Let's get this out of the way: I'm a terrible blogger. I am probably the most undisciplined person you'll meet. I can't finish a project! Thus why I haven't written in a while.
Also, because Mercy hasn't been that difficult aside from the usual. I have managed to keep my cool & give clear consequences. There have been long days, there have been battles but Mercy is beginning to see that I'm serious. I think. Haha.
I'm writing because last night & today Mercy has thrown the biggest fits. She's had them before, oh yes, but these two tantrums are just too close together for me.
Last night, she wanted to take V's blanket off of her before bed. She was adamant about it, screaming etc. The weird thing is that Mercy already had that same exact blanket on her own bed. She just wanted two. Totally makes sense....I kept calm & held her in my arms until she was done with her fit. I think it worked better for both of us. There was nothing I could do to stop her & she maybe felt comforted in my arms. I told her I would not let go until she calms down & stops screaming. it took a bit but she did it. In the meantime, V is crying because M is upsetting her & says, "Why does M get all the attention when she's in trouble or screaming?" Or something like that. I told her we need to love people even when they are hurting & that I am trying to help her settle down.
Today, she was just in a mood. Some friends were over & she wasn't in the joking around mood. She couldn't take a joke (getting hit with pool noodle, all the kids were doing it lol), she'd yell at them, we'd get her distracted with a new task. Then someone would come along & make her mad or knock down her legos, so she exploded. She wouldn't calm down so I had to take her upstairs to chill with the holding her until she stopped screaming plan. I would be mad too at some of the things she was dealing with (nothing major) but she can't handle herself in that way when things get tough. She can't lash out on everyone because things are not going the way she's planned. Anyway, she did finally calm down & we talked about how to react if someone is bothering you. She seemed to understand & went back down & played.
Then tonight, no fits or screaming, but V & M decided they wanted to have their first real night of sisterly chatting & stayed up super late conversing after multiple warnings to go to bed. I figured they'd eventually fall asleep but they did not. Then they came down the last time & I was angry with them. They lost their TV privileges for tomorrow again (they also lost them today because of the previous night). I THINK they are asleep lol. No, they are. On one hand it was super cute to see them interact with each other so sweetly & lovingly & playfully & actually, pretty quietly. But they needed to go to bed as well. They are now both asleep in their play closet, which they were pretty excited about, which probably didn't help their going to sleep....oops. It was worth it to hear their laughter but I might be paying for it tomorrow. Sweet girls (minus the tantrums). :)
Goodnight!
Monday, April 4, 2016
Sunday, March 13, 2016
Bedtime Battles
Bedtime tonight:
I told Mercy I could not lay with her tonight until she stops waking us up in the middle of the night (screaming or not). She accepted it & said "I'm just gonna stay in here if I wake up, with Victori." We'll see about that!
But she was VERY cooperative for bedtime. No battles. Wow. I hardly heard the word 'no'. How did that happen?! :)
Now please let me sleep tonight, my Mercy!
P.S. V & Pierceson also went to bed nicely. After "Spring Forward" even! This blog might help me focus more on the positive, if anything!
P.P.S. Another story: V & M had many fights this weekend, as usual. Just this evening, V hit Mercy in the face because she was bugging her (not hard but still not good). Working on self-control! But on a brighter note, they also play really well together. I should have snapped a photo but V & M were both rolled up in a blanket together & they were both cuddling in a weird way but a cute way. For them to be that close to each other without someone screaming is a beautiful thing! :)
I told Mercy I could not lay with her tonight until she stops waking us up in the middle of the night (screaming or not). She accepted it & said "I'm just gonna stay in here if I wake up, with Victori." We'll see about that!
But she was VERY cooperative for bedtime. No battles. Wow. I hardly heard the word 'no'. How did that happen?! :)
Now please let me sleep tonight, my Mercy!
P.S. V & Pierceson also went to bed nicely. After "Spring Forward" even! This blog might help me focus more on the positive, if anything!
P.P.S. Another story: V & M had many fights this weekend, as usual. Just this evening, V hit Mercy in the face because she was bugging her (not hard but still not good). Working on self-control! But on a brighter note, they also play really well together. I should have snapped a photo but V & M were both rolled up in a blanket together & they were both cuddling in a weird way but a cute way. For them to be that close to each other without someone screaming is a beautiful thing! :)
Who Would Have Thought Her Name Would Be So Significant?
To be honest, I am starting this blog as an outlet, which I'm sure is the case for many people. This is a blog dedicated to my middle child, Mercy Norma Jean. We chose this name for her before she was born because of our deep faith & belief in these verses:
Ephesians 2: 4-5
But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in MERCY, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.
Rich in mercy. From the minute our Mercy was born, she has given us a run for our money. We are constantly battling with her to be obedient, quiet & less intense. We have probably given her more punishment than actual mercy.
