Rusch Hour

A as Big Brother

2009-08-06T11:11:00.000-07:00

WARNING: Lots of boob talk in this post

A has done such a remarkable job adjusting to having a sibling. He has certainly had his moments, but we expected there would be some bumps in the road. Overall, this has been a much easier transition than we expected.

Seeing breastfeeding through the eyes of a 2 1/2 year old is a funny thing! He has said and done so many cute things that I want to write them down before I forget! Most of these took place the first week Little Bit was home (I know.. I'm not timely with my blog posts!).

When Little Bit cries, A pulls up his shirt and says, "I want to feed him!"

On the first day Little Bit was home, I put him in a yellow sleeper. A's beloved giraffe is also yellow. When A saw Little Bit he said, "Mommy, he's wearing giraffe?" in the saddest voice I have ever heard. In my hormonal postpartum state, I started weeping. I thought, this poor child is having to share everyone's attention and now he thinks we've given Little Bit his lovie?

I keep the breast pump set-up in my bedroom, ready to rock-n-roll when I need it. I walked in one day to A with his shirt pulled up and the pump hooked up to his little boobie! He said, "I'm pumping milk for Little Bit!" My husband was most horrified by this.

A now breastfeeds giraffe..... I'll hear him say, "Look mommy, I'm feeding giraffe!" I'll turn around to see him sitting on the couch with his shirt up and giraffe hooked up to his boobie!

Whenever I breast feed, A says, "Little Bit's drinking his juice!"

A now burps and diapers every stuffed animal he has on a daily basis

Every morning he greets Little Bit by saying, "Good Morning Little Boy!" in the cutest voice I have ever heard. This is exactly how I greet him every morning (although, my voice isn't as cute).

God's Timing is Perfect

2009-08-06T10:49:00.000-07:00

Goodness, the last couple of weeks have been an emotional roller coaster!

For all of you who didn't know, my husband was laid-off from his job in June, right around the time we welcomed Little Bit into the world. This certainly wasn't in accordance with our plan, but God's timing is perfect....

We were anticipating this. Long before he was officially told that he was getting laid-off, we began to see the writing on the wall. I am so proud of him for pounding the pavement every single day and reaching out to every contact he has in hopes of finding a new job. He did this for months, but nothing panned out. He even had second and third interviews with some companies, but things would always unravel before an offer came. God's timing is perfect....

It has been the desire of my heart to be a stay-at-home mom since I had A three years ago. We couldn't afford it then, but have worked hard over the last three years so we would be at that place when we had our second child. The plan was that I would quit my job in April so I could have a couple of months at home with A before Little Bit came. But when April came we were very worried about the status of hub's job so I had to keep working. I was bummed. But God's timing is perfect....

It was great having hubs at home while we were adjusting to having another bundle of joy in the house. Overall, I had an amazing sense of peace about our situation, but in the back of my mind I was wondering how we were going to make it. Everytime I took my eyes off of Jesus and started playing the "what if" game, I would panic. I knew hubs severance was running out and there were no jobs in sight. God's timing is perfect....

The day his severance ran out he was offered a job!!! A wonderful job. He had one interview the day before. It happened so fast. For months he had been talking to recruiters and interviewing and this happened in a 24 hour period. God's timing is perfect...

Now I get to stay at home with my babies. I have joy unspeakable over this! I know it will be challenging at times, but I am not going to take one minute of it for granted.

Growth

2009-07-26T18:38:00.000-07:00

Everyone who knows me well knows that I am a Type A personality. I thrive off of structure and order. I love organization. I am constantly organizing and re-organizing my house to make the most efficient use of my space. I like everything to be in its place. I frequently say, "Cluttered house equals cluttered mind." When my house is tidy I feel most at ease. And when it is not, I get cranky.

I am also a bit of a control freak. I like things to be done my way and I fall into the trap of believing that my way is the best way. I don't usually welcome change.... if something works, why change it?

Marriage and motherhood have thrown a wrench into all of the above. Learning to live with someone who does not share your "cluttered house equals cluttered mind" mentality is challenging. Having two children not does help with keeping the house neat. I have often found myself snapping at my husband when there are so many toys on the floor that I can't hear myself think!

I am harder on myself than anyone else ever could be. I set expectations so high that I often feel overwhelmed by my self-imposed standards. While in the hospital with little bit I made a vow to myself and my family that I will try really hard to just take a "chill pill."

I value the people that live in this house a million times more than I value its tidiness. In those hectic moments I don't always act that way. I don't want my family's memories to be of mom having a hissy fit about the house. I would rather them remember me down in the floor, amidst all the crumbs, playing cars with them and chasing them around the house with the play vacuum cleaner.

I am a work in progress.... this change hasn't happened overnight, but the Lord is surely working on me! I am learning to step back and gain perspective before acting in a way that belittles or disrespects my husband.

Lord, thank you that You who has begun a good work in me is faithful to see it to completion!

Show us your life - wedding dress

2009-07-24T05:31:00.000-07:00

I thought I would join Kelly in reminiscing about my wedding dress today!!!

I absolutely loved my wedding dress (and my wedding)! My dress was one of the first 5 that I tried on. I picked it up from the rack and initially put it back, but the shop where I was allowed you to try 5 and I had picked 4, so I went back and got it. The minute I put it on I knew that was it!!! My mom, sisters, and good friend Tanya were with me that day. The looks on their faces when I came out of the dressing room confirmed my thoughts that this was indeed THE ONE!!!

My dress was mermaid style with a sweetheart neckline. There was rhinestone beading at the breastbone and delicate beading around the neckline. It had long, sheer sleeves with a bell wrist. It was totally NOT what I thought I would get, but ended up loving it!!!

I'm biting the bullet

2009-07-22T17:54:00.000-07:00

OK, so I "officially" started potty training A on Monday.

By "officially" I mean that I am getting him to sit on the potty in the morning when he wakes up, in the afternoon when he wakes up from a nap, and before bedtime. I am trying to remember to ask him during the day also, but I'm having a harder time with that one!!!

Everyday he has sat on the potty at least twice and peed. One day he pooped. Two times he has told me he has to go potty, without me asking him, and has gone. He is still wearing a diaper... I'm easing both of us into this process. Once he gets the hang of it and is telling me more often that he has to "go," then we will transition to big boy undies.

I know in the parenting world there is much debate over whether or not to offer your child a reward for pottying. The great child psychologists all have a different opinion on this one. I have chosen the path of reward and so far it is working. I went to Target and stocked up on 0.99 matchbox cars and bought a bag of M&Ms. I'm going to alternate which treat he gets when he goes potty.

So we are just getting our feet wet with this potty training thing. I feel like I am totally unqualified to do this, which technically I am, considering I have never potty trained a child before.

So, all you mom's out there who have done this.... what worked best for you????

Baby Jack

2009-07-21T04:36:00.001-07:00

My sister Brittany delivered her first baby 3 weeks after Little Bit was born! This has been a very exciting summer for our family as we welcomed 2 new additions! It has been so much fun being pregnant with my sis and going through the sleepless newborn phase together too.

