I hate waking up in the morning and knowing that it's going to be a horrible day. Today is the day that I say goodbye to my best friend. Today is the day that I have to face the grief and pain on her beloved family's faces. I don't want to attend her funeral. I don't want to have to comfort her family. These are people whom I greatly love. They are people whom I never wanted to hurt in such a way. I never wanted to hurt in such a way.
I don't want to go inside and see the urn of her ashes. I don't want to cry for her. I don't want to miss her. I don't want to say goodbye. I want to run in the opposite direction of the funeral home and yet I'm about to drive 80mph straight to it.
I want to hug her. I want to hear her laugh. I want to see her squeeze her children and hear her repeat the hilarious things they say. I want to trade the war stories of motherhood. I want to smile when I see her walking away, hand in hand with her husband. I want to feel happiness. I want to see her.
I know that I will not make it through her memorial without a lot of tears. I know that I will not make it through the next months without sorrow. I know I will think about her for the rest of my days. I will miss her until we meet again. I know that today is just going to be a bad day.
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
Thursday, September 27, 2012
September Status Report: Our Little Firecracker
Many things about Paige have changed since the last time I wrote and yet, she seems the same. Of course, she has grown in her height and weight (she's not a small child either!) but it is her growth in other areas that stands out!
Her speech has gone from changing every few months to changing by the minute. I will always remember the day her pronunciation of 'Daddy' changed. She had been squealing about 'Da-yee' all morning long. That afternoon, as I laid her in bed for her nap, she was telling me about seeing "Da-yee' when he got home and about reading a book with him. Fast forward 3 hours and he had suddenly become 'Dad-deee' (said with an awesome southern drawl, I must add). She hasn't said 'Da-yee' since and we have missed it so! Every once in a while, something is said or done that shows us how quickly...no...how instantly she is growing up. Being our first, we never know what to expect from her and she is a constant learning curve.
At the moment, I am working on teaching her lots of new things. For example, she absolutely loves to help me with anything. Her favorite things are cooking and unloading the dishwasher. When she sees me open it, she runs to get her step stool and comes struggling up the hallway with it, all the while, telling me, 'Help me! Help mee!!!'. (That is her version of telling me that she wants to help with whatever I'm doing. I guess it comes from my asking, 'Do you want to help me?') You should see her face when I say yes! It could light up Pluto.
There are a lot of areas in which we are struggling with Paige as well as learning. She has entered the 'everything is mine' stage and I completely hate that. I can't stand a selfish person and I will not allow my children to be that way. As believers in Christ, we are called to be servants and givers. I know that Paige is too young to grasp that but she will learn it if it kills me. She is old enough now to realize that she can say, 'no' but, thankfully, we realize that she is also old enough to recognize that she doesn't get to say, 'no' when we tell her what to do. We are also working on teaching her good manners...'Yes, ma'am....No, sir...Please...Thank you'...so on and so forth. She is starting to get a handle on saying please and thank you. I'm sure that 'ma'am and sir' will not be far behind. They are still a little difficult for her to say but she willingly repeats them every time we say it. It always comes out, 'Yes-am' and Yes-shur' and usually makes me giggle. I am enjoying her chatter so much. Don't get me wrong, the child will talk until she's blue in the face so I do require a break, but I know how much I shall miss her baby talk when it's over. It's so darn funny! Most of the time, when she repeats things, it comes out backwards and reminds me of Yoda.
Paige's adoration for Taylor remains constant. She now believes she is big enough to take care of Taylor all by herself. She tries to pick her up, make her food, and often tells us that she is going to get Taylor out of her crib! She had been telling me this for days so I decided to see what she would do. One morning, when Taylor woke up and started fussing, Paige turned to me and said, 'Dit Tayder. Me. Wait. Otay? Otay.' I told her I would wait on the couch but followed instead. Little Momma went into the kitchen, got her stool and carried it to Taylor's room. I peeked around the corner as she struggled to get it as close to Taylor's crib as possible and then climbed on top. Taylor, who could see me, is now fussing harder than before and Paige is telling her, 'Tayder, hush. Dit out. Way-tin. Hush.' (translated, 'Taylor, hush. I'm getting you out. You're awake. Hush.') Paige then got her hands on Taylor and stiffened her whole body while not actually lifting or moving anything. She repositioned herself twice and did the same routine while I stifled my laughter and Taylor gave her the evil eye. When Paige realized that it wasn't going to work, she told Taylor, 'Tayder, wait. Momma help. Way-tin. Otay?' (code for,'I'm in way over my head. I'm going to get Momma.') At this point, I couldn't wait any more so I came in the room and Paige begged for help. When I picked Taylor up, Paige grabbed her as soon as she cleared the rail and told me, 'Otay. Piper. I change.' (Meaning, 'Thanks for your help but her diaper needs to be changed and I can handle that.') By this time, Taylor wasn't impressed anymore so I had to give up my little experiment and take charge again. I can say, with all honesty, that I will never be able to contain my laughter when I remember that scene. Oh, Paige, how you brighten the world!
There is no doubt that the only person she loves more than Taylor, is her Daddy. She anxiously waits for his return from work every day and can't contain her excitement when he walks in. If he isn't home by his usual time, she is constantly asking for him and often requests to call him. I love to hear the joy in his voice when she says, 'Hey, Dad-dee!'! She absolutely loves to go fishing with him. She will sit on the couch for hours watching fishing videos with him when he gets lost in YouTube world. Paige never sits still so you know that's love! She begs to go for rides in Daddy's truck and hates getting out. She brings him book after book after book to read to her. He is the king of her world and nobody can touch him. It brings joy to my heart!
I cannot say that Paige is easy. I will not call her a walk in the park. However, I can say that she is an amazing, hilarious adventure every day and I always look forward to her smile in the morning. I continuously wonder what story she will give me today and I do, and forever will, treasure the beautiful joy that is Paige.
Her speech has gone from changing every few months to changing by the minute. I will always remember the day her pronunciation of 'Daddy' changed. She had been squealing about 'Da-yee' all morning long. That afternoon, as I laid her in bed for her nap, she was telling me about seeing "Da-yee' when he got home and about reading a book with him. Fast forward 3 hours and he had suddenly become 'Dad-deee' (said with an awesome southern drawl, I must add). She hasn't said 'Da-yee' since and we have missed it so! Every once in a while, something is said or done that shows us how quickly...no...how instantly she is growing up. Being our first, we never know what to expect from her and she is a constant learning curve.
