[LisaCA]

my husband made me post this- he thinks it's horrible.

I've been a bit under the weather, with a high fever, chills, nausea, migraines etc (details removed to protect the innocent) for the past 48 hours. Dh went to work late today, because I wasn't sure I could take all day. turns out I couldn't and he had to come home at 4pm (a major horror for him since he's a workaholic. I might as well take away his Cheez-its or Espn or something). anyway, I spent all day with dd and she was being her normal challenging self. She's 14.5 months old, and for the past 2 plus months, she's been begging us to read certain books to her, over and over, and over and over, and over again. She's in love with Todd Parr books, and we have about six of them, all of which I've memorized by heart: "it's okay to wear two different socks..." "It feels good to brush your hair with a lion" (which drives me insane- you brush your hair with a brush and are accompanied by a lion (!) ), and so on. I read Funny Faces etc at least 7 times each, over and over again. Today i just couldn't take it, i feel like crap, like someone has my head in a vice, i'm hot then cold, shaking, and she wants me to read "This is my hair...". So, I hid them. I put them in the toy chest at the bottom and hid them. She wandered around trying to find them, but couldn't, so we read some of her other books (hop on pop at least 4 times), but mostly she played with her other toys. I was happy, she seemed happy enough.

Okay, beat me up. That's what dh expects from you folks, so have at it. bad, bad mom!

[blueyes113]

LOL! Sorry dh, I'm taking Lisa's side!

I get migraines every month so I know how hard it is to read with one. And to have to read the same story over and over...... aarrgghh! I think hiding the books temporarily is fine. It saved your sanity and she played happily. Sounds like a win-win situation to me!

((((HUGS)))) Lisa! I hope you're feeling better soon!

[Lexie]

Brace yourself--my 4 yo still gets on a roll with a book and wants it again and again--but he doesn't like looking for things. I have been hiding books, toys , etc, for 4 years now. I think its good for them. It forces variety into their lives and they discover they can actually enjoy another book ( toy whatever) and learn something from it!!! If I hadn't done it DS would have only known 1 book his entire life!!!!

[StacyM]

Lisa,

First, I am so sorry you are sick! I was just reading another post and am reminded to get a flu shot.

Second, thanks for the laugh! I could envision your little one looking for her book and you sitting there not saying anything. Okay, so maybe not something you want to do on a regular basis since she loves them so much, but really, who can blame you for needing a little respite when you've been so sick? It sounds like you are normally a wonderful mom who reads with her baby a lot. I hope you feel better soon.

Take care,
Stacy

[danhanan]

And might I be the one to kick your DH in the knee?!?!

[cathy102]

OMG!!! You are just being silly. You are not a bad mom at all. Crap. I have 2 kids and when I don't feel good, they are just going to have to deal with it that mommy is not going to play with them all day.. I love my kids dearly but they can drive me crazy when I am not feeling well. Thank God we own our own Business and if I am that bad, I make hub stay home with me...

The book thing would drive me crazy but atleast you were able to hide them today...

Hope you are feeling better...

((((((Hugs))))))))

[cathy102]

Originally Posted by danhanan

And might I be the one to kick your DH in the knee?!?!

hehehe!!! Good one, Nancy!!! He does need a kick!!!

[sneezyone]

I'm already tempted to remove some of DD's blocks and stackable items. Must every last one of them be strewn across the floor at all times? Sheesh. Dear Lisa, GET SOME SLEEP! And good riddance to unsympathetic husbands!

[LisaCA]

thanks for the sympathy and support. I'll tell dh he's losing (he he he)! Oops, he just walked in, I read the posts to him. he says we're all evil. Fine. let him stay home all day tomorrow and I'll "find" the books. that'll show him .

and the idea that she may do this til she's four has me in relapse-oh dear god, make it stop! Everyone keeps saying "hey, at least she's into books" or "at least she loves reading!"-ugh.

things are kind of weird here in los angeles. It rained for two days earlier this week-so wrong, that's why we move here, to avoid this icky weather. Having some flu type cold at this stage is just gross. Thanks for making me feel less like something stuck to the cat's behind. off to bed now...I managed to watch Lost and that was my big achievement for the day.

lisa

[cathy102]

Lisa...I can be evil, so I guess some of us are here for wanting to kick your hub in the knee and rear!!... Yep!!! Just let him stay home and let you rest all day tomorrow. That is what you deserve right now. Hope you will be feeling better soon.

Hope you sleep well...

[anifish]

Reminds me of the Barney days, I hid those videos and don't think we ever found them, andi

[cathy102]

Oh, my!!!! Barney used to drive me crazy when I was a nanny 15 years ago and now I can't stand Blues Clues and Lazy Town...

[Heather Jeane]

This brought back memories of one of my little sisters. They were both a lot younger than me, so I tended to help out and be more of a mother's helper than sister at times.

When "Beezo" was 4 she had a cassette tape of the The Three Bears (no tv, darn hippie parents ;-) ) and when it would finish the story, the narrator would say, "If you'd like to hear the story again, please turn the tape over." She LOOOOOOOVED that tape.

I got home from school one day and my poor mom had this almost crazed glint in her eye and looked close to tears. The tape was playing. I asked how long B had been listening to it. "Well, since you left this morning, so I guess about 8 hours?" I hid the tape and took both sisters outside for a little fresh air. After that we made a point of cutting way back on her tape time.

[mamacrina]

Sounds more like Confessions of a Real Mom to me. I hope you feel better soon. And tell dh where he can "find" that book so he can read it to your daughter fifty-leven times.

[leaabc123]

Please, my girls know I read a story once, maybe twice and that is it!

These days, I am exhausted very easily. Yesterday, at nap time, I told Big D that she would have to read her own story .

A few weeks ago after reminding her several times to pick up her toys in the living room. I gave her a 5 minute warning, anything on the floor goes in a plastic bag and gets put away or thrown out. Well after 4 1/2 minutes, she started moving and really started moving after I started picking things up and putting them in bag (including several of her favorites). I haven't had problems when telling her to clean up now.

Lisa, bring the books out on saturday morning, along with the messiest and nosiest toys and then leave DH alone with them all day. That will teach him.