We were able to travel to Birmingham the week after Jack was born to meet him. Despite how exhausting the trip was with a 2 1/2 year old and a 3 week old, I'm so glad we were able to get some pictures of these boys together while they were newborns.

Here is A loving on baby Jack:

An uncooperative A with both babies:

Here is GiGi with both newbies:

Jack and Little Bit in their matching outfits that GiGi bought them:

Who can resist sweet baby feet?

Side by side in Jack's crib:

Sweet baby Jack:

Meal planning Sunday

2009-07-19T18:27:00.000-07:00

I thought I'd join Steph over at Green Kiddos for meal planning Sunday!!! Here's what we're having this week:

Monday - Tacos with black beans as a side

Tuesday - Chicken lasagna and salad

Wednesday - Grilled chicken with linguine and veggies

Thursday - Creamy crockpot chicken with mushrooms. This is a delicious Southern Living recipe that this friend passed along to me.

Friday - Meatball subs and chips

What is your family eating this week?

Handsome in Pink

2009-07-19T15:51:00.000-07:00

We made our 3rd appearance at church today since Little Bit arrived. A donned his new pink polo shirt and he looked so darn cute that I had to post a picture!!!

I've had to leave church the previous 2 Sunday's during the service to feed Little Bit. Today his feedings worked out where I wouldn't have to do that. BUT he grunted and squirmed so much that I took him out anyway and watched from the lobby. Next week he'll be old enough to go to the nursery and I look forward to hearing the entire message from the sanctuary!

Fast Learner

2009-07-18T06:05:00.000-07:00

I have always been told that I am a fast learner and that I catch on quick to new things. Well, it didn't take me long to learn a few things about being a mom of two!

Here are some of things I have learned:

I am not superwoman!!! Being the independent gal that I am, this has been a hard one to swallow because I do not like to rely on others, including my hubby. For my own sanity and the well being of my family, I am quickly overcoming this. Its been a sweet time in my marriage as we have leaned on each other because he can't do it without me either!
I cannot do everything for both of my kids. Again, this is another hard one. Its good for them to learn to let someone other than mommy do things for them, but this is sad for me. As a mother of one, I could easily fill every sippy cup, read every book, change every diaper, and kiss every boo-boo. Not possible as a mother of two because there is still only 1 of me.
Washing my hair everyday is a luxury that is temporarily lost. I hope to re-introduce this into my daily routine at some point in the near future, but for now, I am just thankful to even get a shower (which may or may not happen everyday either!).
My kitchen floor may never see a mop again
I may never run more than 1 errand a day again - it takes a lot out of gal to load and unload 2 kids in the car!
I have to do a load of laundry everyday or the dirty clothes will overtake our house! Long gone are the days when I did all of the laundry for the week on one day!
Adding 1 new child does not double the work - it triples or quadruples it!
Adding 1 new child does not double the blessings - it triples or quadruples them!
A mother's love knows no limits - who would have ever thought that I could love another child as much as I loved A? I didn't think there was that much love left in the whole world, but little bit has managed to steal my heart!
My heart is so full sometimes that it hurts
At the end of the day when I am exhausted beyond belief, seeing all 3 of my boys snuggling in A's twin bed gives me the strength to go on and do it all again tomorrow.

1 Month Old

2009-07-10T06:39:00.000-07:00

Our sweet little bit is 1 month old today! I am resisting the urge to cry at the thought that it is already going by so fast!!!

The transition from 1 child to 2 has been much easier than I expected. I would not say that it is "easy," but it has been a really enjoyable time for our family.

Little Bit, at 1 month old, you are:

Quickly outgrowing all of your newborn clothes
Wearing a size 1 diaper
Cooing - it is one of the sweetest sounds ever heard!
You love your bouncy seat
You usually fall right asleep when I put you on your tummy for "tummy time"
You eat every 3 hours during the day
Most nights you wake at 1:30, 5:30 and 9:00 to eat
You are a very good nurser
You like your swaddle ok.... sometimes you fight it and I have to take you out of it
You're not a huge fan of the sleep positioner - you prefer to sleep on your back
You love napping in front of your sunny bedroom window

Mommy, Daddy and big brother all adore you! We are so thankful God chose you to be part of our family!

I"m not crazy afterall.... or senile...

2009-05-22T06:51:00.000-07:00

I "thought" that I remembered reading something about this when I was pregnant with A, but I could never find the article again and I chalked it up to pregnancy brain or pregnancy dreams.

But it is REAL!!! Pregnancy brain is a real "condition." Check out this article.

I'm sending this to my hubby now so he knows there is a reason for my insanity after all!!!

Why being a mom to boys is so great.....

2009-05-17T13:02:00.000-07:00

Last night we were having dinner at one of our favorite BBQ joints. A was sitting in the booth beside me and between a big bite of baked beans, he leaned over, rubbed my hair and said, "Mommy's Beautiful!"

I would not trade that moment or memory for all the money in the world....

Its a good thing that he did that because he's been a little stinker today. So I"m "remembering" that moment a lot today :)

I'm tired.....

2009-05-14T04:52:00.000-07:00

We are officially less than 4 weeks away from D-day!!! WooHoo! Our sweet little baby G will make his appearance on June 10th at 8:30am unless he decides to come before then, which would be fine with me!

I have officially reached the point where I am "over" being pregnant. Thankful, none the less, that this baby is healthy, but I'm over being pregnant. This is the point where I just get bigger every day and retain a little more fluid every day. I naturally have big lips, but I"m starting to look like my own caricature picture with all of the fluid accumulating now!

Life has been pretty normal around our house lately. Trying to take it easy despite my raging nesting instincts. I feel like I can't scrub enough! And contrary to my previous post, I want everything to smell like Pine-Sol! We finally finished the nursery. Because I could only do a little here and there, it felt like the project that would never end. I'll post some pics later.

A is just a handful these days! Things he is doing at 2 1/2:

Giving more hugs and kisses than ever

Says, "I love Mommy" and "I love Daddy" all the time!!! I never get tired of hearing that..

When I tell him something he doesn't want to hear, says, "That way, Mama" and points in the other direction... yes, he has gotten a little sas about him lately.

Tells me to "change the diaper" when he has a stinky or heavy pee on.. but because I"m getting ready to have a newborn and A will have to deal with the transition of adjusting to a sibling, I am postponing potty training until G is sleeping through he night and I feel like a normal person again!

Loves the "itsy bitsy spider" song and says, "Mommy, itsy spider me" so I'll sing it and imitate a spider crawling up him!

Sings his ABC's all the time

Can count to 17

Knows his brother's name, but says he is in HIS tummy!

Has banged up knees and shins all the time from being a wild boy!

Asks to watch "Mike and Mike" on ESPN in the mornings - he is definitely his father's son

My goal is to take it easy and relax these next few weeks before our lives are turned upside down with middle of the night feedings and newborn demands! I"ll try to post at least once more before the big day arrives!

Laundry and Lysol

2009-03-10T13:04:00.000-07:00

Oh my... we have been in the sick house! Well, I should say poor sweet A has been in the sick house.

