his crib after his nap. Later, when he had dropped it, I asked him to pick it up and take it back to his crib. He picked up the blankie and threw it back down on the floor and yelled. I told him no that isn't the way we behave and asked again. Same thing. I spanked him. He cried. I asked again but changed it to ask him to put it in his room. He picked it up walked to his room and dropped it into his room. Man, I was so happy that disciplining worked and once again, amazed at how much he understands!

He said juice the other day too! A couple of times. Today, he was playing with his new alphabet Leap Frog refrigerator game and had pushed the P and made the puh sound when the song said every letter makes a sound and p says puh. Drew and I both heard it and looked at him in amazement. Will we be this amazed when the second child does something or learns something? I hope so. I hope we can always be amazed at our children and what they are learning and doing. However, this second pregnancy hasn't been as talked about as the first. I have still been reading the week by week book and still am amazed at the movements but I feel like this is more of a countdown to unknown and with Sage it was a countdown to excitement of when we bring the baby home. I do feel excited about bringing the baby home but I feel a lot more nervous too. Funny, since I already have the newborn experience under my belt. Maybe that is what makes me more nervous, I know what to expect and I wonder how I will handle it with an older child also.

I know I will figure it out and life will go on, it has to! I am telling myself to be more relaxed with things. I think I am so into my routine of keeping the house this clean, the dishes done, groceries bought, meals planned and made, and myself showered everyday that I don't want that to change and if it doesn't change after the baby is born, I would be superwoman! I have to relax with things more. But that scares me because if I don't do it, no one will so it just won't get done and then we won't have food to eat! RELAX. Things always get done somehow, food gets eaten, dishes get cleaned up, dust bunnies get swept... eventually! I need to change my mindset and let myself adjust to life with two kids. Okay enough, there are plenty of women who have done it before me so it can be done and it will get done.

I think we have solved our double stroller dilema. We are going to save money that we receive as gifts and put it towards the stroller that we both think solves all the stroller issues the best and it happens to be the most expensive one that we were looking at! It is a Phil and Teds Most Excellent Buggy. I would link it but don't know how, so google away if interested. It is a three wheeled stroller with the front swivel wheel. It can be a single or double stroller. It can be used as a jogger or at the mall or around town. We have many things to look for in a double stroller. The first being, can it fit in our Saturn? Graco duoglide? Tight, maybe, maybe not. If it does, it is our whole trunk. Maclaren? Yes. Those were the top 3 strollers. Phil and Ted's? Yes and it takes less space than our current stroller, Graco metrolite. Those are the top 3 strollers. We considered a sit and stand and then thought that Sage is still a little too little for that and when you put the carseat in the front so an infant can sit there, the child in back is forced to stand and not sit, making it a bad fit for our family. Second question. Is it a good stroller for at a mall as well as navigating bumping sidewalks and using it to take walks for exercise? Graco. It seems to handle those situations well. Maclaren. Mall, yes sidewalks and for exercise not the greatest. It has small wheels making it easy to get caught on bumps. Phil and Teds. Yes. And it can be used as a jogger. I would like to say that I will definitly use that feature but don't want to make a liar of myself or use it only once. I imagine that I will jog and be oh so fit and cute this summer, but I know walking is probably what I will end up doing the most. As you can see, the three most important questions only one stroller answered yes to all three with an exceptional yes. The only concern is the NY subway. But in all actuality all three of these strollers would be a concern riding the NY subway and since we don't live there and just go visit, we will have to make it work. So, if anyone wants to contribute to our double stroller fund, we accept paypal, debit only =) Just kidding.

What about Levi or Augustus? Levi is my pick for the day and Augustus is Drews. Then again...