At the moment, I am working on teaching her lots of new things. For example, she absolutely loves to help me with anything. Her favorite things are cooking and unloading the dishwasher. When she sees me open it, she runs to get her step stool and comes struggling up the hallway with it, all the while, telling me, 'Help me! Help mee!!!'. (That is her version of telling me that she wants to help with whatever I'm doing. I guess it comes from my asking, 'Do you want to help me?') You should see her face when I say yes! It could light up Pluto.
There are a lot of areas in which we are struggling with Paige as well as learning. She has entered the 'everything is mine' stage and I completely hate that. I can't stand a selfish person and I will not allow my children to be that way. As believers in Christ, we are called to be servants and givers. I know that Paige is too young to grasp that but she will learn it if it kills me. She is old enough now to realize that she can say, 'no' but, thankfully, we realize that she is also old enough to recognize that she doesn't get to say, 'no' when we tell her what to do. We are also working on teaching her good manners...'Yes, ma'am....No, sir...Please...Thank you'...so on and so forth. She is starting to get a handle on saying please and thank you. I'm sure that 'ma'am and sir' will not be far behind. They are still a little difficult for her to say but she willingly repeats them every time we say it. It always comes out, 'Yes-am' and Yes-shur' and usually makes me giggle. I am enjoying her chatter so much. Don't get me wrong, the child will talk until she's blue in the face so I do require a break, but I know how much I shall miss her baby talk when it's over. It's so darn funny! Most of the time, when she repeats things, it comes out backwards and reminds me of Yoda.
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| Can you get me out of here, Sis?! |
Paige's adoration for Taylor remains constant. She now believes she is big enough to take care of Taylor all by herself. She tries to pick her up, make her food, and often tells us that she is going to get Taylor out of her crib! She had been telling me this for days so I decided to see what she would do. One morning, when Taylor woke up and started fussing, Paige turned to me and said, 'Dit Tayder. Me. Wait. Otay? Otay.' I told her I would wait on the couch but followed instead. Little Momma went into the kitchen, got her stool and carried it to Taylor's room. I peeked around the corner as she struggled to get it as close to Taylor's crib as possible and then climbed on top. Taylor, who could see me, is now fussing harder than before and Paige is telling her, 'Tayder, hush. Dit out. Way-tin. Hush.' (translated, 'Taylor, hush. I'm getting you out. You're awake. Hush.') Paige then got her hands on Taylor and stiffened her whole body while not actually lifting or moving anything. She repositioned herself twice and did the same routine while I stifled my laughter and Taylor gave her the evil eye. When Paige realized that it wasn't going to work, she told Taylor, 'Tayder, wait. Momma help. Way-tin. Otay?' (code for,'I'm in way over my head. I'm going to get Momma.') At this point, I couldn't wait any more so I came in the room and Paige begged for help. When I picked Taylor up, Paige grabbed her as soon as she cleared the rail and told me, 'Otay. Piper. I change.' (Meaning, 'Thanks for your help but her diaper needs to be changed and I can handle that.') By this time, Taylor wasn't impressed anymore so I had to give up my little experiment and take charge again. I can say, with all honesty, that I will never be able to contain my laughter when I remember that scene. Oh, Paige, how you brighten the world!
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| Puzzles! |
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| Precious time with Daddy! |
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| Pigtails! |
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| She loves playing Angry Birds. |
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| Her stroller and babies are her favorite toys! |
Monday, September 24, 2012
September Status Report: My Silent Hurricane
My oh my, how our baby girl has changed since the last time I wrote. I don't know where to begin!
I can't believe she's already 8.5 months old. It hit me like a brick just a few days ago. She is now just barely older than Paige was when Kyle came home from Iraq. She seems to have grown so much faster than Paige! Perhaps that is because Paige's first 8 months were the longest of my life. Words cannot express my elation at the fact that Kyle has been here for her entire baby-hood and will be for the foreseeable future! Anyways, let's go back a few months and fill you in.
On June 11th, while we were in New Jersey, she started a very precarious balancing act while in her Daddy's lap and, she had it down pat within 2 weeks. Of course, sitting up is second nature now.
During the same chunk of time, she perfected rolling over and the girl hasn't stopped moving since! It took me the longest time to get used to her rolling across the living room and getting into everything! Paige absolutely hated being on her belly so, even when she could roll over, she didn't. That girl stayed on her blanket until she was crawling at 10 months old but her sister doesn't believe in staying put. When she was 2 days shy of her 6 month birthday, I captured the first video of her hopping across our living room. Let the crawling commence! Of course, once she was crawling, she moved right on to pulling up and is now taking very small steps. She is will walk the length our couch and is so close to taking a step away from it but she can't quite figure that out. She will stand by herself for a few breathtaking moments, then gravity takes over and she is helpless to save her rear-end from a jolt. I have taken to calling her my 'Silent Hurricane' because she never stops going. If something is in her way, she simply goes over it. If it's too tall and she ends up landing on her face, she is unfazed. The girl is all over the place and quiet as a mouse. You never know exactly where she will be or what she'll be into when you come back in the room.
I don't have a current weight and length to report but we are due for her 8 month appointment soon so I will add the latest stats after that. She did get stuck with more needles at her 6 month appointment, which always brings a huge smile to her face. At that point, she was still holding steady in the 100th percentile at just over 18 pounds and 29 inches long. I have no doubt that she will continue to rock that statistic at her next appointment. I'm beginning to wonder how we're going to clothe that girl! At 6 months old, she was the average height of a 12 month old. WOW!! She's not a fat baby by any stretch of the imagination but she's definitely a moose...long-legged and heavy!
