Time Out!

So it's come to the time to discipline our sweet little boy.  Ok, maybe we should have started this sooner but give us a break!  We're new at this :)  We've had food throwing issues since Micah cold pick food up.  He's just so stinkin cute when he throws it, Champ runs to get it, and then Micah laughs hysterically!  Last night we finally said we have to do something.  Other parents say their child went through this phase for a week.  We're going on 6mo!  So out came the "naughty chair" (maybe I've been watching too much super nanny).  We tried a restrained time out per the doctor and that failed miserably. So now we're just doing a chair in the corner and 1 min in time out.  The first time last night Micah thought it was a game.  He kinda squirmed and giggled for a few seconds and then tried to get down.  Right back on the chair he went.  We did this for 1 min all the while I looked away and payed no attention to the fit he continued to throw.  It's so hard when all you want to do is cuddle him until he stops crying!  But I did it and after 1 min he could get up and play again.  And a second time he threw his goldfish crackers to Champ.  Back to the chair we went.  This time he cried for a solid minute.  Back down and then back to the chair we went for a third time after the fishes went flying.  This time the tears were really flowing and I wasn't sure we were making any progress.  Tonight went a little better.  He only threw food once and then his cup of milk.  One time out was had, and hopefully he'll figure out soon that it's not nice to throw his food. 

Got Milk?

Got Milk?  Micah does....in his tummy :)  Big boy drank 5oz of milk from a cup tonight and didn't put up a fight!  Dr. Beaty was right!  We starved it out of him and he finally gave into his thirst.  I was a little worried when he'd gone 20hrs with nothing to drink but he eventually gave in.  I asked that his school to only offer milk with meals and then water for an afternoon snack instead of juice. They said he even drank from one of their cups instead of his preferred cup.  I sure hope that we're moving in the right direction!

Moo (micah moo) is growing up too fast!  He is so very independent in everything he does.  Little stink won't let you feed him yogurt or applesauce from a spoon, but he's not so good with it himself.  He slops it everywhere!  We went out for breakfast a few weeks ago and I'm pretty sure he slopped applesause in the lady's hair behind us.  Guess we can't take him anywhere these days!  I just keep telling myself that he's learning and that's why my floor is always covered with goop.  So glad we have Champ on those days!

He's even growing up at school!  Micah just graduated to the Toddler I room!  I'm so proud of him and so excited for all the fun arts and crafts that he will bring home.  He slept on a cot in a room of 15 other toddlers for nearly an hour.  Kind of a short nap but hopefully he'll nap the full 2 hours at some point.  There are so many fun things to do at PALS.  He just loves it!  They have an awesome playground, so many fun new toys, a ton of friends to play with, and the best teachers ever!  We've really had a great experience there and I recommend it to everyone that is looking for childcare! 

15 month Well Check

Today was a busy day!  Micah and I both had well check appointments.  Micah checked in at 21 lb 9oz.  He's at the 12 percentile for weight and the 75th percentile for height.  We may not have a football player, but he could still be an all star at baseball.  Dr. Beaty said it's time to do away with the bottles.  We've tried this before and looks like we're going cold turkey this time.  No more "ba ba's" for Micah.  Bedtime was rough tonight.  I offered the cup of milk over and over and he just cried more and more.  Finally he cried himself to sleep.  Dr. Beaty says that "thirst will eventually take over" and to not offer anything but milk for 24hr.  If he doesn't take it after 24hr then offer some water and go back to the milk.  I hope he gives in soon!

We also talked about disciplining and I'm at my whits end with the food throwing.  It was cute at first but has gotten old quick.  He suggested "restrained time outs" where you restrain them from hurting themselves and hold them until they give up.  He said to expect to restrain him for 10-15min.  We did this and then he went right back to the food throwing.   Good thing he's cute!

On the search

So we're back at it with searching for jobs.  Didn't we just do this? Oh right, we did 2 years ago when looking for a residency!  I thought this time would be easier, but it's not.  We matched in basically a lottery to find out where we would end up for residency.  Now we're the ones that have to figure out what would be the best job and where the best place to raise our family would be.  With residency we said, "we can live anywhere for 3 years".  But this time there are so many more factors involved.  We have Micah and we'd like to live in a place that's safe with great school districts.  We want to be closer to family.  Four hours is just too far.  The pay/benefits are different everywhere and they all have different amounts of contracted hours each month.  Some are 12x 12hr shifts, others 20x 8hrs, and others are a mix of both.  Some are large hospitals with residents, others are slow paced rural hospitals, and still others are a mix of both.  I'm pushing for less working days, and a place with a great school district!  Oh yeah, and fun things for us to do as a family :)

Life as a resident/physicians spouse is stressful enough and you just can't explain it well enough for anyone else to understand.  I feel like the only people that could understand this are spouses living it.  Long hours and nights by yourself, getting uprooted from your job and friends to follow your husband to residency and on to other jobs, single parenting but yet still married, trying to tiptoe around the house at 10:00am because it's your husband's 3am while a screaming 15mo old just doesn't understand why he can't play with daddy,  and finally student loans out the whazoo and poor pay per hour as a resident!  Seriously, some people flip burgers for more than my husband makes per hour and he's saving lives!  I personally think that should be worth more, but I don't make the rules.  It's just tough and now the thought of moving is just overwhelming! 

The good thing is that we're praying and seeking God's direction in where to go from here.  He's never led us astray before and we know that he'll provide for us!