He woke up on Saturday morning with a stomach virus and had it coming out of both ends. My hub had to work all day Saturday, so I had a very busy day here by myself. I believe I only did 5 loads of laundry on Saturday compared to the 7 that I did on Sunday. It was accident after accident. My washer and dryer were running all weekend.

He was still too sick to go to daycare yesterday so I stayed home with him and we attempted to send him for half a day today, but got a call at 10am that he was running a fever of 102.

I believe that there are not many things in this life that hurt a parent's heart more than seeing our children sick or hurting. As I have been rocking my baby and praying over him this weekend, telling him how I wish I could make it all better, I couldn't help but be reminded that my Heavely Father has the same tender heart toward me! As an adult who has experienced hurts and disappointments in life, its hard to re-connect with that child like faith and feel like we are His babies.

As my mind continued to ponder that thought, I also stumbled onto how much it must hurt Him to see us hurt at our own expense. I truly believe as parents that some of the hardest and most effective parenting tools will be to let our children make mistakes (at the appropriate age, of course). I wonder how many times the Lord is wanting to make it all go away for me, but I"m too busy pursuing my own way to know.

One of the things I love most about the Lord is that He is able to use a very icky weekend of laundry and lysol to speak to me. One of the greatest blessings of being a parent is that it gives us a teeny tiny little microscopic glimpse of how much the Creator of the Universe loves us. He sent His son to die for us. When I really ponder that, it takes me breath away!

Romans 8:32

He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?

25 Weeks

2009-03-04T08:45:00.000-08:00

So this week marks 25 weeks into pregnancy!!! I can't believe how fast it is going by. My pregnancy with A seemed never-ending. Of course, I didn't have a 2 year old to chase around last time either :)

I went to the doctor last week and she didn't lift any of my "at home" restrictions. She said that our current course of treatment is working and its still too early to risk a change that could cause my fluid levels to drop again. I am thankful that there doesn't appear to be a greater issue at hand, so I'll just keep being a couch potato for a little while longer.

Barring any conflicts with the hospital O.R., it looks like this little man will be here on June 10th. My birthday is on the 9th so I'm resigning myself to the fact that this will probably be the last birthday that I get to officially celebrate :) We also have a name for our little guy! This has been an exciting few weeks.

I have actually had a very productive bed rest. I have managed to watch seasons 1 and 2 of Friday Night Lights on DVD and catch up on Season 3, I have caught-up on A's baby book and I'm almost caught-up on developing all of his pictures and getting those in photo albums (I am not a scrap booker). I have also started weeding through all of the red tape associated with applying for my CPA license, I have prepared and filed our taxes online and have managed to get back into blogosphere.

Other than that, we've just been enjoying some nice quiet family time at home. A seems to be doing well without his cast. He had a minor limp for the first few days, but its hardly noticeable now. He had fun playing in the snow on Sunday and is just enjoying being a little boy right now!

A's Big Boy Room!

2009-02-26T12:58:00.000-08:00

I told you to be prepared for lots of posts since I am getting caught-up!

Finally, I have pictures of his big boy room. I had so much fun putting this together. I went with more of a transportation theme than originally planned, but he loves cars, trucks, planes, trains, etc., and I love the pure joy on his face when he sees them in his room!

My husband wanted me to clarify something of most importance.... the Big Red "A" does not stand for Alabama. It is for A's initial. There will never be any Roll Tide paraphenalia on the premises here... its Auburn all the way to the grave :)

More Pictures

2009-02-25T05:50:00.001-08:00

Here are some more pics from the last few months....I've included some of cousins Jayden and Noah!

Why A doesn't sleep in a crib anymore.....

2009-02-23T17:43:00.000-08:00

I was trying to post this slide show within the text of this post, but I can't quite figure it out... I"ll be reaching out to some of my more blog savvy friends on this.

Anyway, enjoy the pics of this wild man in his element!

Expect more posts... I"m finally getting all of my pictures uploaded to the computer!

Foot Loose and Cast Free!!!!

2009-02-23T14:36:00.000-08:00

A got his cast off today! After 4 weeks of inhibited mobility, he is thrilled to be cast free! And so are we.

Thankfully, his leg is healed and the only sign at this point is a small limp which should be gone in a few weeks. Enjoy the cast pictures!

Another Boy!

2009-02-10T04:59:00.000-08:00

My sister Brittany, whom A affectionately calls Aunt T.T., is also pregnant and is due 3 weeks after me. She found out yesterday that she is having a boy!!!

So I have 3 nephews and two sons. It looks like the 18 year streak of girls only in my family is broken. Maybe one of these days I'll get to buy some cute girl clothes for somebody!!!

These boys sure are sweet though! And they love their mommies.... that's the best part :)

Progress

2009-02-05T04:57:00.000-08:00

I got a very good report from the specialist yesterday.

He said that my amniotic fluid appears to be in normal range. He threw out some numbers, but they didn't really mean anything to me because he was taking different measurements than the ultrasound technician last week at my OB's office. So I don't really know how much the fluids have increased, but apparently bed rest and drinking 16+ glasses of water a day is helping. I'm very relieved to find out that it was my over exertion that was causing the issue and not some greater problem.

I have to maintain the bed rest schedule at least until I go back to my OB in 3 weeks. I'm hoping she may lift some of the at home restrictions. Thank you for your prayers!

Appointment Tomorrow

2009-02-03T15:53:00.000-08:00

I have an appointment tomorrow with the perinatal specialist at 2:15. Please pray that everything is normal and that my fluid levels have increased from last week. I have been drinking water until I can't stand to take another sip!

I'll update you tomorrow!

B.R.A.T.

2009-02-02T05:08:00.000-08:00

A friend of mine shared something that I felt was worthy of passing along.

Her son had a stomach virus last week and couldn't keep anything down. When she took him to the doctor, he told her to think of B.R.A.T. in those situations:

Bananas
Rice
Applesauce
Toast

All of those things are easy on the tummy and will still provide nutrition to a sick child!

Updates

2009-02-01T12:51:00.001-08:00

Yesterday made 2 weeks since we moved A into his big boy room and twin bed.

Tomorrow makes 1 week that A has been in a cast.

Today marks the end of my first full weekend of bed rest. If my boss wasn't such a horrible wretch of a person right now, I might actually look forward to going to work tomorrow!

A is sleeping well in his new bed, but I think part of that has to do with the fact that he still refuses to walk. I"ll be curious to see how this goes next week when he gets his cast off. Bedtime is going easier and he's not waking up as much at night now. If something good did come out of his broken leg, I"m hoping its that he has learned he can sleep all night in his new room.

He goes back to the doctor next Monday to have the cast removed and more x-rays. The ortho was hopeful that he wouldn't need another cast. Hubs will have to take him to that appointment as I am on doctor's orders to go to work and then home to bed. It makes me sad not to be there, but I have to think of baby #2 also!

It looks like my boss has come up with a new schedule for me that complies with the 32/hrs week rule - 8hrs Monday and 6 hours for the other 4 days of the week. We'll see how the first full week goes starting tomorrow!

