Loving {Almost} Every Moment...

Mamatography: Week Four

2012-02-01T16:08:00.004-04:00

I found this week went by so fast and I was so busy I have to admit it was not my priority to take pictures! I missed a couple of days. But here are the ones I did manage to take.

On our way home from the Farmer's Market

Three cute Common Marmosets {We got a sneak peek at our local Museum--new exhibit opened this past weekend}

The shirt Maddie wore to school on "twin day".
Story: She agreed to do twin day with 2 little girls because she felt bad saying no to one of them--there was a lot of drama that morning when she realized what that meant! We were able to help her problem solve, so she wore the pants she agreed to wear with one girl and the shirt she agreed to wear with the other girl. Upon arrival from school she reported it was "all good". Phew!

New bumper, freshly painted!
Back in November a guy backed into me and we finally got it fixed {the insurance companies sure took their time sorting it out!}

Another slushy winter's storm. We haven't really had "real" lasting snow this winter.
It always seems to snow and then rain later that day or in the next few days. The kiddos don't like it!

Make sure to visit Diary of a First Child to check out the other Mamatography participants' pictures, just click on the button below.

Mamatography Week Three

2012-01-25T22:34:00.000-04:00

Here's what our week looked like...it was a long and exhausting week, mostly because Elsa is majorly teething and she is so very irritable...an well she makes me a little irritable too {plus I'm super sleep deprived!}. But there is always a silver lining and here are the memorable moments...

Isaac the Dragon

Dragon kisses

Elsa and my mom

Footed PJ's!!! I finally found big ones!

A well-played-in room

What I do each day now...building up my freezer stash!

BIg sis babywearing {for all of 10 seconds!}

Yoga practice {sweetly} interrupted by kiddos

Tummy ache medicine and the after effects!

Maddie's Turn!

P.S. In case you're wondering why the heck my kiddos' tongues are black...it's activated charcoal in chewable capsule form. Activated charcoal is widely used in Mexico as a natural remedy to treat tummy disturbances...and since I'm Mexican, well the tradition has been passed down and lived on! The kiddos had a tummy ache which was mended within minutes after chewing their capsule up!

Make sure to visit Diary of a First Child to check out the other Mamatography participants' pictures, just click on the button below.

A Maddie Anecdote...

2012-01-19T21:20:00.000-04:00

Ken told the kiddos a story today about a young man he saw today who dove headfirst into a lake last summer, at night, because his friends were doing it...and who unfortunately got badly injured and is now paralyzed from the neck down. He told them this story in a gentle, non-scary way...to help them understand that it's important to think before doing dangerous things, even though your friends may be doing them. The dangers of peer pressure! Maddie, the sweet caring girl she is, was very concerned about this young man and she asked if his neck could be fixed. We answered that unfortunately, right now doctors don't know how to fix it. She got a very thoughtful look and then asked, "What about nurses?"

Our hearts just melted. She is way to cute!

Mamatography: Week Two

2012-01-18T09:15:00.000-04:00

We had a pretty good week. Maddie was sick for most of it, so she stayed home. It was good bonding time for her and Isaac, they played A LOT! It was also my hubby's birthday so we celebrated that with our family. My mom made him the most delish chocolate cake ever! You wouldn't have even known it was gluten-free!

I have to admit I find it hard to remember to take picture sometimes! Hopefully it gets easier and my memory about it gets better!

Birthday Cake for the Birthday Boy

Birthday Boy!

Puzzle Making Morning!

Just Chillin'

While Elsa chilled, the older kiddos made cookies :-)

My new favorite thing to add to cold cereal...yum!

Snuggling

Yay a baby smile caught on camera!

Isaac got a hold of the butter...as you can see...

Thumbelina in her 'bedroom' all tucked in--created by Maddie

If you want to participate, just go sign up over at Diary Of A First Child!

Make sure to visit Diary of a First Child to check out the other Mamatography participants' pictures, just click on the button below.

What are "...mares"?

2012-01-16T11:01:00.000-04:00

Last night Maddie woke up after having been asleep for a couple hours. Ken went in to see what was up...it turned out she had a nightmare. In a sleepy voice, she said, "Daddy, I had a nightmare." Ken replied, "Oh I don't like nightmares...are you OK?" She said she was and then the following convo happened...

Maddie: "Why are they called nightmares?"
Ken: "Because they are bad dreams that happen at night."
Maddie: "But what is 'mares'? They should just be called bad night dreams"
Ken: "You are right Maddie, that would make more sense. Now, go back to sleep."

And she did.

Oh the inquisitiveness, I love it!

Are Breastfed Babies More Challenging?

2012-01-12T07:00:00.001-04:00

An article is making it's rounds on the web summarizing a study that found breastfed babies are classified by their mothers as "more challenging" when compared to formula fed babies. The investigators encourage mothers to not give up breastfeeding and to seek out support if they need it, instead of resorting to starting to feed their baby formula. The authors claim that formula fed babies may be more content, but they are "over-nourished and gain weight too quickly".

Interesting, but I wonder if they looked at parenting styles along with infant behaviour? It would be interesting to see how the two outcomes relate. I for one would certainly classify my babies as "high needs" but only if I had a high expectations parenting approach. I know babies are babies and I do not expect them to be anything else! I wear them, I feed them on demand and I sleep close to them. I listen to their voice and I learn what they are trying to tell me. My babies don't cry unnecessarily. That doesn't mean they don't cry...but when they do, I find out why and solve the problem.

Also, these results are yet more evidence that shows mothers are not supposed to do it all alone--society needs to make it easier on mothers! I say we need to make sure mothers feel supported and informed. Breastfeeding is certainly not easy...and all we can do is try our best and not be afraid to ask for help.

Research is of course interesting, but I hope these results don't discourage mothers from breastfeeding their babies.

Have a read and let me know what you think!

Mamatography: Week One

2012-01-11T09:13:00.003-04:00

I'm participating in the Mamatography Photo Challenge hosted by Luschka at Diary Of A First Child. Should be fun {and I hope I stick with it...comments for encouragement should help..wink...wink}!

Here is Week One...

01/01 New Year's Day Clothes Swap- Just For Fun!

02/01-Mini Quiches and Quinoa

03/01-Lounging, TV Mesmerized...Oh boy.

04/01-Back from doing some errands

05/01-My new boots!

06/01-New Teeth!

If you want to participate, just go sign up over at Diary Of A First Child!

Duh!

2012-01-10T08:15:00.000-04:00

Welcome to the January 2012 Carnival of Natural Parenting: Experiments in Natural Family Living
This post was written for inclusion in the monthly Carnival of Natural Parenting hosted by Hobo Mama and Code Name: Mama. This month our participants have reported on weeklong trials to make their lives a little greener and gentler. Please read to the end to find a list of links to the other carnival participants.
***

Isaac 2 1/2 years

Recently, we have been having issues with Isaac acting out physically towards his sisters. It's typically a smack or a pinch, but there have been incidents of biting as well.

Uggg.

At first we thought it had to do with him being two years old. Then when it continued, we thought it had to do with Elsa's arrival and his emotional reaction to no longer being the baby of the house. So we hugged and kissed him more and really made an effort to spend one-on-one time with him.

But when it started getting worse with time, instead of better, we knew something was up and that something had to change.

Quite serendipitously, I came across the blog Super-Protective Factor, and the Hand in Hand Parenting Organization. I posted about it before here.

Reading the info there was like a breath of fresh air. It was new hope for an already frustrated and worried mama.

Isaac needed A LOT of emotional healing.

So we began to heal.

And boy, it was hard.

Mostly because society's mainstream parenting standards don't see "crying" and tantrums as a normal process. Plus, you got to admit that having a screaming child around you is stressful when you have that mindset.

So I had to reevaluate and modify my mindset.

When the topic came up for the January Carnival of Natural Parenting, I knew this would be the topic of my experiment.

Here's what happened.

The first day I purposefully did staylistening was a day when a lot of crying and tantrums occurred. It was hard to stay present, to not lose focus and to not get angry and react to Isaac's emotional {and physical} outbursts. But it was just what he needed. That day he had 3 or 4 episodes of pure emotional torrent that lasted a long time. By the third one he knew what was going to happen, he asked me to stay with him, while at the same time he kept pushing me away. It was quite bizarre, but I knew he was working things out...literally, he was letting out all the emotional hurt and baggage he had been carrying around for goodness knows how long.

The second day was similar to the first, but with fewer episodes. He still cried and pushed away, but near the end of the torrent, he reached out for a hug and within moments was calm and right as rain.

I began to see the difference in his behaviour on the third day.

He still was a bit rough with the girls, but not in a menacing way as he had been doing previously. He now was just his regular roughhousing, active self. Teaching him to be soft and gentle with even his most careful actions remains a work in progress {He's getting better at it though, just the other day he asked me, "Is this gentle?" as he stroked Elsa's cheek. "Yes!" I replied}. But I was relieved to see that his outbursts towards Elsa were diminishing.

The days continued and he still had some torrents, to which I continued to respond by being present and loving.

It was on day 5, after he hit Elsa with a little toy wooden fork {that he was apparently using as a sword} without provocation that I realized something else was going on. We asked him why he had done that, and he really tried to think of his reasons, but he just said in a reproachful little voice, "I don't know."

I racked my brain and searched my heart. And then it came to me. As I listened across the room to the TV, it all came crashing down on me.

My kiddos have been watching too much TV and the shows and movies they were watching were presenting violence and inappropriate behaviour.

Duh!

Talk about feeling like a terrible mother!

Don't get me wrong though, it's not like I let my kiddos watch whatever they want whenever they want. They only watched TV for a bit each day or every other day. And when they did watch, the shows were things like Aladdin, Sleeping Beauty, Peter Pan, Return to Neverland, Tangled, Ice Age, Franklin, Little Bear, Sesame Street...you get the picture...a blend of toddler stuff mixed in with "older" kiddo stuff. But when I really thought about what they were seeing during those movies and shows, it shocked me to realize that even for shows and movies that are rated G and cater to small children, there are violent acts all over the place!!!

Hook and Peter Pan fighting with swords...
Dinosaurs attacking...
Princes and knights in shining armour fighting evil stepmothers and other bad guys...

...the list goes on...

And the worst part is that it was also the "good" guys portraying this behaviour.

And to a small child, seeing a violent act without the real-life consequences of pain and emotional hurt is totally normalizing that behaviour and making it seem like it's not big deal.

So I spoke with Ken and we decided to not allow any shows or movies that have any form of violence. It was hard to list them all and take them off the list because we hadn't realized just how much violence was present, and often very subtle violence. Once we did, we spoke to Maddie about it and asked her to please support this by not asking to see any show or movie on the "banned" list. She agreed.

So for a week, the kiddos have not seen any show or movie on the list. They are watching things like Franklin, Little Bear, Berenstain Bears, Curious George and Wonder Pets...and are totally happy with it.

At first, they asked for the "banned" shows all the time, but when we held firm, they eventually stopped.

I am relieved that we have done this. But, it really bothers me that I let it get this bad. I know it's because Maddie is a bit older than Isaac and he just ended up watching whatever she was. But the truth is his maturity is not at the same level as hers, and he is still very susceptible. It does matter that they are different ages. I believe it's totally reasonable for Maddie to cater to Isaac's needs and watch appropriate shows for his sake.

It has only been a few days since this new change has been implemented, so the full effects on Isaac's behaviour I'm sure will take some time. The removal of the influence he was getting from TV together with his emotional healing, I'm sure will result in him being a more calm and gentle little boy.

And the hugging and cuddling won't hurt either!
***
Visit Hobo Mama and Code Name: Mama to find out how you can participate in the next Carnival of Natural Parenting!
Please take time to read the submissions by the other carnival participants:

Make your own moisturizer! — Megan at boho mama whips up a winter skin-friendly moisturizer.
Cold Water Only — Brittany at The Pistachio Project talks about how you do not need hot water to wash laundry.
Family Cloth... Really?? — After lots of forethought and consideration, Momma Jorje finally decides to take the plunge with family cloth.
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle : 5-5-5 Things A Day — Luschka from Diary of a First Child writes about decluttering her home in an attempt to create a gentler living space. She takes on a new project where she sets a goal of reducing, reusing and recycling every day.
Pros and cons of family cloth — Lauren at Hobo Mama would love to continue replacing paper products with family cloth … if she could only get over how damp she feels.
Craftily Parenting — Kellie at Our Mindful Life finds that crafting makes her a better parent.
Changes — Laura at Pug in the Kitchen couldn't choose just one area to experiment with, so she wrote a long post about all the fun changes initiated in her life!
Life without Internet: Not all it's Cracked up to Be — Adrienne at Mommying My Way tries to go a week without the Internet, only to realize a healthy dose of Internet usage really helps keep this stay-at-home mom connected.
My Progression to Raw Milk — Kerry at City Kids Homeschooling shares her natural parenting progression all the way to trying raw milk.
mama's new little friend. — Sarah at Bitty Bird tries a menstrual cup to "green her period," and is pleasantly surprised when she falls in love with the product!
Before you throw it out, try homemade laundry soap! — Jennifer at Practical OH Mommy shows visual proof that homemade laundry soap is cheaper, easier, and works better than the store-bought chemicals!
Oil, Oil, No Toil, No Trouble — K from Very Simple Secret talks about her foray into the oil-cleansing method.
I Need a Hobby — Amanda at Let's Take the Metro couldn't decide which experiment to run, so she did them all.
7 days of macrobiotics for a balanced family — The Stones make a [successful] attempt to release the "holiday junking" with 7 days of macrobiotic meals to balance their bodies and souls. Elisabeth at Manic Mrs. Stone includes an explanation of macrobiotics.
Chemical Free Beauty Challenge — Jenn at Monkey Butt Junction turned to natural alternatives for her daily beauty and cleaning routine, with great results.
Greening my Armpits!? My Green Resolution — Shannon at The Artful Mama talks about how she decided to give up her traditional antiperspirant and make the switch over to crystal deodorants and definitely isn't looking back!
Going Raw (for a while) — Jenny at Chronicles of a Nursing Mom shares her family's experience with raw food.
Do we get to eat gluten today? — Sheila at A Gift Universe has been trying to figure out if her son does better with or without gluten in his diet … but it's really hard to tell for sure.
Hippies Can Smell and Look Fabulous Too! — Arpita of Up, Down And Natural details her experience of going shampoo-free and overhauling her cosmetics to find the balance between feeling beautifully fabulous and honoring her inner hippie.
Our cupboards are full...but there's nothing to eat — Lucy at Dreaming Aloud takes on the challenge of chomping through the contents of her storecupboard rather than going shopping — but there's something that she just can't bring herself to do …
Elimination Experiment 3.0 — MudpieMama recounts the messy adventures of her baby daughter trying to be diaper free.
Family Cloth Trial — Amyables at Toddler in Tow talks about making and using family cloth wipes in the bathroom for the first time.
Taking a Hiatus — Amy at Peace 4 Parents shares how her experience of much less internet interaction affected her family and how it will change her approach in the future.
Trying Out the Menstrual Cup — Lindsey at an unschooling adventure ditches the tampons and gives menstrual cups a try.
Managing Food Waste in Our Home — Tired of the holiday waste, Robbie at Going Green Mama takes a weeklong focus on reducing food waste in her home, and learns some lessons that can take her through the new year.
Going Offline, Cloth Tissues, and Simplicity — Jennifer at Hybrid Rasta Mama muses over her time away from blogging and social networking. In addition, she shares her newfound love of cloth tissues and simplicity.
The Oil Cleansing Method — Erica at ChildOrganics explores an easy, organic and natural way to tackle skin care.
Experiments in Natural Family Living - Natural Toys! — Lani at Boobie Time enjoys the silence of natural toys and being more present with her son.
Discovering a New City and Organic Foods — Amy at A Secure Base describes her family's switch to and search for organic foods for one week.
My Experiment in Homemade Bread — Crunchy Con Mommy tried — and loved — baking her own homemade bread.
Menu Planning: Stop the Excuses — Gaby at Tmuffin stopped the excuses and started planning her weekly meals, drastically cutting her grocery budget and stress level and improving the quality of foods she fed her family.
My First Menstrual Cup — Mandy at Living Peacefully with Children was pleasantly surprised with her first experience using a menstrual cup.
My Natural Beauty Regime — Christine at African Babies Don’t Cry shares the results of banishing cleanser and soaps from her bathroom, as well as a couple of natural homemade recipes that have worked well on her skin.
Unplugging and Creating a Rhythm: Our Experiment in Natural Family Living — Dionna at Code Name: Mama focused less on gadgets and spent more time with her family to create a healthy rhythm for the new year.
Experiments in Natural Family Living: 5 First Steps Toward Preparing for a Natural Birth — Charise at I Thought I Knew Mama discusses how she tackled the pressing matter of how to begin preparing for a natural birth.
All you need is...vinegar! — Kristen at My Semi-Crunchy Life learns that one household product can replace all the cleaners in her cabinet.
Nope Nada Ixnay Negative Pass Decline — Zoie at TouchstoneZ finds out what shakes loose if she says, "YES!!" to anything anyone asks of her over the space of 10 days.
Reducing our exposure to toxins found in plastics — Syenna at Gently Parenting Twins throws out the melamine and BPA plastics which have been hanging around the kitchen for too long.
Duh! — Kat at Loving {Almost} Every Moment shares how she began the process of helping her 2-year-old son stop physically acting out.
Experiments in Natural Parenting: Starting, Stopping, and Gaining Perspective — Melissa at Vibrant Wanderings explains how pregnancy brain interfered with her attempts to complete an experiment, but how she gained some interesting perspective as she started and stopped several.
From Experiment to Lifestyle — Abbie at Farmer's Daughter shares her experience avoiding processed foods for a month, and deciding to make it a permanent lifestyle change.
From Disposable Paper to Reusable Cloth – AGAIN! — Terri at Child of the Nature Isle stops flushing trees down the toilet and switches to the softest ever butt-wiping material: cloth.
Extra! Extra! Water Heater Turned Down, Mom Doesn't Notice! — Thomasin at Propson Palingenesis finds an energy-saving experiment that's so easy she didn't even realize it was happening.
Worm Tea — CatholicMommy isn't sure how successful her worm bin will be, but she's having fun anyway.
Miles to Go ... — Rachael at The Variegated Life learns that when it comes to sleep debt, she's in real deep.
My Month With Water Kefir — Paige at Baby Dust Diaries experiments with a new fermented probiotic drink homemade in her own kitchen.
OMG Mom is Home... All Day Everyday: A Week-Long Experiment in Connecting — What a difference a week makes! Ana at Pandamoly is afforded a week off from work and takes the chance to reconnect and reattach with her 16-month-old son through an experiment in simply being there.
Creating Healthy Family Recipes — Deb Chitwood at Living Montessori Now shares her experiment with healthy, gluten-free recipes and a chocolate muffin recipe that was created during the experiment.
Adventures in Alternative Haircare: No 'Poo — This guest post at Natural Parents Network from Amy at Anktangle chronicles a months-long journey into the world of no 'poo.
My Experiment in Natural Family Living: Natural Family Planning — Birth control options are seriously limited for those of us trying to live a little closer to the earth, so Mama Psalmist experiments with natural family planning.

It always comes down to sleep...

2012-01-06T22:55:00.002-04:00

I've had a cough for over a month now. Then Isaac got it. And now Elsa has it too. It's awful. It breaks my heart to hear her little cough and hear her stuffed up little nose trying to breath.

She is not sleeping well. And neither am I.

Man oh man.

Poor kiddos. And poor me. I am way beyond tired. Way, way.

I know it will pass but it's sometimes hard to see beyond this deep trench I'm in.

