Mommy Dates

Before Hunter was born I was really worried about how Jake would react to having a new baby and him not being the baby anymore. But to our surprise Jax has seemed to have the hardest time adjusting to it. Not with Hunter himself, he adores him and is such a huge help to me! Since Hunter has been born he has turned into a torturer, teaser, and tormenter of his brother and mother. Granted I am not the ideal patient, nuturing, perfect mother, not even close, so part of his problem was definitely how his mother was reacting to him. I couldn't figure out how to help him adjust to all this new stuff and my attention not all his and Jake's. Well I was reading this book and it had some wonderful ideas and one of those was Mommy dates. It's nothing big, a grocery store trip with just that kid for example. On your "date" your attention is focused just on them, not how fast you can get your errands done or which can of beans is cheaper. If they want to check out and talk about each piece of cheese, go ahead and let them. Its all about them and you. I have only done it once with each boy. Jake a took to the grocery store, he got to sit in the cart, I carried him into the store and everything. It turned out great and he was having an especially rough couple of days prior to this. I loved it more than he did I think and I was more excited as well. Jax a just took today to lunch. He wanted to go to McDonalds and I was fine with that but the playland is there and we didn't get quite the talking time like I did with Jake. But he had fun and I played foosball and air hockey with him. We will see  how it goes. This has changed my attitude as well, and I have tried harder everyday to stay calm and be patient no matter what kind of torturing is happening, not that I don't slip up still. The more I think about the future with these the more excited I get, I just have to remember to make it all about them and not make it this elaborate date every time either.