We're halfway there!!!!

2009-01-28T18:57:00.000-08:00

We are officially halfway there! 20 weeks down and 20 more to go!

We are so thrilled to announce that Baby Rusch is a healthy baby......

BOY!!!!!!

We are both thrilled and blessed to be having another healthy baby!!!

We would like to request your prayers regarding one issue. My amniotic fluid is low. I had this same issue with A, but it didn't surface until around 32 weeks of pregnancy. Since I am only 20 weeks now and still have quite a way to go, it is a bit of concern. My doctor has reduced my work hours and put me on bed rest when at home. Again, the baby looks great and is in perfect health, we just need to try to increase my fluid levels.

I am going to a specialist on February 4th for more extensive testing to ensure there isn't a problem that the standard pre-natal tests are not detecting. All of my tests have come back normal, thus far.

Please pray for the following:

Reduced stress at work - most of you know my work situation has been horrible lately so its somewhat of a blessing not to have to be there as much! Hopefully they will respect the doctor's orders and things won't get nasty.

Coordinating more time to rest for me so my fluid levels can increase- Ted's job is very demanding right now and often requires him to work late nights. Just pray that the Lord works out all of these little details so that he can meet expectations at work and I can get the rest I need at home.

Pray for A - that the Lord would quickly heal his little leg and help him with the transition at home with mommy not being able to do as much.

We are so thankful for all of you and can't wait to introduce you to our second son in June!

Is it a boy or is it a girl???

2009-01-27T18:28:00.001-08:00

Right now only God knows, but not for much longer.... we'll share in on the good news tomorrow!

Our appointment is at 9:15am.... can't wait to share!!!

A broken bone

2009-01-27T04:44:00.000-08:00

A has a broken leg! And I have a broken heart.

I seriously deserve the worst mother in the world award! What I thought was a sprained/twisted ankle that the doctors wouldn't be able to do anything for, turned out to be a broken leg. Yep, he broke his leg right above his ankle. He has a little red cast that he will be in for at least 2 weeks until we go back to the orthopedic doctor for more x-rays. Its pitiful and cute all at the same time!

We have already seen a huge improvement in his demeanor now that he has a cast and the "boo-boo" is stabilized. He was crawling around like a mad man last night. He put weight on it a couple of times, but he hasn't attempted to walk on it yet. He is back at daycare today and I'm hoping that in an attempt to keep up with his buddies, he will start walking again.

As a side note, am I the only mother that feels like I always make the wrong decisions when it comes to my child? If I break down and call the pediatrician, I either feel like "that mom" who over-reacts to every little thing or like a horrible mother for not having had rushed my child in immediately. UGH..

A little progress

2009-01-22T19:14:00.000-08:00

Last night was a good night. A got up once around 11:00 and went straight back to bed without a fight. We were able to get a much need night's sleep!

He got his first "official" injury today. He sprained his ankle on the playground at daycare. It is so sad. He keeps saying, "Mommy, boo-boo hurts." Oh, how I wish I could take it away!

Hopefully tomorrow he will put weight on it again to walk. He sat on my lap all night tonight and watched Elmo. I loved the snuggles, although I wish they came under different circumstances.

Downhill

2009-01-21T06:07:00.000-08:00

Nights two and three in the big boy bed were successful! Both nights he got up once about 3 hours after going to bed. I can live with that.

Last night was another story... I laid in bed heartbroken listening to my child scream from his room. He came into our room around 11:00 and I took him back to his bed and it went downhill from there. He ran out of his new room (formerly the guest room/play room) into the nursery and reached for his crib saying "bed, bed, bed..." He wanted back in his crib. That broke my heart! I told Hub Luv that we were just going to buy a new crib for the baby and let A sleep in a crib until he's 5. Fortunately, he disagreed and we stuck to our guns and made A sleep in his twin bed. It was so pitiful though. I feel now like I did when he was a newborn and we started letting him cry it out when he went to sleep.

I'm praying tonight goes better! Does anyone have any suggestions to offer about transitiong from a crib to a twin bed?

Night One: Successful

2009-01-18T16:47:00.001-08:00

Night one in the big boy bed went amazingly well.

We went through our normal bedtime routine and when we put him down, he stayed in bed. He cried out around 1:30 and I think he had woken up and was a little disoriented. I told him he was in his big boy bed. He fell back asleep until 8:30. That time he woke me up screaming. I could tell by the way he was lying in the floor that he had tried to climb down and had fallen. I put him back to bed and he slept until 10:00!

Naptime today was successful too. I"m praying night #two goes well because I'm exhausted from all of the projects around here. I feel like I have a lot to do in the next 5 months!

Side note.... who knew it was so hard to find a bed rail for a twin bed? I never dreamed it would be an ordeal, but it took us 2 hours of driving to different Targets and Wal-Marts last night to finally find one.

Putting the final touches on the room now... pics to come!

Holy Cow, its 2009!!!

2009-01-17T14:08:00.000-08:00

Man, did the new year sneak up on me!!!

I have been in a fog of pregnancy sickness for the last 3 months, aggravated by 2 sinus infections. One of which I am getting over now. If you are one of the lucky ones who do not get sick during pregnancy, count yourself blessed that you do not know what you are missing. I want to know who named it "morning" sickness because I would have given my right arm to have only been sick in the mornings. It was 24/7 for 16 weeks. With A it was 15 weeks. But I have a healthy 2 year old and another healthy one on the way, so I'll count it all worthwhile. It has been 2 weeks since I have had any pregnancy sickness, so I think I am in the safe zone. Praise Jesus!

Unfortunately, it didn't come in time to enjoy the holidays the way I like to :( I didn't bake the first item, didn't attend all of the holiday festivities hosted by friends and family, didn't have a birthday party for Jesus, didn't make ornaments and didn't put my tree up until one week before Christmas. Now its 2009 and I'm almost halfway through my pregnancy!

We have been busy painting A's big boy room! Tonight will be the first night he sleeps in there. I"m curious to see how it goes. His room is so, so cute. I'm still hanging everything on the walls, but will post some pics when its complete.

I hope your New Year is off to a great start. I'll try to update more regularly in 2009!

Blessings!

Rusch Family Update!

2008-11-07T05:47:00.001-08:00

Hi Dear Friends! Its been a long time!

As most of you have heard by now, we are expecting a new addition to our family on June 17th, 2009! We had our first appointment and ultrasound last week. We got to see our little lima bean on screen. True to Rusch family fashion, we have given this baby its "in utero" name. A's name was "Ace." T has named this baby "Seabass" which I am not a fan of at all, but is quickly catching on in our home.

Right before we joyfully announced our new addition, I was plagued with pregnancy sickness. I was sick with A until 15 weeks so I expected that I might be sick with this baby, but nonetheless, I was hoping to avoid it.

Last weekend was the worst. After trick-or-treating on Friday I didn't go out of the house again until Monday morning when I left for work. Yesterday was a good day and today has started off well also so I"m hoping I might catch a break with this pregnancy. I'm trying to stay focused on the sweet reward that is to come at the end of it all! To all of you women who never had a day of sickness - you are so blessed in that regard!!!