In some good news Maddie is starting voice lessons tomorrow. I asked her what instrument she wanted to learn and she came up with the answer "singing lessons". I'm excited and I hope she enjoys the class and the process of learning.

I had also scheduled her for swimming lessons two hours after her voice lesson and today I realized it would be too much. So I talked with Maddie and I explained it all and she picked to do voice lessons and postpone the swimming until the spring. Good idea kiddo!

So I better get to bed and sleep while I can...for however long I can to prepare for our day tomorrow. If you see me around, I'll be one sleepy mama yawning and barely able to keep my eyes open, I'm sure. If you can, send some sleepy thoughts my way!

And it's 2012!!!

2012-01-01T22:55:00.001-04:00

It sounds so futuristic. 2012. Wow!

Wow for several reasons...

...this past year just flew by!
...this coming year is bringing with it A LOT of changes for our family...change is hard. It's scary sometimes.

But mostly we are very excited!

Stay tuned for all the details!

And now I want to wish all of you a very Happy New Year!

May 2012 be filled with many blessings, much happiness and may it be the year of many dreams coming true!

Melancholy Mama Moment

2011-12-28T23:28:00.002-04:00

I sometimes get so sad that there are so many, many things my children say and do that I won't remember. I wish I could capture all these moments somehow...they are just so beyond precious and silly and infuriatingly wonderful...I love them more than words can say and I want to remember their little kiddo-ness forever...

Eating a mini cake on Christmas Eve

Devouring his mini cake...in the end both of them only ate about 1/4 of it

Elsa at Christmas dinner

Oh yep, that's her middle finger...too funny!

The day we put up our tree...

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-25T08:23:00.002-04:00

And by that, I mean,

"I wish peace, love and happiness for you, now and always."

And by an ironic twist of events, I am the only one awake in the house. On the one day all THREE kiddos decided to sleep in (isn't today supposed to be the day kiddos wake up EARLY!?), me the one who barely sleeps during the night and should have taken advantage of the extra sleep time, is up. And has been up for a while, waiting.

Alas.

I hear the kiddos starting to stir.

In the meantime, I have enjoyed a few quite, peaceful moments to myself...before the ruckus of Christmas morning begins!

So excited.

I hope you enjoy your day, whether or not you are celebrating!

This Mama's {Afternoon} Prayer

2011-12-21T14:55:00.002-04:00

Dear Universe,
I have rested here beside my baby, it has been lovely. Yet, now I am awake and baby is not, and is obvisouly not ready to wake up yet. I have things I want to do while my baby is still napping, things I need to do, actually. So please, please be on my side and help my baby stay asleep as I ever so slowly and quietly remove myself from my baby's side...step down the stairs, avoiding the creaky spots...and reach my destination. Please muffle any noises, as slight as they may be, so that my baby doesn't wake up prematurely...cause goodness knows a baby who is woken up before they are ready, is not a happy one. Also, if you could guide and steady my hand as I complete my tasks to prevent any clumsy, cumbersome movements that may result in disturbing noises, I would greatly appreciate it. Help my older kiddos to wake up calmly from their naps, as in not screaming at the top of their lungs, cause well, that's pretty loud, potentially wake-up-the-baby kind of loud. Oh and one last thing, if I may be so bold, if you could somehow stretch time out so that I am able to accomplish a lot in a little time, that would be most helpful {because I'm sure my baby will wake up before I have done all I need to do}.

Ever gratefully,
Kat

NPN Blog Blitz 2011

2011-12-20T11:00:00.000-04:00

I am proud and honored to be volunteer with the Natural Parents Network (NPN), a community of natural-minded parents and parents-to-be where you will be informed, empowered, and inspired. When you visit the NPN’s website you can find articles and posts about Activism, Balance, Consistent Care, Ecological Responsibility, Family Safety, Feeding With Love, Gentle Discipline, Healthy Living, Holistic Health, Natural Learning, Nurturing Touch, Parenting Philosophies, Practical Home Help, Preparing for Parenting, Responding With Sensitivity, Safe Sleep, and so much more!

The volunteers who dedicate their time and energy to make NPN the outstanding resource it is also spend countless hours informing and inspiring others on their personal blogs. To close out 2011, the NPN volunteers have come together to provide you with some valuable reading material. Each volunteer has selected either their most viewed post of 2011 or their favorite post and shared the link here. Please take a few moments to visit each post. Our intention is to expand our reach as bloggers and informed parents and parents-to-be who are still growing as we move through our own journeys. Each volunteer has provided links to other social media sites where you can follow them as well.

We hope you enjoy reading these posts as much as we enjoyed writing them. We are always looking for new volunteers so please, contact us if you are interested. Just a few hours per month can help other mamas in a huge way!

Abbie at Farmer's Daughter shares her Christmas Cookie Swap Blog Hop, which is her fourth annual virtual cookie swap and most popular post of the year. Please stop by and link up your favorite holiday recipe until Dec. 31. You can find Farmer's Daughter on Facebook and Twitter.

Adrienne from Mommying My Way shares Fear vs. Faith, one of her favorite posts about how often living a life of faith can look like a life of fear, but the two are really quite different. You can also find Mommying My Way on Facebook.

Alicia of Lactation Narration retells the story of her oldest daughter's 5 years of nursing and weaning in her favorite post of 2011, The Weaning Party. You can find Lactation Narration on Facebook and Twitter.

Amy of Toddler In Tow shares Finding My Mommy-Zen, her most viewed post of 2011. In this post, she shares her desire to balance her own self-esteem by choice in order to parent with peace and compassion. You can also find Toddler In Tow on Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter, and follow Amyables (Amy W.) on Google + and Ravelry.

Arpita of Up, Down, and Natural shares one of her most popular posts titled Reflections. This is a beautiful look at the type of mother she wants to be. You can find Up, Down, and Natural on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.

Charise of I Thought I Knew Mama shares Why Do Children Have More Food Allergies Than Ever Before?, her most viewed post of 2011. This post explains the shocking info that one unsuspecting mother discovered when she started researching why her daughter had a violent allergic reaction to eggs. This is a must read post for ensuring the health of your family. You can also find I Thought I Knew Mama on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and Stumbleupon.

Christine of African Babies Don’t Cry shares The Best First Food for Babies, one of her favourite posts of 2011. This well-researched post delves into the healthiest and most nutritious food to feed your baby. You can also find African Babies Don’t Cry on Facebook, Twitter, Google + and Pinterest.

Cynthia of The Hippie Housewife shares Gentle Discipline for Toddlers, her most viewed post of 2011. This post describes five gentle discipline tools for parenting toddlers. You can also find The Hippie Housewife on Facebook, Google +, and Pinterest.

Darcel of The Mahogany Way shares how Babywearing As a Way of Life one of her favorite post of 2011. This post showcases some beautiful woven wraps that she has purchased, traded, borrowed, and sold over the years. Darcel also talks about the benefits of babywearing from the newborn through toddler stage. You can also find Darcel{ The Mahogany Way} on Facebook, Twitter, Her Community for Mothers of Color, and Pinterest.

Dionna of Code Name Mama shares 50 Healthy Snack Ideas for Kids Plus Fun Serving Suggestions, her most viewed post of 2011. Most of these snacks are quick to fix and portable, so you can pack them to send with your child on play dates, at preschool, or to just have handy in the refrigerator for when your child wants to grab a bite to eat “all by himself.” You can find Dionna on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and YouTube.

Erica at ChildOrganics shares a post that is not only close to her heart, but also her most viewed post for 2011 titled Attachment Parenting in the NICU. This post shares her top 10 tips for parenting should you find yourself with a baby in the NICU. You can also find Erica on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.

Gretchen of That Mama Gretchen shares her personal experience of returning to work, expressing milk, and the ups and downs in between in her 2011 most viewed post, Mama's Milk. You can also find Gretchen on GFC, Blog Lovin', Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.

Isil of Smiling like Sunshine shares how to make an autumn tree using pumpkin seeds, her most popular post in 2011. This post features a lovely craft activity that you can do with your kids! You can also find Isil on Facebook and Twitter.

Jennifer of Hybrid Rasta Mama shares 80 Uses For Coconut Oil, her most viewed post of 2011. This comprehensive post provides background information on the benefits of coconut oil as well as outlines 80 uses for it. You can also find Hybrid Rasta Mama on Facebook, Twitter, Google +, and Pinterest.

Jennifer of True Confessions of a Real Mommy shares her most popular post of 2011, Weekly House Blessing (Otherwise Known as Cleaning Once a Week). This post outlines a once per week cleaning routine for busy moms. You can also find Jennifer on Twitter.

Joella, the mama behind Fine and Fair, shares An Unusual Gripe with Bebe Gluton, one of her most popular posts of 2011. In it, she discusses the controversy surrounding a "breastfeeding doll" and offers her take on the gender role implications of dolls in general. Fine and Fair can also be found on twitter and facebook.

Julia of A Little Bit of All of It shares the story of how her co-sleeping relationship ended with her daughter, her most viewed post of 2011. This post shows how her daughter transitioned to her own bed on her 2nd birthday and the emotions involved for her mom. You can also find A Little Bit of All of It on Facebook, Twitter, Google +, and Pinterest.

Kat at Loving {Almost} Every Moment shares True Blessings: White Noise and Grandparents, her most viewed post of 2011. In this post, Kat talks about how she maximizes getting sleep and how grateful and blessed she is to have her parents be so involved in helping and spending time with her kiddos.

Kelly of Becoming Crunchy shares That Cup Does What?, her most viewed post of 2011. This post is one of a series of reviews and information on switching to all natural menstrual products - having heard so many different options and recommendations, Kelly decided to give a whole bunch of them a try and pull all the reviews together in one week for anyone interested in making the switch. This post in particular covers the ins and outs of the Diva Cup. You can also find Becoming Crunchy on Facebook, Twitter, Google + and Pinterest.

Kristin of Intrepid Murmurings shares a popular post from 2011, something she and her husband made for their girls for Christmas, great for open-ended play and construction: Handmade Tree Blocks. You can also find Kristin on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest.

Lani of Boobie Time shares Helping a Fellow Breastfeeding Mom, her inspiration for starting to blog. This post discusses the importance of fellow moms supporting each other and some tips on having a successful breastfeeding relationship. Lani can also be found on Facebook.

Laura at WaldenMommy: Life Behind the Red Front Door writes about finally entering "spring" when her child with special needs begins preschool. After battling post-partum mental illness (post tramatic stress disorder) after the preterm birth of her third child, she finally begins to feel healthy and whole again in "It's Fall, Ya'll-Again."

Lauren of Hobo Mama shares On not having an AP poster child, her (OK, second) most viewed post of 2011. Lauren's first child shook her certainty that attachment parenting meant babies never cried and toddlers grew independent — and that's all right, too. You can also find Hobo Mama on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and Pinterest.

Luschka of Diary of a First Child shares Lactivism, Breastfeeding, Bottlefeeding and Mothers at War, one of her most viewed posts of 2011. This post discusses how the breastfeeding/bottle feeding debate causes a division between mothers, leading to the alienation of women and babies, while divisive companies prosper. You can also find Diary of a First Child on Facebook, and Twitter.

Mandy at Living Peacefully with Children shares how With Privilege Comes Responsibility, one of her most viewed posts of 2011. This compelling post explains her strong felt desire to stand up for those less privileged. You can also find Living Peacefully with Children on Facebook.

Melissa of Vibrant Wanderings shares a Montessori-Inspired Checklist for Choosing Toys, her most popular post of 2011. The article outlines some important Montessori principles and how they relate to children's toys, translating that into some simple guiding principles. You can also find Melissa on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and Pinterest.

Melissa of White Noise shares Modern Day Wet Nurse, her most viewed post of 2011. In this post, Melissa shares the benefits of human breast milk and human milk sharing. You can also find Melissa at Mothers of Change.

Momma Jorje shares Amniocentesis - What is it *really* like?, one of her most viewed posts of 2011. This open and honest series offers not only the technical process of amniocentesis, but also the emotions involved in awaiting (and receiving) the procedure and a diagnosis. Momma Jorje can also be found on Facebook.

Moorea of MamaLady: Adventures in Queer Parenting shares Fluoride: Another Reason Breast Is Best, her favorite post of 2011. This post provides research on the harmful effects of fluoride in drinking water for babies and toddlers and ways to limit fluoride consumption in your home. You can also find MamaLady on Facebook and Twitter and her Parent Coaching Site.

Rachael at The Variegated Life is Calling the Muse in her most viewed post of 2011. In this post, she describes how she uses ritual to help her tap into her creative spirit. You can also find Rachael on Twitter and The Variegated Life on Facebook.

Rebekah and Chris from Liberated Family shares Using Cloth In a Disposable Society, their favorite post of 2011. This extensive post provides a lot of information regarding the varied uses of cloth as well as the many benefits. You can also find Liberated Family on Twitter.

Sarah at Parenting God's Children shares her most viewed post: Confessions of a Breastfeeding Advocate: I Couldn't. She confesses her struggles with breastfeeding her daughters, but shares why she'll continue the good fight. You can also find Sarah on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.

Seonaid of The Practical Dilettante offers a science- and reverence-based meditation on The Living Earth, her most viewed post of 2011. This meditation was originally written for Earth Day, but it provides a way to reconnect with your place in the living breathing planet at any time of year. You can also find Seonaid on Facebook, Twitter, and Google +.

Shannon at Pineapples & Artichokes shares I Recommend (But Moira Likes This Book Too), her most viewed post of 2011. This post is a review of a wonderful book that talks about all the different ways that families can be made up, along with some of why this topic is so important to her family.

Sheryl at Little Snowflakes shares her experiences with tandem nursing in Tandem Nursing – The Good, The Bad and The Ugly, her most viewed post of 2011. You can also find Sheryl on Twitter.

Stay tuned for some amazing posts from all of these tremendous bloggers in 2012!

Re-Thinking "Time-Outs"

2011-12-19T08:19:00.000-04:00

I needed to go to the grocery store. Isaac was of course pantless, isn't he always? So I told him, "Put your pants on" and the tantrum began. When he cries, he doesn't just whine, he lets it all out. Yelling, kicking, and more yelling. All because of pants. Boy. I could feel my blood pressure rising, I wanted to send him to his room . Except I didn't. Instead, I sat there on the floor with him and held him. He clawed at me, he tried to bite and hit me he kept yelling. It was lots of fun. Ha. Bu I just kept whispering in his ear, "I love you, it's OK." And he would swat at me some more. Just when I thought I couldn't take it anymore, he started to calm down. Through his near hyperventilating he began to say, "Mommy, I just need a hug." So I hugged him and just like that all was well again. And he put on his pants without fussing.

Wow.

I seriously am rethinking my approach to tantrums.

I have heard of the term "Time-In" before, but honestly never really considered it. Time-Outs the way we do them {non-reactionary, as gentle as possible and talking about what happened after} appeared to be working. Appeared, but the reality is that they weren't, even with all the accompanying parenting. The behaviour that led to them continued to happen {whether it was the next day or within 5 minutes} and they didn't really solve the issue as the kiddo was left feeling rejected and un-well.. So needless to say, we were starting to feel near our rope's end. After all we are in this phase so many like to call "The Terrible Two's".

In preparation for a Parenting workshop I am facilitating next month, I've been doing a lot of reading and re-reading of pertinent material. And working on what I plan to include in the workshop material. I knew I wanted to incorporate the experience I had with Isaac, but I wasn't even sure what had happened and why it worked.

In my search, I came across the blog Super Protective Factor (the blog for the Hand in Hand Parenting foundation) and read about Staylistenng. It really intrigued me. The critic in me thought, "That would never work with my kiddos." But I was wrong. As I saw with Isaac the other day, it really did work and was exactly what he needed.

They have several other techniques, all with the purpose to enhance the parent-child connection. Right up my alley! Some of the techniques, I was already familiar with, but this staylistening concept really opened up my eyes and heart, because it demanded more of me, or at least challenged my current beliefs and approach on tantrums and misbehaviour.

I love challenging myself and allowing myself to grow as a parent {and as a person}. I am hoping to take one of the parenting classes they offer to learn more.

I am really excited to keep working on this! Their techniques seems to work with Maddie too {surprise, surprise!} so I am looking forward to see how this affects our home environment more long-term.

I'll keep you posted!

3 Babies Later: The Evolution of Our Family Bed

2011-12-15T09:57:00.000-04:00

Welcome to the Safe Cosleeping Blog Carnival
This post was written for inclusion in the Safe Cosleeping Blog Carnival hosted by Monkey Butt Junction . Our bloggers have written on so many different aspects of cosleeping. Please read tothe end to find a list of links to the other carnivalparticipants.
***

Baby Number One
Our sweet Maddie came into the world surrounded by surprise and drama. Born just a day shy of 33 weeks, she was lacking womb time...and boy did she show this! We were in for a real shock when we brought her home. Not only were we new parents, but we were also parents to a preemie who was high needs.

She never slept. She cried a lot. And we were newbies, scared and unaware that we could say no to "mainstream" parenting advice.

One day, when she had been home for about a week, out of sheer desperation for sleep, I picked her out of the bassinet and laid her on my chest in our bed. Within moments she was asleep. And I was left wondering, "what do I do now?" So I gently laid her next to me, curled my arm around her in a protective circle and fell asleep.

From that day on, she slept in bed with us. And we all slept reasonably well. Now that we were officially a bed-sharing family, I began to do more reading and research to make myself feel comfortable and secure with that choice. What I found was a wonderful community of like-minded parents and authors who were the ones to introduce me to the world of Attachment Parenting and how to co-sleep and bed-share safely.

I found it quite surprising that I seemed to wake up before she did, just in time to nurse her. I remember when she started sleeping for longer stretches I would till wake up frequently and wonder if/when she would wake up! At some point we started noticing that it wasn't working out as well anymore.

Maddie slept well in our bed until she was about 6 months. Then she began squirming and not settling well and fussing, and I started to not sleep so well either. So we tried laying her down in her crib and she was happy. So, we knew she was ready. It felt good to have met her needs and to see her reach the ready-to-be-in-crib milestone on her own terms.

Baby Number Two
Having witnessed the benefits and simplicity of co-sleeping and bed-sharing first-hand, we did not even hesitate to welcome little baby Isaac into our room, and into our bed. The little monkey was also a crier. But his cry was different. I knew there was something going on with him. He wanted to sleep. He even wanted to fall asleep on his own, without needing too much assistance. But he just couldn't. So we suffered and he suffered until we figured out what was going on. Once we finally did, and he and I did not eat wheat anymore, the little happy baby he was, finally came to be! He began sleeping in his crib beside our bed at around 5 months, beginning the night there and then coming into our bed after his first late night wake-up. At around 9 months, he was ready to move into his own room. No fussing, no crying. Though he did still have his fair share of nighttime wake-ups, at least he would go back to sleep with a bit of rocking and singing. But again, we were so happy to see that his needs were met and that he learned to associate positive feelings with sleep. Now at 2 years old he sleeps wonderfully in his own bed {and has been for a good while}. He sleeps all night! Isaac, the little boy who I thought would never sleep through the night and who may need me to lull him to sleep forever, has shown me that meeting his needs to be close to us resulted in happiness for him and for us.

Baby Number Three
And now we have our sweet baby Elsa. She is an easy-going kiddo. Maybe it's because I have done this before, but I can read her cues so well, so she barely cries. I barely wake up when she wants to nurse, so I maximize my sleep time. And that's a good thing when I have 2 other kiddos to tend to beginning at 6:30am! I don't think I would be functional if I had to get out of bed, go get Elsa, nurse her, settle her back down. That's at least 30 minutes of potential sleep time, add it up with multiple wake ups and I would end up a total zombie!

