I want

We are hearing this A LOT these days. I even made the comment the other day that Christmas this year is going to be interesting. Last year all they asked Santa for was a train. This year I think they will both be talking his ear off with their lists! They kind of crack me up with it. They will sit and look at the Thomas or Cars book and say they want this or that and then comment on the ones they already have.

It's pretty cute actually. But it does make me start to wonder. Am I spoiling them too much? This has been on my mind a lot these last few days. Little Bit had been talking for several days about an orange race car. We had no idea what he was talking about but he kept saying he wanted it. Finally on sunday (while he was sick mond you), the light went off for me. He had seen it the other day when we were at the store and now that we have all the main characters of the Cars movie he has branched out to the lesser known ones. So because Hurricane was so wonderful while we dealt with sick Little Bit and I needed to go to the store anyway I decided they both deserved a car. So off I went.

I got home and gave them the car and they were excited as can be. Not 3 hours later Little Bit exclaims, "I want the white race car now. " Um, what happened to my child who was perfectly content when he got a new toy? I couldn't believe this. It just kind of smacked me upside the head.

So I have come to the conclusion they are now old enough that I can start making them "earn" so to speak their new toys. So today when they get home we will be creating a stick chart (well, I'll be creating it shortly, we will discuss it when they come home). So every day they pick up their toys when they are supposed to and don't fight me on getting dressed (this has become really not fun in the mornings), they will get a sticker. I just haven't determined how many stickers they have to get before they get a reward. And I will not always make it a toy I have decided. Some days it may be ice cream or something fun to do. Hopefully I am on the right track in teaching them about not always just being handed something. I don't want them to just expect things but to understand that you do have to earn things in life.

I know I am a pushover on some things because of my own upbringing. But I do have to be realistic here. I can't just give them every single thing they want. Can you tell I am trying to justify this in my own head? It's just now that they can actually really communicate to us it has been a whole different world. One I am not familiar with yet. And once again I am constantly questioning whether or not I am doing this "right." Ugh, they really should come with manuals!

So I leave you with this cute picture of Little Bit building towers. See, they really do play with something other than just trains and cars. :)

Stomach woes

Wow, it's March already. Can't believe it! Poor Little Bit was sick on Sunday. I thought we had avoided the dreaded stomach bug around here but I was once again proven wrong. I felt so bad for him. He would want to eat or drink but then a little while later it came right back up again. Poor little guy! So needless to say I have not downloaded photos from my camera in several days. Actually since the last time I posted. Must do that tomorrow.