#stepmomblr

Boy, is it real right now!

This morning, Livi started right into her poor behavior. She repeatedly ignored me when I asked her to stop being loud and rambunctious, wouldn't blow her nose, got an attitude about me asking her to settle down, all that ridiculous nonsense... Just when I wanted to send her to her room for the day even though it was only 8:30-ish am, I remembered a trick that worked for her last year. When I first moved in, Livi had an extremely hard time finishing her food. She would eat just enough to try to convince Rick that she was full so, she could go play. She would always be hungry less than an hour later, after everything was put up and that meal was over. She usually did this so, she could have junk food or avoid going to bed. So, I made a sticker chart. If she ate all of her food, she got to put a sticker on her chart and it really made her happy to see how well she was eating. Well, she has since outgrown the stickers but, I made another chart. This time, she has four categories: Following the rules, Active Listening, Positive attitude, and Taking a nap (she gets grumpy as hell if she fights her nap). If she goes above and beyond expectations for one of the categories, she gets a pink smiley face in that space. If she does pretty well to average, she gets a green check mark. If she has a rough start but, eventually does her best to change her behavior, she gets a yellow circle. Lastly, if she has a terrible day and chooses not to fix it, she gets a red X. The pink smiley face can make a red X disappear from the chart up to three times. She has 10 days to get as many positive marks as she possibly can and she will get the reward I have written at the back. This time, I asked her what she wanted the reward to be. She asked for a new game on my tablet. I agreed to allow her to pick one free game if she gets 8 out of 10 days that have at least 3 green marks or better each other. She is all about this and wants to do her best! Today, she got a red X for nap time, a green check for her positive attitude and two yellows circles for following the rules and listening. Before leaving for her mom's house, she stopped at the chart and said, "Tomorrow, I'm gonna do better!" and I swear I could have cried at that moment. I'm hoping that this is the influence and encouragement she needs to start back into her habit of good behavior. I'm pretty sure after a month of these charts, she won't need them anymore (or at least for a while). I am sooooo ready to have my sweet girl back.

I just feel really down and irritated. Jelly's birthday is coming up and on top of mixed feelings about her getting older I'm also stressed because i have to make her pinata and T-shirt and get presents and everything else. Luckily we aren't having a party. She wants to go to the snow this year so i also have the added stress for getting her snow boots and snow pants as well as snow shoes and pants for me and wolf. Wolf doesn't understand how stressful her birthday is for me. I want his opinion on stuff and he just doesn't care while I'm left figuring it all out on my own. I just wish he cared more.