Clearly I can see why I need to remember to keep certain foods up high.

Jennie and Mike

I love my sister to death so I always have to take moments to tease her, and since Mike is married to her I have to tease him as well. I've posted a picture of Jennie taking a photo of herself after I gave birth to Trudi. I guess she wanted me to remember how emotional she was during the birth by taking a photo of her running makeup. Another photo shows mike playing barbies during our Thanksgiving breakfast, which was very yummy. It takes a lot of humility for a man to get down and play dolls, which kids always love, and therefore makes mike very special. But since they are such great people in my life I had to post one of my favorite photos of them.

Discipline

I have been pretty consistent in the past with spanking Heidi. But lately she has been so bad. I know that a lot of it has to do with the new baby being in the house but that's still no excuse. Whenever she doesn't get her way she hits whatever is next to her. If she's really disappointed she will drop on the ground and start kicking her feet. No matter what I did she still had that defiance in her. My mom and I were talking about it and she told me that I should probably switch from my hand to the paddle since it's more effective. So my mom gave me hers to use.

Let me tell you, Heidi has been pretty good since I introduced it to her. She just has to take one look at it and she straightens up. One problem that was definitely a burden was the fact that many times I would put her in her crib to go to sleep at night and she would scream because she didn't want to. I was spanking her with my hand and clearly it was barely cutting it. So lately, before I would put her to bed, I will get down on my knees so that I am eye level with her and hold the paddle up to her face. As I am speaking to her she begins to whimper from fear of it and try to back away. I kindly but strictly tell her as I am holding it that she is now going to go to sleep and if she cries and screams she is going to get spanked. Then I will put her in her crib and have no problem. Thank God for the paddle!

TV Time

When it comes to Heidi watching tv she absolutely loves comfort. So last week when I came across a toddler sofa at a yard sale, I knew that I scored. Gus and I keep it against the wall but it never stays there. Heidi loves to push it way up close to the tv and cruse on it. She is so full of energy that she rarely stays on it for more than a minute. But as good parents we always have to make her back away from the tv.

On another note, as I am speaking of tv, when Gus and I are watching a program and Heidi thinks it's boring, she will pick up the controller and give it to us, begging us to put it on something she likes. Don't worry, we don't always give into her, but it's tempting.

Tuesday a friend and I took the girls to the doctor. Trudi had to get her first shot and Heidi had to get her mouth checked because she fell really bad and scratched the upper lip as well as broke off some of her front tooth. When the nurse called us in Heidi began screaming because she did not want to go through the door. She must have known where we were. Thankfully my friend was holding Trudi so that I could pick up Heidi to take her in. Once we got through the door they had us put Trudi on the scale. She already weighs 11 1/2 pounds. Her rapid growth rate definitely takes after my side of the family.

Once we were put into a room and the doctor came in, that was it for Heidi. She started screaming bloody murder as I tried to tell her over the loud noise that the doctor is going to see the baby. She finally calmed down when I picked her up and held her close. When it was quiet again the doctor checked out Trudi and said everything is good. Then he came over to check out Heidi's mouth and somehow saw that she was fine during all her screaming from fear of him. When the nurse brought in the needle to stick Trudi, Heidi started at it again, terrified that is was going to be her. I just held her close as they injected the vaccine in the baby.

As we were leaving the doctor recommend that when I come back he should give Heidi a flu shot. I asked him why I have to wait and not give it to her right now. So we took Heidi back into the room and laid her down on the bench. Her worse nightmare came true when the nurse stuck her with the needle. I had to hold down her arms and legs from all the panic.

After we left the doctor's office my friend dropped us off at my mom's house to visit and within no amount of time the kids passed out from being so tired. Clearly I can see why I had someone come with me to take them to the doctor.