Despite me not feeling well we have managed to fit in some fun things. We went to the Pumpkin Patch a couple of weeks ago and took our little giraffe trick or treating. I'll try to upload some pictures later!

Have a wonderful weekend!

Where have all the manners gone?

2008-10-02T05:22:00.000-07:00

As A gets older and we are out and about more and interacting with other kids (and their parents), I am noticing that there is something missing in the world today..... a little thing called MANNERS!!!

We had an almost-incident at the park yesterday. I say "almost" because I didn't actually confront the dad of the 5 year old boy that was bullying my almost 2 year old son. Before you commend me for taking the high road - don't. This has nothing to do with my self control, decision to show this man the love of Christ, or desire to bridle my tongue. This is purely a result of this daddy getting out of my line of fire before I could unleash the wrath of a "mother whose child has been wronged" on him.

Now, am I proud of that fact? NO. I'll come back to the spiritual implications in a minute.

In public settings, such as parks, where there are lots of kids around, my general rule of thumb is to allow one grace "offense" before confronting a parent. Now, I'm not talking about kids not paying attetion and running into my child and knocking him down or stealing a toy, etc. I'm talking about the willful, intentional pushing or other form of bullying my child that can cause physical harm. I do know that kids will be kids and you have to deal with those things. I also know that I wear my heart on my sleeve and, therefore, am prone to over-react in any given situation. When you add my child to the mix, multiply that by 1000 times. I lose all logic and reasoning and only see that my child has been wronged. So, to make sure I am not over-reacting, I allow 1 grace offense. How charitable of me, I know (sarcasm). If the behavior continues, then I will confront the parent.

Yesterday when we were at the park, this 5 year old little boy ran up to A and shoved him. This was not an accident of any sort. The kid ran up and pushed him. A stumbled around, but I was able to grab him before he fell. I am one of those parents that actually watch their kids at the park so I was nearby. The dad of the bully, who was standing right there when the whole thing went down, just said, "Now, Now... we don't push little kids." Luckily A has thicker skin than his mama and ran along unscathed.

I, however, thought to myself, "Strike One," and this kid immediately went under my mama microscope.

Now, call me crazy, but I think the dad should have made the boy apologize to A. That's what my mom would have done when I was little and what I would do if A did that to another child. I don't think I would have been nearly as upset if the dad acted remotely remorseful. I do understand that kids unexpiclably hit, push, pull hair etc. A has done it to other children. Kids will be kids and its not the children that I am upset with. Its the parents and their response in these situations that kill me!

Anyway, this child continued to push A (and other kids) out of his way on the stairs to slide, would run up the slide as these little ones were coming down the slide, etc. So I guess I actually gave him more than 1 grace offense :) I think the dad realized I was about to blow because he grabbed his son and took him to the other end of the park to let him run around.

Now, there is nothing wrong with a mamma being angered by her child done wrong. Its how we deal with that anger. Mommies from the beginning of time have experienced these emotions. In Genesis 21:8-10, Sarah was so angered by Ishmael scoffing at Isaac that she cast him out of the land!!!!

My conflict is "How do I respond to these situations while living out the word in front of my child?" Clearly, my inward fury did not come out yesterday, but it could have and probably would have if that dad did not make his exit when he did. The bible says, "But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man" Matthew 15:18.

I'm reading a book, "Shepherding a Child's Heart" by Tedd Tripp. He talks about disciplining your children according to scripture and scripture alone. He also talks about dealing with bullies and how the bible says to bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, to him who strikes you on the one cheek, offer him the other (Luke 6:27-36). Now obviously Jesus does not want me to stand back and watch someone physically harm my child and do nothing about it, but where is balance? I"m struggling to find the balance people!!!!

I want nothing more than to live out the word in every aspect of my life. Afterall, Jesus is the word.

Please tell me how you deal with these situations!

I am like a mamma bear. I ROAR. Jesus.... there is still a lot of work to be done in me... but I guess you knew that already :)

My Version of Chicken Pot Pie

2008-09-21T14:51:00.001-07:00

I've been under the weather today with a sinus headache, so I made one of my dishes that I like to label "No Prep Time" for dinner.

I like to consider this a healthy version of Chicken Pot Pie. Its not Paula Dean by any means, but then again, I don't think you can use healthy in the same sentence as Paula Dean. This is so simple and fairly healthy and its a good little dish to have tucked in your back pocket for when you don't feel like cooking!

Ingredients:

1 lb chicken cut into 1 in. chunks (I use boneless/skinless tenders but you could use breasts)
1 can of cream of chicken soup (I use the reduced sodium)
1 8 0z package of cream cheese (I do use the regular)
1 1/4 cup of whole wheat pasta*
1 1/4 cup of frozen peas and carrots*
3/4 soup can of water, divided

Line an 8x11 baking dish with the pasta, peas and carrots, and chicken
Pour 1/4 of the water over
Mix the cream cheese, soup and remaining water and pour on top and spread evenly
Bake on 375 for 35 minutes
(About 20 minutes into baking, I take the casserole out and stir to mix everything together to bake for the remaining 15 minutes)

Enjoy!

*These are approximate measurements - I usually just eyeball it!

Going Green!!!

2008-09-19T08:53:00.000-07:00

Being a mommy has changed me in many ways...

I can no longer watch Law and Order SVU

I cannot listen to/watch the news regarding child abductions or hate crimes on children

I drive more cautiously in addition to never talking on my cell phone while A is in the car with me or while I am driving on the interstate (even if I am alone)

I am more aware of the condition of our environment that my child has to live in and my personal affect on that condition

I am more aware of the foods and chemicals that I bring into my home

About a year ago, T and I started a "green" movement within our home. First it started with recycling and is slowly expanding into other areas. Little by little we are making changes to reduce the chemicals we are emitting in our air and help preserve our natural resources. We have started turning off the water while we brush our teeth, turning off lights when we leave the room, buying aerosol free products, walking vs driving when reasonable, using compact fluorescent lightbulbs, etc.

T is currently making his own "compost" for the yard. Its brewing now in a big Rubbermaid storage container in the back yard. If you are ever at my home and open up my refrigerator to see a bag full of coffee grounds, banana peels and other food scraps, that's what its for :) I have stopped using the best hairspray ever because it is only available in aerosol form. I feel the pain from that everyday when I am fixing my hair :( If anyone has a recommendation for a strong-hold, non-aerosol hairspray, please let me know!!!!

Anyway, this post is not intended to pat our own backs, but to give you some insight into what is going on with us and pass on some useful things I have found! What I wanted to share with you today is a recipe for a chemical-free, all natural, all-purpose cleaning solution I have been using for a couple of months. I am a clean freak and have been perfectly satisfied. Plus, it doesn't streak or leave a filmy residue. I even mop my floors with this.

This isn't a new invention, but an old tried and true cleaning solution. I just found out about it and wanted to pass along to others who may not have been aware. Its 4 parts water to 1 part vinegar. The vinegar is diluted enough that it doesn't leave a strong vinegary odor.