If it isn't clear already, Taylor does not believe in doing anything on a small scale. When her first teeth came through, she got 4 at once!! Paige's first tooth popped through at 15 weeks and it didn't faze her. Naturally, I was expecting the same thing with Taylor. WRONG!!! She is normally a very quiet, content baby but I couldn't make her happy for weeks. Before that, I had never understood why mothers complained about teething. Well, I can sympathize now! I was so relieved when I saw the first tooth poking through her top gums! I could see the light at the end of the tunnel. Then I noticed another one and thought, "Ok, she's getting 2 at once. Paige did the same thing so it will be over soon." The next morning, when I saw 2 more peeking through on the bottom, I went straight for the baby Tylenol and adult Advil! She has a total of 7 teeth now and not a single one made their introduction easy on her. I now have a high respect and fear of a teething baby. Taylor is definitely putting her new chompers to good use and is enjoying a plethora of new food. She has also discovered the glory of Cheerios, thanks to her older sister feeding her one when I wasn't looking. Between the two of them, we make it a point to never have an empty Cheerio container. If that were to happen, I do believe we would have a vicious mutiny on our hands!
To wind it up, Taylor is moving right along. In a 2.5 month span of time, she started rolling, sitting up, crawling, standing, stepping, eating real food and got her first teeth. Can I breathe now???
I can't believe she's already 8.5 months old. It hit me like a brick just a few days ago. She is now just barely older than Paige was when Kyle came home from Iraq. She seems to have grown so much faster than Paige! Perhaps that is because Paige's first 8 months were the longest of my life. Words cannot express my elation at the fact that Kyle has been here for her entire baby-hood and will be for the foreseeable future! Anyways, let's go back a few months and fill you in.
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| The beginning! |
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| Our DVD collection is her favorite off-limits toy. |
I don't have a current weight and length to report but we are due for her 8 month appointment soon so I will add the latest stats after that. She did get stuck with more needles at her 6 month appointment, which always brings a huge smile to her face. At that point, she was still holding steady in the 100th percentile at just over 18 pounds and 29 inches long. I have no doubt that she will continue to rock that statistic at her next appointment. I'm beginning to wonder how we're going to clothe that girl! At 6 months old, she was the average height of a 12 month old. WOW!! She's not a fat baby by any stretch of the imagination but she's definitely a moose...long-legged and heavy!
If it isn't clear already, Taylor does not believe in doing anything on a small scale. When her first teeth came through, she got 4 at once!! Paige's first tooth popped through at 15 weeks and it didn't faze her. Naturally, I was expecting the same thing with Taylor. WRONG!!! She is normally a very quiet, content baby but I couldn't make her happy for weeks. Before that, I had never understood why mothers complained about teething. Well, I can sympathize now! I was so relieved when I saw the first tooth poking through her top gums! I could see the light at the end of the tunnel. Then I noticed another one and thought, "Ok, she's getting 2 at once. Paige did the same thing so it will be over soon." The next morning, when I saw 2 more peeking through on the bottom, I went straight for the baby Tylenol and adult Advil! She has a total of 7 teeth now and not a single one made their introduction easy on her. I now have a high respect and fear of a teething baby. Taylor is definitely putting her new chompers to good use and is enjoying a plethora of new food. She has also discovered the glory of Cheerios, thanks to her older sister feeding her one when I wasn't looking. Between the two of them, we make it a point to never have an empty Cheerio container. If that were to happen, I do believe we would have a vicious mutiny on our hands!
To wind it up, Taylor is moving right along. In a 2.5 month span of time, she started rolling, sitting up, crawling, standing, stepping, eating real food and got her first teeth. Can I breathe now???
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| I took Paige to the bathroom and this is where I found Taylor when we got back. |
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| Always into everything! |
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| Beautiful girl! |
Thursday, August 2, 2012
From Bahstun to Joisey
From the end of May and through the middle of June, we traveled...a lot. We saw beautiful sights, met wonderful new people and got no sleep!
Our first stop was Boston, Massachusetts for some close friends' wedding. It was an amazingly beautiful event! The bride's family was wonderful enough to hire babysitters for each family who kept our children while we danced the night away. It was awesome to relax and have a great time without having to stress about bed time!
As part of our trolley pass, we were supposed to get a harbor ride but the weather just wouldn't cooperate with us. I was majorly disappointed but I didn't want to subject the girls to the cold, rainy air out on the water. We had already had to give in and buy sweatshirts. This Floridian just can't get used to packing sweatshirts to wear in June!
Thankfully, there was no shortage of things to do on dry land. We got to see the the U.S.S Constitution, a.k.a Old Ironsides, and play around in the interactive museum. We really enjoyed riding the trolley around the city and seeing the sights while getting a history lesson out of the rain! As you can imagine, it was really hard to handle nap time while touring but our girls did great and they caught their naps on the trolley. Needless to say, this Momma and Daddy thoroughly enjoyed holding them while they slept. That doesn't happen much anymore!
To end our trip, we really enjoyed returning the rental car, finding the correct trolley to the airport, getting checked in for our flight, making it through security, and finding our gate with 4 adults, 2 children, a double stroller, and 12 bags. We met some great people, made wonderful memories and definitely gave Boston got a thumbs up, however, the airport got a different finger.
We got to hang out up there for about a week and enjoyed throwing Kel in the pool at her graduation party, cheering her on at her actual graduation and soaked up as much time with Kyle's family as possible. We always run wild while we're in Jersey and this time was no different. There's always somebody else to go see! Finding a place to get the girls down for a nap can be a challenge but we always work it out. I also got to visit with a good friend from Bragg who's up there while her hubby is in Korea. I always love our girl time!
We left home on May 30 and didn't get back until June 15. Once we made it home, sadly, there was no rest for the weary. Kyle had to head straight back to work and the girls were willing to let me sleep an extra hour the first morning home but gave me nothing else. Where's the compassion, little ladies?!
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| Despite the headache of having to contend with 3 strollers, 3 babies, 3 toddlers under 4, and all the bags, blankets, toys, diaper changes, and potty breaks that come with them, I love trips with my whole family. I think we need to make it a tradition! |
We also got to spend a few extra days around town and get some tourism in. It wasn't the greatest weekend for sightseeing because it was in the low 50's, raining, and windy the entire time but we made the best of it. We opted to buy a 2 day trolley pass so we could be carted around the city for 'free'. We decided it was much easier than trying to find parking in a strange city over and over again. Who needs a headache like that on vacation?!