She is now sleeping in our bed and in due time {probably soon, as she's starting to show signs--waking up when we come to bed, or when we move around in the bed} we will start putting her to sleep in her crib beside our bed. And down the road, when she is ready {and we have the room!} she will start sleeping in her own room.

But all in due time. For the duration of these short, sweet-baby-days having my babies close for sleepy time works for us. I love snuggling them and smelling them and really getting to know them. And I love that we all get to sleep {because I love sleep}!

*******
Thanks for reading a post in the Safe Cosleeping Blog Carnival. On Carnival day, please follow along on Twitter using the #CosleepCar hashtag.
Please take time to read the submissions by the other carnival participants:
***

Emotive Co-Sleeping Campaign - Miriam at Diary of an Unconscious Mother talks about her feelings on Milwaukee’s anti-cosleeping crusade and its latest advertising campaign.
Why Cosleeping has Always been the Right Choice for My Family - Patti at Jazzy Mama shares how lucky she feels to have the privilege of sleeping with her four children.
Cosleeping is a safe, natural and healthy solution parents need to feel good about. - See how Tilly at Silly Blatherings set up a side-car crib configuration to meet her and her families' needs.
Black and White: Race and the Cosleeping Wars - Moorea at Mama Lady: Adventures in Queer Parenting points out the problem of race, class and health when addressing co-sleeping deaths and calls to action better sleep education and breastfeeding support in underprivileged communities.
Reflections on Cosleeping - Jenny at I’m a Full Time Mummy shares her thoughts on cosleeping and pictures of her cosleeping beauties.
Cosleeping and Transitioning to Own Bed - Isil at Smiling Like Sunshine shares her experiences in moving beyond the family bed.
What Works for One Family - Momma Jorje shares why cosleeping is for her and why she feels it is the natural way to go. She also discusses the actual dangers and explores why it may not be for everyone.
Really High Beds, Co-Sleeping Safely, and the Humanity Family Sleeper - Jennifer at Hybrid Rasta Mama gives a quick view of Jennifer’s bed-sharing journey and highlights the Humanity Family Sleeper, something Jennifer could not imagine bed-sharing without.
Crying in Our Family Bed - With such a sweet newborn, why has adding Ailia to the family bed made Dionna at Code Name: Mama cry?
Dear Mama: - Zoie at TouchstoneZ shares a letter from the viewpoint of her youngest son about cosleeping.
Cuddle up, Buttercup! - Nada of The MiniMOMist and her husband Michael have enjoyed cosleeping with their daughter Naomi almost since birth. Nada shares why the phrase "Cuddle up, Buttercup!" has such special significance to her.
Co-Sleeping With A Baby, Toddler, and Preschooler - Kerry at City Kids Homeschooling shares how co-sleeping calls us to trust our inner maternal wisdom and embrace the safety and comfort of the family bed.
Fear instead of Facts: An Opportunity Squandered in Milwaukee - Jenn at Monkey Butt Junction discusses Milwaukee’s missed opportunity to educate on safe cosleeping.
Cosleeping: A Mini-rant and a Lovely Picture - Siobhan at Res Ipsa Loquitor discusses her conversion to cosleeping and rants a little bit about the Milwaukee Health Department anti-cosleeping campaign.
Our Cosleeping Story - Adrienne at Mommying My Way shares her cosleeping story and the many bonus side effects of bedsharing.
Cosleeping can be safe and rewarding Christy at Mommy Outnumbered shares how her cosleeping experiences have been good for her family.
Adding one more to the family bed Lauren at Hobo Mama discusses the safety logistics of bed sharing with a new baby and a preschooler.
The Truth About Bedsharing - Dr. Sarah at Parenting Myths and Facts discusses the research into bedsharing and risk - and explains why it is so often misrepresented.
Cosleeping as a parenting survival tool - Melissa V. at Mothers of Change describes how she discovered cosleeping when her first baby was born. Melissa is the editor and a board member for the Canadian birth advocacy group, Mothers of Change.
Dear Delilah - Joella at Fine and Fair writes about her family bed and the process of finding the cosleeping arrangements that work best for her family.
CoSleeping ROCKS! - Melissa at White Noise talks about the evolution of cosleeping in her family.
Safe Sleep is a Choice - Tamara at Pea Wee Baby talks about safe sleep guidelines.
3 Babies Later: The Evolution of our Family Bed - Kat at Loving {Almost} Every Moment talks about how her family’s cosleeping arrangements evolved as her family grew.
Tender Moments - The Accidental Natural Mama discusses tender cosleeping moments.
Cosleeping Experiences - Lindsey at An Unschooling Adventure describes how she ended up co-sleeping with her daughter through necessity, despite having no knowledge of the risks involved and how to minimise them, and wishes more information were made available to help parents co-sleep safely.
The early days of bedsharing - Luschka at Diary of a First Child shares her early memories of bedsharing with her then new born and gets excited as she plans including their new arrival into their sleeping arrangements.
The Joys of Cosleeping in Pictures - Charise of I Thought I Knew Mama shares pictures of some of her favorite cosleeping moments.
Symbiotic Sleep - Mandy at Living Peacefully With Children discusses how the symbiotic cosleeping relationship benefits not only children but also parents.
Co-sleeping Barriers: What’s Stopping You? - Kelly at Becoming Crunchy shares how she was almost prevented from gaining the benefits of co-sleeping her family currently enjoys.
Co-Sleeping with the Family Humanity Sleeper - Erica at ChildOrganics shares a way to make co-sleeping safe, comfortable and more convenient. Check out her post featuring the Humanity Organic Family Sleeper.
Why We Cosleep - That Mama Gretchen’s husband chimes in on why cosleeping is a benefit to their family.
Adding to the Family Bed - Darah at A Girl Named Gus writes about her co-sleeping journey and what happens when a second child comes along.

A big thank you to all of the Safe Cosleeping Blog Carnival participants!

AMP Diaper Giveaway

2011-12-14T09:35:00.000-04:00

My favorite diaper company is doing a 12 days of Christmas Giveaway! Be sure to stop by and enter to win.

Nothing like free stuff leading up to the Holidays from a great company!

So, are you sure you want to do "cry it out"?

2011-12-09T14:57:00.000-04:00

I wrote this post because I wanted to share my perspective on crying it out. As a student of Psychology and Neuroscience, a Life Coach, a supporter of Attachment Parenting, but most importantly as a Mama...this is what I want to share with you about this topic...

When you were pregnant...

You didn't eat sushi
You didn't smoke or expose yourself to second-hand smoke
You avoided sliced deli meat
And you even suffered through that darn allergic reaction to your Aunt's cat, just because you didn't want to take an allergy pill.

Why?

Because you wanted your little fetus to thrive.
Because you didn't want to risk exposing your baby to harmful crap...you didn't want to risk negatively affecting your baby's health and development...even if that risk was close to zero. After all it's your beautiful baby.

Now that your baby is born {Yay! Did you ever imagine you would be so in love!?}...

You don't smoke or expose your baby to second-hand smoke...
You make sure soothers and bottles and anything else that might end up in baby's mouth is clean...
You make sure your baby is properly fed, warm and comfy...
You talk, sing and read to your baby...
You make sure your baby gets lots of kisses, cuddles and toe-tickling-raspberries...
And you made sure all sharp and dangerous objects are out of reach...

Why?

Because you want your baby to thrive.
Because you want your baby to develop and grow and be happy and healthy. You wouldn't dream of doing anything to negatively affect your sweet baby, would you?

Then why are you letting your baby "cry it out"?

Why!?

Did you investigate this method thoroughly before you decided to go ahead? Did you consider what, if any, effects this could have on your baby...and on you? Did you consider this decision through your baby's eyes? Did you know that exposure to stress affects an infant's brain development?

And what causes a baby stress?

Well I can tell you one thing that does: being left alone to "cry it out".

Why?

Because a baby feels scared, abandoned, tired, and that their needs are not being met. This would be stressful to any adult, let alone a new little human who can't speak or be reasoned with.

But it's only a few minutes you say?

Well those few minutes add up.

And be careful. Don't be fooled into thinking that this is a one-time deal. If you do "cry it out", you are encouraged to "keep at it"...to "not give in"...

And just when you think it's over and you will all be sleeping well...your baby gets a cold, or starts teething or goes through a growth spurt--and it all goes out the window--and you have to start from square one.

But it's worth it if it makes them be a good sleeper you say?

Oh really, is it? For who?

For you? I don't think so. You feel awful, listening to your baby cry and cry and ignoring the urge to go in there and scoop them up. Eventually, you just can't bear it, so you turn off the monitor. Sometimes, you even turn on music. Ouch. That's got to leave a mark. A deep, parenting-guilt mark. It sure did for me...with my first baby, when I was a novice mama, who thought I had to do it. And I only did it once. And I sat there right outside the door, trying not to cry myself. After four {long} minutes I caved. I just didn't have the stomach for it. And I know deep down neither do you...and this totally doesn't mean you loose points. Ignoring your baby's cry for a prolonged amount of time has got to also affect you. Perhaps this will affect the way you bond with your baby. Perhaps it will make you less responsive to your baby in the future. Perhaps this will mean that the way you discipline and interact with your child as they grow will be tainted with that slight, seemingly invisible mark. Perhaps.

Is it worth it for your baby? Definitely not. Any amount of stress, especially prolonged, is damaging. We know stress is damaging for adults. Doesn't your doctor always tell you to reduce stress. So why wouldn't it be damaging to a baby? Well it is. It's damaging to your little baby's developing brain. Why? Because it's so amazingly busy making all those intricate and important neural pathways that will be the groundwork--the foundation-- for all future learning, behaviour, likes and dislikes...all the things that will make the future little kid and adult your baby will be one day. Stress affects that. Is it worth to mess with something so fundamental? Even if it was a minimal effect, would it be worth it? And even if we ignore the potential brain-damaging effects, what about the way your baby will feel about it's caregivers? What will the baby who is left alone to cry it out to sleep learn about those that are supposed to be meeting their most basic needs? What will that do to the bond and relationship between baby and mama {papa, perhaps}? At the very least, it will make baby confused...perhaps apprehensive...definitely cranky and clingy.

But they say crying it out isn't harmful you say? That there is no real evidence that it's bad?

Who's they?

Is it the wolf-in-sheep-skin author of that book you just read?

Is it your pediatrician who went to medschool and residency to learn about how to make sick kids better, and who probably knows little-to-nothing about actually raising kiddos? Or if he or she does have kids, perhaps they did cry it out and know of no other ways to get babies to sleep, so that's all they've got?

Trust me, the advice to do "cry it out" is not some amazing, remarkable or even groundbreaking medical discovery. Though the proponents of this method would sure like you to believe it is.

You are the mother. You know your baby best.

If you tell me your deep-age-old-mama-wisdom tells you it's OK to let your baby "cry it out", then I will say no more.

But I doubt it will.

You may think that voice in your head telling you to sleep train your baby is yours--your instinct...your mama wisdom. But I'm willing to bet good money that it it's not. It's society's voice. It's that "expert" who you read about. It's your mom or mother in law or a well-meaning parent at the playground. And the voice in their head is not their inner wisdom voice either.

Because who actually wants to leave an innocent, little baby to cry...to cry unattended? The whole design of crying is to make caregivers want to pick the crying baby up!!! It totally goes against mother-nature's wisdom.

And as for the argument that some babies need to be left to cry because it's the only way they will go to sleep...well that might be the case for some {few} babies. But those babies probably don't actually cry. They may fuss for all of 15 seconds. And if that's what they need, they need not do it alone. They can cry to relieve their stress in the arms of a caring parent or caregiver. After all, doesn't the expression go: "a shoulder to cry on"? We humans are extremely social beings and so we need the support of others in good times and not-so-good times. When was the last time you wanted to be alone when you had something to celebrate or you received some bad news?

Just because some babies respond well to falling asleep on their own {and who may fuss or slightly cry for a very short amount of time}, should we be made to believe that all babies should be or can be that way? And that minutes and minutes of crying are the same {or no worse} than fussing for a short amount of time?

Nope.

Heck, babies have personalities to and they respond to and like different things. But darn, it would be nice for us exhausted parents if all babies just slept great and with minimal effort from day one!

But the reality is that most babies aren't even developmentally ready to fall asleep on their own, let alone sleep through the night, until they are much older. What does "developmentally ready" mean? It means that their brain isn't quite ready to allow for this function to happen naturally and at the normal time it should for that particular baby.

So don't worry if your baby needs your help to fall asleep at 3 months or {gasp} even at 10 months..or whatever age. It's OK. This also doesn't mean that you can't help your baby start to like sleeping, to fall asleep easily on their own, or to associate sleep with good-happy feelings {yes baby! bedtime is gooood!}. I promise your baby will one day sleep through the night and you will remember these tiring days with a fondness you wouldn't think would be there. But if you want to encourage things along, there are ways to do this without all the heart-wrenching and tears, without splintering the bond between mama and babe...and without potentially damaging that amazing little growing brain.

Cause all we want for our babies is for them to thrive...right?

I promise there are ways. So just look for them in a book {ha, it rhymes!} that uses gentle, bond-enhancing ways to get little ones to sleep. All you have to do is open your heart. And don't be afraid to seek out and ask like-minded parents about them. We are out there and we are more than willing to share what worked for us.

But most importantly, hold your little one close. And never believe that by holding your baby close you are doing any harm. Because all too soon, you will have to let go. Because all too soon your little one will be no more--so hold on to your little one because the big kid {and adult} your baby will turn out to be is in the making in the here and now.

Your Life Changes

2011-12-03T06:31:00.000-04:00

Having a baby changes your life. That's the truth, simply stated. To believe or to think otherwise and try to hold onto your previous, child-free lifestyle, will only drive you to insanity and misery. I admit that I get sad when I hear or read about people trying to hold onto the lifestyle of their child-less days. Instead of welcoming the wonderful changes and blessings that come from adding a little one to the family, they miss out on them by fighting against the inevitable and necessary changes that happen when a baby makes three. Instead, I say we should focus on nurturing the bond with our babies--on creating a strong foundation that is the beginning of our relationship together.

Alright, so what are these changes..? Well here are a few {this is by no means an all-encompassing list, just the major ones--at least in our experience}.

Once your little bundle of joy arrives you can forget about:

Sleeping--never again will sleep be the same. You will sleep, but it won't be the blissful sleep of your child-free days. Even when your kiddo is old enough and sleeping through the night, you will still wake up early or during the night--and even on days when you can sleep in till whenever, your body is now used to getting little sleep that you just can't sleep past 8am. Go figure. Accept that you will no longer sleep for long stretches at a time, at least until you are an empty-nester {because I'm sure even when your kiddos are older--say, teenagers--you will be awake wondering if they are being safe at that party they went to}.

Having uninterrupted or extended time to do things you previously had all the time in the world to do...such as reading, having baths and/or showers, surfing the web, writing, blogging, practicing yoga, exercising, cooking, baking, watching TV, going to movies...etc. etc...you get the point. You will be able to do these things you enjoy, but they will never be at the ideal times or you will be interrupted or will have to postpone {till further notice}. And you just have to be OK with that, because you now have a baby! And you modify your life to include your baby, and you begin to do things {and get to like new things} that you can do with your baby.

Having intimate time with your partner {and not necessarily just sex, but also just spending those nice, peaceful moments together, snuggled up and talking about whatever}. You will be able to spend time together--but it will not be in the ideal place or the ideal time--and maybe not as often as you'd ideally want. But you make it work and you should try to make it work {for your and your partner's sanity!}. But that's OK, because you now have a baby that will bring so much happiness and laughter to your life and will bring you and your partner closer together. You are now a team {even more so than you were before}. Trust me, those cute little toes and those huge baby smiles are a sure-fire way to make you love your partner more {especially in the middle of the night and your groggy partner offers to change the diaper and you hear him saying to your baby, "Oh look at your cute little toes!!!"}.

Having a tidy house. It's pointless to keep things organized. Sure you can start off with a specific place for this toy or that puzzle. And all your baby books may be neatly organized on a shelf. But as soon as your kiddo starts doing things on their own, the perfect-looking playroom is gone. Trying to fight against the organized chaos of children will only make you feel overwhelmed and frustrated. I'm still working on this one. I want my kiddos to know about organizing and keeping things tidy, but there's a time and place for everything. For now we have designated baskets and bins and it's up to them {mostly} where their toys go. After all, when they are looking for a toy to play with, they have to be able to know where they put it last. As for the rest of your house, well, do your best to keep it in a state you are happy with {notice I didn't say "try to keep it as clean as possible"?}. It's your house, so do what you have to do to make it a place you are happy in. If mess doesn't bother you, great, you have more time to play with your kiddos and/or go read that book you want to or surf the web. If you like it to be clean and tidy, then spend the time you'd otherwise be reading or surfing to scrub a toilet or vacuum the floor {keep in mind that babywearing is awesome because you can spend time with baby AND clean, if that's you're cup of tea--like it is mine--remember I'm a bit of a clean-freak}. Also, enlist the help of your partner and/or family, it's OK to ask for help to do a load of laundry or wash dishes or even clean the floors. Remember you're a team. And if you are overwhelmed with children and their stuff and their mess and would rather spend your time otherwise, hire cleaners. It's so worth it.

Having peaceful, quiet meals. Long-gone are the days when you can sit and have an adult conversation over dinner. Your table is now shared with kiddos and things will need to get silly to be fun! They will cry, babble or talk and interrupt incessantly. They will require help eating and sometimes have tantrums at the table. So be it. It's all part of the deal, but I would advice to not give up on the family meal. Instead of throwing sitting-at-the-table-for-a meal out the window, persist, and use it as an opportunity to teach your kiddos by example. Soon enough things will calm down and you'll reap the rewards from the time you put into teaching the importance of the family meal.

Wearing your trendy, sexy clothes. Well, this isn't all true. You can find clothes that still look fab and allow you to chase after kiddos, or breastfeed. But it can be tricky to find mama-friendly fashions. So be prepared to give them up {for a while} and be OK with it. Definitely be OK to give up your high-heeled shoes. They will no longer be comfy for you and you certainly can't have real fun at the playground in them.

But the thing that changes the most is you. And that's exactly how it should be. Having a baby is an enlightening experience, if you let it be. It challenges you to be a better person and is the ultimate journey of personal development. Loving a little person so unconditionally opens your heart--it floods forward the empathy within you, it awakens an inner wisdom and if you let it, lets you experience life through new eyes--through the innocent-life-loving eyes of your child. However, I am not saying that you have to give-up who you are or the things you love. It's still important for you to maintain your Self-Care and to make sure you do what's necessary to prevent getting burnt-out. But there is a way to do this, while still enjoying parenthood and building the bond with your baby.

So, welcome the many life changes that occur and relish your new place in the world of parenting!

When It's Calm...

2011-12-01T14:57:00.001-04:00

Isaac is napping.
Elsa was napping, but is now here in my arms, but she's happy and getting sleepy again.
Maddie just came home from school but asked to go out for a walk with my mom.

There is no laundry to fold.
No meals to prepare (I cooked double portions yesterday to have supper for today).
And the little odd tasks here and there that I could do are not that important, so I won't do them.

So what do I do?

I already did my rounds {you know, blogs I like, facebook, etc, etc}.
I already had a snack.
I already did yoga today {went to Mom and Baby this morning}.

I don' feel like reading.

So maybe I will cuddle up with Elsa on the sofa and watch a movie.

Ah, that sounds nice.

Now lets hope this calm lasts more than five minutes!

