Thursday, January 29, 2009

not sure who's glasses these are? but they look pretty funny?
Just thought that I would post a few pictures taken over the last couple of weeks. Simret seems to grow taller by the day. I can always tell when she is getting taller; when she is hunched over and cannot straighten out after putting her PJ's on. She wears the footed kind; it is hard not laugh when Lance and I get her ready for bed and one of us says "I cannot straighten her out!". Simret does not find any humor in this; as we then have to change her into another pair and hope that they fit. I just ordered some on-line that are 2T; the old ones were 18-24. Maybe I should have ordered 3T; I hope they fit. It seems like she grows out of each size in a month or two?

Anyway, not much new is going on. We are still struggling with Simret hitting? She use to do only when she was frustrated or tired; now she is doing just to see what I am going to do? She looks at me first (assesses the situation) then hits-people, dogs, inanimate objects, or whatever is in sight, then looks at me afterward (like-I just did something wrong, what are you going to do?). I have read multiple books at this point on toddlers & behavior and what the best approach is. So, I would put her in time-out for less than 1 minute; and then after the time-out I would say, "you were in time-out because you hit mommy and hitting hurts, I know that you wouldn't want to hurt mommy, so you must be frustrated or there must be something wrong, can you tell me what is wrong?" Like she has the words to express herself? But, the idea I guess is to say this consistently and be consistent in your actions and then someday she will know what you are saying? Colton says, "you are really suppose to say this to her? Wow, I would be a horrible parent? It is too much work these days." (Good birth control I think to myself). So anyway, I would do the above routine with her over and over again. However, I think that putting her in time-out turned into a game at some point; as she started smiling and clapping her hands while she was there? (not so affective). Maybe I read too many books? Then I resorted to going against everything I have read and told her "no" sternly; which only ended with me feeling bad for raising my voice at her. I have also tried to ignore her; but she just keeps hitting until I respond. So, last night I fake-cried and Lance hugged me to comfort my hurt feelings (thanks to Jen's suggestion); and she looked up at me all concerned and a little confused by this? Not sure if it was affective, but she did respond differently to this. So, I guess I will try this again tonight and see what happens. If anyone has any suggestions; please let me know. On a more positive not, I do think that it will be funny to look back at this post months or years from now and remember my frustration with her hitting; as I am sure it is a phase and will pass quickly (I hope anyway).

Simret, Tyler, Hannah, & Ty

Simret's best girl friends...I think we are in trouble when they become teenagers?

Daddy & Simret sledding in the front yard. We have gotten over a foot of snow over the last couple of days. There has been no leaving Laramie for the last week; as the roads have been closed.

Daddy wrecking Simret...

not happy after the wreck?

she loved eating the snow...I think that she thought it was ice cream? I have never seen anyone eat as much snow as she did that day. She keep saying "ball" then Daddy would make her snowball and then she would eat it?

Sage making Snow Angels.

Lance making Snow Angles