The first stop along our trail was Paul Revere's house and the steeple of the church where he hung his famous lantern. His house was really neat! It has some of his personal furniture in it and the old cobblestone street is still out front. We also went to the New England Aquarium. Paige loved it! She kept squealing about the 'feesh'! I absolutely love to show her new things and watch the wonder on her face. It thrills this momma's heart like nothing else!
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| Trying to touch a shark with her Daddy. |
As part of our trolley pass, we were supposed to get a harbor ride but the weather just wouldn't cooperate with us. I was majorly disappointed but I didn't want to subject the girls to the cold, rainy air out on the water. We had already had to give in and buy sweatshirts. This Floridian just can't get used to packing sweatshirts to wear in June!Thankfully, there was no shortage of things to do on dry land. We got to see the the U.S.S Constitution, a.k.a Old Ironsides, and play around in the interactive museum. We really enjoyed riding the trolley around the city and seeing the sights while getting a history lesson out of the rain! As you can imagine, it was really hard to handle nap time while touring but our girls did great and they caught their naps on the trolley. Needless to say, this Momma and Daddy thoroughly enjoyed holding them while they slept. That doesn't happen much anymore!
To end our trip, we really enjoyed returning the rental car, finding the correct trolley to the airport, getting checked in for our flight, making it through security, and finding our gate with 4 adults, 2 children, a double stroller, and 12 bags. We met some great people, made wonderful memories and definitely gave Boston got a thumbs up, however, the airport got a different finger.
When our flight landed in Raleigh, it wasn't time to go home. We spent 2 nights at my parents house before packing up the car and making the wonderful drive to New Jersey so we could surprise Kyle's sister, Kelsie. It was time for her high school graduation and we'd been planning for weeks to show up a few days early and surprise her at work. We were so anxious to get down to it! We honestly had no idea if she knew about it or not so we were definitely on our toes, watching everything we said and making sure we knew where she was at all times. When we walked into the cafe, we knew that we had her! She instantly teared up and squeezed us tight. Mission accomplished!! The only bad part was that she had to finish her shift. None of us had thought of that. oh well, it was a rookie mistake.
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| Love this one! |
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| Proud big brother! |
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| Kyle never resists an opportunity to chunk Kel in the pool! |
We left home on May 30 and didn't get back until June 15. Once we made it home, sadly, there was no rest for the weary. Kyle had to head straight back to work and the girls were willing to let me sleep an extra hour the first morning home but gave me nothing else. Where's the compassion, little ladies?!
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
How to Spend and Save your Money with a Baby
Similar to my previous post, Parenting Advice, this is a compilation of money saving tips for Mommas of young babies. I had to write this in a bit of a hurry so I'm sure there are unseen errors and I have no doubt that I will add more to it. On another note, I finally figured out how to open my blog up to comments from anybody so feel free to ask questions, disagree or add anything!
Homemade baby wipes~ You can buy 720 Target brand baby wipes for $13.69. That is certainly not a bad price, when you compare it to other name brands, but it's an astronomical price when you compare it to homemade baby wipes. I make my wipes from the Viva brand paper towels and I can make 1200 wipes for $17.39. Surprisingly, I found a recipe on Food.com then, tweaked it to my liking. This is my version...
Ingredients:
1 package of Viva brand paper towels (These or any cloth-like brand will do.)
2 cups of boiling water
1 Tablespoon of baby shampoo or soap
2 Tablespoons of coconut oil (Can also use baby, mineral or massage oil.)
2 Tablespoons of white vinegar (This is to prevent mold. The original recipe calls for 1 tablespoon but I use more simply because my changing table sits in direct sunlight and I had trouble controlling mold)
Directions:
1- Put your water on to boil. While you're waiting, hold your paper towel roll lengthwise and saw it in half. When you're done, pick off the shredded paper.
2- Place it shredded side down in a quart size plastic bag.
3- Mix the rest of the ingredients together and slowly pour it over your roll. (Don't worry about the tube, you can easily pull it out after it soaks for a few minutes)
4- Let it sit for about 10 minutes or until the roll is saturated. Then pull the cardboard tube out.
5- Pull your first wipe from the center and you're ready to go!
I have also recently made my own wipes holder from an empty formula container. I simply cleaned it and cut a small X in the lid to allow the wipes to come out easily. I leave my wipes in their quart bag and push them inside. You can pretty it up any way you like but this is what mine looks like after a little spray paint, some ribbon and a few buttons.
Cloth diapers~ This is something that is very expensive at first but will save you tons of money in the long run. I do not have enough cloth diapers to use them exclusively but I can make a pack of 102 Target brand diapers last an entire month when I use the few that I have! You can buy these from Amazon.com or find a 'seconds' retailer, like Fuzzibunz Seconds, to save money on the original purchase. I recommend the one size diapers because you won't have to buy as many!
Rotating toys~ I have mentioned this is a previous blog and I do believe I will never find anything bad about it! Rotating my daughter's toys keeps her occupied with the same toys over and over again and it keeps us from having to buy her new toys every couple of months because she is bored. I don't believe that it will save you from ever having to buy toys because children grow up and eventually, she will be too old to be interested in them but, if I can delay her boredom and save my cash for a while, I'm going to! Let's be honest, her grandparents do most of the toy-buying anyway and I'm happy to let them have their fun! I also think it would be an awesome idea to trade toys with friends or family who have children of similar ages. You can write the last name of each family on their toys and everybody gets a turn. I would love to do this but with a husband and a brother in the Army, it's not an option at the moment!
Homemade baby food~ The average cost of a 4oz baby food jar is $.90. Assuming your baby eats one per feeding and eats 4x a day, that's $108 a month on baby food. If they eat 2 jars at once, you're looking at $216 a month and $2,592 a year. However, if you go to Sam's and buy a 3lbs bag of carrots for $3.98, you will be able to make 12 4oz meals. If you bought baby food, you could buy a whopping 4.5 jars for that much money and, on top of that, I am not factoring in the taxes! Plus, with all of the preservatives in baby food, it's not really good for them!