Its cheaper than most solutions on the market and we don't have to worry about our kids breathing in harmful chemicals that can cause respiratory problems.

If you're worried about the odor or aren't ready to make you own cleaning solution, Clorox has an all-natural product called "Green Works" that I have used and been satisfied with as well.

Please give it a try if you feel led and let's give our kids clean air to breathe and protect the earth our Lord created!!!

Ok... I'll stop now. Beware.. I may be turning into a tree hugger!

A climber of sorts

2008-09-17T10:54:00.000-07:00

**I'm frustrated with trying to insert my pictures under the related text, so they are all appearing at the top of the post! Maybe one day I"ll have enough patience to figure this out..

The climbing has stepped up a notch..... the other day I caught A pulling out his dresser drawers and climbing up them to reach something on top of his dresser. I don't have a picture of that one because I almost had a heart attack when I saw him and couldn't reach my camera, but here is a picture of him climbing on his activity table. I had to dis-assemble another one he has because he was climbing on it. This one may be next.

So, I finally made the edible play dough that I referred to in another post. A had a blast with it! Here is the recipe if you're interested (I recommend sitting the kiddos at the kitchen table for this one).

Equal parts:

Honey

Peanut Butter

Powdered milk

I can't take credit for this one.... this is straight from Kate Gosselin on Jon & Kate Plus 8!

The Heart of Rock-n-Roll....

2008-09-16T16:56:00.000-07:00

....lies within my son!

War Eagle for Chick-fil-a

2008-09-01T17:11:00.000-07:00

Chick-fil-a had a promotion today that anyone wearing a football team logo got 3 free chicken strips. So we donned our best Auburn T's and headed over to cash in!!! It was a nice way to wrap-up a fun filled weekend!!!

On Saturday we had lunch with Taz and Christi. It was so good to see them. Christi is still in one piece so school hasn't broken her yet. We miss them so much and tried to guilt trip them into moving back, but it didn't work.

On Sunday we went to my in-laws for swimming and a cookout. A's baby cousin, N, was there so we had our hands full trying to keep him off the baby. It really is cute.. he loves him so much and constantly wants to kiss him, tickle him and give him toys or his milk cup. I'm not so sure the rest of the family finds this cute yet :)

Here are some pics from our weekend. Enjoy!

He had more fun playing in the fireplace than the pool (Don't worry... it hasn't been used yet)

Being silly with giraffe on his head...

More Poop talk.....

2008-09-01T12:37:00.001-07:00

So last week he said "Poo-Poo" for the first time when I was telling him that he poo-pooed in his diaper.

Today he came up to me and said, "Poo-Poo". I checked his diaper, and he had in fact, gone #2. This is really the first big sign he's shown that we're moving toward potty training readiness.

I got his little potty out of storage and put it in his bathroom. In the coming days I hope to familiarize him with the concept by letting him sit on the potty and talk about it.

I can't believe my baby is almost ready to be potty trained!!!! Please pray for us as we begin, what I've heard, is a very challenging journey!

Lots of Cute Stuff

2008-08-30T15:22:00.000-07:00

This entry is just a hodge-podge of stuff... A has done so many cute things this week that I wanted to share.

First of all... I'm digressing away from the cute part for a minute... he grew just enough this week that he can now turn our door knobs enough to open every door in this house. This is bringing the baby proofing to a whole new level. One night this week T and I were in the kitchen and we heard a door open and walked into the living room to see A walking out the front door! YIKES! That was scary. You will be glad to know that we have since put baby proofing devices on all of the important door knobs.

Back to the cute stuff.....

Most of you know that I am on the hunt for the perfect shade of beige to paint my living room. I keep all of my paint samples in a basket in our room. This morning A was holding the different paint samples up to the wall and looking at them! I think he's seen mommy do that one too many times recently. This reminded me of the time that he got hold of a pair of tweezers and pretended that he was plucking his chin after spending the morning with my mom. Sorry mom for outting you!

We bought him a playhouse a few weeks ago. He loves it! (Pictures to come soon). The only downfall is that he wants me to get in it all the time. That wouldn't be so bad except that he gets out and moves on to play with other toys and expects me to continue to sit in the house! Its quite a sight to see..... me in the playhouse with my knees tucked under my chin while he is off doing his own thing.

His vocabulary is continuing to expand and he is piecing sentences together more and more. He said "Poo-Poo" today. If you don't have kids this will seem like a totally inappropriate topic to blog about, but those with kids know its part of daily conversation. Things for the childless to look forward to :)

He is becoming quite the tattle tale! He tattles on himself whenever he is about to do something that is not allowed. Whenever I hear "No,No,No" I turn around to see his insubordination. Usually its putting his foot on the dinner table. That is the latest thing that he continues to do to test us. Sometimes he even gives himself a spanking!

I think I"m going to make edible play dough tomorrow after naptime. I'll let you know how it goes!

Rough Day

2008-08-27T14:21:00.001-07:00

Poor sweet A... he had a rough day yesterday.

First, he bit his friend A at daycare so he got in trouble for that last night when we got home. Then when I was giving him a bath, I noticed that he had been bitten also. There was a little mouth print on his upper back.

While he was splashing around in his bath and having fun, he bent down and hit his eye on the faucet. It was one of those accidents, where as a parent, you immediately feel horrible because you were right there!!!!

Here are some pics below... Ted iced it immediately so it didn't swell too bad overnight.

Thank God we don't have an appointment with the Pediatrician anytime soon!

Immediately after:

Today: (The crying has nothing to do with the injury... this is his normal morning demeanor)

Fun in the Rain

2008-08-25T05:14:00.000-07:00

Luckily for us the lake is one place you can go and still have fun when its raining!!!

T and I were invited to his cousin's house on Lake Martin in Dadeville, AL this weekend. We dropped A off at Grandma and Grandpa's house on Saturday morning and headed out for our little getaway. Typical to our luck, the one weekend we decide to go to the lake, its rains the entire time!!!

Despite the crummy weather we had a great time. T's family graciously opened up their home, boat, and jet skis to us. The lake water was so warm and inviting that we decided to venture out despite the pouring rain. There is something so relaxing about being out on the open water and getting bounced around on the back of a jet ski! Because the water was so rough and choppy we got splashed a lot and stayed warm from the wind and rain.

I got plenty of "guy time" this weekend. I've never been a huge fan of being the only gal hanging out with a group of guys, but if I had to do it, this would be the group of guys I would want to be around. Even though we've been married 3 years, I've never really had the opportunity to get to know T's cousins Brian, Bobby, and Andrew. Maybe its because they live such exciting and elaborate lives...

Brian lives in Denver, Colorado and is an operations manager for Home Depot there. He is a real outdoorsman and has lots of neat stories to share. Bobby just completed his MBA, lives in Decatur and has a posh job for a private investment firm and frequently travels the world for work. Andrew went to undergrad at Notre Dame University, is in the Navy, and is currently attending medical school at Emory. It was really neat getting to know them and they are all 3 such gentlemen! I was asked on more than on occasion if I needed a sweater, if I was comfortable, if I needed something to drink, etc. That part was kinda fun :) The matchmaker in me was dying to break free and start making matches, but I contained myself.