And it didn't. Well it would have except I couldn't figure out how to access the file of the movie I decided to watch and then by the time I sorted it out, it was 5 minutes in and Isaac woke up. He did watch with me for a few minutes, but then got bored with all the talking and no action and asked to do something else.

Ah well. It was still a nice 5 minutes.

Peeking In

2011-11-30T14:11:00.001-04:00

I love our new video monitor. I love peeking in to see what is going on. Before, with our sound-only monitor I had to guess what each noise was...was it the kind of whimper that means waking up is imminent and I should get up there super fast to stick the soother back in? Or the kind of deep sleep dream whimper?

I do wonder how we ever got by without it. But obviously we did and that's fine, but now that I have a little screen that displays what my kiddos are doing, it's fabulous. For example, I am down here, and Isaac and Elsa are up there napping. Well supposed to be napping. But I can see now. Isaac is as quiet as a snail snailing along...but he is not still. He is making a mess. He's opened his curtain, taken off his grobag and is now proceeding to take all the book from his bookshelf {which he can reach from his crib} and putting them in his crib. I wonder what else he's planning on doing? I better get up there before he decides he can fly and tries to attempt this. Oh and no word of a lie, just as I typed that I saw him start climbing out...and get stuck half way. So I had to run up before he went kerplunk and landed on his head.

Elsa is sleeping peacefully {on her belly I might add}...it's a good thing I have a video monitor to make sure she doesn't, I don't know...it's just reassuring to see her sleeping peacefully and know exactly when she wakes up {because she is my first baby to actually wake up happy and not cry immediately--sometimes she lays there happy for a long time and I wouldn't even know she was awake were it not for the video!}.

I just hope I'm the only one peeking in and unlike some of the sound-only monitors, no one else can pick up the video signal!

{Almost} Lost

2011-11-26T21:43:00.000-04:00

Tonight we went downtown to have supper and to the Annual Christmas Tree lighting. We went with our friends {the ones we went to Mexico with}. It was so much fun. Except that Isaac almost got lost in the huge crowd. I hate that feeling: when your stomach drops and your heart stops beating and your head is trying to solve the problem but all you can think is "OMG my kiddo is gone!" It happened in a split second. One moment he was here and the next he was not. I started calling his name, my friend did too and even the surrounding people started helping out. And then, he came running towards us with my friend's older son. Apparently he had been with Isaac the whole time, but none of us knew. Thank goodness for that 10 year old guardian angel! He had been paying attention when none of the adults had and made sure we didn't loose Isaac within the mass of people. And I have to do something about his snowsuit. One of the dads that was helping us out {which happened to be the Dad of one of the girls in Maddie's class}pointed out that he was camouflaged, which made it that much harder to see him in the crowd. So I need to sew on some reflective material or get him a bright hat...or something. I am so thankful tonight was a great night and that we came home happy and with all of our kiddos.

Belly Sleeping

2011-11-24T14:24:00.000-04:00

I love sleeping on my belly. Elsa must have inherited this from me. She loves it. She is sleeping and will start squirming incessantly. I then wake up and see this, I try to nurse her...nope...I try to give her the soother, nope...I try to rub her belly to see if she has a fart, nope...the squirming continues. So one night not too long ago, out of sheer desperation, I rolled her over to her belly and voila! She was still. And she slept for a few hours. Hours. Hmmm...a freak-one-time-occurrence I thought. Nope. She loves it, and now that she's a bit stronger I can see in her squirming she is trying to roll over onto her tummy. So I help her and we all sleep great.

Yes, I know, babies are not supposed to sleep on their bellies. But what if that's what a baby needs? Obviously she knows she needs this as it's the only way she'll sleep. So I think this is where you just got to go with your mama gut. And I have decided to go with her lead. And I will do all I can to help her sleep safely and comfortably: firm mattress, no blankets or pillows or cute little stuffed animals around her, and a well-ventilated area. Check. {Plus I have my video monitor now too}.

And I will enjoy the wonderful long lengths of time I get to sleep.

Letters and Words

2011-11-22T22:08:00.001-04:00

It seems like all of a sudden Maddie has become very interested in writing and all things letters! I am so proud of her! And I really want to harness her interest and make sure she continues to have this interest and love of learning. Below is a picture of a self-made activity she did. All on her own she drew lines and wrote these words. She asked for help on writing "Mittens", but all the rest was done solo. I think it's so neat to see how it all develops. We had a parent-teacher interview a couple of weeks ago and her teachers said at this age kiddos tend to write in capitals and to make some letters backwards...and it's true! Too cute. Her teacher sent a note home saying they are going to be starting more work on reading. I hope Maddie enjoys this too. I really am going to make sure I spend time with her each day doing some fun writing exercises, because she just loves it so much and I want her to know and feel that I can enjoy it with her too.

Wordless Wednesday

2011-11-09T07:58:00.003-04:00

{Three Little Munchkins}

"Mommy, Can I Help?"

2011-11-08T09:00:00.000-04:00

Welcome to the November Carnival of Natural Parenting: Kids in theKitchen
This post was written for inclusion in the monthly Carnival of Natural Parenting hostedby Hobo Mama and Code Name:Mama. This month our participants have shared how kids get involved in cooking andfeeding. Please read to the end to find a list of links to the other carnival participants.

Preparing to make a cake

I will admit that recently I often don't have the patience to let my kiddos come into the kitchen with me. Mostly, it's because they interfere with my cooking flow...and partly it's because they sure make a mess! It's not that I never let them help out, it's just that it's so much easier to do things myself. Especially these days when my cooking time is so limited. But I do realize that it's so important to have them watch me cook and to help out too. And they do have a great interest in helping out and learning about food preparation. They run in the kitchen when they hear me start clanking pans around and ask in their sweet kiddo voices, "Mommy, can I help?"

The best part of helping out!

So, on days when I make something that's easy for them to help out with {and I'm in a good mood!}, I will give them a kid-friendly part of the recipe to do. I remember when Maddie was just 2 years old {and I had all the time in the world to devote to only her}, she started to help me out in the kitchen. I have this very vivid memory of her helping me put together a lasagna so carefully with her little tiny fingers.

I think it's very important for them to learn not only about food preparation but also safety in the kitchen. Real-life tasks, such as cooking, help kiddos develop common-sense and "real-life smarts", so to speak. Which are, in my opinion, so very important.

I clearly remember Maddie telling me a while ago that she had to help me cook or else she wouldn't ever learn how to cook for herself. And she's right. Who else is going to teach them the tricks of making tortillas? Of building the perfect lasagna? Or of making delicious, chewy {healthy} cookies?

"Yes, I'm going to lick this clean!"

I want my kiddos to be prepared for when they are off on their own. I want them to be able to know where their food comes from and how to make a tasty, healthy meal.

And I don't just focus on teaching Maddie (and one day Elsa). I want Isaac to know just as much about cooking too. Sure, he may not be as interested, but he should still know how to prepare a meal. I'm sure that will come in handy for him one day when he's trying to win over the love of his life!

My mom taught me so much in the kitchen. And she had so much patience with me, or at least that's what I remember!!! And although at the time I didn't realize it, everything she passed on has come to be extremely helpful to me in my kitchen.

All I hope is that I can do the same for my kiddos.

 

***

Visit Hobo Mama and Code Name: Mama to find out how you can participate in the next Carnival of Natural Parenting!

Please take time to read the submissions by the other carnival participants:

Baking & letting go — Cooking with kids can be a mess. Nadia at Red White & GREEN Mom is learning to relax, be patient, and have fun with the process.
Family feeding in Child of Mine — Lauren at Hobo Mama reviews Ellyn Satter's suggestions for appropriate feeding and points out where her family has problems following through.
Children with Knives! (And other Kitchen Tools) — Jennifer at True Confessions of a Real Mommy teaches her children how to safely use knives.
"Mommy, Can I Help?" — Kat at Loving {Almost} Every Moment writes about how she lets her kiddos help out with cooking, despite her {sometimes} lack of patience!
Solids the Second Time Around — Sheryl at Little Snowflakes recounts her experiences introducing solids to her second child.
The Adventure of Toddler Tastebuds — The Accidental Natural Mama shares a few things that helped her daughter develop an adventurous palate.
A Tradition of Love — Kelly at Becoming Crunchy looks forward to sharing the kitchen traditions passed on from her mom and has already found several ways to involve baby in the kitchen.
The Very Best Classroom — Alicia C. at McCrenshaw's Newest Thoughts reveals how her kitchen is more than a place to make food - it's a classroom!
Raising Little Chefs — Chef Mike guest posts on Natural Parents Network about how he went from a guy who couldn't cook to a chef who wanted to teach his boys to know how the food we love is made.
In the Kitchen with my kids — Isil at Smiling like Sunshine shares a delicious soup recipe that her kids love.
Papa, the Pancake Artist — Papa's making an incredible breakfast over at Our Mindful Life.
Kids won't eat salad? Try this one! — Tat at Mum in Search is sharing her children's favourite salad recipe.
Recipe For a Great Relationship — Cooking with kids is about feeding hearts as well as bellies, writes Hannah at Wild Parenting.
The Ritual of Mealtimes — Syenna at Gently Parenting Twins writes about the significance of mealtimes in her family’s daily rhythm.
Kid, Meet Food. Food, Kid. — Alburnet at What's Next? panicks about passing on her food "issues" to her offspring.
Growing Up in the Kitchen — Cassie at There's a Pickle in My Life shares how her son is growing up in the kitchen.
Harvesting Corn and History — From Kenna at School Garden Year: The kids in the school garden harvest their corn and learn how much history grows in their food.
My Guiding Principles for Teaching my Child about Food — Tree at Mom Grooves uses these guiding principles to give her daughter a love of good food and an understanding of nutrition as well as to empower her to make the best choices for her body.
Kitchen Control — Amanda at Let's Take the Metro writes about her struggles to relinquish control in the kitchen to her children.
Food — Emma at Your Fonder Heart lets her seven month old teach her how to feed a baby.
Kitchen Fun? — Adrienne at Mommying My Way questions how much fun she can have in a non-functional kitchen, while trying to remain positive about the blessings of cooking for her family.
Kitchen Adventures — Erica at ChildOrganics shares fun ways to connect with your kids in the kitchen.
Kids in the Kitchen: Finding the Right Tools — Melissa at Vibrant Wanderings shares some of her favorite child-sized kitchen gadgets and where to find them.
The Kitchen Classroom — Laura at Authentic Parenting knows that everything your kids want to learn is at the end of the ladle.
Kids in the Kitchen — Luschka from Diary of a First Child talks about the role of the kitchen in family communication and shares fun kitchen activities for the under two.
Our Kitchen is an Unschooling Classroom. — Terri at Child of the Nature Isle explores the many ways her kitchen has become a rich environment for learning.
Montessori-Inspired Food Preparation for Preschoolers — Deb Chitwood at Living Montessori Now shares lots of resources for using Montessori food preparation activities for young children in the kitchen.
My Little Healthy Eater — Christine at African Babies Don't Cry shares her research on what is the best first food for babies, and includes a healthy and yummy breakfast recipe.
Two Boys and Papa in the Kitchen: Recipe for Disaster? — MudpieMama shares all about her fears, joys and discoveries when the boys and handsome hubby took over the kitchen.
Food choices, Food treats — Henrietta at Angel Wings and Herb Tea shares her family's relationship with food.
learning to eat — Catherine at learner mummy reflects on little M's first adventures with food.

The Night My 7-Year-Old Made Dinner — Melodie at Breastfeeding Moms Unite! shares how her 7-year-old daughter surprised everyone by turning what started as an idea to play restaurant into pulling off making supper for her family.
Cooking With a High-Needs Toddler — Sylvia at MaMammalia describes how Montessori-inspired activities and a bit of acceptance have helped her overcome hurdles in cooking while caring for a "high-needs" child.
Kids in the Kitchen – teaching healthy food choices — Brenna at Almost All The Truth shares her belief in the importance of getting kids into the kitchen using her favorite cookbook for kids to develop healthy food choices now and hopefully into the future.
Make Milk, Not War — Tamara at Tea for Three remembers the daily food fights as she struggled to feed a picky eater.
teaching baby birds about good food. — Sarah at Small Bird on Fire writes about the ways in which her family chooses to gently teach their son how to make wise food decisions.
5 Ways to Enhance Your Baby or Young Toddler's Relationship with Food — Charise at I Thought I Knew Mama shares simple ways to give your child a healthy beginning to her lifelong relationship with food.
Toddler at the Table: 10 Creative Solutions — Moorea at Mamalady shares tips for preventing meal-time power struggles.
How My Child Takes Responsibility During His Mealtime... — Jenny @ I'm a full-time mummy shares how she teaches and encourages her 32 months old son on adopting good manners and responsibilities during his mealtimes...
Kids in the Kitchen: 6 Tips Plus a Recipe — Kristin at Intrepid Murmurings shares six tips for overcoming some of the the difficulties of cooking with multiple young sous chefs, and a recipe they all can agree on!
How BLW has made me a better parent — Zoe at Mummykins shares how baby-led weaning has changed her approach to parenting.
My Budding Chef — Jenny at Chronicles of a Nursing Mom is no cook but is happy that her daughter has shown an inclination and manages to whip up yummy goodies for their family.
Kids in the Kitchen: An Activity for Every Age — Gaby from Tmuffin describes how she keeps her kids busy in the kitchen, whether they are one week old or two years old.
The Phantastically Mutlipurposed Phyllo — Ana at Pandamoly shares how Phyllo is used to create enticing dishes at home! Anything can be made into a Struedel!
Kitchen Kids — Laura from A Pug in the Kitchen shares her children's most favorite recipe to make, experience and eat.
Independence vs. Connection in the Kitchen: won't you please get yourself your own snack already? — Lisa at Organic Baby Atlanta wishes her daughter would just go make a mess in the kitchen. But her daughter only wants to do it together.
Grandma Rose's Kitchen — Abbie at Farmer's Daughter reminisces about her childhood and dreams of filling her kitchen with people, love, noise, and messes.
Healthy Food Choices for Kids — Jorje offers one way to encourage children to make their own healthy food choices at MommaJorje.com.
Cooking food to thrive rather than survive — Phoebe at Little Tinker Tales is trying to foster a lifetime of good food habits by teaching her children about the importance of avoiding junk, cooking healthy meals, and learning about the whole food process.
Evolution of a self-led eater — Sheila at A Gift Universe shares the story of how her son grew from nursing around the clock to eating everything in sight, without her having to push.
10 Ways Tiny Helps In The Kitchen — Jennifer at Hybrid Rasta Mama explores the ways in which her toddler actively participates in kitchen-related activities.
The Complexity of Feeding a Child — Feeding children a healthy diet is no straight-forward task, but Lisa at My World Edenwild shares some general guidelines to help your child thrive.
Lactation Cookies — That Mama Gretchen shares a fun recipe that will benefit both mamas and babies!
50 of the Best Books, Websites, & Resources to Inspire Kids in the Kitchen — Need inspiration to get your kids in the kitchen? Dionna at Code Name: Mama rounds up some of the best books and websites that can serve as a source for ideas, recipes, and cooking with littles fun.
A 4-year-old's smoothie recipe — Jen at Grow With Graces and her son set out to make a smoothie without the usual ingredients. She let him improvise. See how it turned out.
Independent Food Preparation (My Toddler Can Do That?) — Megan at Montessori Moments shares simple ways for children to prepare their own healthy snacks.
Follow Your Gut — Amy at Anktangle shares her philosophy about intuitive eating, and how she's trying to foster her son's trust in his own inner wisdom when he feels hungry.
A TODDLER-STYLE LUNCH + RECIPE — Manic Mrs. Stone photographs how to have messy fun during lunchtime with a helpful toddler.

Just a little poke...

2011-11-03T11:44:00.000-03:00

I have been meaning to write about the vaccine dilemma I've been having this time around. When Isaac was born I questioned the routine immunizations. I read a lot and though a lot. The best book I came across was The Vaccine Book by Dr. Bob Sears. It was straightforward and provided the pros and cons of each disease and it's corresponding vaccine. In the end, I decided to do the 2, 4, and 6 months vaccinations as per the recommended schedule. I delayed the MMR and chickenpox...and in fact, Isaac has still not received those vaccines and I don't plan on him to get them for a long time yet. Here in Canada the vaccine schedule contains way less vaccines than in the U.S.A. So he only received 2 vaccines at each appointment. The DTaP is combined with HIB and Polio in a vaccine called Pentacel. The other one is the Pc vaccine, called Prevnar. Both of these contain aluminum (which is what I was concerned about), but for some reason I felt OK about it with Isaac and he got all his vaccines up until 6 months. Thankfully, he did not appear to have any reactions or long-term effects.

And I say appear on purpose because a lot of the reading I have done and the information I have gathered points to the possibility that perhaps we don't have the whole picture when it comes to vaccines (or at least some vaccines). The truth is that children do sometimes get reactions. Some are considered mild, as in a rash, redness at the injection site or perhaps are a bit cranky or irritable. Other reactions are more concerning, such as lethargy and possible neurological effects. This is were it starts to bother me. More concerning is the fact that because there are no long-term studies looking at a vaccinated group against a non-vaccinated group of children, we just don't know how many children or which children get serious reactions or suffer long-term injuries from vaccines. Yes, it's true that these reactions are rare, but they do happen. Not to mention that there is a also the possibility that some vaccines may be related to certain autoimmune diseases.

Oi! As if being a parent wasn't hard enough!

In my internal debate, the rare possibility of a side-effect from vaccines was weighed against the possibility of my breastfed-not-in-daycare baby catching one of these illnesses. The chances are also very low that she will catch anything serious in her first six months (when diseases such as HIB, pertussis and Pc are most dangerous). However, I decided that I could not take the risk that she might get sick with something serious, that is also preventable. So I decided to vaccinate her in the same way I did for Isaac.

But this time around I followed Dr. Bob Sears' suggestion to only give one aluminum containing vaccine at a time. When I asked our family doctor about this she said she had not heard about aluminum being a concern. But I know there are many studies discussing and linking neurological damage to injected aluminum. So I still opted to only give her the Pentacel and next month we will give her the Prevnar...and continue to do one per month until she gets all her doses. The MMR will also wait till she's older. Our doctor didn't object, though I could tell she was being very placating. Oh well. I am glad I stood my ground and didn't feel pressured to go against what I wanted. She did give me a very convincing and reassuring talk about the safety of vaccines, but if she hadn't heard or read about the concerns on aluminum how can I trust the assurance she has on their safety, when she might not have all the info? And that's the thing...doctors are not trained in medical school to question vaccines. In fact, they don't really receive any information on how vaccines are made, or their possible adverse effects. So for me, asking my doc about it isn't all that reassuring.

After Elsa's first dose of Pentacel, she became very irritable and fussy. She didn't seem to want to nurse, she would latch on and pop off over and over at every feed. Tylenol didn't seem to help. Of course, I wondered if this might be related to the vaccine or teething or getting sick? Maybe it is. Maybe it isn't. It's just impossible to know because we can't ask them how they are feeling and where it hurts. But I will say that my gut tells me it was from the vaccine.Also, it has now been 1 week and she's still teething, but that irritability and fussiness is gone. She is nursing better (even though she's still at the same stage of teething) and she isn't sick. She just wasn't herself this last week...and now she's back to her happy-go-lucky self. Now I am not sure how I feel about her next dose! Maybe I will wait a bit longer between doses to allow for her body to process the vaccine and its ingredients.

I wish they had a pertussis-only vaccine. It's really the only disease that worries me at this age. But alas, that vaccine does not exist yet.

