Captain Underpants

Although they are brothers, Robby and Timmy hold so many opposite traits. Robby is calm and analytical where Timmy is impulsive and busy. Robby was always cautious, carefully evaluating a task to determine the risks and benefits before proceeding.  Timmy sees a tree and wants to climb higher than the squirrels, regardless of skill or the ability to descend. Despite our efforts to keep him safe, I worry that it is only a matter of time before Timmy's daredevil impulses result in a broken bone.

Last night I worried that our fears had materialized. After I tucked Timmy into bed, I went into the kitchen to finish the dishes. About 20 minutes later, as I was finishing wiping down the counters, I heard a loud thud, followed by crying, coming from Robby's bedroom. I found Timmy on the floor, curled up over his foot sobbing in pain.  

After I put him to bed he sneaked out of his room and into Robby's, where he climbed to the top bunk. He stood at the top, and leapt down (gravity sucks sometimes), resulting in a hurt ankle. When I got him calmed down, he declared that he didn't "flap his arms fast enough fly."  

His ankle was swollen and he had a difficult time walking.  It looked horrible and I was worried that he had broken something. Instead of rushing him to urgent care, we decided to ice the area and see how he was in the morning. After he became comfortable he finally fell asleep for the night.  

I was worried about his leg through the night, but I figured that his sleeping was probably a good sign. I woke up to a thump coming from his bedroom. I darted into his room (which took me a few minutes because my leg wasn't on yet) and saw him standing on the top of his bunk, overlooking his beanbag that he positioned below (which is lower than the one in Robby's room). With his Yoshi underwear on his head as a hat, he just looked at me and sang, "I'm Captain Underpants, ohh yeahhh" before jumping into the bean bag. 

I'm trying to focus on the positive. Timmy already shows great athletic prowess. He is fearless and determined, both traits that will help him in life. More than anything, I'm glad that his ankle isn't broken and he at least learned to position cushions to soften his falls.

Water park (Mis)Adventure

Our waterpark  adventure didn't unfold as planned, but that is part for the course with our family.  We arrived later than anticipated because packing for a one night getaway took an obscenely long time. From traffic to unplanned stops, it felt like the cards were stacked against us.  I felt a huge sigh of relief when we finally drove into the waterpark parking lot.

The skies were bright blue and the air was warm, creating perfect swimming conditions.  We immediately began to splash and play. Both boys were particularly fond of the wave pool and the belly flopper slide.  We stayed in the pool until the waves shut off, at which point we made a beeline for the slides.

After three hours, the skies began to darken and the temperature dropped.  We took the cue from the weather and headed inside to play in the indoor park until the storm blew over.  Timmy and Scott set out to go on a curly slide while Robby and I were floating down the lazy river.

All of a sudden, we heard a loud crash followed by darkness. The emergency lights flickered on while lifeguards were frantically blowing their whistles.  The entire park had lost power.  What a bummer!

We waited for nearly an hour before we decided to leave.  (Thankfully  we were given passes to return another day, which was unnecessary but very much appreciated.) We had a great time, even if the day was considerably shorter than planned.

Water Park Fun

To the delight of the boys, today we are heading to a "ginormous" water park to splash and play. Both boys, but especially Timmy, are excited about our family adventure. I love activities where everybody can have fun. The age difference makes it difficult, but going to a water park definitely fits the bill!

Because I'm still wearing a piecemeal prosthesis, I'm a little concerned about how it will hold up during our adventure. I'm worried about maintaining comfort, but I'm even more concerned that the socket will hold up through the strain of splashing, sliding and running through the water. I'm going to bring another device with me, but fingers crossed that it isn't necessary. The backup is more for hobbling around than it is for walking. A prosthetic failure today would be catastrophic for our water park adventure.

Pics to follow!

Behavior Molding

Our low-key anniversary celebration was, in my opinion, perfect. The day was spent riding bikes with Timmy through the neighborhood. After it became too hot to pedal, we packed up and took both boys to the splash pad. Scott and I saw in the shade watching Robby and Timmy's epic water gun showdown. 

Scott surprised me with a dinner reservation to my very favorite restaurant. The boys were well-behaved throughout dinner, and everybody ate their meal without complaint or drama. I can't remember the last time we all went to a restaurant without somebody (Timmy) experiencing a meltdown or creating drama.  Fingers crossed we turned the page on some behavior issues that we have been addressing!

Last week, after returning from visiting my Mom, Scott and I sat down and developed a plan for addressing Timmy's defiance and disregard for instruction. We figured out what doesn't work for him (yelling or punishment) and what seemed to elicit the quickest and most advantageous responses (praise and positive attention.)  Instead of constantly quipping no or putting him in time-out for misbehavior, we decided that we were going to triple down on positive reinforcement.  

After developing our plan, we knew that it would only be effective if Robby was on board. Timmy absolutely idolizes his big brother. Robby's power of persuasion is definitely greater than ours as parents, and we knew that we would be successful if we could leverage that control to mold appropriate behavior. 

Now every time Timmy listens, is helpful or is behaving,  he is lauded with praise and accolades. It didn't take long for us to see the benefits of our new behavior approach. Yelling and punishment have been replaced with happiness and hugs. I really wish that we had figured this out earlier! It is wonderful having two non-destructive, happy children!

15 years

15 years ago this morning my mom and I were waking up on the island of Anguilla. We strolled on the beach, had breakfast and went to a spa for the afternoon. In the afternoon, I walked down a sandy beach aisle and married Scott.

It is hard to believe that it has been 15 years since that beautiful July morning. When I think about the number of years I feel overwhelmed reflecting on the life that has transpired. Where did all the time go?

So much has changed in our lives since we said our vows. The years have been filled with both happiness and sorrows, joys and stresses. We have certainly been tested over the years, but I would do it all over again.

Happy Anniversary Scott!