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Sunday, December 23, 2007

Overwhelmed.

Here comes an honest, this-is-life blog.... I know it's Christmastime and everything's supposed to be all hunky-dory and cheerful and I wish it was, but I am overwhelmed. Ever since we got back from vacation last week, Eli has been handful! Very disobedient, overreacting about everything, and fussing like crazy. Crabbing at meal times, pushing my hand away, hitting back at me, not stopping back when he's doing something he shouldn't, not listening. He's having tantrums about everything and nothing multiple times a day when normally he'd listen to us when we just verbally correct him and tantrums aren't a big issue. Thankfully, Kevin's been home so we can help each other out. But we are exhausted and frustrated and just don't know what's going on. He's working on molars. It's been a couple months and two are almost all the way in and we haven't any problems so far. And a third one is still just poking through. So I don't know if it's his teeth bothering him? Or could it be something to do with having been on vacation? I'm kind of an emotional wreck and feeling very overwhelmed at the idea of baby #2 coming in about 8 weeks. I just can't imagine adding another bundle to the house right now when Eli is going crazy like this! Any suggestions at all??

6 comments:

BellaMama said...

If you were more lienent on your vacation or there were more hands to hold him, then he's gonna test all your regular rules. DO NOT GIVE UP or GIVE IN!!
Proverbs 22:6 "Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it."
God's Word is TRUE, God NEVER lies!!
Whatever you & your hubby want him to do or not do, you must stick with it. He sounds like such a good boy at his age so it will be SO EASY to keep up!!
Be thankful that you get to "tomato stake" now in the next 8 weeks rather than when the baby comes!! The Lord blesses us in this way...so keep going, eat well, he may need a bit of running around/exercise to run off a bit of that. Remember, he is your priority, he may just want a bit of extra time with you.
Playing some Christmas music or classical will help?! Just an extra idea. :)
More blessings of peace & enjoy the season...it passes too quickly!
Mrs.C.

Anonymous said...

He sounds just like Caleb! I think it has very much to do with his age in combination with all the extra excitement and changes going on. Stay consistant and he'll pull through. Kids love to test the rules just to make sure they are the same... even at 4 and 5 years old I am finding...
Merry Christmas! Bethany

Angie said...

Sarah,

That was how my Caleb was when he was sick with ear infection/sinus infection/upper respiratory infection. It was exhausting and overwhelming and I thought I was losing my mind. Could he be sick? Are there any symptoms? Honestly--it is EXACTLY how Caleb was and I thought "Oh no, we have to start all over, he's forgotten everything we've taught him." But then he got better and so did his attitude, obedience, etc. Just keep disciplining with grace and love. Stay consistent but know that you're probably not going to get to accomplish YOUR plans for the next week or so. The cleaning and cooking will wait. God's plan is perfect and it includes this phase of Eli's life for a reason, perhaps to teach you something. I always try to think, "God what are you wanting me to learn through this. How are you trying to make me more like Jesus in this?" Thinking about how he's giving me opportunities to become more like Jesus always helps me have a better attitude. I also say to myself over and over again, "Jesus' dying on the cross was not easy. It hurt. You, Angie--a complete and utter sinner, don't deserve to have everything easy when the sinless Son of God didn't.

As I write this to you, I am preaching to myself as I was quick to become overwhelmed this morning. Caleb is sick again. He ran a 103 or more temperature for 4 days this week with no other symptoms. It finally cleared up and I was thankful that we would be better for Christmas then he woke up with ear problems 2 nights ago and screamed every 20 minutes literally the entire night. I didn't sleep. His naps are 30 minutes at best and he's a zombie. There's nothing we can do for him as he's on antibiotics already. We're doing all the "home remedies" we can. We just have to wait. I am tempted to lose my patience OFTEN and sometimes do but then God convicts me and says, "I could lose my patience with you when you are not obeying me, Angie but I don't. I am patient with you. It's my kindness that leads you to repentance." So I just keep trying to remember how God treats me and imitate that to my son.

Ben is quick to remind me even in the middle of the night when I am awake and Caleb is screaming and I can't get him back to sleep that the Bible says that children are a blessing from the Lord. That means that our babies are a blessing when they are obeying and eating all their food and playing by themselves nicely and snuggling with us. BUT it also means that they are a blessing when they are throwing tantrums and disobeying and not sleeping and screaming in pain.

Thank you for posting this because it encouraged me to keep a Godly attitude. I am praying for you. I said to Ben this morning, "Caleb is going to ruin Christmas." He was quick to remind me that my attitude would ruin Christmas, not Caleb. Plus, if we don't get to do all the traditions I have planned and if Caleb doesn't get excited over opening his gifts and if he's not friendly to all the relatives we'll see, it doesn't matter in the scope of eternity. Jesus was still born. Jesus still died. In light of Calvary, this one Christmas celebration is just a vapor, a mist--here and then gone.

Know that we are praying for you and we'd love to have you pray for us. I am trusting God for a miracle with Caleb & Eli but know that if He doesn't answer the way that I want means he is still God, worthy of all my trust. His plans are just better than mine.

Merry Christmas, Sarah! Love ya!

Love always,
Angie

Michelle said...

Connor went through the same thing when he was about his age. I found out with Connor that he was trying to test his limitations and test Ryan and I to see what we would let him get away with. We stuck to our guns, and he relized he wasn't going to get away with acting the way he was. It will pass just stick to your rules and what you have been doing. Since that stage in Connor's well i call it his "Testing Period", I wake up and say to myself choose your battles Michelle sometimes they aren't always worth waging. I also say whatever battle we are waging always win...Hope this helps..
Michelle :-)

JavaMama said...

Let me just say that we deal with this everytime we come home from vacation. We feel it is the fact that for our children, their boundaries that are set at home have been moved since being away from home and they are now a little unclear of where their "new" temporary boundaries are. I have no solution to this... it is something that we too are looking for the anwsers to. I think prevention probably has a lot to do with it but I also think that in all cases of vacationing there are going to be some issues to deal with when you come home just because you have all been out of your element. I don't know if I am making any sense but in any instance just jump right back into your usual training.

As for being overwhelmed, that is a feeling I know all to well :0), just try to embrace each moment that you experience alone with your little Eli. I always have a familiar feeling when I visit you because my first born's name is also Eli and so I naturally reminis on the days when it was just Eli and us and how different it was to have just one. Enjoy him and the time to just be with him... he will be the only one that you could do that with and you will always share that special bond. Also, enjoy all of the mysteriousness and miraculousness of this new little one in your tummy, it is always so amazing to me. Be encouraged also that God has your supplies ready for you when #2 comes, He will provide you with all that you need. Don't try to overwork your mind and body right now, rely on God and just allow Him to guide you through each day.

JOYfully in Him,
kelli

Oldqueen44 said...

Hang in there Mom ... This too shall pass. You are probably doing everything right. Just be consistant and don't cave to the tantrums. You will be the victor. Ra Ra.