Coincidentally {just how synchronicity seems to happen!!! And what finally prompted me to write this post!}, yesterday I came across this video. It's a new documentary on the vaccination debate. It's very well done, in my opinion.

Currently, it's streaming for free on Vimeo, but I'm not sure for how long. Anywhoo, here is the link: The Greater Good.

I am not writing this to start a fight on this issue, I just wanted to share my thought process on what I decided to do with my daughter. And maybe in doing so, provide some info to other parents. And I should clarify that I am not anti-vaccine. I do think that they have been important and have been part of the reason our children get sick less nowadays. But, I also think that there's more to the issue of simply vaccinating or not. I wish there was better data being collected to really solidify the safety {or non-safety} of vaccines. I think it's important for parents and doctors to be provided with information on this so they can make the decision that's right for the child.

{Happy} Spooky Halloween!

2011-11-01T21:17:00.001-03:00

We had a great night! It was chilly, but the kiddos braved it out and we were out for an hour. Can you tell what movie we are dressed up from?

Yup, Peter Pan! Ken was Hook, I was Tiger Lily, Maddie a mermaid, and Isaac was the crocodile. Elsa was a baby cow...only because it was the only costume we had that fit her....hahaha. It was so much fun. Isaac would growl at everyone and Maddie was as sweet as ever. It was awesome to see Ken as Hook, he really went all out!

I love Halloween for the fun that comes from dressing up. I don't love Halloween when it comes to all the junky crap my kiddos get in their bags. I am disgusted by the ingredients in so many of the "candy"out there. It's not even real food...it's a little ball of chemicals, nicely wrapped and labelled as "delicious". Needless, to say, there was a lot of sorting and in the end the kiddos were left with a small share of candy we deemed to be "OK". Maddie had a few sad pouts as she watched her supply diminish, but she understands, and in the end all she's talking about is how much fun it was to go around dressed up and see all the spooky houses. Maybe one day in the future Halloween won't be about eating junky candy anymore. Gosh, I hope so.

Sunday, Funday

2011-10-30T21:24:00.000-03:00

A storm gusted through here today. It was a blustery, cold and rainy day. The perfect day to carve our Halloween pumpkins! The kiddos had lots of fun {and so did the grown-ups :) }. The pumpkins turned out great!

Elsa has been very fussy lately. She had an immunization on Thursday and she's also teething. Poor baby. Can you believe she's getting teeth at only 12 weeks old!?

Speaking of teeth. There's a new toothless wonder in town! Maddie's wiggler finally became wiggly enough today. She asked us to please help her get it out. I was allowed 3 attempts, but couldn't get it out (I totally did not have the heart to pull hard enough). Then Daddy stepped up and had it out in a flash. There was a bit of drama as a bit of blood made it's way out, but in the end there was one happy little girl!

Interestingly, that little tooth first made it's appearance exactly 5 years and a few days ago. Crazy to think how fast time goes!

The tooth fairy paid a visit last night and left a bit of money and a book. All in all it was a very exciting and fun Sunday!

Wordless Wednesday

2011-10-19T16:24:00.001-03:00

{Terrific Trio}

{Me and my girlie--leaving for school}

{My little man}

{Sweet baby Elsa}

{Oh dear--a typical happening around here these days...}

{Wearing a dress in October! Lovely fall weather}

Random Monday Thoughts

2011-10-17T13:56:00.000-03:00

Isaac went down for his nap surprisingly easy. I got him ready, put him in his crib, sang him a song and said "Good Nap, I love you", left his room, heard him say, "No, no, I don't want to go to sleep." but have not heard a peep since. He's a silly boy...he is so tired and fights it most days, but today it was a peaceful event. He's cutting his 2 year molars {finally} and I know that has been contributing to his behaviour recently. On Sunday at nap time, he called out, "Daddy, Daddy, come! Something's happening in here!" and pointed to his mouth. Ken checked and sure enough he has cut the two bottom ones...surely the top ones are on their way too.

We had some dear friends over for supper on Saturday and it was so fun. I always feel slightly embarrassed when people tell me I'm good at being a Mama...and coming from my friend was no exception. I replied, "I'm certainly not perfect. I do lose it sometimes and I have been known to yell." My friend said, "I don't believe it" and asked Maddie lightheartedly, "Does your Mommy yell at you?" She smiled and shook her head and said, "Nope." The truth is I do yell sometimes. Like when Isaac has hit Elsa or Maddie for the umpteenth time or when they get into something I've repeatedly said not to touch. But it melted my heart to hear Maddie saying that I didn't. When I prodded her further on her response she said she felt I never yelled at her. I suppose I interpret this to mean she doesn't feel hurt on those occasions when I have yelled. I don't know what I'm trying to say here...I suppose it's just that this is the first time someone has asked my daughter about me third hand...and it was interesting for me to hear her response of how she views me. Perhaps she was in a good mood and on another occasion if she was asked the same question she would produce a different answer!?!? Who knows, but I do believe and have experienced first hand how much kiddos live in the present...so in that very moment all was well in her little world and she had a Mommy who never yells.

Elsa's been a bit fussy lately. She doesn't settle calmly after her 4am feed and is restless, and I don't get to sleep, even though she's sleeping. It might be gas, but maybe she's teething. She has been very drooly and chewing on her hands like crazy. Who knows! I just hope I can find a trick to help her sleep more peacefully in those early morning hours, because I can't be awake from 4am onward when I have 2 other kiddos to take care of! I'm thinking a bottle of Chamomile tea will be on my nightstand tonight.

I have no idea why I feel this way, but I miss being pregnant. Crazy, I know. This is a topic for a whole other {long} post, but how am I ever going to say and feel I am done having babies? I remember being a little girl and dreaming of the day I would have my own babies. I am so blessed and beyond grateful for my beautiful kiddos, but I don't know how to turn off that innate feeling of wanting to bear and raisechildren. Who or what turns that off? Does it ever turn off?

Well, that's all the time I have. Isaac and Elsa are sleeping {the latter in a ring sling on my chest} so maybe I should try to get some ZZZ's or at least close and rest my eyes for a few minutes.

My Secret

2011-10-12T15:13:00.002-03:00

Babywearing is one of my favorite things to do and it's my secret to being able to keep up with 3 kiddos. I love feeling her little baby-warmth beside me and hearing the soft lull of her breathing. Right there, on me. As close as she can get without being in my belly still. So, in honour of International Babywearing Week, here are a couple of snaps of me doing fun stuff over Thanksgiving weekend wearing the bebe.

{Apple Picking in the Valley}

{Hiking an ocean-side trail}

Just Doing It {Part 2}

2011-10-02T15:20:00.000-03:00

Last night I had to sign off {because of a fussy Elsa} before I finished venting about not having enough time to blog. But I need to come back and say a few more things...

I should have finished the post by saying that I am doing all of this and actually enjoying it. I can't say enough how much I love being a mom. If the decision was left up to me, I would have ten kiddos. Yes, they do test my patience daily, many, many times. Yes, they keep me up at night. Yes, I have to constantly repeat myself. And yes, I have a newborn that wants to be held all. the. time. But I love them so much and I wouldn't trade my life for anything {though I have to admit there are moments when I wish to be somewhere quiet and serene, just for an hour!}. Also, I should clarify that it's not like I don't have any time at all to do anything. It's just that I have chosen to use the little free time I do have to do other {very necessary} things other than blogging. I am spending time with my hubby. We fold laundry and watch a show or just chat in the evenings. I have started working out, and I love it and I don't feel guilty about not doing chores or holding Elsa. She can be in the arms of someone else that loves her for half an hour. I am coaching clients. And I am sleeping whenever I can!!! Plus, can't forget that I now have a kiddo in school and it takes time to take her there, pick her up, plan and pack snacks and lunches.

The picture of my life now is different than a couple of months ago. But it's a good kind of different, the kind that feels refreshingly surprising and exciting. Who knew the life of baby spit-up and diaper changes and ABC's and 123's could be so fun!

So while I may not get on here to blog as often as I'd like, I am still loving {almost} every moment and I am certainly going to write about important, need-to-remember kinds of things because these days of kiddo-land don't last forever...

Just Doing It

2011-10-01T21:42:00.000-03:00

I am frustrated that I have not been able to blog like I'd like to. I really have so much I want to write, but it seems like every "free" moment I have is consumed by some of the many tasks that need to be done to keep this household and family going. Life with a newborn {and two older kiddos} is definitely busy. Any and all free time that I had previously enjoyed to blog, is pretty much non-existent. I used to see moms with 3 kiddos and stare at them in awe, thinking to myself, "How do they do it?" And now here I am. Doing it too. And the truth is, you just do it because you have to.

Boy Trouble

2011-09-23T09:13:00.000-03:00

I've been having boy issues.

My little boy is:
- Smacking, hitting, pinching
- Refusing to eat at meal times even though he's super hungry
- Refusing to try going pee and poo on the potty (even though he has told us he wants to go)
- Still addicted to his soothers

I believe this is the age they call the "Terrible Two's"??? What I wasn't totally prepared for was how much more intense this age would be with a boy. Or maybe it's just my boy? I dunno, I have a feeling it's partially a boy thing. But also I know he's going through a lot. His older sister started school and is no longer around for most of the day to play with him. Plus, he now has a younger sister who demands my constant attention, and he feels a bit left out. I have been spending one-on-one time with him whenever I can, but I imagine he still feels a bit jealous. He can't control any of this stuff...so I think he's turning to things he can control...which are all of the things I listed above.

I know we will get through this phase of boy trouble. And I hope it's soon! In the meantime Isaac better be ready to be smothered with lots of hugs and kisses. And I better fill up my patience tank to max.

The Freedom to Choose

2011-09-14T09:05:00.000-03:00

This is a conversation that happened last night between Maddie and I...for some reason she always seems to bring up important topics right before bed!

Maddie: Mama, I don't think I'll go to school anymore.
Me: Why?
Maddie: Because the teachers always tell us what to do and I don't have any freedom to choose. And I don't want to be like all the other kids. I want to be me and do what I want to do.

Holy crap! I was totally awestruck that these words came out of my 5 year old's mouth. What do you say to that? Because she's absolutely, 100% right. School is totally about conforming, and obviously {somehow} she is picking up on that. Don't get me wrong, she is loving the experience. She enjoys going, she's made some friends and she's doing well in the classroom. But somewhere inside her little heart and mind she knows and feels something is not jiving with the way we've raised her. We always give her a choice. We always respect her point of view and consider it when making decisions. Obviously a teacher with almost 30 kids in her class cannot do this.

So what do we do?

I replied to her statement by saying: Well Maddie, I totally understand how you feel. But you can still be yourself even though you are around so many kids. And you can still do things your way, while still following your teachers instructions. Like if they tell you to colour a picture, you do what they say but you use the colours you want and make the picture the way you want.

That's all I could muster at that point. And she seemed content with that answer.

But I think Ken and I have some serious talking to do.

Are there any other options? I know homeschool is one...but I just don't know if that's the way to go for us. Unschooling? Private school? Or do we keep her where she is and just encourage her to keep expressing herself and to exert her freedom of choice whenever {as much as} possible...?

Oh the joys of parenting!

1st Day of School

2011-09-06T20:05:00.000-03:00

I'm officially a mother to a kiddo that goes to school. Today was Maddie's first day of school. A couple of weeks ago I had a few days were I totally wanted to back out...I didn't want her to go, I wanted to go ahead and do homeschool, not have to follow anyone's schedule...but make my own. I just could not fathom how on earth I was going to be able to get out the door in time with 3 kiddos and feeling like the living dead (with not having slept all that great as one tends to do with a newborn). But the last week things have gotten better. And I realized that in order to maintain a happy relationship with my daughter (as in avoid her rebelling against me--because that's what she does when I try to "teach" her) I needed to pass on the formal education torch to someone else. And I'm happy with that. I know deep down that that's what she needs, that's where she will thrive. For now, this is the right thing. And today I was happy to see that Maddie's reaction to being dropped off and the way her day went proved it. She was happy and excited. She only got a little nervous when she saw other kiddos and parents getting worked up, but as soon as she started walking towards the doors I could see her eagerness.

I picked her up for lunch and she was so happy and excited to tell me all about her morning. She was geared up to go back. Overall she had a great day. We will take it one day at a time, but I have a feeling things will be alright!

{Walking to School}

{Goodbye Hugs}

{Saying Hello to her Teacher}

{Giving her Teacher a Flower}

{Me and My Sweet Maddie}

{And She's Off...To Learn All Sorts of Things!}

In Love

2011-08-25T21:03:00.004-03:00

Every day I look at little Elsa and I get sucked into a vortex of love. I seriously just can't believe that she is here, right her in my arms, mine for me to snuggle and kiss and smell and nurture. It seems so bizarre that just days ago she was inside me...and I was waiting not so patiently for her to make her entrance. I think I am in a bit of shock that she's actually in the outside world!!! I will share the birth story one day soon, when I am ready...and have time!!!

Little Elsa is amazing. I am exhausted, but it's worth it...I remember all too well how quickly the time goes by and before I know it she'll be walking and talking and asking a million questions!

Speaking of, I hear the little squeaker calling for mama!!!

Elsa's Birth {In Pictures}

2011-08-18T20:44:00.001-03:00

Elsa Juliette

2011-08-09T07:20:00.002-03:00

Elsa Juliette

8lbs

23h48 August 8th, 2011

Both are recovering well.

38 Weeks and Other Stuff...

2011-08-02T21:44:00.006-03:00

38 weeks 1 day

I feel like all I do is go to appointments, do grocery shopping, clean, tidy, organize and think about when this baby girl is finally going to come. This stage of pregnancy is always like that for me. I am torn between feeling the overwhelming gratitude for being pregnant...of having this beautiful little life growing inside me and of feeling totally DONE...ready to hold my baby in my arms rather than have her in my belly. I am mentally, physically and emotionally ready. It all must be part of getting ready. I feel like my body is getting ready too. On Sunday night I had a two hour long "false" labour (or pre-labour, a nicer way to put it) episode with intense contractions, 5-10 mins apart. I remember that happening with Isaac the week before I went into real labour. At my appointment today I was 50% effaced, with a super soft cervix that was 1cm dilated. So things are happening. Soon, eventually, I will be giving birth. I also gained 3 lbs in one week. Wowzers. I blame the heat. I feel swollen. My legs and feet are a bit pudgy But I also do think that baby girl has put on some weight too. She feels big through my belly. I felt her little leg/foot the other day and and it feels chubby!!!

Tomorrow I have my appointments with the blood and pain meds specialists. Hopefully I will get some good news about my platelets. I really don't want them to drop any more and I hope the stuff I've been doing plus whatever they suggest to do will help increase them.

I also have to say that I was very surprised (and impressed) by my OB today. She is so awesome. She didn't push an internal examination (I asked for it), she didn't pressure me about attempting to do a membrane sweep and, in fact, she was the one that stated (after the exam was done) that it was not a good idea to do one at 1cm dilated because the body wasn't ready yet. And she expressed her support about me wanting to have non-drug pain management strategies during labour. I REALLY hope she's on call when I go into labour! It would be great to end this journey with her there.

Well, that's it for pregnancy-related stuff. I know I have neglected to write a whole lot...it seems like my brain can only focus on one thing (yep, you guessed it...having this baby!!!).

But everyone is doing well. The kiddos are growing and continue to be a source of joy and happiness as well as frustration (which is totally normal with a 5 and 2 year old!). They say the funniest things sometimes I I seriously don't know where they come up with this stuff! They are both really excited for the baby to come. Even Isaac is seeming to understand...he sometimes comes up to my belly, kisses it and says, "Baby come out now!" I am looking forward to seeing them welcome their little sister into our family.

Today is our wedding anniversary. Eight years. Crazy how long it's been, but it doesn't feel like eight years. Awesome! We went out to dinner yesterday and had a great time. I love that Ken is my best friend. I can tell him anything. He knows me through and through and I am so beyond happy to be his life partner.

My belly is now asking for food. So I will go and fulfill that request! Hopefully the next update will be about me going into labour!

My shirts don't fit anymore!

Platelets, Epidurals and Acupuncture

2011-07-28T20:12:00.001-03:00

I love being pregnant. I really do. It's one of my most favorite states of being. In fact, as soon as I had my two babies I missed my belly!

But...

I am so ready for this little baby girl to make her entrance into our non-watery world.

I am so ready to embrace and experience labour and birth.

I am so ready to do everything I've been preparing for my successful VBAC.

I am so ready...

...but it seems she is not. Not just yet.

And now I have a nice monkey wrench thrown into the mix.

My platelets are low. They've been on the low end of normal since I had Isaac. But in the last 2 weeks they've dropped even more. Needless to say, my OB is concerned. I now have to see even more doctors, haematology and anaesthesia. Apparently I can't have an epidural with low platelets (that's OK, I wasn't planning on one), but if, IF, I have to have a c-section I may need to be put under general anaesthesia. Which would TOTALLY suck. But I wonder, why not an epidural? During a c-section they would be cutting me open...is the risk of bleeding in the spine different somehow? All questions I will ask the doc next week.

In the meantime I am working with my Naturopath to help my body increase my platelets and we are also doing labour induction acupuncture points to gently help my body get ready and pave the way for the baby.

I just want my beautiful little baby girl to arrive safe and healthy, before any more surprises come up!!!

Breath Holding

2011-07-20T22:04:00.002-03:00

Maddie loves swimming and anything that has to do with swimming. Recently she's started to practice holding her breath under the water in the tub during bath time. Though the timing of it is not referee-level-official, she can hold it for about 30 seconds. Isaac wants in on this action too...but he can't figure it out yet. But he did figure out a way to get around it and still "hold his breath". He lays down face up and submerges his little head so that only his mouth and nose are out of the water...then he proceeds to lay very still. This is his way of being like his big sister. I love the way little kid brains work!

Knowledge and Instinct

2011-07-12T09:29:00.001-03:00

Welcome to the July Carnival of Natural Parenting: Parenting Philosophy
This post was written for inclusion in the monthly Carnival of Natural Parenting hosted by Code Name: Mama and Hobo Mama. This month our participants have shared their parenting practices and how they fit in with their parenting purpose. Please read to the end to find a list of links to the other carnival participants.
***

"When you know better, you do better"

- Maya Angelou

I had to think about this topic a bit. I had all these ideas and thoughts about what my parenting philosophy is, but then I realized it was actually quite simple.

When it comes to my parenting philosophy, the quote above pretty much sums it up for me.

I started out my journey as a parent, without knowing all that much about actual parenting. But something within me had the drive to learn, to ask questions, to not take things as is, but instead to question the status quo when it didn't feel right. I suppose I could say this stems from way, way back because as a child I was always encouraged to explore, learn and always ask questions. But most importantly to always be myself and to always find a way to be able to express that, even when it wasn't seen by society as the ideal or encouraged response.

So when my beautiful daughter came into the world five years ago, that part of me naturally seemed to extend into my parenting...the way I was to be a mother. I remember when she was in the NICU as a newborn, I started seeing my mothering side come out in the way I would follow my instincts and want to hold her skin-to-skin for hours on end even when it wasn't what the nurses would have liked (for their convenience). And as she grew, my trust in my instinct and my drive to follow it also grew. But I also had a drive to learn.

Of course I made mistakes, I still do. But like the quote above, it's in striving to know better that we can do better. If we don't ask questions, we can't learn. And if we don't learn, then we might keep making mistakes.

I truly believe that as parents, we all want the best for our children. And we each have our own ways of knowing what that is. Every family is unique and grows in its own way. So you can't apply a parenting style or parenting technique to everyone. But, there is a common thread in raising happy, healthy children: having love, respect, acceptance and encouragement. Children who feel and experience this, flourish. It's like having a garden. The garden itself can look very different from home to home, but what makes it grow big and beautiful is the nourishing soil and the knowledge and patience of the gardener to care for the plants.

