1. Sunday is Not Every Day : I am trying to take a positive spin on the longest three hours of our lives each week. Let me refer you to this post. Particularly the picture the heads it. Things have only gotten . . . well, worse.
Sunday was once my favorite day of the week. I looked forward to each Sabbath and the wonderful calming effect it had on the beginning of my week. It was an opportunity to refocus and regroup, and I went to bed on Sunday nights feeling ready to go for the upcoming week.
And then we had a really awesome kid.
Now Sundays make me want to cry. The marathon three hours that we spend in that church building have become unbearable. None of the three of us getting anything out of the meetings except frustration. We teach a youth Sunday School class, and all he does is distract. He screams and destroys everything in sight, he licks windows, doors, floors and outlets, pokes at little babies and offers them Cheerios, and everything comes to a head when nap time has passed and he becomes the grumpy/sleepy/angry/nothingmakesmehappy baby that no one wants to be around. Between me and Chuck, we spend 98.9% of the meetings in the hallway.
Let me remind, you, also, that I am very chill and it takes a lot to put me at my whits end . . . a lot.
Sure, things start out cute. Davis is decked out in his handsomest clothes and the ridiculousness of it all melts my tender little heart. We pull up to the building, I give him a happy lecture on where we are and how he needs to behave, we sit down in sacrament meeting, he makes friends with those around him, and then the greatness begins.
We used his infant carseat to restrain him during meetings until it became ridiculous for him to be seen in it. (On that note, this was a CUTE moment we had a few weeks back when he made buddies with the man on the pew in back of us).
So I need help. He's not even thirteen months old - which could be the exact problem... But how in the world do we make these three hours less horrible?
Yep. We need help. Otherwise I am quitting church until he goes to nursery in September. :-)
Also - props to Chuck for keeping his cool and reminding me that this won't go on forever.
MOVING ON:
2. Hunting : I attempted an Easter egg hunt with my little bunny, and he actually grasped the concept! Grated, his attention span for the event was short, but it was oh-so-cute to watch him waddle around and place the now-found eggs in a basket. Kiddos are fun!
3. Normal : We're back to our "every-other-week with the Robinsons" Sunday dinners and I am thrilled about it. With Grandma and Grandpa Robinson back from their mission, we'll be seeing much more of the family again. Hooray! Davis will LOVE it. And I won't have to cook every other Sunday! ;-)
4. Drip Drip Drop Little April Showers : It smells like spring this morning. Snnnniiiiiiffffffffffffffff. Yum.
5. Jumping In : A week from tonight I begin rehearsal for Ragtime. I thrilled, nervous, worried about my voice not working like it used to, and antsy about not being around every night to see my sweet baby to sleep. But really, more than anything, I am excited that it will be something that is good for me. I'll reconnect with a beloved part of me and be able to share that with others a few nights a week for a few months. That is a happy thing.
6. Retro : We pulled out some home videos the other day, and this is one of my favorites:
7. Stringy : Have any of you tried this place? (Gotta be in Northern Utah - sorry folks!)
Go there. Now.
Run.
Now I'm hungry . . .
5 comments:
Oh, man, I wish I had a solution to offer you regarding the three hours of torture. I went through variations of the same problems you're having with both of my kids. (We were even teaching a youth Sunday School class when our oldest was that age!) I feel your pain, believe me! Unfortunately, I never found a better solution than walking the halls. Hang in there, and try to keep a sense of humor about the whole thing.
Okay, I think it is a well-kept secret that 12 - 18 months as an lds church-going family is probably the hardest thing any parents have to go through. You are banned to the hall because your child now has decided to start moving and exploring everything and anyone in sight. I remember when we hit this time in our life with our first kid. I seriously wondered what the point of going to church was with one kid who had no idea what was going on and WE definitely didn't know what was going on because we are in the hall, so let me offer you some Big Picture Perspective from an old roomie:
1. This too shall pass. You wonder why people are SO happy when their kid turns 18 months. Oh yeah, you figured out, because of the whole "Adam & Eve" curse that it is better to know sorrow so you can know the joy. The sorrow is RIGHT NOW and the joy is at 18 months. You will make it, I promise.
2. It is hard to see the point with the first kid, so let me assure you that you are establishing a habit for yourselves that even when church gets hard you will still go. I know from personal experience, that church will get hard from different angles and you will need to know for yourself that you will go.
3. On that note, you are an example to others. Sometimes just knowing that people made it through that time makes you feel that you can do it too. (EVEN THOUGH I ADMIRE MY MOTHER SO MUCH MORE FOR DOING THIS WITH TWINS)
4. And last but not least, when you have an additional, it is worth those hall walkings when your kid gets in the car and tells you all he learned about Jesus.
Some ideas that might help...
1. My kids loved to eat and that's when mom (me) pulled out the big guns (NOT CANDY). Fruit snacks, juice (I NEVER give them juice), grapes, cheese cubes, etc.
2. Resign. The hall is your home. Make sure you know everyone in it. Do some fellow shipping on your way around and around the building, and just think you are getting a workout you may not have had.
3. Become friends with the nursery workers and let them know you would be happy to sub (and thus bring your kid in with you...HEAVEN). let them know that you will sing every disney song to those kids if they will let you in (AS a nursery leader, I look for those that are in 12-18 month purgatory and that is my sub list).
I am so sorry. I just read the top portion and now I will finish your blog and perhaps have more comments. I feel for you!!!!!
So Kingston is now getting crazier now that he is 2 1/2, but one thing we do that has really worked well is going out in the hall is PUNISHMENT! So he has to sit in time out and it is much more enjoyable playing inside. Also I got together with a group of ladies and made busy bags, which means that everyone just has to make some type of craft and share it with everyone (I did 10 velcro mr. potato head, but there were stringing beads, or fishing etc. He likes those a lot.
I can't really add to the already awesome suggestions from Cecilia, except for some advice that someone in my ward told me once when I was wandering the halls (frustrated) with Macie a few years ago. She said the advice came from her dad when she was venting once (so the good news is that you're not alone in this!) and he said "when your kids are little, you don't go to church for you...you go for them". So I agree with you wholeheartedly that it isn't fun and it would definitely be easier to stay home (and it's a long shot to ever feel edified after leaving), but going anyway and just trudging through it will be worth the lesson to your kiddos. Even if it takes years and years for them to learn it. :) One of Macie's favorite things to do is go to church and I know that's only because of consistency (she gets excited when she finds out it's Sunday again). So hang in there - it definitely gets better! I still want to picket the Church Office Building eventually to convince them that the nursery age limit should be moved to 16 months. :)
And congrats on Ragtime - that's awesome! My mom and her new hubby have season tickets, so let us know what nights you're on and we'll make sure they books then.
Oh PS - I just remembered that we used to switch "hours"...like if one of us was in charge of the kiddo during the 2nd hour, the other parent had them for the 3rd - and then we'd swap for the next week (which also works if you switch weeks teaching Sunday School). It seemed to help spread out the getting worn out part... :)
I remember being in tears many times. One particular time Baylee was being so naughty, I had to go into a bathroom stall and just cry. But it all passes. And let me tell you, it passes waaaay too fast. I really miss my baby/toddlers. Just realize you're not going to get much out of church for the next few months, but I'm sure we're getting blessinggs for just trying. {wink} Hang in there!
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