Which is why I write this. I need to write it down, process it. Her behavior can be so much at times. While I do go on about her behavior, there are many wonderful, fun, endearing, joyful qualities she has as well. Mercy is unique. I can't wait to see what she's going to do with her life. I pray the qualities that give us so much trouble can be channeled into helping others!
Anyhoo, I need to write down what she does, what she says, so I can personally work on having self control with her. And maybe laugh more than 'cry'.
Let's start with these last few days. She's been having some temper tantrums. Hers consist of screaming a terrible screechy yell & saying 'no' a bajillion times. And sometimes repeating over & over again what it is that she wants. Today after church, she was screaming for a mint because Victori & Elise both had one. I told her that sounds delicious but I do not have a mint & I do not know where they came from. I would have been happy to help her find one but she instantly started screaming at me about wanting a mint. Lukas eventually calmed her down & then talked about how they could acquire a mint (when she stopped shrieking). Lol. I'm laughing already at this long paragraph about a mint.
The last 2 nights, she's been waking up at 2am, 5am-either wanting me to sleep next to her in the girls' room or wanting to sleep in my bed. I do allow her to sleep in my bed, which I am not proud of. I need my space & more importantly, my sleep. I am such a bear when I've not had 7 hours. One of those nights, she would not listen to me & kept screaming at me. Lukas intervened & she got multiple spankings. It's painful for me to listen to her scream even more after spankings. He eventually had to take her to the basement she was so loud, waking V up as well.
I hope this doesn't continue on for very long. She had a phase like this last fall for about a month. Ahh!
I should end each blog with a positive about Mercy. It's funny right now, I can't think of a specific example, which saddens me. Another reason to write about her. And all my kids. Jot down the memorable or even just simple, happy times.
I can write that I think all our children are really flexible & loving. They love other people, do respect other authority figures & look forward to going wherever we take them. Tonight, Lukas & I went to a parenting class at church & they love playing with the Bakers. The parenting classes ended tonight. I feel like a learned a bunch but it's actually applying it that matters. The whole gist of it was to establish your family as 'WE' unit. The more together a family feels, the better chance kids will listen & feel part of the group & appreciated. More importantly, respect each other more because we are a family, a unit & we will love & support each other forever.
Goodnight & Have Mercy!
I love you, Victori, Mercy & Pierceson!
Ephesians 2: 4-5
But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in MERCY, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.
Rich in mercy. From the minute our Mercy was born, she has given us a run for our money. We are constantly battling with her to be obedient, quiet & less intense. We have probably given her more punishment than actual mercy.
Which is why I write this. I need to write it down, process it. Her behavior can be so much at times. While I do go on about her behavior, there are many wonderful, fun, endearing, joyful qualities she has as well. Mercy is unique. I can't wait to see what she's going to do with her life. I pray the qualities that give us so much trouble can be channeled into helping others!
Anyhoo, I need to write down what she does, what she says, so I can personally work on having self control with her. And maybe laugh more than 'cry'.
Let's start with these last few days. She's been having some temper tantrums. Hers consist of screaming a terrible screechy yell & saying 'no' a bajillion times. And sometimes repeating over & over again what it is that she wants. Today after church, she was screaming for a mint because Victori & Elise both had one. I told her that sounds delicious but I do not have a mint & I do not know where they came from. I would have been happy to help her find one but she instantly started screaming at me about wanting a mint. Lukas eventually calmed her down & then talked about how they could acquire a mint (when she stopped shrieking). Lol. I'm laughing already at this long paragraph about a mint.
The last 2 nights, she's been waking up at 2am, 5am-either wanting me to sleep next to her in the girls' room or wanting to sleep in my bed. I do allow her to sleep in my bed, which I am not proud of. I need my space & more importantly, my sleep. I am such a bear when I've not had 7 hours. One of those nights, she would not listen to me & kept screaming at me. Lukas intervened & she got multiple spankings. It's painful for me to listen to her scream even more after spankings. He eventually had to take her to the basement she was so loud, waking V up as well.
I hope this doesn't continue on for very long. She had a phase like this last fall for about a month. Ahh!
I should end each blog with a positive about Mercy. It's funny right now, I can't think of a specific example, which saddens me. Another reason to write about her. And all my kids. Jot down the memorable or even just simple, happy times.
I can write that I think all our children are really flexible & loving. They love other people, do respect other authority figures & look forward to going wherever we take them. Tonight, Lukas & I went to a parenting class at church & they love playing with the Bakers. The parenting classes ended tonight. I feel like a learned a bunch but it's actually applying it that matters. The whole gist of it was to establish your family as 'WE' unit. The more together a family feels, the better chance kids will listen & feel part of the group & appreciated. More importantly, respect each other more because we are a family, a unit & we will love & support each other forever.
Goodnight & Have Mercy!
I love you, Victori, Mercy & Pierceson!
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