A had fun with the grandparents. Grandpa taught him how to do the touchdown symbol. Grandma bought him 2 new toys; a firetruck and an alphabet toy. As usual he got lots of attention and love. We're so fortunate to have them so close by!

I can't believe its time to start another week. This should be a light week for me at work so I'm looking forward to lots of time with A.

Blog ya later! ( I know... cheezy)

I'm still alive!!!

2008-08-21T10:09:00.001-07:00

Hello to all of my blog readers... Maybe I'm being a little too confident...does anyone even read my blog? Hmm.... oh well, its fun to write even if its just for me!

Life has been busy lately. I have been working wwaaaayyyy more than I would like. We have been understaffed in our department at work so I have been graciously filling in. We just recently hired 2 peeps, so I'm fighting to reutrn to my part-time schedule before they forget that this full-time schedule was only temporary! I miss my baby and our afternoons at the park. We haven't done anything too exciting outside of our normal routine lately, hence the lack of blog posts, but here is a quick update on everyone....

A is still as busy as ever. He may be the sweetest little boy that ever lived. I just love all the hugs and kisses. The best hugs are the ones where he wraps his arm around my neck and then plays with my hair. He has a new addition to his vocabulary, "MINE!" And he certainly knows the proper context in which to use it. He is just such a little boy! It cracks me up how we don't have to teach him to do boy things. He has two skinned knees and he knocked the scab off one yesterday when he and another little boy at daycare were driving their trucks into each other.

T is working all the time! His job is very challenging and demanding right now, but he is enjoying it. He has started running and mountain biking again. I don't know how he does it in the heat!

In addition to working a lot, I have been getting lots of time out with good friends lately - thanks to my wonderful hubby for pulling A duty! I am in two bible studies right now. One meets bi-weekly and the other monthly. That doesn't sound like much, but it always seems like I'm finishing up my lessons at the last minute. God is so good though! I love the things He continues to show me and the blessings he is giving me through time with wonderful women. I also took on another project - I'm painting A bathroom. I hope to finish it next week. Its going to be cute!

We are starting a new playgroup tomorrow which I am very excited about. I love having interaction with other mom's and I love knowing that A is forming some friendships too. All of these mom's are God Fearing women, whom happen to be married to T's Auburn crew, so that makes it even better!

I have been majorly slacking in the picture taking/uploading/e-mailing department! There just isn't enough time in the day for it all! So I am including some recent pictures of Aiden... just little random shots... some of our trip to WV, some at Monkey Joe's (one of his favorite places) and some just goofing around! Oh, I included a couple of A's baby cousin N. A just loves him until mommy picks him up! I tried to put these at the bottom, but can't figure it out right now. So they're going to be at the top of the page!

Enjoy the pictures!

Kids really do say the darndest things!!!!

2008-08-08T06:40:00.000-07:00

One of A's new favorite things to do, is to look at pictures of our friends and family and name everyone in the picture. He has taken a special liking to the older of my two younger sisters, B, aka, Aunt T.T. I"m still trying to figure that one out.... Just kidding T.T. :) Anyway, he naturally gravitates to pictures of her and stands there pointing and saying "T.T., T.T., T.T." until I say, "Yes honey, that's Aunt T.T." We do this several times a day.

Its funny how kids make associations with people. For those of you that haven't met my sister, Brittany is tall, thin and has shoulder length dark brown hair. When we were at church Sunday, he was pointing to everyone, who from behind, had the same profile as my sister and saying "T.T., T.T, T.T."

I had the newest issue of "US Weekly" on the table the other day. On the cover was Halle Berry in a bikini featuring her "post baby body" and Britney Spears in a bikini featuring her "newer more svelte body." A pointed to Halle Berry and said "T.T" I said "Honey that's not T.T." I didn't want to lead the poor child astray, afterall. Then he pointed to Britney Spears and said "MaMa." I said "You're exactly right honey. That's MaMa."

Oh well....

Chicken nuggets with a side of meltdown

2008-08-07T04:56:00.001-07:00

For me, one of the wonders of motherhood, is the innate sense our children have of when certain events are occurring or are about to occur, and decide to have a meltdown at that time.

In the Rusch house, that moment is inevitably, dinnertime. When I was pregnant, several moms warned me that A would have a fussy time each day. That there wouldn't be anything wrong with him, but that he would just be fussy. His time was between 6-8pm. Do you want to know what determined exactly what time in that 2 hour interval that he would be fussy? When T and I sat down to eat dinner.

Our evenings usually go something like this..... pick A up at daycare at 4:00. By the time he hugs and kisses everyone 1,000 times and we leave its 4:30. By the time we get home and get in the house and somewhat settled its 5:00. We play for a few minutes and then I begin fixing him dinner because he is eagerly awaiting it and starving at 5:30. T arrives home between 6:00 and 6:30. He plays with A for a few minutes. Then its bathtime, story time, prayer time and bedtime (for A that is). Then T and I make dinner for ourselves and eat around 8:00. SHEW. I'm exhausted writing this.

On the rare occasion that T gets to leave early and is home by 6:00, I try to have dinner ready so we can eat as a family of 3. A doesn't quite understand the concept of a snack yet, hence why we eat at separate times. We're still working on that one. Anyway, Tuesday was one of those days. T agreed to get A from daycare so I could get a jumpstart on dinner and we could all eat together. Perfect plan.

A is generally a very pleasant child. Sure, he has his meltdowns, but they usually last 30 seconds to 1 minute. Overall, he is easygoing like his dad. The two of them arrived home, both in perfectly cheery moods, with only 10 minutes left until dinner was ready. A was in the kitchen playing peek-a-boo around the corner while I was wrapping things up.

The minute and I mean the minute dinner was ready and we sat down, MELTDOWN. I'm not talking a little 30 second meltodown. The child screamed the entire time we ate dinner. It was like someone flipped a switch in him. After about 2 minutes of the screaming I got him out of his seat and put him in my lap. That didn't help. He screamed and climbed all over me for the remainder of our dinner. Have you ever tried to eat brown rice with a 21 month old on your lap flipping around like a fish out of water? No wonder my kitchen floor is never clean. I do wonder though why I am not thinner :)

I still wouldn't trade it for the world.....

To Spank or Not to Spank - That is the Question

2008-08-04T06:28:00.001-07:00

Today's post is a very controversial one.... discipline.... specifically... spanking.

I have found that, for the most part, parents are divided on the subject of discipline. You are either a spanker or you aren't. That's it. For most, its black and white. The "non spanking" realm of discipline can encompass many different methods of punishment. But the most divisive element of discipline, that gets even the most mild mannered parents in an uproar, is spanking.