I do truly feel that our instincts are very powerful and important, and when we are tuned into them it is a truly empowering way to make decisions and live our lives. But we also need to be able to be willing to learn and educate ourselves {and our children} so that we may always be improving and growing.

So I suppose my parenting philosophy boils down to:
- Ask a lot of questions and encourage your children to as well
- Have a thirst for knowledge!
- Respect yourself and respect your children

but most importantly...

Have a home that is full of love, acceptance and encouragement!

And I hope that this will lay the important foundation for my children to be able to have meaningful, loving, intimate relationships and live their lives with a happy heart.

***
Visit Code Name: Mama and Hobo Mama to find out how you can participate in the next Carnival of Natural Parenting!
Please take time to read the submissions by the other carnival participants:
(This list will be live and updated by afternoon July 12 with all the carnival links.)

Between Love and Fear: On Raising our Children Sensibly — Mamma Earthly at Give an Earthly discusses the fear factor in parenting and how she overcame it, despite societal pressures.
really, when do i get my cape? — Sarah at small bird on fire is a working city mama trying to learn how to set aside her expectations of perfection and embrace the reality of modern parenting.
Baby, Infant, and Toddler Wearing — Child wearing is part of Sarah at Nourished and Nurtured's parenting philosophy. In this post, Sarah describes benefits of child-wearing and gives tips for wearing babies, infants, and toddlers (even while pregnant).
First Year Reflections — As her daughter's first birthday approaches, Holly at First Year Reflections reflects on how she and her husband settled into attachment parenting after initially doing what they thought everyone else did.
Making an allowance — Lauren at Hobo Mama welcomes a guest post from Sam about the unexpected lessons giving a four-year-old an allowance teaches the child — and the parent.
How to be a Lazy Parent and Still Raise Great Kids — Lisa at Granola Catholic talks about how being a Lazy Parent has helped her to raise Great Kids.
Philosophy in Practice — Laura at A Pug in the Kitchen shares how her heart shaped the parenting philosophy in her home.
What is Attachment Parenting Anyway? — Gaby at Tmuffin describes the challenges of putting a label on her parenting philosophy.
Of Parenting Styles — Jenny at Chronicles of a Nursing Mom talks about how she and her husband tailored various parenting styles to fit their own preferred parenting philosophy.
Moment by Moment Parenting — Amy at Peace 4 Parents encourages those who care for children (including herself) to explore and appreciate parenting moment-by-moment with clarity, intention, trust, and action.
Maintaining Spirituality in the Midst of Everyday Parenting, Marriage, and Life — Sarah at Nourished and Nurtured shares her perspective on finding opportunities for spiritual growth in every day life.
Parenting Philosophy — Lily, aka Witch Mom's parenting philosophy is to raise child(ren) to be compassionate, loving, inquisitive, and questioning adults who can be trusted to make decisions for themselves in a way that avoids harming others.
Long Term — Rosemary at Rosmarinus Officinalis thinks about who she would like to see her daughter become — and what she can do now to lay a strong foundation for those hopes.
Connection, Communication, Compassion — She's come a long way, baby! After dropping her career in favour of motherhood, Patti at Jazzy Mama discovered that building solid relationships was going to be her only parenting priority.
My Parenting Inspirations - Part 4 — Jennifer at Hybrid Rasta Mama looks at her biggest parenting inspiration and how that translates into her long-term parenting philosophy.
A Parenting Philosophy in One Word: Respect — Jenn at Monkey Butt Junction summarizes her parenting and relationship philosophy in one word: respect.
Knowledge and Instinct — Kat at Loving {Almost} Every Moment believes that knowledge and instinct are super important … as are love, encouragement and respect. It's the ideal combo needed to raise happy and healthy children and in turn create meaningful relationships with them.
THRIVE! — The Sparkle Mama wants to set a tone of confidence, abundance, and happiness in her home that will be the foundation for the rest of her daughter's life.
On Children — "Your children are not your children," say Kahlil Gibran and Hannah at Wild Parenting.
This One Life Together — Ariadne aka Mudpiemama shares her philosophy of parenting: living fully in the here and now and building the foundation for a happy and healthy life.
Enjoying life and planning for a bright future — Olivia at Write About Birth shares her most important parenting dilemmas and pours out her heart about past trauma and how healing made her a better parent.
My Parenting Philosophy: Unconditional and Natural Love — Charise at I Thought I Knew Mama shares what she has learned about her parenting philosophy from a year of following her instincts as a mama.
An open letter to my children — Isil at Smiling Like Sunshine writes an open letter to her children.
My Starter Kit for Unconditional Parenting — Sylvia at MaMammalia discusses her wish to raise a good person and summarizes some of the nontraditional practices she's using with her toddler son in order to fulfill that wish.
Responsiveness — Sheila at A Gift Universe has many philosophies and goals, but what it all boils down to is responsiveness: listening to what her son wants and providing what he needs.
Tools for Creating Your Parenting Philosophy — Have you ever really thought about your parenting purpose? Knowing your long-term goals can help you parent with more intent in your daily interactions. Dionna at Code Name: Mama offers exercises and ideas to help you create your own parenting philosophy.
Be a Daisy — Becky at Old New Legacy philosophizes about individuality and how she thinks it's important for her daughter's growth.
What's a Mama to Do? — Amyables at Toddler in Tow hopes that her dedication to compassionate parenting will keep her children from becoming too self-critical as adults.
grown-up anxieties. — Laura at Our Messy Messy Life explains her lone worry concerning her babies growing up.
Why I Used Montessori Principles in My Parenting Philosophy — Deb Chitwood at Living Montessori Now tells why she chose Montessori principles to help her now-adult children develop qualities she wanted to see in them as children and adults.
Parenting Philosophies & Planning for the Future — Momma Jorje considers that the future is maybe just a fringe benefit of doing what feels right now.
Not Just Getting Through — Rachael at The Variegated Life asks what truths she hopes to express even in the most commonplace interactions with her son.
Parenting Philosophy? Eh... — Ana at Pandamoly shares the philosophy (or lack thereof) being employed to (hopefully) raise a respectful, loving, and responsible child.
Parenting Philosophy: Being Present — Shannon at The Artful Mama discusses the changes her family has made to accommodate their parenting philosophy and to reflect their ideals as working parents.
Who They Will Be — Amanda at Let's Take the Metro shares a short list of some qualities she hopes she is instilling in her children at this very moment.
Short Term vs. Long Term — Sheryl at Little Snowflakes recounts how long term parenting goals often get lost in the details of everyday life with two kids.
Parenting Philosophy: Practicing and Nurturing Peace — Terri at Child of the Nature Isle sets personal goals for developing greater peace.
Yama Niyama & the Red Pajama Mama — Part 1: The Yamas — In part 1 of a set of posts by Zoie at TouchstoneZ, Zoie guest posts at Natural Parents Network about how the Yoga Sutras provide a framework for her parenting philosophy.
Yama Niyama & the Red Pajama Mama — Part 2: The Niyamas — In part 2 of a set of posts by Zoie at TouchstoneZ, Zoie explores how the Niyamas (one of the eight limbs in traditional Yoga) help her maintain her parenting and life focus.
Our Sample Parenting Plan — Chante at My Natural Motherhood Journey shares hopes of who her children will become and parenting strategies she employs to get them there.
Philosophical Parenting: Letting Go — Jona at Life, Intertwined ponders the notion that there's no right answer when it comes to parenting.
Unphilosophizing? — jessica at instead of institutions wonders about the usefulness of navel gazing.
Parenting Sensitively — Amy at Anktangle uses her sensitivity to mother her child in ways that both nurture and affirm.
how to nurture your relationships — Mrs Green at Little Green Blog believes that sometimes all kids need is a jolly good listening to …
Philosophy Of An Unnatural Parent — Dr. Sarah at Good Enough Mum sees parenting as a process of guiding her children to develop the skills they'll need.
Life with a Challenging Kid: Hidden Blessings — Wendy at High Needs Attachment shares the challenges and joys of raising a high needs child.
Flying by the Seat of My Pants — Heather at Very Nearly Hippy has realized that she has no idea what she's doing.

Barefoot and Pregnant {and in the Kitchen}

2011-07-11T22:55:00.000-03:00

This afternoon I found myself standing in my kitchen cooking, barefoot and very pregnant, listening to my two beautiful children laughing and playing together in the next room. I had to laugh at the old saying because in all honesty, there's no where else I would have rather been.

Birthday Boy

2011-07-09T22:29:00.001-03:00

After a sunny, warm and beautiful week we awoke this morning to rain. Not just light showers, but a true down pouring. All the plans for Isaac's outdoor birthday party were laid to rest. So instead we had everyone come to our place. It was lots of fun! Grown-ups, big kids, little kids, babies and newborns all attended and shared in celebrating Isaac's 2nd birthday! I can't believe he's TWO! Seriously, this last year has zoomed by before my eyes.

Isaac had so much fun. He was his usual happy, rambunctious, jokester self and certainly was the centre of attention!

His long awaited Dino cake was a hit! He LOVED it and was quickly devoured.

Despite being stuck inside, Maddie proclaimed "it was a great party!!!" And I agreed!

To my amazing little boy, I just want you to know that I am so proud of you! I love watching you grow and learn and smile and laugh. You truly bring so much joy and happiness into my heart and I am truly thankful for that. I wish you all the happiness in the world, and I promise that I will always be here for you and do my very best at being your mommy. Happy Birthday sweet boy!!! May you have a wonderful year filled with happiness, discovery, adventure and fun!

Here are some pictures from the party.

We took a lot of video, hopefully I can get that posted soon!

{Isaac and Uncle C--note his "farmer tan...Hahaha!"}

{Balloon Fun!}

{Doing a little song and dance jig}

{Opening his gifts}

{Smooch with Auntie Emma}

Vacation Week

2011-07-05T23:14:00.001-03:00

This week, we're on vacation! Ken worked on Monday but is taking the rest of the week off and we are spending it doing something fun, together. I do love travelling, but there's something about staying home during vacations...something quite splendid.

Today (Day 1) Ken took the kiddos to the playground while I had a short workshop planning meeting and then we spent the rest of the morning downtown at the public gardens. The kiddos loved it {and not only because they got an ice cream!}. And I loved watching them having so much fun.

I had a woman at the gardens tell me I was extremely brave to be adding another child to my roost. I suppose I'd never thought about it that way. I've always pictured myself as a mother of many. But the actual reality of a third is totally feeling real now. Baby girl will be here SOON. Wow.

Tomorrow, the plan is to go strawberry picking. I have a feeling there will be more strawberry eating than actual picking...we shall see!

I will be sure to get lots of pictures!

P.S. Isaac's 2nd birthday is sneaking up on me! It's this Friday. Where has the time gone!?

Happy Canada Day {Weekend}!!!

2011-07-02T22:27:00.000-03:00

It's been a fun-filled one for us and the weather here has actually decided to cooperate. I think I actually got a little tan this weekend.

We also discovered this weekend that Maddie can officially swim on her own! She did really well in her last swimming class session but still used a floating aid for the majority of her swims.

But this weekend we headed out to the cottage. She started playing with a couple of other girls, a few years older than her, and they were all swimming together. Maddie had her life jacket on, but decided to take it off and just use a noodle. Well, the next step for her was to try to see if she could swim without the noodle. And she let it go. I did not witness this firsthand, but Ken says she was initially shocked and then started doggy paddling to save her life! All he could see was her little head sticking out of the water as she bobbed up and down for a few seconds! One of the other little girls gave her back her noodle and she grabbed on again. She said she was a bit scared, but now she knows she can actually stay afloat on her own!!! I am so excited! Now we can work on strengthening her swim and the length of time she can stay afloat. Today we went swimming at our friends' pool and she was able to swim alone again...back and forth between Ken and the ladder. I can't help but feels so proud of her! It's also weird though, it seems like just yesterday she was a little one year old in a parent n' tot class...now she's swimming on her own...

{Discovering and working with clay}

{Looking for fish}

{Trying to keep up with the kiddos!}

{Found a fish! It was actually a stick, but you know...}

{Extremely pregnant...and I still have a few weeks to go!}

{Maddie caught some tadpoles! Don't worry they were eventually returned :-) }

{Looking for more tadpoles together}

{With Daddy and Auntie}

{Mr. Smiley Cloud face...at the end of a beautiful day!}

Wordless Wednesday: First Days of Summer!

2011-06-29T16:52:00.000-03:00

{Playing Dress-Up with Maddie}

{Maddie set up a Dinner Party I love how elaborate it is!}

{Our new bike trailer!}

{They love it!}

{2 in 1: Fun and exercise!}

{Exploring in the garden}

{A tearful moment...it passed quickly!}

{Big-sister showing him a rock}

{Sweet Maddie}

{Delightful Isaac!}

{Creating a flower bouquet}

Me At This Point

2011-06-28T19:44:00.000-03:00

I am irritable, a.k.a bitchy. I snap at my hubby more frequently than not. Poor guy. I have little to no patience when it comes to a lot of stuff...like for example, if there is a basket of laundry waiting to be folded or dishes to be washed and I come down from putting Maddie to bed and they're still there and he's playing computer games. Arrgggg. Again, I say, poor guy, because he really does do a lot. I just seem to only see the things that irritate me. I love you more than life itself lover, but it's these damn hormones and the heat and my swollen legs and feet and the fact that I can't even roll over from side to side anymore without it being a workout. I have this intense urge to just spend the rest of my pregnancy floating in water...weightless. I wish I could sleep in a water bubble.

6.5 weeks.

That doesn't seem like a a lot. And it isn't. But I know these last few weeks are the ones that seem to drag on the longest.

But the prize at the end is worth all the discomfort in the world!

{Taken this past Saturday @ 33 weeks 1 day}

Nesting

2011-06-26T22:25:00.001-03:00

I am pretty sure my nesting urge has kicked in. I am already the type of person that likes things to be organized and clean...so adding the urge to nest to this is making it a bit overwhelming! I want to clean out closets, cupboards, drawers of all kinds, clean the house till it's spotless, re-caulk the bathtubs...oh and so much more! I wish I had the time and energy and physical capability to do it all! But I get slightly dizzy if I stand too long...and I can't bend over or reach places quite well. So I do what I can and ask for help for the others. Except that no one else really sees the urgency in my task list! And in reality, it's probably not urgent, it just seems like stuff we should do. So I will focus on what really needs to get done. Like sort out baby clothes (yikes I better do that soon!), set up the baby area in our bedroom and buy that freaking car seat!!!

The Day Isaac Wore A Dress

2011-06-18T22:44:00.000-03:00

Isaac's been picking out his clothes in the morning for a while now. Every day it's a bit of an ordeal to get him to pick out a shirt, let alone pants. He usually willingly picks out socks, though they are usually Maddie's. In fact, he loves to wear Maddie's clothes! Today, he went into her room to say good morning to her and on his way he happened to see the dress she had picked out to wear. He confiscated it and didn't let it go. Maddie agreed to let him wear it (sweet big sister she is!) and he wore a dress all day. We went shopping and to do errands and he was oblivious to the fact that he was a little boy in a dress...and I was happy that he was because it was awesome to just let him be and be happy. The funniest thing though was that he was still acting like his typical almost-two-year-old-little-boy-self and managed to get that dress good and dirty. I wish I had gotten a picture though!

Love My Doula!

2011-06-14T22:10:00.000-03:00

I just had an awesome meeting with our doula. She was also our doula during Isaac's pregnancy and birth, so it's nice to have that familiarity and consistency. I really do love her and I'm so glad she's got my back again this time around. We talked a lot about how I can work on not letting the traumatic bits of Isaac's birth affect this birth and she offered a lot of support and guidance on what I can do to help create a safe, positive environment during my birth.

The fact that we only have one more meeting before the big day made me realize how close it is!!! Before I know it, labour will be happening and I will be giving birth! I am excited and scared all at the same time. I feel like I have a lot to do, but at the same time I don't know what that all is! It's a weird feeling.

I do know we need a carseat. So I better get on that. And I need to start sorting through the bins for all the wee little girlie clothes from when Maddie was little. Awww I sure look forward to seeing some of those sweet little clothes on a baby again! And I also want to knit Baby Girl a blanket. Better get on that pronto!

But for now I need to stuff some diapers and then get to bed and look forward to another U/S tomorrow. Gotta love baby peeks!

My Return to Yoga

2011-06-13T22:46:00.001-03:00

I've been a real slacker lately in practicing yoga. Getting to a class is nearly impossible, but there's nothing really stopping me from practicing yoga at home! So finally last night I decided to get back to it. I am getting close to the BIG day and I want my mind and body to be as ready as they can be for birthing day!

All I really wanted to say was that I am sore today. Not in the places I thought I would be (i.e., hamstrings) but mostly in my groin! Yikes! It's a good thing I am getting back to it now, seems like I really need it!

Busy {Tired} Not-So-Little Bee

2011-06-12T21:13:00.001-03:00

I've been so bad at blogging recently and I am so sorry! I always find myself thinking "Oh I would love to blog about this..or that...and this...and that..." And then time gets away from me and I don't. This last week Ken was gone and I got to once again enjoy the role of being a solo parent. For the most part is was fine. But....I do have a ginormous belly that makes doing anything quite the ordeal. Even giving the kiddos a bath every night was hard. Picking up a slippery 23 month old boy with a huge pregnant belly sticking out of my front was surprisingly hard and exhausting. Add to it the fact that this week was probably the busiest week I've ever had, what with appointments and activities, classes and birthday parties...yikes. Needless to say, I was emotionally and physically exhausted by the end of the day. I am beyond happy Ken is home again! The busy-ness of our life is the same, and I still do everything I've always done...but just the fact that I have a partner to help out is a welcome relief. Plus having another adult to interact with and hang out with after the kiddos are asleep is nice. It sure can get lonesome in those night hours.

Anyways, for some updates...

I've been going to the chiropractor and I have been noticing great improvement. Although I am still sore at times, it's definitely not as bad but most important not getting worse! The only con is that I have to go twice a week so it's tricky to fit stuff in time-wise. But family has been super helpful with the kiddos and I've been able to do fine getting to the appointments. After this initial period of adjustments we can then move on to weekly or biweekly appointments.

I had an U/S this last Wednesday. We got to see baby girl and she is so cute! It's been about 11 weeks since we've seen her on U/S. The nurse even did a bit of a 4D scan and it was amazing to see her! She looks adorable! She was doing some kind of dance with her little hands...waving them back and forth in front of her face. The kiddos and my mom came with me too so they loved seeing her. Everything is looking great. My OB wanted to check the thickness of my uterus in the area where the scar is and it looks nice and thick (one less thing my OB has to worry about with me having a VBAC!!!). My cervix is also nice and long and closed tight like a fortress. And she is head down. The only thing that was off is that I have a tad bit too much amniotic fluid. It is most likely not anything to worry about, but I have to be monitored weekly by U/S. Apparently it can be a risk factor for preterm birth...and we don't want one of those again if we can avoid it! My OB also asked me to have a Glucose Tolerance Test done (the 3 hour one) because high fluid may be linked to Gestational Diabetes. I honestly don't think that is the problem as I have not had any indication of this at all and all my bloodwork and urine checks have not raised any flags. Part of me wants to skip the test...the other part says, "Just do it"...

