Updates

1. We're having mixed results with the marbles so far. The incentive seems to be smoothing the way for some of the little things the kids fight me on for the sake of it, but won't budge them on the big stuff.

2. I have offered a marble in exchange for trying a new food. Although I am very comfortable in the way I manage the kids' eating, I do need a little incentive myself to keep offering new foods. I just feel so discouraged when I make something that they refuse to even taste. Anyway, Pacey tried peas the first night but neither could bring themselves to try a slice of cucumber last night. The important thing (to me) is that I feel like I'm DOING something about it without succumbing to the temptation to get embroiled in futile food battles.

3. Pacey is turning six next week!! We're having a birthday party for him on Sunday and I'm really proud of myself for putting my own desires for the "perfect party" aside and just planning something I know he will love. I had a tough experience with him at a birthday party for a classmate last weekend and it just solidified my resolve to do what is right for HIM, especially at his own party.

4. My beautiful, wonderful, imaginative daughter continues to drive me to the brink on a daily basis. Her need to constantly interact is such a mismatch for my desire for intervals of quiet. I confess I really, really miss the days of quiet time in the car, when I could listen to music and organize my thoughts. Now, it is a constant stream of chatter from the back seat and if I don't respond quickly enough, B will prompt me with a script of what I'm supposed to be saying (yes, it is as annoying as it sounds).

5. We had a new babysitter last week when I took Chris out for his birthday. The kids had a great time with her, but apparently didn't live up to my promise that they go to bed easily. When we got home they were both asleep snuggled up together in Brighton's bed. So cute, but clearly they didn't get enough sleep and the next morning was ROUGH.

6. I have to decide whether we will attend a Halloween party this evening with my MOMS Club. I don't want Pacey to skip speech therapy so we'd be going directly from there to the party. Past experience tells me this is not the event for us; late afternoon can be unpredictable as far as behavior goes and it would throw off our evening routine. I'm leaning towards just skipping it in the knowledge that they will have plenty of celebration tomorrow, but I do feel like a killjoy.

7. I have Pacey's school conference on Friday morning. Although I have no reason to expect bad news, I can't help but dread it. I'm in constant contact with his teachers and other staff so there should not be any surprises but it never gets any easier to hear about the areas that really challenge him. I'm going in with a positive attitude though, and I am confident I can help problem-solve where necessary.

8. I survived one of the most irrational meltdowns of all time when we were leaving the gym yesterday at 4:45 (see: earlier comment about late afternoon behavior). Do you know how many people are arriving at the gym at 4:45? Plenty when you're hauling a thrashing, screaming three-year-old out the opposite way. I wouldn't have been surprised if someone had accused me of trying to kidnap her (to which I'd have responded with uncontrollable laughter).

9. I plan to swipe about 80% of the kids' Halloween candy off the tops of their buckets. Totally hypocritical given my own love of candy as a kid. I'm a mean mom that doles it out a couple of pieces at a time and it will get really annoying in a couple of weeks. I don't even think I'll eat much of it. That particular chocolate/grape flavor of candy that's been all mixed together just doesn't appeal any more. My former self is disgusted.

10. I have a really sensitive sense of smell. We've been cooking a lot recently and our kitchen is adjacent to the mudroom where we keep our coats. Do you know how awful it is to put on a coat that smells of soup at 8:00 in the morning? If I do nothing else this afternoon, I'll be going to Target for a bottle of Febreze.