Frustrations.....

  Right now, The Beast is 2 years and 3 months old.  By this time with my other two, they were both 1) done with pacifiers, 2) done with bottles, 3) sleeping in a toddler bed and 4)completely or almost completely potty trained.   The Beast is none of the above and it frustrates me to no end.  Yes, I know every child is different but the pressure I get from the "outside" world is beyond annoying.   Do you know how many times a day I hear "He shouldn't have that paci" or "Why is he still drinking from a bottle" or "My child is peeing on the potty".  As hard as it is not to, it makes me feel like I'm not doing something right.   But, I do need to realize that The Beast is a completely different child than my other two, heck than any other child on the planet and he will do things when he wants to, how he wants to and there will be no other way about it.   I have lost all control with him and it pretty much kills me because I am a control freak.
  People who have "easy" children just do not understand.  It is SO easy for them to say to me, "Just cut the tip off of the pacifier, he won't want it anymore" and tell me that "the first few days will be rough".  I know that, I have done this before, trust me, The Diva had her pacifier 24 hours a day/7 days a week from birth until the age of 2, she didn't like giving it up, but she did.
  Part of The Beast's thing is, he has a major "oral fixation" and sucking on his paci and bottle keep him calm and sort of relaxed (well, as relaxed as a Beast can get).  If it causes one less temper tantrum a day, it helps because we have many.   If I don't let him have his paci or bottle, he sucks on the tag of his blankie and it is so digusting that the whole area surrounding his tag on his blanket is  now permanently brown and wet.   (It also smells no matter how much I wash it).   I also cannot find another blanket exactly like his to replace it with.
  The Occupational Therapist brought over some toys called "Chewies" for him because lately he has been chewing up his pacifiers so there are holes in them.   We are trying to transition him to these things but seriously, they look like dog toys and freak me out a little.   It's bad enough I call him The Beast but to give him things that dog toys, ooooh the haters would have fun with that one, wouldn't they?   I honestly cannot imagine taking him out in public with these things, the looks I would get. 
  Anyway, I am super frustrated with him right now.  He has absolutely NO desire to potty train either.   I honestly wonder at times if he can even feel it when he wets or poops in his pants.   He will sit in his filth all day if we let him and his skin is so sensitive that he screams "Ow" whenever I wipe him to change his diaper.  It's just not fun.   (I know, changing diapers is never fun but this is torture).
  I am feeling burnt out.  I am losing my patience with him.   I need a break.   As much as I love him, I wish for one day that I had a "easy" toddler. 

Little Packets of Yummy Chicken Recipe

I found this recipe and thought I'd give it a go - The kids were picky like usual, Jackson simply sat down at the table, took one look at his plate and told me he was going to bed....lol   

Ingredients:
- Cooked Chicken Breast (I cooked 2 good sized ones and cut them into 1 inch cubes)
-1 Cup of Shredded Cheddar Cheese
-1 Can of Cream of Chicken Soup
-2 Cans of Crescent Rolls
-1 Cup of Milk

First, I cut up the chicken into 1 inch cubes and cooked it on the stove until it was browned
Then, I made up the soup - 1 can of Cream of Chicken Soup and 1 Cup of Milk in a bowl
Next, I spread out the Crescent Rolls - I kept them in 2's - so they made a rectangle.  (I tried taking them apart individually and it was a lot harder so then I got smart)
Put a little bit of chicken and a little bit of cheese in each one - I used about 1tbsp or so in each
Then, roll up the Crescent Rolls "burrito style" and pinch the edges together
Place in a 9x13 pan and cover with the soup
If you have extra chicken and cheese (which I did), just stick it in the dish too before you cover with the soup
Bake at 350 for 30 minutes
I served it with a veggie

"Mama Do It"

  Those three simple words are like nails on a chalkboard lately.   The Beast is going through some sort of separation anxiety thing way beyond what my older two have ever gone through.   He refuses to let anyone do anything for him except for "mama".   It's not even like I can make it fun and turn it into a drinking game because let's face it, I'd be hammered by 10am.  
  This weekend, my parents were here for Easter.  My mom and I took the boys for a walk around the neighborhood and Jackson is still needing help with pushing off and getting started while riding his bike so let my mom push the stroller so I could help Jackson.  Well, you would have thought the world was coming to an end because as soon as The Beast realized that "Mama was NOT doing it" he had a melt down to end all meltdowns.   He was screaming and crying and trying to get out of the stroller while repeating over and over "MAMA DO IT".   Seriously?   So, from that point on, grandma was not even allowed to touch the stroller or he would swat at her.    Yes, I said "swat" at her, isn't he sweet? 
  Last weekend Trevor's brother and sister in law were here with our teenage nephew and it was the same thing all weekend.   Nobody was allowed to touch him to change his diaper, "Mama Do It" or put him to bed, nothing.   Frankly I was looking forward to a little break, people to occupy The Beast so I could do things for the other two kids but that did not happen.   The Beast is so stubborn that heaven forbid he cave in just a little and not make my life a living hell for just one moment.   It would be nice if just once it was "Daddy Do It".  Sigh.