Tuesday, December 10, 2013

Generation Gap

We put up all our Christmas decorations this weekend and Rhea was more than willing to help.  As we were emptying out the bins of stuff, she found about 5 Christmas DVDs and two Christmas VHS.  She opened every DVD to inspect the dvd and tell us she wanted to watch the movie.  When she got to the VHS she got really aggravated.  She kept trying to "open" the black case.  When Justin explained to her that this was the movie and there was nothing to open, it infuriated her even more. She threw a hissy fit and kept screaming at him to open it.  The funny thing is we don't even have a VCR to watch these movies so we couldn't show her what we were talking about.  We have since hidden those movies so we don't have to argue with a two year old about what a real movie looks like.  I am feeling really old tonight.


Wednesday, October 30, 2013

Night Moves- The Rhea edition

As I am driving home tonight the song Night Moves by Bob Seger was playing on the radio.  Since I have not shame I was singing along out loud.  Rhea decided to get in on the singing with me and proceeds to yell "nice boobs".  I stop singing thinking I heard her wrong but she kept going adding her own lyrics which went something like this "Nice boobs, Nice boobs, boobies boobies boobies.  Mommy's boobs.  Mommy's boobies".  I honestly have no idea where she gets it from (side eye glance to my husband)

Back seat driver

Saturday, October 19, 2013

So Pugly

Driving to lunch today I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror and I stated to Justin  "After I have this baby I think I want to get Botox in my forehead.  I hate all these lines and wrinkles.  Don't you think I would look better without all these wrinkles?" Justin looks long and hard at me and said " I like the way you look.  Your face reminds me of a pug with all your wrinkles"

So yes as soon as I give birth I am getting Botox.

Tuesday, June 25, 2013

Tickle Tickle

Rhea is very ticklish.  She gets this from Justin because he too is extremely ticklish.  She begs Justin to tickle her and laughs hysterically when he does it.  Sometimes you just have to say the words tickle tickle and she cringes and giggles.  So last night Justin was using his soldering iron in the kitchen (don't even ask) and he was kneeling on the floor.  Unbeknownst to Justin, Rhea snuck up behind him grabbed his foot and screamed "tickle tickle"  Picture if you will someone who is extremely ticklish using a blazing hot soldering iron while getting his feet tickled by a 20 month old.    Needless to say, he will no longer be using this equipment outside of the garage.


Thursday, May 9, 2013

Diabetes - 22 years later

Today is my anniversary.  My Diabetes anniversary.  It has been 22 years since that fateful day in May.  I can remember how scared my mother was but was trying to not make me panic.  She kept leaving the room to get in touch with my Dad and make arrangements with my doctor.  Luckily for me and by some random act of god my best friend Stephanie was at my doctors office with her mom that day.  I remember how scared I was with the diagnosis.  Diabetes.  I mean it has the word "die" in it.  I even recall Steph and I having that conversation in the office.  "What's going to happen to you?' she asked.  "you will be fine"  she said.  Everyone kept telling me I would be fine but I knew they were scared.  And it took a long time, but I can honestly say that I am fine.  Diabetes is part of who I am at this point.  I am sure I tested my blood sugar atleast 8 times today, but I could not tell you when or that it even hurt.  My pump plays lovely music when it wants to tell me something but other than that I barely even know I am wearing it.  I think the news and sometimes my fellow diabetics make Type 1 diabetes out to be this awful thing.  My response to that negativity is that it could be worse.  The world is a cruel place.   To me Diabetes means taking care of yourself, taking care of your body, watching what you eat.  And if you think about it, shouldn't everyone be doing this in the first place?    I mean I am healthy, I am happy.  I am alive.  I am married.  I have a daughter.  Diabetes is with me everyday but I am ok with it.  So this year instead of feeling sorry for myself or anyone else with Type 1 diabetes, I am celebrating.  And yes, I can eat cake.

Wednesday, May 1, 2013

Hug it out

Rhea is at that age where I am pretty sure she understands everything I am saying to her.  And I am pretty sure she knows exactly what she should and should not do.  So last weekend she hit me really hard in the face.  I yelled at her that hitting is not nice and that she hurt Mommy.   I asked her to apologize to me and give me a hug.  With tear rimmed eyes she came over to me, gently touched my face and hugged me.  Nice right?  Well now that she knows what an apology is she is trying to use it to her advantage.  Like on Sunday when she bit me and I told her "no biting"  She leans into me and says "hugs, hugs" which was very nice.  But she proceeded to bite me again.   So it seems to me that every time we tell her "no" now she just smiles, yells "hugs",  gives hugs and kisses and continues to do what she was doing.  That somehow the cute little way she is apologizing will make you forget what you were mad about in the first place.  And I will tell you what.  It is working.