Breastfeed~ The cost of a regular store brand (in this case Sam's brand) 48oz container of formula is $23.28. If your baby eats 12oz in a day (I'm not factoring in the water because 12 oz of formula means 24oz of water), you're looking at buying formula every 4 days. For the sake of argument and factoring in a few extra feedings, let's say you buy 8 cans of formula per month at $23.28. That is a total of $186.24 per month and $2,234.88 per year. Again, I did not add the taxes and I used the cheap formula. Despite the cost, I do recommend keeping a small amount on hand, just in case. If anything, having a baby will teach you to always be prepared!
Buy a good breast pump~ If you decide to breastfeed, do not buy a cheap pump. In my experience, you get what you pay for in the arena! Now, I'm not saying that you need a hospital grade pump but if you're planning on going back to work or will be pumping every day, I recommend one of the higher end pumps. If I am not mistaken, the best every day pump is currently sold by Medela. I have never personally used one so I cannot give you a particular model but I have a couple friends who own them and they love them! If you need a pump to use a few times a week, I recommend the miPump by First Years.
Ross, Marshalls, TJ Maxx~ As with everything, these places offer amazing discounts on baby items. I have seen play mats, highchairs, car seats, bouncers, and, of course, the little every day items that you will require at a fraction of the normal cost. If you register for something but don't get it, I highly recommend checking these types of places regularly!! I also think highly of good consignment stores. You can find awesome, very clean essentials at less than half the regular price!
Hand-me-downs~ If you have somebody to pass clothes, blankets, bibs etc. onto to you, take them! You can pick through, get what you like and put the rest in a donation bin. I know that when most people think 'hand-me-down', they see stains and rips but that's not always the case. Another great thing about consignment stores is that you can buy used clothing in perfect shape for a few dollars an outfit! Hand-me-downs come in all types as well...clothes, shoes, toys, nursery furniture, etc.
Look for a 'big baby' car seat~ This is a recent lesson for me. I have a good friend who has big babies like I do and she informed me that some infant car seats are specifically made for large babies. Now, if you have a petite baby, I would still recommend one simply because it will hold them longer. For those of you who are reading this and haven't had your baby yet, you will learn how convenient it is to be able to simply lift their car seat out of the truck, snap it into the stroller and go. Once they outgrow an infant seat and you have to unbuckle them, pull them out (without whopping their head on the inside of the door), get them in the stroller, buckle them back up, hand them a blanket and some toys, walk to the back of the stroller, put your bag in it, pull the cover over them and walk into the store. Oh yes, I recommend spending the extra cash and saving the toddler car seat for later!
Things I believe you don't need...
Bassinet~ These are marketed well but completely unnecessary. They are overly expensive for the amount of time that your baby will fit in it. The smarter choice is a Pack n' Play. These often come with a bassinet portion, are portable, and your baby will fit in this for a much longer period of time! This can be used as a bassinet when they are tiny and you want them to be in arms reach at night. It is a great thing to have if you're planning on being outside and you need them off the ground, especially when they are rolling or crawling. I mentioned play time in my previous blog post and it would be impossible without the safe environment of a Pack n' Play. Another downside to bassinets is that they are difficult to store when you no longer need it and are nearly impossible to resell.
Baby bathtub~ I would say that you need a bath chair but I don't think you need the whole shebang, unless your only option is bathing them in the sink. In that case, a bath that will sit in your sink can be a life saver! However, in my opinion, a baby bathtub is just one more expensive thing you 'need' to buy but, eventually, you're just stuck finding a place to store a very big, awkward item. Buy a bath chair for less than half the cost and use your tub!
Dreft laundry detergent~ Unless your baby has severely sensitive skin, I don't think this is necessary. All newborns get rashes and their skin will get irritated at the smallest thing but that is completely normal and doesn't mean that they are or are not allergic to something. Dreft has its place but I don't think it's a must-have for all babies right off the bat. Give your child some time to get used to the world before you spend unnecessary money.
A huge diaper bag~ This is a pick your poison type of situation. What is wonderful about a diaper bag is exactly what makes it vile...it's HUGE. They're awesome because they will fit everything you need inside, assuming you learn to stop over-packing, but this also makes them ridiculously heavy. I'm convinced that the only reason diapers bags are made that big is because mothers put them in the bottom of the stroller. If we had to carry that thing for long periods of time, those companies would have a mutiny on their hands! Once I learned the over-packing rule, I went to Ross and bought a cute, large purse. I used the outside pockets for bottles and kept the essentials inside...3-4 diapers, wipes, one change of clothes, burp clothes (I always had to have a few of these!), a bib, a pacifier, and maybe some snacks. Once I bought this bag, I used my gigantic diaper bag as a back-up but left it in the car. It had more diapers, wipes, a couple changes of clothes, baby tylenol, more burp clothes (Paige spit up A LOT), my baby carrier, an extra blanket, a clean bottle and some formula in it. I realized that I needed to bring all of those things because you never know how many outfits a baby is going to mess up and you certainly don't want to run out of diapers or wipes but I didn't have to carry all of it around. Talk about a backache! Chances are, you already have a large purse that can be used as a diaper bag or as your back up. If you just want a diaper bag, put that thing on your registry, let somebody else shell out the cash for the expensive thing, and don't over pack it!
Homemade baby wipes~ You can buy 720 Target brand baby wipes for $13.69. That is certainly not a bad price, when you compare it to other name brands, but it's an astronomical price when you compare it to homemade baby wipes. I make my wipes from the Viva brand paper towels and I can make 1200 wipes for $17.39. Surprisingly, I found a recipe on Food.com then, tweaked it to my liking. This is my version...
Ingredients:
1 package of Viva brand paper towels (These or any cloth-like brand will do.)
2 cups of boiling water
1 Tablespoon of baby shampoo or soap
2 Tablespoons of coconut oil (Can also use baby, mineral or massage oil.)
2 Tablespoons of white vinegar (This is to prevent mold. The original recipe calls for 1 tablespoon but I use more simply because my changing table sits in direct sunlight and I had trouble controlling mold)
Directions:
1- Put your water on to boil. While you're waiting, hold your paper towel roll lengthwise and saw it in half. When you're done, pick off the shredded paper.
2- Place it shredded side down in a quart size plastic bag.
3- Mix the rest of the ingredients together and slowly pour it over your roll. (Don't worry about the tube, you can easily pull it out after it soaks for a few minutes)
4- Let it sit for about 10 minutes or until the roll is saturated. Then pull the cardboard tube out.
