Temper Tantrums...

Well, we are getting there! By there, I mean the "terrible two's". If you are a parent, or anyone who has ever encountered a child, then you know what I am talking about. The "terrible two's", or as some like to call them, the "terrific two's", are a new adventure in parenting. Filled with new words, actions, and especially independence. Now, I know that I can't say a whole lot about this area, seeing that I only have one child, who will not be two until August, but I feel like I have a little room to throw my two cents in. LOL! My real reason for this post is that I want to tell a story that happened to Sean and I the other night. I felt like it was to good to keep to ourselves.

It all started with dinner. As most of you know, with the toddled years comes the adventures of mealtime! Again, anyone who has ever encountered a toddler knows that mealtime is rarely a time to actually eat, and generally a time to test one's parents and see what they can get away with. Enter Lilah... My sweet, sweet Lilah. Lately for us, dinner has consisted of us trying to coerce her into eating, especially because of the important roll that nutrition plays with her CF. Normally we try not to make it a big deal if she doesn't eat a lot, especially because she usually eats really well during the day. This particular night though, she was being especially stubborn! Our normal course of action in these situations is to have her do something for something in return. Usually it is, "if you want your cup, you need to have a bite first", and usually it works. This night however, a HUGE fit ensued. A fit like we have never encountered before, complete with screaming, crying, food and utensil throwing. Basically the whole nine yards. Sean and I used everything in our parenting arsenal. We tried redirection, we tried scolding, we tried calming her down, we tried EVERYTHING, but still the fit continued. Finally, I reached my breaking point when she slapped the fork out of my hand. I told her that she was done, cleaned her up, and told her that she needed some quiet time. At this point, the only place that we could put her with no distractions was her crib, so I took her in there, told her that it was not acceptable to act that way, and left. I then went back to finish my dinner with Sean, who had just finished cleaning food off of the floor. We sit down and start eating again, to the sounds of Lilah crying over the baby monitor and Pandora radio playing off of Sean's Iphone. As Lilah's wailing reaches a new high, over the speakers comes the song "Cheek to Cheek". For those of you not familiar with that title, the open words to the song are, "Heaven, I'm in heaven". Sean and I both look at each other, burst out laughing, and fist bump eachother. In the end, we let Lilah stay in her room until we were done eating. We went and got her, and told her that she could not act that way, and that she needed to tell Mommy and Daddy that she was sorry. She said, "sowy" and after lots of hugs and kisses, and a good amount of cuddling, all was forgiven. When all is said and done, it seems like no matter how frustrating the situation seems, God's sense of humor prevails.

-The End

Where did all of the time go?

Tomorrow is a big day in our house! Lilah is getting a big girl bed. I have one question for you! Where did all of the time go? I swear that it was just last week that I was telling my Dad that all I wanted for Christmas was a boyfriend. Now look at me! LOL! If you know me, this is a big step for me. Especially because Lilah still sleeps in our room. She sleeps in a crib, but I have slept in the same room with her, everyday, since the day she was born. Our deal was that Lilah could stay in our room until she got a big girl bed, and then it would be time to move her to her own room. :( I just don't feel ready, like she won't be able to sleep without me nearby. Or she will be scared in her new room or most of all, she won't be safe unless I am right there. This is another one of those moments where God is telling me that no matter how hard I try, I can't control every situation. Sometimes I just have to trust Him and know that she will be fine, and that NO, it is not normal for a child to sleep in her parents room until she goes to college! LOL! Where did all of the time go? How is it that my little girl is growing up so fast? How do I appreciate everyday, even the "rough" ones? I guess when all is said and done, all I can do is my best, and pray that it was enough! You can bet that these last few nights that she is in our room, as we transition her into her big girl bed, I am going to soak up and treasure every little sound that I hear from her crib! (BTW, this is one of those moments where my heart is breaking!)

I did it!

Well, I finally did it! I took the plunge and became a blogger. Considering that all I usually do on the computer is check my email and facebook, this is a big step for me. I have never done anything like this before, so please bear with me. LOL!
I guess for my first post, I will tell you a little about myself. I grew up in Montana, if you are from Montana, you know that every town there is small, even the "big cities". I lived in the same house from the time I was 6, until the day I moved across the country to be with my husband. I have two sisters, and as much as I hate to admit it, I have always had a complex about being the last daughter to a couple that was giving it one last try for a son. I met my husband when I was 16 years old, just shortly after starting our junior year of high school. We got married when we were 18 years old, so that I could follow him around the world. Literally! We have had our ups and downs, but he is still the love of my life, and one of the very best decisions that I have ever made. We have one child, her name is Lilah, and I swear that sometimes when I look at her my heart breaks. She is so awesome, and I know that every parent feels that way, but Lilah really is. She has Cystic Fibrosis. During my pregnancy with Lilah, my husband and I found out that we are carriers of this incurable disease. Unfortunately for Lilah, we passed it on to her. Sometimes I blame myself, which is funny, because I never blame Sean. I know that it isn't my fault, and that God has a special plan for my precious girl, but I can't help but think that I am at least a little to blame. The last thing that I want to share tonight is my passion for God. I normally proclaim myself a Christian, but I don't always like to use that term because of the bad connotations that come with it. If it wasn't for God's grace, I wouldn't be sitting here writing this right now. He is what has gotten me though to this phase in my life, and to Him I give all of the glory. This is what brings me to my last point, the title for my blog. "When all is said and done..." In writing this blog, I am hoping to document and share my journey in trying to figure out what it really is that matters when all is said and done.