Improve Yourself 2010 update

This week's Improve Yourself 2010 post over at Engaged Marriage is about taking baby steps toward success.

Really, is there any other way to do it? I mean, if it's something you can just DO, it wouldn't be that much of a challenge. If you're truly challenging yourself, you will probably have to work at it.

Over the past week I have been taking baby steps toward my goal of being a better parent. I can honestly say I have made some improvements. I can also say I have plenty of room for improvement.

Here's what I HAVE done:

Enforced screen time for the Wii.
Logan gets one hour a day. The first few days this went well, but we were more lenient over the weekend, and now we're battling all day every day about the Wii.

It's tough. Today, I scored bonus points. I was getting angry and annoyed because he had already used up all his Wii time this morning, and he was getting angry and whiny because I wouldn't let him play it anymore. Then, I actually came up with a game and got on the floor and played it with him. It was a huge hit. I will admit I was rather bored, setting up Little People over and over again, but he was happy and I was being a good mom.

Since he likes Wii bowling so much, we played Little People bowling in our hallway. Of course, I took photos.

The victims



Rolling the ball



Victory smile!



So, that was a hit. I foresee many games of Little People bowling in my future!

Other things I did right this week:

Read to each of the boys before bed.
This used to be a given, and I'm mad I let myself fall out of the habit, and never even got into the habit with Jordan. how sad. Now we're making a story part of the bedtime routine. I think it's really important. I want us to read more during the day, too. I'm thinking of doing a weekly trip to the library.

"Checked myself" and was more patient/kept my cool when I was annoyed.
I will admit, this one is the challenging one. I have been a lot better about losing my patience this week, but it will continue to be an area of work for me.

Tried to do healthier meals.
It's so easy to fall into the mac n' cheese trap. I'm trying to limit processed food all together and add in more veggies, and that goes for all of us, grownups included. I did a decent job this week, but Logan is soooo difficult to feed sometimes. It just requires some creativity. I'd like to make it so much a habit that a box of mac n' cheese is seen as a real treat. Maybe one day I'll even get him to like HOMEMADE mac n' cheese instead of the boxed stuff.

I didn't stress on Sunday morning.
I usually get all crabby and uptight trying to get everyone ready in time for church. I got up in time and did it without a struggle this weekend. I did have to get up pretty early, though. That stunk!

I tried to get more sleep.
I know a rested mommy = a better, calmer mommy, but MAN it's been a real challenge. Jordan (11 months) is fighting going to bed in his crib HARDCORE. I've been trying to let him "cry it out" but it hasn't been getting any easier. We let Logan "cry it out" a few times when he was a baby, and for the most part it would be bad (30-45 minutes) the first night, maybe 10 the second night and that was it, and the crying he did do was intermittent.

Well Jordan? He screams as if someone is pulling his arms off. He does NOT want to sleep, he does NOT want to nap during the day, he just wants to be up and playing, even if he's super tired and crabby. I have no idea what to do about this, but I'm trying.

My next plan of attack is to read the "No-Cry Sleep Solution" books, which I have requested from the library. I hope they come in very very soon!

I'm sure there are other things I have done well and other things I can improve upon, as well. I am just going to continue trying to work on my weak areas and keep doing the things I do right!