5- Pull your first wipe from the center and you're ready to go!
Cloth diapers~ This is something that is very expensive at first but will save you tons of money in the long run. I do not have enough cloth diapers to use them exclusively but I can make a pack of 102 Target brand diapers last an entire month when I use the few that I have! You can buy these from Amazon.com or find a 'seconds' retailer, like Fuzzibunz Seconds, to save money on the original purchase. I recommend the one size diapers because you won't have to buy as many!
Rotating toys~ I have mentioned this is a previous blog and I do believe I will never find anything bad about it! Rotating my daughter's toys keeps her occupied with the same toys over and over again and it keeps us from having to buy her new toys every couple of months because she is bored. I don't believe that it will save you from ever having to buy toys because children grow up and eventually, she will be too old to be interested in them but, if I can delay her boredom and save my cash for a while, I'm going to! Let's be honest, her grandparents do most of the toy-buying anyway and I'm happy to let them have their fun! I also think it would be an awesome idea to trade toys with friends or family who have children of similar ages. You can write the last name of each family on their toys and everybody gets a turn. I would love to do this but with a husband and a brother in the Army, it's not an option at the moment!
Homemade baby food~ The average cost of a 4oz baby food jar is $.90. Assuming your baby eats one per feeding and eats 4x a day, that's $108 a month on baby food. If they eat 2 jars at once, you're looking at $216 a month and $2,592 a year. However, if you go to Sam's and buy a 3lbs bag of carrots for $3.98, you will be able to make 12 4oz meals. If you bought baby food, you could buy a whopping 4.5 jars for that much money and, on top of that, I am not factoring in the taxes! Plus, with all of the preservatives in baby food, it's not really good for them!
Breastfeed~ The cost of a regular store brand (in this case Sam's brand) 48oz container of formula is $23.28. If your baby eats 12oz in a day (I'm not factoring in the water because 12 oz of formula means 24oz of water), you're looking at buying formula every 4 days. For the sake of argument and factoring in a few extra feedings, let's say you buy 8 cans of formula per month at $23.28. That is a total of $186.24 per month and $2,234.88 per year. Again, I did not add the taxes and I used the cheap formula. Despite the cost, I do recommend keeping a small amount on hand, just in case. If anything, having a baby will teach you to always be prepared!
Buy a good breast pump~ If you decide to breastfeed, do not buy a cheap pump. In my experience, you get what you pay for in the arena! Now, I'm not saying that you need a hospital grade pump but if you're planning on going back to work or will be pumping every day, I recommend one of the higher end pumps. If I am not mistaken, the best every day pump is currently sold by Medela. I have never personally used one so I cannot give you a particular model but I have a couple friends who own them and they love them! If you need a pump to use a few times a week, I recommend the miPump by First Years.
Ross, Marshalls, TJ Maxx~ As with everything, these places offer amazing discounts on baby items. I have seen play mats, highchairs, car seats, bouncers, and, of course, the little every day items that you will require at a fraction of the normal cost. If you register for something but don't get it, I highly recommend checking these types of places regularly!! I also think highly of good consignment stores. You can find awesome, very clean essentials at less than half the regular price!
Hand-me-downs~ If you have somebody to pass clothes, blankets, bibs etc. onto to you, take them! You can pick through, get what you like and put the rest in a donation bin. I know that when most people think 'hand-me-down', they see stains and rips but that's not always the case. Another great thing about consignment stores is that you can buy used clothing in perfect shape for a few dollars an outfit! Hand-me-downs come in all types as well...clothes, shoes, toys, nursery furniture, etc.
Look for a 'big baby' car seat~ This is a recent lesson for me. I have a good friend who has big babies like I do and she informed me that some infant car seats are specifically made for large babies. Now, if you have a petite baby, I would still recommend one simply because it will hold them longer. For those of you who are reading this and haven't had your baby yet, you will learn how convenient it is to be able to simply lift their car seat out of the truck, snap it into the stroller and go. Once they outgrow an infant seat and you have to unbuckle them, pull them out (without whopping their head on the inside of the door), get them in the stroller, buckle them back up, hand them a blanket and some toys, walk to the back of the stroller, put your bag in it, pull the cover over them and walk into the store. Oh yes, I recommend spending the extra cash and saving the toddler car seat for later!
Things I believe you don't need...
Bassinet~ These are marketed well but completely unnecessary. They are overly expensive for the amount of time that your baby will fit in it. The smarter choice is a Pack n' Play. These often come with a bassinet portion, are portable, and your baby will fit in this for a much longer period of time! This can be used as a bassinet when they are tiny and you want them to be in arms reach at night. It is a great thing to have if you're planning on being outside and you need them off the ground, especially when they are rolling or crawling. I mentioned play time in my previous blog post and it would be impossible without the safe environment of a Pack n' Play. Another downside to bassinets is that they are difficult to store when you no longer need it and are nearly impossible to resell.
Baby bathtub~ I would say that you need a bath chair but I don't think you need the whole shebang, unless your only option is bathing them in the sink. In that case, a bath that will sit in your sink can be a life saver! However, in my opinion, a baby bathtub is just one more expensive thing you 'need' to buy but, eventually, you're just stuck finding a place to store a very big, awkward item. Buy a bath chair for less than half the cost and use your tub!
Dreft laundry detergent~ Unless your baby has severely sensitive skin, I don't think this is necessary. All newborns get rashes and their skin will get irritated at the smallest thing but that is completely normal and doesn't mean that they are or are not allergic to something. Dreft has its place but I don't think it's a must-have for all babies right off the bat. Give your child some time to get used to the world before you spend unnecessary money.