With this new development I have come to the realization that the Universe might be trying to tell me something. I think it's telling me to "Stop pushing so hard against your perceived notion of the medical system." I have been trying so hard to find my place in this world where I want to have a Natural, Medication-Intervention-Free birth and having to do this within the Medical Hospital environment. My OB is supportive of doing a VBAC, but she is an OB and she may not be the OB on call when I go into labour. And I have been feeling uneasy about having to labour in hospital, with extra watchful eyes on me. But after the new thing...I just found this peace around it all. I know I am doing my best to have the birth experience I desire, but I also know there are things I need to accept. Like the fact that I am going to be labouring and giving birth in a hospital and I will most likely need continuous monitoring and to have an IV. I also have to accept that not everyone is going to be against my wishes for a VBAC and medication-free birth. I need to begin to see that there are going to be people around who want me to have that experience, so I don't loose out on the opportunities to take them up on that! I'm also going to have a doula at my birth and I know that will help tremendously. I think choosing to accept these things will align it all and actually be the way to get what a I want...if I fight against something, it only becomes more difficult and resistant.

Well that has been what's going on with me lately. This week is going to be busy too but at least I am not missing my other half!

Here are the 3D pics of baby girl...

De-funked

2011-06-03T15:41:00.001-03:00

Blowing Bubbles Action Shot!

I am feeling so much better! I reminded myself that happiness is a state you choose to be in and have to work at maintaining, it doesn't just fall on your lap. It's all about attitude. I may not be able to control the situation, but I can sure control how I react and deal with it.

I'm still not sleeping all that great, but I have added a few extra pillows to my nighttime arrangement and it seems to have helped. The kiddos are again sleeping through the night, though they have been waking awfully early (well, for my liking!). I think Maddie's going through a growth spurt because she woke up asking to eat in the wee hours of the night a few days in a row. And I think Isaac has allergies, the poor little guy wakes up quite stuffy and has a drippy nose during the day. Takes after his Daddy on that one.

We put up a bird feeder last weekend and the kiddos (and I must admit Ken and I too!) have been enjoying watching the birds discover it and come and eat from it. Then yesterday a pair of Bluejays discovered it and began making their nest in one of the huge pine trees in our backyard. Guess they figured it was too good to pass up! But I think they are now protecting the bird feeder and the other little birdies don't get a chance! We watched today how they chased away a pair of Robins. Guess we'll see how the drama plays out!

I'm so happy it's Friday! I look forward to doing some fun stuff all together this weekend, now lets hope the weather decides to cooperate and bring some sun our way!

Wordless Wednesday: Sort Of

2011-06-01T21:34:00.000-03:00

I'm in a funk these days. It's awful because I know better. I can see all the things I would say and offer to clients if they came to me with the way I feel...but it's just going to take some time for stuff to re-sink-in for me. I am 99.9% sure this funk is being made worse because I'm tired. So very tired. The kiddos have been sleeping so-so these last few days (weeks?) and the pregnancy related discomforts and bigness is making it really hard to get a good, deep, restful sleep. Oh and I forgot to mention that baby-girl is crazy active and her favorite time to play is at night...for what seems all night.

Anyways, I was looking through some pictures from this last week and found some that made me feel like sunshine was coming through the clouds.

I just love my kiddos so freaking much!

{Isaac "Huggie", as he likes to call hugs. Man, I look tired!}

{Senor Picasso...he is his own canvas! His legs were covered too}

{The smile that could make anything all better}

{Enjoying a "pop" together}

{Did I mention I was huge? Belly at 29w3d}

Switcheroo?

2011-05-29T19:43:00.000-03:00

I love my OB. She's supportive and knowledgeable and I trust her. However, the chances of having her be the one to attend the birth are slim to none. She is in a group of about 20 OB's. Plus I'm due in the summer and there are vacations to consider.

I haven't really thought too much about this detail. I always just pictured her being there. But the reality of the situation is creeping up as I near the last stretch of pregnancy.

I wonder now...

Should I take my chances and see who is on call the day I go into labour?

Or...

Do I ask my OB to transfer me to a smaller practice group?

My only concern with staying with the large OB group is that I am a VBAC candidate and perhaps they may not ALL be as supportive as my OB is (and she's supportive, but just barely...she is a high risk OB after all and her threshold for "stuff", i.e. possible complications, is probably lower).

I have an appointment with her next week. I am going to bring this issue up and see what her opinion is on switching care providers.

I have this fanciful, impossible, daydream that she will just say, "Oh don't worry! Just page me when you go into labour and I will come in, even if I'm not on call that day!"

Hahaha! Fat chance!

Wordless Wednesday: Random Images of Our Life

2011-05-25T21:40:00.000-03:00

{Laundry basket baby}

{As the Garden Grows}

{Picking and Eating Mint}

{Pre-bedtime Crankies}

{On Our Way to the Farmer's Market}

The Day to Celebrate...

2011-05-22T21:59:00.000-03:00

Today we celebrated Maddie's 5th Birthday. But as she carefully pointed out several times, "It's not my real birthday, just the day to celebrate!" It was beyond fun! We went bowling and then had pizza, snacks and cake. Maddie requested a Mother Gothel cake and her wish was granted (thanks Mom and Dad!). She had lots of fun spending time with family and friends. She was especially excited to hand out the gift bags (they had some bubbles, a little pot, some dirt and some sunflower seeds) which she had carefully prepared. I am so happy to see her enjoy it all. And it is beyond bitter sweet to celebrate this special day! My little girl just keeps growing and growing...

And off she goes!

To start many new adventures and to learn all sorts of new things...

Wondering How

2011-05-18T22:02:00.002-03:00

My life has been circling around pregnancy, coughs and colds, and major life decisions. And all this is not helping the fact that time is going by way too fast.

In all honesty I have not really allowed myself to think too much about just how much my life is about to change. But there are only approx 3 months left of this pregnancy. That's not a lot of time!

Every time I find myself in the middle of managing a kiddo crises I think to myself, "How the hell am I going to manage when there's a newborn crying to be fed thrown in the mix!?"

How?

One of my dearest friends (who is a mother of 3) assures me it will be fine and I will figure things out and the kiddos will too.

I hope so.

All I can do for now is talk to the kiddos about what sorts of things are going to change and assure them that even though there will be change, and my attention will be spread over 3 kiddos, it doesn't mean I will love them any less.

Anyways, it's good to have that off my chest.

There's a whole lot of other stuff I need to get off my chest too, but I'm out of time. I recently promised myself I would stop going to bed so late as I was not getting enough sleep {not a good thing heading into the hardest and most uncomfortable weeks of pregnancy}.

So off to bed I go!

Seeds

2011-05-10T09:00:00.008-03:00

Welcome to the May Carnival of Natural Parenting: Growing in the Outdoors
This post was written for inclusion in the monthly Carnival of Natural Parenting hosted by Code Name: Mama and Hobo Mama. This month our participants have shared how they encourage their children to connect with nature and dig in the dirt. Please read to the end to find a list of links to the other carnival participants.
***

This month's Carnival Post was written by my hubby, Ken. I will admit that he is the green thumb in the family, so I wanted to share his perspective on gardening with kiddos. I am so grateful that he has introduced the kiddos and I to gardening. It's something we have all come to love and enjoy!

Play-Dough,

Shrimp tails (not the meat, but the shell),

Bar of soap and

Radishes right out of the ground.

That is a short list of the things that my son has willingly put in his mouth without me asking. Let me add, he enjoyed all with equal vigor.

About 4 years ago I read "Animal, Vegetable, Miracle" by Barbara Kingsolver and decided it was time for me to try to grow some veggies. I have improved my gardening skills dramatically since that first year, but the biggest change has been the involvement of my kids. Last year, we grew an intense garden of veggies in a 4 foot by 24 foot raised garden bed. It was a nightly routine to go out to the garden and pick a few weeds, pull a few carrots, pick some berries and eventually tomatoes.

Both of our kids are carnivores. They don't usually like green/orange/red/purple food, that is unless its growing on a plant in our garden. It is an amazing thing to see a one year old boy who is just learning to walk reach into a tomato plant, pull out a tomato, and stuff it into his mouth. It brought a smile to my face to see his face covered with tomato juice and seeds.

The most amazing thing about this whole process was seeing him eat radishes. Now even for grown adults radishes aren't a popular veggie. But he would rip one right out of the ground, ask me to spray it off and then proceed to disassemble this red bulb with the 4 teeth that he had at the time. My wife and I thought to ourselves that we should add these to his meals, so we brought a few indoors, cut off the stem, and offered them to him. Nope, not that way, was his response. Only from the garden, and only with the stem on. Amazing.

This year, one of the first things to pop up was the mint. One day while we were outside, my daughter noticed the mint and pulled off a leaf and started chewing on it. Of course her brother wanted some too, and soon enough the two of them had minty green smiles. Now every time we pass by that garden bed he screams "MINT!! MINT!!" in his little exasperated toddler voice.

The benefits of gardening with my kids have been that now that our daughter is nearly 5 years old, she regularly eats greens (and reds/oranges/purples) and we never obliged her to do so. She has just naturally come to enjoy them. She loves digging in the dirt and helping plant seeds. She has an understanding of where food comes from and how long it takes to grow. She also has no idea what pesticide is, but rather that ladybugs eat other bugs that we don't want on plants.

I know my son will eat more veggies at some point, and I don't have to force him to eat them now. I can disguise them, yes, but I know he will get there. He will have grown up putting seeds in the ground and eating the produce of this labour. Sure he's going to eat the occasional blob of play-dough, or take a chunk of soap, but what he's going to keep doing for many years is enjoying fresh produce, and hopefully (once all of the play-dough is out of his system) he will be healthier for it.

***

Visit Code Name: Mama and Hobo Mama to find out how you can participate in the next Carnival of Natural Parenting!

Please take time to read the submissions by the other carnival participants:

Get Out! — Momma Jorje gives reasons she doesn't think she gets outside enough and asks for your suggestions on making time for the outdoors.
How Does Your Garden Grow? — The ArtsyMama shares her love of nature photography.
We Go Outside — Amy at Peace 4 Parents describes her family's simple, experiential approach to encouraging appreciation of nature.
My Not-So-Green Thumb — Wolfmother confesses to her lack of gardening skills but expresses hope in learning alongside her son at Fabulous Mama Chronicles.
Enjoying Outdoors — Isil at Smiling like Sunshine describes how her children enjoy the nature.
Five Ideas to Encourage the Reluctant Junior Gardener — For the rare little ones who don't like to get their hands dirty, Dionna at Code Name: Mama offers tips for encouraging an early love of dirt (despite the mess).
Connecting to Nature — Mamapoekie shares how growing your own vegetable patch connects your child to nature and urges them to not take anything for granted.
The Farmer's Market Classroom — Jenn at Monkey Butt Junction shares how the Farmer's Market has become her son's classroom.
Seeds — Kat at Loving {Almost} Every Moment's hubby Ken shares his perspective on why gardening with their kiddos is so important . . . and enjoyable!
Toddlers in the Garden — Laura at A Pug in the Kitchen shares her excitement as she continues to introduce her toddler and new baby to the joys of fresh veggies, straight from the garden.
Nature's Weave — MJ at Wander Wonder Discover explains how nature weaves its way into our lives naturally, magnetically, experientially, and spiritually.
Becoming Green — Kristina at Hey Red celebrates and nurtures her daughter's blossoming love of the outdoors.
Little Gardener — Rosemary at Rosmarinus Officinalis looks forward to introducing her baby girl to gardening and exploring home grown foods for the first time.
Cultivating Abundance — You can never be poor if you have a garden! Lucy at Dreaming Aloud reflects on what she cultivates in her garden . . . and finds it's a lot more than seeds!
Growing in the Outdoors: Plants and People — Luschka at Diary of a First Child reflects on how she is growing while teaching her daughter to appreciate nature, the origins of food, and the many benefits of eating home-grown.
How Not to Grow — Anna at Wild Parenting discusses why growing vegetables fills her with fear.
Growing in the Outdoors — Lily at Witch Mom Blog talks about how connecting to the natural world is a matter of theology for her family and the ways that they do it.
A Garden Made of Straw — Kelly at Becoming Crunchy shares tips on making a straw bale garden.
The Tradition of Gardening — Carrie at Love Notes Mama reflects on the gifts that come with the tradition of gardening.
Gardening Smells Like Home — Bethy at Bounce Me to the Moon hopes that her son will associate home grown food and lovely flowers with home.
The New Normal — Patti at Jazzy Mama writes about how she hopes that growing vegetables in a big city will become totally normal for her children's generation.
Outside, With You — Amy at Anktangle writes a letter to her son, a snapshot of a moment in the garden together.
Farmer Boy — Abbie at Farmer's Daughter shares how her son Joshua helps to grow and raise their family's food.
Growing Kids in the Garden — Lisa at Granola Catholic shares easy ways to get your kids involved in the garden.
Growing Food Without a Garden — Don't have a garden? "You can still grow food!" says Mrs Green of Little Green Blog. Whatever the size of your plot, she shows you how.
Growing Things — Liz at Garden Variety Mama shares her reasons for gardening with her kids, even though she has no idea what she's doing.
Moments — UK Mummy Blogger explains how the great outdoors provides a backdrop for her family to reconnect.
Condo Kid Turns Composter and Plastic Police — Jessica from Cloth Diapering Mama has discovered that her young son is a true earth lover despite living in a condo with no land to call their own.
Gardening with Baby — Sheila at A Gift Universe shows us how her garden and her son are growing.
Why to Choose Your Local Farmer's Market — Naturally Nena shares why she believes it's important to teach our children the value of local farmers.
Unfolding into Nature — At Crunchy-Chewy Mama, Jessica Claire shares her desire to cultivate a reverence for nature through gardening, buying local food, and just looking out the window.
Urban Gardening With Kids — Lauren at Hobo Mama shares her strategies for city gardening with little helpers — without a yard but with a whole lot of enthusiasm.
Mama Doesn't Garden — Laura at Our Messy Messy Life is glad her husband is there to instill the joys of gardening in their children, while all she has to do is sit back and eat homegrown tomato sandwiches.
Why We Make this Organic Garden Grow — Brenna at Almost All The Truth shares her reasons for gardening with her three small children.
5 Ways to Help Your Baby Develop a Love of the Natural World — Charise at I Thought I Knew Mama believes it's never too early to foster a love of the natural world in your little one.
April Showers Bring May PRODUCE — Erika at NaMammaSte discusses her plans for raising a little gardener.
Growing Outside — Seonaid at The Practical Dilettante discovers how to get her kids outside after weeks of spring rain.
Eating Healthier — Chante at My Natural Motherhood Journey talks about how she learns to eat healthier and encourages her children to do the same.
The Beauty of Earth and Heavens — Inspired by Charlotte Mason, Erica at ChildOrganics discovers nature in her own front yard.
Seeing the Garden Through the Weeds — Amanda at Let's Take the Metro talks about the challenges of gardening with two small children.
Creating a Living Playhouse: Our Bean Teepee! — Kristin at Intrepid Murmurings shares how her family creates a living playhouse "bean teepee" and includes tips of how to involve kids in gardening projects.
Grooming a Tree-Hugger: Introducing the Outdoors — Ana at Pandamoly shares some of her planned strategies for making this spring and summer memorable and productive for her pre-toddler in the Outdoors.
Sowing Seeds of Life and Love — Suzannah at ShoutLaughLove celebrates the simple joys of baby chicks, community gardening, and a semi-charmed country life.
Experiencing Nature and Growing Plants Outdoors Without a Garden — Deb Chitwood at Living Montessori Now shares some of her favorite ways her family discovered to fully experience nature wherever they lived.
Garden Day — Melissa at The New Mommy Files is thankful to be part of community of families, some of whom can even garden!
Teaching Garden Ettiquette to the Locusts — Tashmica from Mother Flippin' (guest posting at Natural Parents Network) allows her children to ravage her garden every year in the hopes of teaching them a greater lesson about how to treat the world.
Why I Play with Worms. — Megan of Megadoula, Megamom and Megatired shares why growing a garden and raising her children go hand in hand.

Worm Rescuers

2011-05-06T21:55:00.001-03:00

We left the house at 9am and headed for the park/playground. Me, the kiddos and the two dogs. After a long week that was filled with a few of those "just one of them days"...we needed some outdoor time! Plus, it hasn't helped that the sun has not shone for a week. Anyways, Maddie walked the dogs there and as soon as we got there she let them off the leash and they went wild! The rainy/cloudy weather has gotten to them too. So the kiddos chased them around for a good long while and then once they were tired the kiddos headed to the play structure. But on our way there we noticed that the gravel path was filled with worms...struggling, wiggling to get themselves back to wet soil...out of the emerging sun's rays! So the next hour was spent finding all the worms we could. It was so cute. Maddie's a pro at this now that she's been doing worm rescuing for almost 5 years....but little Isaac hasn't had much practice and he was a little hesitant at first. But he warmed up to the little squiggly creatures in no time and loved carrying them over to the dirt.

Maddie kept saying, "We are helping Nature. I just love Nature!"

By the time we headed home the sun was out, the clouds were moving away and everyone was replenished.

I love them and their little hearts so much!

One of those days...

2011-05-03T22:39:00.002-03:00

Today was one of those days where...

...I had to laugh because if I didn't I was going to boil over with frustration. So at one point, in the middle of a double crying-fest, I started laughing and then the kiddos stopped crying and started laughing too...it was quite the moment and after it, we were all happier.

...Maddie kept having cranky moments and saying ridiculous things. I swear she is already PMS-ing!

...I ran out of chocolate and had to resort to crunching on a combo of the kiddos' chewable Vit C wafers {they are soo tasty} and some BBQ flavoured rice chips for comfort food.

...I had a ton of errands to do and in the middle of it we were passing by our house and I thought out loud, "Should I stop in to pee?"...well Maddie had to as well so we all had to get out and then I almost didn't feel like going out again...but we did because we needed to. But man, all those in and outs of the car are exhausting. I seriously am wondering how the hell I'm going to manage with one more? Advice please!!!

...I had to repeat myself a million times and still was not heard. It's as if the kiddos' ears were shut off. I can tell you that by the time nap time rolled around, I was already half asleep.

But it was also one of those days where...

...I marveled at how amazing my kiddos are and I felt my heart swelling with love and gratitude for being their mama.

P.S. Maddie got her haircut today and she loves it. I think it makes her look a bit older...I will honestly say that I am not coping too well with the fact she will be 5 years in three weeks...

After Rock Bottom

2011-04-28T09:00:00.002-03:00

Welcome to the IF We Believe! Blog Carnival!

In honor of National Infertility Awareness Week!

This post was written for inclusion in the monthly IF We Believe! Blog Carnival
hosted by Arpita of Up, Down & Natural.
Scroll to the bottom of this post for a list of other wonderfully brave mama's who
participate in this Carnival, and share their stories of infertility!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Infertility sucks. Big time. Not only did it make me ride the horrible emotional rollercoaster, despite my strongest efforts to avoid it, but it also made me doubt my body, my self and my sense of purpose. At first, when it was just a few months and there still was no beautiful positive...I thought, "It's got to happen soon" and was completely, and dutifully in denial about other possibilities. And then it didn't happen. And it didn't. And didn't. Then I got to the point where I got mad and would ask myself, "What am I doing wrong. Why is this {not} happening?" And we kept trying. In my case, I kept trying to: eat healthy, seek out alternative medicine solutions, take my vitamins and supplements diligently, keep track of my cycle, make sure to time sex at the right time, attend all those doctor appointments, not complain while getting poked and prodded by all sorts of medical paraphernalia, to put up with the lack of answers from doctors, and kept trying to avoid having to come face-to-face with that ever looming question, "What if nothing works? What if it NEVER happens?
...all this, while trying really hard not to think about it all too much and doing my best to stay hopeful, but not too hopeful, just in case.