I will go ahead and put it out there.... T and I are spankers. That is how we were raised and we turned out just fine. We turned out better than fine... we both have a godly love and respect for our parents and we respect authority. Now, I'm not talking about the "go pick a switch off the tree" spanking or the "beating your child with a belt" spanking. I'm talking about the good ole' "warm their hinies" when they don't behave spanking. And for all of you extremists out there, let me please clarify, I am not talking about child abuse nor am I promoting abusing your child. I am talking about disciplining your child, in love, through the form of spanking. I am talking about spanking my child's disobedience and not spanking out of my emotions.

Before we go any further, I want to pose a thought.... why do we even need to discipline our children in the first place? Wouldn't it be much easier to give them everything they want and all live happily ever after? Aside from all of the emotional/social issues that would create for your child, we are commanded by our heavenly father to discipline our children.

Pr 13:24 He who spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is careful to discipline him.

Pr 19:18 Discipline your son, for in that there is hope; do not be a willing party to his death.

Pr 22:15 Folly is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline will drive it far from him.

Pr 22:13 Do not withhold discipline from a child; if you punish him with the rod, he will not die.

What makes spanking better than time out or vice versa? For us it was never an issue. We were going to spank our kids. Maybe its because we were spanked as children. Maybe its because the children that we know who are not spanked but are punished through "time-out" have no respect for authority and ultimately rule over their parents. Look at the condition of our schools now vs 15 years ago when we still had paddling in the schools. Again, let me stress, in my experience, non-spanking methods of punishment do not appear to be as effective.

There is not right or wrong answer to this... and maybe one's method of discipline needs to differ with each child depending on that child's personality. We have not crossed that bridge yet as we still only have 1 child. If you are part of the "non-spanking" school of thought I am not trying to convert you. I'm confident with the method that we've chosen and I"m sure you're confident about yours. What I'm more upset about is that it is not socially acceptable to spank our children anymore.

To be part of a society that screams "freedom" and "1st Ammendment rights", parents are not given the social freedom to discipline their children as they choose. The public is so quick to cast an evil stare my direction when A is misbehaving, but I can't spank him because someone will call child services on me. Even more than that, any type of punishment or lac of results in a dirty look. You have the group that gives you a dirty look for scolding a 2 year old who appears to be having a seizure because he is throwing such a tantrum. If you do nothing, you have the group that gives you a dirty look for not scolding your child. I have my way of punishing at home and my way of punishing in public and the two are vastly different. Only because I will not give someone the opportunity to scream that I am abusing my child for spanking him. Its a no win situation. Its just frustrating.

I'm not sure what I hoped to accomplish with this post today.... just food for thought.

Dare Devil and a Busted Lip

2008-07-29T05:53:00.001-07:00

So we made it all the way to WV and back safely. The night we return, A decides to ride his tonka riding toy off the landing in the living room. He has a big purple busted lip. He took it like a champ though! I took a picture last night and will try to upload it sometime tonight for you to see.

Other than that, all is well with us. We had a great time in WV and we are both exhausted from the trip. A's late night rendezvous at my mom's house have caught up with him now that we are unable to sleep in until 10am every day. Oh well... what are vacations for?

I know we were only gone for 10 days, but I feel like I came home with a different child than I left with. And I"m not just talking about the fact that he is more spoiled after 10 days with his GiGi and aunts. He is climbing more, talking more, giving more kisses (if that is possible) and throwing fewer temper tantrums!

I feel like we have a slight improvement in the biting arena. Now when he is mad at me, instead of trying to bite me, he'll lean down and bite his shirt, the couch, his beloved giraffe or even himself. At times it is funny and I have to turn away so he doesn't see me laugh, but at least he is moving away from human objects (other than himself)! I am not encouraging self-mutilation, but maybe if he keeps biting himself in these fits of anger, he will realize that it hurts and stop doing it to others.

OK, I have to get back to work. Its so hard to focus after vacation.

Rusch Hour

2008-07-28T08:13:00.000-07:00

Thanks to my friend, Trish , I am changing the name of our blog to Rusch Hour! Its cute and catchy! Thanks for the suggestion Trishie!

More to come later.....

Cannibal???

2008-07-23T08:13:00.000-07:00

We are in WV and are having a blast!!! We were supposed to come home tomorrow, but have decided to postpone our visit for a few days. A is having a wonderful time being surrounded by all of my family. It took him about 5 minutes to warm up to everyone and now he is liberally giving kisses to all!!!! However, he warmed up so well that he decided to start biting again!!!

UGH... I can't figure out this biting thing. Everytime I turn around that mouth is wide open and going for flesh! Is he lacking some vital nutrient in his diet that is causing him to crave human flesh, is he a cannibal, or is this just a phase??? We had 3 incidents last week at daycare in which A bit sweet little AJ. He got put in time-out there for his offense and when I picked him up, I pointed to the imprint of his mouth on Alice's arm and again scolded him to remind him that we do not bite!!!

All of you have heard me speak of my 6 year old nephew, J, whom I absolutely adore. He has always been so sweet with A and to our surprise, has not been jealous at all. A bit him 3 times the first two days we were here. Unlike his victims at daycare, J is old enough to realize what was happening and pull away before A was able to break the skin, but still, the intent was the same so he had to be punished.

I'm so praying this phase passes soon. If anyone has any endured the biting phase with their own and has any tips/suggestions, I am all ears!

I'll write more about our trip later!

Taking the plunge......

2008-07-15T07:10:00.001-07:00

Yes, that's right. I am taking the plunge and stepping into modern day technology and creating a blog!

All of you are so sweet to ask about A and want to know how he's doing on a regular basis. Now that we are full into the toddler phase, there just isn't enough time in the day to stay in touch with everyone. So hopefully you can check out my blog periodically for the latest and greatest with the Rusch's. Plus, it just seems like a fun thing to do :)

A quick update on where we are today.....

A is 20 months old today! Everyone keeps asking me at what point you stop tracking their age in months. I don't know the answer to that, but my guess is 2 years. Up until that point they go to the pediatrician so often for the "well baby" check-ups and there are so many monthly critical developmental milestones to track that, as a parent, each month feels critical to your child's development. Hopefully that will let up soon!

We have officially nicknamed Aiden "The Destroyer" as he is destroying our house faster than T and I can run behind him and clean it up. I pick-up up tupperware at least 18 times a day as he loves to pull every piece out of my cabinet several times a day. Up until now, I have spared that cabinet from the baby proofing so he could have something to do while I make dinner, but for my sanity, that one may get bolted down also.

A's vocabulary is expanding every day now! He can very clearly say about 12 words including "Hi, Bye-Bye, Mama, Daddy, light, Big Bird, La La (which is for Elmo), Yum Yum (which is for Cookie Monster), T.T. (for my sister B), keys, duck, dog. And several others that without a translation from T or myself, you wouldn't know what he was saying :)

This truly is a fun age, but it is very exhausting. Some nights we literally fall into bed. Still, all the hugs and kisses make every single moment worthwhile!

A and I are off to my mom's house on Thursday for an entire week. We can't wait to get there! They haven't seen A since Easter and man ole' man, are they in for a surprise! I hope GiGi gets the house babyproofed this week :)

I'll be in touch soon!