A huge diaper bag~ This is a pick your poison type of situation. What is wonderful about a diaper bag is exactly what makes it vile...it's HUGE. They're awesome because they will fit everything you need inside, assuming you learn to stop over-packing, but this also makes them ridiculously heavy. I'm convinced that the only reason diapers bags are made that big is because mothers put them in the bottom of the stroller. If we had to carry that thing for long periods of time, those companies would have a mutiny on their hands! Once I learned the over-packing rule, I went to Ross and bought a cute, large purse. I used the outside pockets for bottles and kept the essentials inside...3-4 diapers, wipes, one change of clothes, burp clothes (I always had to have a few of these!), a bib, a pacifier, and maybe some snacks. Once I bought this bag, I used my gigantic diaper bag as a back-up but left it in the car. It had more diapers, wipes, a couple changes of clothes, baby tylenol, more burp clothes (Paige spit up A LOT), my baby carrier, an extra blanket, a clean bottle and some formula in it. I realized that I needed to bring all of those things because you never know how many outfits a baby is going to mess up and you certainly don't want to run out of diapers or wipes but I didn't have to carry all of it around. Talk about a backache! Chances are, you already have a large purse that can be used as a diaper bag or as your back up. If you just want a diaper bag, put that thing on your registry, let somebody else shell out the cash for the expensive thing, and don't over pack it!
Thursday, June 21, 2012
Parenting Advice
This is a compilation of parenting advice. Some of it I've tried, some I'm currently doing, some I would like to do when my children are older, and others I completely disagree with. This is, by no means, meant to be a place for you to get parenting advice. Remember, I have been a parent for less than 2 years. If I know anything, it is very little! This entry is full of things that have been on my mind recently and I'd like to share them with you. I know everybody gets parenting advice and sometimes, it's wonderful. Other times, you're thinking, 'You're a complete idiot. Please shut up and get away from my children.'.
~Play pen time. I think this is awesome!! Every day, I put Taylor in her bedroom, inside her Pack & Play for about 30 minutes with a few harmless toys. It is an amazing way to teach her at a very young age to be alone and entertain herself while allowing me to hurry up and get some things done. I wasn't able to do this with Paige for a few reasons. First, I don't think I started early enough and also, because of her social personality, it broke her heart to be left alone. In her mind, I was abandoning her and never coming back. Instead, I allowed her to be in wherever I was but still required her to entertain herself. I am working on play time alone in her bedroom with her but it is not an easy task. She hates to be alone and, to be completely honest, it is difficult for me to be consistent with it because I am used to her being with me at all times. I think she'll do much better when her sister is old enough to share her play time!
~Rotate your child's toys. This is another awesome trick I have learned. We change out Paige's toys at least every month. It's just like Christmas day! She thinks everything is brand new and is no longer bored or getting into things that are not hers to play with. We also hold onto most of her toys from holidays and birthdays. We allow her to keep 2 or 3 when she opens them but we hide the rest and give her one per week until she has them all. It's a great way to draw out her fun and it also helps her interest last longer.
~ TEACH them. I think that parents greatly underestimate their children's capabilities. I have learned, by watching children older than mine and by raising Paige, that children love to do things on their own. Their greatest desire is to hear your praise and they long to be independent. If you do everything for them it will become a vicious circle. Mothers will get exasperated because they have to wait on their children hand and foot and their children get frustrated because they aren't allowed to move forward. The message the mom teaches, often unknowingly, is that they are incapable. Therefore, the child stops trying to learn. Lack of confidence on the child's behalf, will effect them in every aspect of their life for the rest of their days. Also, having to attend to their every need for years, leads to resentment and anger in their mother. Dangerous isn't a harsh enough word to describe that situation. You must allow them to become independent. Encourage them to explore and try new things. Sometimes, yes, this means you must allow them to get hurt. It will always be difficult to watch you're children try things and fail when you know you can do it without any 'suffering'. It's not easy to allow your babies to grow up but it's always necessary. Do not hold them back. Do not tell them they can't do things because they will get hurt or because they might not get it right. Grow with them. Do not treat them like a baby when they aren't one any more. No matter how much you may wish they were.
~Allow them to make mistakes. I haven't had much experience in this department because my children are so young but I am a firm believer in it. I do believe that there are some lessons that can only be learned from experience and no amount of talking will do the job. I'm sure it's a difficult position for a parent to be in, especially when you know the solution. I am not looking forward to the day when I have to face this.
~Don't share drinks with them. Unless you prefer to chew your water, give them their own cup!
~Feed them everything on the menu 10-12 times before you decide whether or not they really like it. I have personally done this and am a firm believer that it works. Squash, for example, made my oldest pucker up her lips and pull away the first few times she had it but I kept at it and eventually, she would squeal after she got the first bite in her mouth. This idea can be applied to all kinds of things. Don't give up in the first round!
~ACCEPT HELP. Often times, offers of help are not given for very long. Understand that you are going to need help! I know everybody thinks they will be different or that it can't really be that bad. Trust me when I tell you, it's that bad and you will need help! Let go of your pride and accept it.
~Realize that crying won't kill that kid. Never, in the history of the world, has an autopsy reported the cause of death being, 'Severe Crying'.
~Don't stockpile diapers. I'm sure some people will strongly disagree with me on this point but I say that you never know when you're baby will hit a growth spurt. What happens if they decide it's time to move along and you have 3 boxes of newborn diapers still in the closet? You're out $100 or more simply because of the money you've already spent and the money you're about to fork over. If you must stockpile, I suggest you do not open the boxes and you remember where you bought them. Many stores, like Target, will exchange unopened boxes for another size, requiring you to pay the difference.
~SLEEP. I can't stress this enough. Children require exponential amounts of sleep. Learning your child's 'tired signs' can be a struggle, especially for a first timer but knowing what they are and listening to them, will save your sanity!!!
~Explain things to them. Do not simply tell them, 'Because I said so.' or 'Just 'cause.' The only time that is acceptable, if you ask me, is when the situation cannot be explained to your child, ie. they want to visit a friend's house but it's not a safe environment or something similar.
~Love them. Do not make fun of them in any way. Do not belittle them or purposely embarrass them and do not allow their brothers and sisters to do so. I believe that a family is supposed to be a unit. A UNITED UNIT. It's true, that you will not be able to stop every cruel thing that is said to your child but you should not be the cause of it. Momma and Daddy need to be their safe zone. The place where they are protected and loved no matter what they look like, how different their tastes are or what they may have failed at. Children automatically receive their view of the Lord from how you, as their parent, love them. God's love is unconditional. He is forgiving and isn't judgmental. He loves every part of us, including our faults. This is how we are to love our children.