It got messy and confusing.

It got tiring.

And it got to the point where it broke my heart into a million pieces.

Because every cycle when I saw the missing second line I dreaded having to do it all.over.again.

And I just didn't want to anymore.

But I kept trying anyways because I knew I would do anything to be a mommy and I still hoped and prayed it would happen.

And then at some point, I hit rock bottom and there was nowhere else I could go.

How do you get back up? How do you keep living your life every day and functioning and doing all that's expected of you when your heart is now barely held together by your measly efforts?

The answer is: you find your strength.

It's in you already. It's just been forgotten. It's been buried by all the negativity and thoughts of doom.

So I sought it out. I delved deep within, and there, among the shattered pieces of my heart I saw it, barely glowing, but still alight. And I felt a sudden sense of peace because I knew it was going to be alright. And it wasn't a fake sense of rightness, but the real deal. I knew I would have to nurture the light, that I would have to give it attention and protect it. But I knew it would one day soon glow bright. As bright as it did when I first began this journey and was full of joy and happiness to begin a family. I now understood that one day, somehow, I would be a mother. But this time that understanding was different. This time I felt it, rather than thought it. And options I didn't consider before were now answers. The most frightening thought of all did not seem so scary anymore. Perhaps I may not ever feel a baby kick me from the inside, but I now saw that I could still feel my heart overflow beyond what I'd ever imagined, with love for a child, a child I would one day be blessed to nurture. Or perhaps I would one day become pregnant. I didn't know the answer for sure but I knew that whatever the path ahead of me was, the final destination was now so very clear. Motherhood. I no longer feared infertility. I said, "Hi, you. I am not afraid of you anymore. So go away and let me be."

With my strength as my ally, I saw things differently. I saw opportunities where once all I saw was lacking. I found resources and community to help me, where once I felt alone. I found friends in unlikely places because now I was paying attention. And quite ironically, without seeking it, I found myself comforting others who were on their way to rock bottom. And I gently held their hand {metaphorically mostly, literally sometimes}, because that's what they needed at that point. But when they were ready, I told them, "I was there not so long ago, and it's scary, but it does get better."

Visit Up, Down & Natural to find out how you can participate in the next IF We Believe! Blog Carnival. Please take time to read the submissions by the wonderful carnival participants who so bravely write about their paths to motherhood, or how infertility has touched them.

You said WHAT?!
            Arpita @ Up, Down & Natural lists the 10 things you should NEVER say to someone Trying to Conceive - AND what to say if someone says one of these hurtful, inconsiderate and downright rude things to you!
The Thought of You - My Journey to Motherhood
            Charise @ I Thought I Knew Mama shares her journey to motherhood from her very first thoughts of baby through his arrival.
Like Gets Like
            Arpita @ Up, Down & Natural writes about ancient traditions of different cultures which support the theory that spending time with new borns may increase your own fertility. Hormones are a funny thing!
After Rock Bottom
            Kat @ Loving {Almost} Every Moment ~ When you hit rock bottom, you sometimes find the peace and strength you've been lacking...
EAV Acupncture and Moxa for Fertility
            Arpita @ Up, Down & Natural writes of and reviews treatments you can add to your acupuncture for fertility to enhance the effectiveness and overall sensations.
A Skeptic's Guide to Acupuncture
            Dionna (aka Code Name: Mama) guest posting at Natural Parents Network ~ Curious about acupuncture for fertility, but skeptical of the practice? Read some simple tips from a fellow skeptic - Dionna (of Code Name: Mama) guest posts at Natural Parents Network.
Easter & The Elusive Egg
            Arpita @ Up, Down & Natural shares the story of the origin of Easter! Fertility is the reason for the season!
Me and My Infertility
            Team Baby CEO @ Go Team Baby! Describes how infertility challenges you, but strengthens you by requiring at all times that you be the advocate for making your dreams happen, one treatment at a time.
My Inner Granola
            Granola Girl @ My Inner Granola writes of her journey to natural conception and healthy living.
National Infertility Awareness Week: A Guest Post - Maria's Journey
            Charise of I Thought I Knew Mama hosts a guest post ~ Maria of Life, Loss, and Other Things Worth Mentioning shares a beautiful post detailing her heartbreaking journey through infertility on I Thought I Knew Mama's blog.
Be sure to read all the wonderful Guest Posts on Up, Down & Natural on April 30th of the stories of families who have been touched by infertility.

Peaceful Goodnight

2011-04-27T22:18:00.000-03:00

I don't really have any amazing or insightful way to say what I'm feeling right now. I'm so tired and my brain is slow as molasses. But I did not want to forget.

Tonight Ken put Isaac to sleep as he always does if he's home, and then went out to go for a swim. Not five minutes had gone by when I heard little Isaac calling, "Daaadeeeee....Mommmeeeee..." I waited for a second. And he called again. So I quietly went into his room and asked, "Are you OK?" I heard him move his head to answer {nod or shake? not sure my eyes weren't adjusted yet!}. He was so quiet and peaceful that I knew he was super sleepy. So I made sure he was comfy and gave him his soothers {well he already had them but I checked} and then said, "Shhhhshhhh....it's OK...go to sleep." I left quietly. And of course as soon as I did, he started whimpering. It's always the case: Daddy does bedtime...no problem. All that he needs if he calls out is a reassuring cuddle and Daddy can just leave. Mommy does bedtime {or comes in after Daddy did bedtime} and he cries.

But that's OK. I don't mind. I went back in to find him sitting up. I said, "Mommy's going to cuddle and rock you, OK?" He nodded. So I scooped him up and sat in the rocker and sang {well, hummed} his favorite lullaby. He started dozing. But he was super squirmy. After 10 or 15 mins I could tell he was oh so relaxed. He sluggishly gestured toward his bed, and I knew he wanted to go there. So, I whispered to him, "I'm going to put you in your bed now. It's sleepy time." I laid him down and he rolled over and was out...on his way to dreamy land.

I was left with a sense of peace and calm. Especially knowing that he fell asleep content and calm...knowing I was there if he needed me.

It reminded me of those days not so long ago when I would wonder to myself, "Will he ever sleep through the night? Will he always need to be nursed and rocked forever to go to sleep?..."

And the answer was "No." But when you're in the moment and you're exhausted and drained and sometimes fed-up because the sleep deprivation has gotten to you...you just can't help but not see the that. See that they grow up much too fast. And slowly, but surely, they need you a tiny little bit less every day. First it's for simple little things...and before you know it they are asking to be put in their beds to go to sleep.

It's bittersweet really. I am so pleased and happy that all the caring and giving and nurturing we gave him {and continue giving him, of course!} during those sleep deprived months, helped him gain a sense of security and well-being, that he now feels happy {and actually wants to} go to sleep on his own.

On the other hand, I wish it didn't have to happen so fast. I want to soak up their little-ness and their sweet innocence and cuteness...all of it...yet I feel like the days trickle by, one by one, making them grow and change. So the only thing for me to do is enjoy every single moment, even the not-so-good ones and find a safe spot in my heart to keep those memories.

Wordless Wednesday

2011-04-27T10:07:00.000-03:00

{Sleeping Beauty}

{ Belle and Ariel}

{Resting in the sun @ 24 weeks. I wanted to see if baby got more active in the sunlight...she sure did!!!}

Guess Who?

2011-04-26T16:56:00.001-03:00

Do you remember this game? My brother and I used to play often when we were kids. We really had fun! So my mom still has the exact same game set from when we were kids and Maddie has been starting to play it once in a while.

Well on Sunday night after dinner at my parents' Maddie, Ken and I started playing. I was on Maddie's team, but really I was there just to make sure she got the hang of it. She asked all her questions and answered all Ken's questions on her own. In the first game, Ken dominated, he had only 3 people left and Maddie had at least 10. Well she said, "I want to guess who Daddy's person is" and I said, "OK, who do you think he has?" She pointed to Hans. I said "OK, ask him."

"Is your person Hans?"

Ken nearly fainted.

She had guessed right.

Then on the next game, she was doing better, thanks to finding out Daddy's person had earrings (that narrowed it down quite a bit). But before she narrowed it down even more she again wanted to guess.

And she got it right again.

Without suggestions or hinting or anything from our end.

Fluke?

I feel like she is a born natural guess who player!

Or maybe she's telepathic or psychic...yeah that's probably it!

IF We Believe Carnival: The Stories and Faces of Infertility

2011-04-24T22:29:00.001-03:00

I never go to sleep without sending out a heartfelt thank you to the Universe, gently and thoughtfully wrapped in love and humbleness.

I kiss them to sleep every night. I wake up to their beautiful voices. And even though there are days I feel like pulling out my hair one strand at a time would be better than listening to yet another tantrum...I wouldn't trade my life for anything. And I'd do it all over again, without changing a single thing.

I wasn't always sure I'd be able to write this. And the hurt of that time in my life sometimes still tries to emerge. But it can't because I've healed and let go. Let go, but never quite forgotten. It will always be a part of me, but no longer hold me in it's clutches.

And you would think that the healing happened because of them...those two (well, I should say three!) rambunctious, wonder-filled little beings.

But no.

The healing happened from me; when I hit rock bottom and had to choose between giving up or moving on.

And only then, only once I was healed and no longer feared infertility, was I ready to welcome the blessings into my life.

Today starts National Infertility Awareness Week. And I hope that the many women and men out there currently suffering and feeling lost, can find strength in knowing they are not alone. I will be participating in the IF We Believe Blog Carnival hosted by my friend at Up, Down and Natural happening this week (you can participate too!). My post is about that rock bottom experience and how I survived. I'll share it with you sometime in the next few days.

Be sure to check out the other posts and together we will take away infertility's hold over us...push it into the light where it can no longer hurt us.

Some Blog Love

2011-04-22T09:21:00.002-03:00

I am ashamed to say that I have been forgetting to pass along a Blog Award given to me by MJ a couple weeks ago!

First I want to again thank MJ for the award! I am humbled that she enjoys my blog and thought to acknowledge it.

So as part of receiving the award I must now share 7 things about me.

Here goes (in no sense-making order)...

1) I love, love, love reading. I try to always have a good book on the go. I usually only get to read before I go to sleep, but sometiems, if the book is extremely enthralling, I have been known to read when the kiddos are playing or while playing in the bath (with me sitting on the stool beside the tub...and yes my book often gets splashed on, but it's worth it!).

2) I love Thai food. And Mexican food.

3) I always floss before I brush.

4) If you ask for help I will go out of my way to make it happen!

5) I love babies, and seriously worry I will never feel "done"!

6) I am big on naps. I used to take naps on occasion before becoming a mama, and since becoming one I take a nap when they do. Every day. Stuff can wait. I am a much better mama when I'm well rested. Even just 20 mins makes a huge difference for me!

7) I would much rather watch a comedy than a drama and even more so than a suspence/thriller (though I am not opposed to watching either kind, if I'm given the choice I choose to laugh first!).

And now to pass on this lovely award! It's been hard for me to pick only 10, but here are the blogs I pass along this Kreativ Blogger award to (again, in no particular order!):

1) Adventures in Babywearing
2) Up, Down and Natural
3) The Practical Dilettante
4) Sweet/Salty
5) Better Than I Could Have Imagined
6) Hurray! It's Megan
7) Hybrid Rasta Mama
8) The Kruse Zoo
9) Life is What You Make It
10) Ella-Bean and Co.

Enjoy!

P.S. For those blogs I chose, don't feel obliged to pass this along! I mostly just wanted you to know I enjoy reading your blog and hope others will too! If you do decide to participate, great! I look forward to learning those 7 things about you and the blogs you choose :-)

Spa Day

2011-04-21T14:42:00.001-03:00

I went out with one of my friends today. We went to get a massage and then went out for lunch. And of course, the outing had to be peppered with a typical "Kat-ism". This time it was that I forgot my wallet. How embarrassing! I even went to pick her up, which meant I was driving without my license. I did have my cheque book in my purse, so I was able to write her a cheque right away. But still. And where is the wallet? In the diaper bag. I think I need a better system to prevent this from happening. I can't keep switching from purse to diaper bag. And I can't carry around my huge purse with a diaper bag. I think I need a small purse. Or I need a better brain!

Anyways, the massage was great. It's the first time I've ever had a pregnancy massage...with one of those tables with the holes for the belly. I can't even begin to describe how great it felt to be on my belly again. Oh it was glorious! I am a tummy sleeper and I'm having a really hard time sleeping comfortably now. One thing I did wonder during the massage was, "am I a freak or are there others out there who notice massage technique asymmetries?" For example, on one leg she would do a certain spot and then when she did the other leg she wouldn't...or on my back and neck she would do things differently on each side, so that part was left feeling a bit left out! It's not enough to bother me or to ruin my massage, but I did catch myself thinking about it a few times and I had to tell my brain to shut up and let me enjoy my massage!

Now it's back to reality.

I am glad we got to go out...especially since my friend is having her baby soon and will likely be a while before we get to do something like this again together.

I, however, am planning to go get one of those pregnancy table massages again. Oh heck yes!

Today's Funnies

2011-04-20T21:39:00.001-03:00

Isaac is talking so much. This in combination with his adorable sense of humour causes for some really funny moments. He says things like, "I poopy. Pushing!!!" Then two seconds later he'll be back and say, "Poopoo, big guy (or little guy, depending...)." He also goes around with a key and finds screws or knobs or handles and says he's "fixing stuff".

Some other favorite phrases are "Moona" for Luna and Moon....{yep there's his bilingualism peeping out} and "Este tiene agua" (which means this one has water--what he says when one of his soothers has a bit of water in it and makes that squishy sound when he sucks).

Oh my, he cracks us up.

And Maddie. Well she is definitely one funny kiddo. Today she put her socks in the fridge because, "she wanted them cold." I just went to get a snack tonight and they are still in there. I wonder what she'll say tomorrow when she puts them on?

She also, out of the blue said that, "Isaac has diabetes because he has little eyes." Upon further questioning of why she thought that she said, "Daddy said that diabetes can hurt people's eyes and make them little." I am sure she overheard Ken talking about something to do with diabetes and eyes and well that's what stuck in her head {I am not saying here that diabetes is funny...not at all, just that it's funny to see how things get translated in their little kiddo minds!}

I do love the funny things they say. They make me feel better on days when I am just beyond exhausted.

A little piece of emotional humor...

2011-04-19T21:20:00.000-03:00

I just read this on my friend's blog, Up, Down and Natural and it made me laugh and tear up all at once. I just had to share it!

It's funny, in a Tina Fey kind-of-way...which is pretty darn funny!

Tina Fey's Prayer for a Daughter

First, Lord: No tattoos. May neither Chinese symbol for truth nor Winnie-the-Pooh holding the FSU logo stain her tender haunches.

May she be Beautiful but not Damaged, for it’s the Damage that draws the creepy soccer coach’s eye, not the Beauty.

When the Crystal Meth is offered, May she remember the parents who cut her grapes in half And stick with Beer.

Guide her, protect her When crossing the street, stepping onto boats, swimming in the ocean, swimming in pools, walking near pools, standing on the subway platform, crossing 86th Street, stepping off of boats, using mall restrooms, getting on and off escalators, driving on country roads while arguing, leaning on large windows, walking in parking lots, riding Ferris wheels, roller-coasters, log flumes, or anything called “Hell Drop,” “Tower of Torture,” or “The Death Spiral Rock ‘N Zero G Roll featuring Aerosmith,” and standing on any kind of balcony ever, anywhere, at any age.

Lead her away from Acting but not all the way to Finance. Something where she can make her own hours but still feel intellectually fulfilled and get outside sometimes And not have to wear high heels.

What would that be, Lord? Architecture? Midwifery? Golf course design? I’m asking You, because if I knew, I’d be doing it, Youdammit.

May she play the Drums to the fiery rhythm of her Own Heart with the sinewy strength of her Own Arms, so she need Not Lie With Drummers.

Grant her a Rough Patch from twelve to seventeen. Let her draw horses and be interested in Barbies for much too long, For childhood is short – a Tiger Flower blooming Magenta for one day – And adulthood is long and dry-humping in cars will wait.

O Lord, break the Internet forever, That she may be spared the misspelled invective of her peers And the online marketing campaign for Rape Hostel V: Girls Just Wanna Get Stabbed.

And when she one day turns on me and calls me a Bitch in front of Hollister, Give me the strength, Lord, to yank her directly into a cab in front of her friends, For I will not have that Shit. I will not have it.

And should she choose to be a Mother one day, be my eyes, Lord, that I may see her, lying on a blanket on the floor at 4:50 A.M., all-at-once exhausted, bored, and in love with the little creature whose poop is leaking up its back.

“My mother did this for me once,” she will realize as she cleans feces off her baby’s neck. “My mother did this for me.” And the delayed gratitude will wash over her as it does each generation and she will make a Mental Note to call me. And she will forget. But I’ll know, because I peeped it with Your God eyes.

Amen.

(Excerpt from BossyPants by Tina Fey 2011. Copywrite Little Stranger Inc.)

Readjusting Bedtime

2011-04-17T16:47:00.001-03:00

So over the last couple of weeks the kiddos' bedtime seems to be getting later and later. To the point that it was 9pm and we were still dealing with kiddos who couldn't get to sleep. Both Ken and I have noticed a change in their behaviour during the day...and finally after a long, exhausting week I said enough is enough. Time to readjust bedtime!

It's not that we purposefully made bedtime later, or that we let them stay up just because. It just seemed like bath started a few minutes later each day...then, bath was longer, then by the time stories were read, teeth were brushed and it was time to sleep...well, they seemed to be overtired, have gotten a second wind and then they ended up having a hard time going to sleep.

For Isaac that meant he would still be awake after his rocking and lullabies and within five minutes of being laid down, he would start kicking his feet, playing, talking to himself and calling for us.

For Maddie that meant she would call us and say "I just can't go to sleep."

So last night we started bath at 6:30pm. They were out of bath by 7pm. Then came pajamas and stories and teeth brushing, lullabies and snuggles and goodnight kisses and hugs...and they were both asleep by 8pm. A whole hour earlier than had been happening the week before!

It was nice. Ken and I had some more time to do some fun stuff, we watched The Office and 30 Rock from last week and were in bed at a decent time too.

The kiddos had a solid 11 hour sleep and in the morning they were happy, energized and you know what?

They actually maintained their good mood throughout the morning and early afternoon. And of course we can't forget about the all important afternoon nap, which they willingly went down for and slept for 2 hours!

I am pretty sure that their demeanor will continue to improve over the week with our readjusted and reclaimed bedtime. It was just getting so silly! For the past couple of weeks they would get very emotional and have tantrums at the drop of a hat, they were fighting over toys and I could just tell they were tired and downright cranky.

It's amazing what a good night's sleep can do!

Needing Something

2011-04-16T18:35:00.002-03:00

I am beyond relieved this week is over.

OVER.

It's not that I didn't enjoy it, only that it was one of those weeks where everything seemed to take extra effort. Everything seemed to get stuck. And the kiddos demanded so much of everything, I was left without anything left to give.

Ironically, even though I was exhausted every night, I still found it hard to get to sleep. One of those being overtired things.

There was definitely stress lurking around in our home this week, and I am more than sure the kiddos picked up on it.

Ken had an exam today so the anticipation and angst about it built up over the week.

I was busy finishing my exam and working on my coaching webpage and blog.

And of course there are the never ending, always there tasks and chores that need to be done.

In reality, I'm sure next week will be just as busy, but I will take it in with a different pair of eyes.

Because...

...my kiddos are amazing

...my husband rocks my world

...and I am going to the spa with one of my awesome friends on Thursday to get a massage.

Aahhhh yes....