Monday, April 15, 2013

All in the eye of the beholder

My Dad came out to visit us this morning.  My mom called me this afternoon and said that my Dad had a nice visit and she heard Rhea was really good.  I asked my mom if Dad mentioned the park.  She said he did.  He said he had a nice time at the park with Rhea.  I then say to her did he mention that she threw a tantrum when we got there because she did not want to go on the swings.  She threw a tantrum when I climbed on the slide with her and when I tried to help her down the slide she threw another tantrum.  She threw a tantrum a few minutes later because I helped her take her coat off.  The tantrum escalated to her rolling around on the muddy ground ruining her new sneaker that Dad brought her.  Then we left.  We were there for approximately 4 minutes.  My father never mentioned this to my mom.  He said she was perfect.  All in the eye of the beholder I guess.

Thursday, April 11, 2013

17 Months

Rhea is now 17 months old.  She is getting so big so fast!  She is getting so tall and strong.  It breaks my heart that she is no longer a baby.  She is developing quite the personality and I am enjoying getting to know this little lady she is becoming.  She is bossy, jealous, cheerful, giggly and a whole bunch of other things in between.  Listed below are a few things we know about Rhea at 17 months.  

She may look cute but don't let her fool you.  She uses those teeth to get what she wants. 


She loves to Woof like a dog.  All the time.  


She is not a morning person just like her father.


She loves her binkie


She will not talk with Nana on FaceTime.  Only Papa


Most days she loves Duke more than me and Justin


Not sure how it is possible but I fall more in love with her each and everyday.





Tuesday, March 26, 2013

Duke is 4!

As all of you know, I am crazy about my first baby Duke.  He turned four today.  I cannot believe he has been with us for four years.  When I first brought Duke home, he weighed 1.8 pounds.  He has put on 4 pounds since then.  He thinks he is a pit bull but is afraid of everything.  Justin will say Duke drives him nuts but he is just as crazy about him as I am.   Rhea is madly in love with Duke.  I am still not sure if he loves her or loves the never ending food she provides him.  Either way he puts up with a lot from her.  She pulls his tail, pulls his hair, takes his toys, even tries to bite him (see post Jaws).  He just takes it in stride.  He has adapted to the changes really well this year and I look forward to what is to come this year!  Happy Birthday Dukie!


Look at the cute doggy


My handsome guy


Monday, March 25, 2013

Jaws

Every week when I pick Rhea up from daycare it is the same thing.  "Mrs. Wnukowski, can you please sign this incident report?  Rhea bit one of her friends again.  Don't worry, it is age appropriate."  And I know it is but it still doesn't take the sting away that I have that kid.  The one who is getting overly excited and is not willing to share.   I have compared notes with friends and their children are biting too.    When I picked Rhea up this past  Friday I had not one but two incident reports waiting for me.  The teacher informed me they have lovingly nicknamed her Jaws.  I know they were joking to try to make me feel better.  I know this because as I asked Rhea if she was biting her friends today she tried to bite me.  Then she bit herself.  It took so long for her teeth to finally come in,  I guess she is just really excited to us them.


Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Good Cop, Bad Cop

I have read enough magazine articles, blogs, books, etc to know that in parenthood there will always be the good cop, bad cop.  I always fantasied that I would be the good guy.  Apparently I am filling the roll of bad cop.  Our nightly routine consists of Rhea sitting on the couch with Justin having a bottle and unwinding before we put her down.  Now that she is getting alittle older and exerting more independence she tends to get off the couch and push boundaries.  I came into the living room last night just as she was climbing off the couch.  She saw me, panicked and hauled her little ass back on the couch and pretended to be a sleep.  Now I know she wasn't scared of me but she never has that reaction when Justin enters the room.  To rub salt in my wounds Justin has now resorted to saying "Uh-oh, here comes Mommy" anytime she is being fresh and not listening.   Which makes her run like hell to Daddy and pretend she wasn't just doing something wrong.  She has him wrapped.


Monday, January 14, 2013

Tantrums

I had expected Rhea to throw tantrums but not this soon. It has slowly been building up for about a month now. The crying fits are now accompanied by hand flailing and foot stomping. This all has happened within the privacy of my home.  This past weekend was a first for both of us.  I asked her to hold my hand while in the Aquarium's gift shop.  She pulled away from me and ran.  I then grabbed her hand and that is when it happened.  She screamed and threw herself on the floor.  I tried to pick her up off the floor but that made things worse.  A group on mothers pushing strollers gave me a sympathetic "Terrible Twos"  Not even close.  Fitful Fourteen month old.  And of course my father rewarded this behavior by purchasing her a penguin book in the gift shop.  I am doomed.