~Rock them to sleep every once in a while. Do this just because it's fun. Do it because the opportunity doesn't last long. Do it because you can. I think it's a horrible idea to do it every night because it becomes a sleep prop and the last thing you want is a child who won't go to sleep on their own. However, I do think that, on occasion, it's good idea.
~Do not them sit in front of the TV, especially at a very young age. Do you know why we love to watch TV so much?? It's because it literally turns your brain off. That's why you're so tired when all you've done is watch TV all day. I know they say that TV can be educational and it's great for your children to watch it but that's a complete lie. Watching too much television can actually impair your child's ability to read. Yes, it is true, they can 'learn' things from it. They do repeat words they've heard or copy movement but do not use the TV as a baby sitter. That's just being a lazy parent, in my opinion.
~LISTEN to them before you react. An example that comes to mind is when I found Paige in our bedroom, holding a glass horse of mine. She didn't hear me come in so I waited to see what she did with it. She took it to the other side of the room and placed it on a different shelf. I realized that I had moved it the day before and she thought it was in the wrong place, so she was putting it back for me. It's so easy to assume they're doing one thing when they're actually doing another. You must pay attention to what they're doing and listen to what they're trying to tell you before you punish or praise them for anything.
~Pay attention to what they like. Do not force your desires upon them. Children already have the tendency to follow whatever Momma and Daddy do but when they begin to go in a another un-harmful direction, let them. Don't live the childhood you never had through them.
~Don't make them pay for your mistakes. Maybe it's because it's late at night but I don't think that needs anything added to it.
~If you aren't ready to feed that baby, don't pull that bottle out of the cabinet! That sucker better be shaken, stirred, and ready to go when they see it.
~Do not make excuses for them. Do not treat them like they are the greatest thing that ever happened to this earth. When they get in trouble, do not act like the accuser is just out to get them. Do not blow up your child's ego by teaching them that they can do no wrong. Do not instantly defend them when they are accused of a wrongdoing. Make sure you calm down the Momma Bear instinct and listen to the full accusation. When they are wrong, require them to face the consequences. When they mess up, gently and lovingly point them back in the right direction. If we teach our children from the moment they enter the world, that they are perfect and can never make a mistake, how can these children recognize their need for a Savior? How can these children know that they are sinners separated from a holy God if they are treated as if they have done no sin? Children need to understand 'all have fallen short of the glory of God'. (Romans 3:23) Children should know that they are loved no matter what, not that they are right no matter what.
Like I said, these are just things that have been on my mind. I'm sure there are many things I will add to this later on but for now, it's all I can think of. Feel free to add to it, give me advice or present a different view. I haven't been a parent long and have no idea what I'm doing or how to do it. I'm sure I never will!
~Play pen time. I think this is awesome!! Every day, I put Taylor in her bedroom, inside her Pack & Play for about 30 minutes with a few harmless toys. It is an amazing way to teach her at a very young age to be alone and entertain herself while allowing me to hurry up and get some things done. I wasn't able to do this with Paige for a few reasons. First, I don't think I started early enough and also, because of her social personality, it broke her heart to be left alone. In her mind, I was abandoning her and never coming back. Instead, I allowed her to be in wherever I was but still required her to entertain herself. I am working on play time alone in her bedroom with her but it is not an easy task. She hates to be alone and, to be completely honest, it is difficult for me to be consistent with it because I am used to her being with me at all times. I think she'll do much better when her sister is old enough to share her play time!
~Rotate your child's toys. This is another awesome trick I have learned. We change out Paige's toys at least every month. It's just like Christmas day! She thinks everything is brand new and is no longer bored or getting into things that are not hers to play with. We also hold onto most of her toys from holidays and birthdays. We allow her to keep 2 or 3 when she opens them but we hide the rest and give her one per week until she has them all. It's a great way to draw out her fun and it also helps her interest last longer.
~ TEACH them. I think that parents greatly underestimate their children's capabilities. I have learned, by watching children older than mine and by raising Paige, that children love to do things on their own. Their greatest desire is to hear your praise and they long to be independent. If you do everything for them it will become a vicious circle. Mothers will get exasperated because they have to wait on their children hand and foot and their children get frustrated because they aren't allowed to move forward. The message the mom teaches, often unknowingly, is that they are incapable. Therefore, the child stops trying to learn. Lack of confidence on the child's behalf, will effect them in every aspect of their life for the rest of their days. Also, having to attend to their every need for years, leads to resentment and anger in their mother. Dangerous isn't a harsh enough word to describe that situation. You must allow them to become independent. Encourage them to explore and try new things. Sometimes, yes, this means you must allow them to get hurt. It will always be difficult to watch you're children try things and fail when you know you can do it without any 'suffering'. It's not easy to allow your babies to grow up but it's always necessary. Do not hold them back. Do not tell them they can't do things because they will get hurt or because they might not get it right. Grow with them. Do not treat them like a baby when they aren't one any more. No matter how much you may wish they were.
~Allow them to make mistakes. I haven't had much experience in this department because my children are so young but I am a firm believer in it. I do believe that there are some lessons that can only be learned from experience and no amount of talking will do the job. I'm sure it's a difficult position for a parent to be in, especially when you know the solution. I am not looking forward to the day when I have to face this.
~Don't share drinks with them. Unless you prefer to chew your water, give them their own cup!
~Feed them everything on the menu 10-12 times before you decide whether or not they really like it. I have personally done this and am a firm believer that it works. Squash, for example, made my oldest pucker up her lips and pull away the first few times she had it but I kept at it and eventually, she would squeal after she got the first bite in her mouth. This idea can be applied to all kinds of things. Don't give up in the first round!
~ACCEPT HELP. Often times, offers of help are not given for very long. Understand that you are going to need help! I know everybody thinks they will be different or that it can't really be that bad. Trust me when I tell you, it's that bad and you will need help! Let go of your pride and accept it.
~Realize that crying won't kill that kid. Never, in the history of the world, has an autopsy reported the cause of death being, 'Severe Crying'.
~Don't stockpile diapers. I'm sure some people will strongly disagree with me on this point but I say that you never know when you're baby will hit a growth spurt. What happens if they decide it's time to move along and you have 3 boxes of newborn diapers still in the closet? You're out $100 or more simply because of the money you've already spent and the money you're about to fork over. If you must stockpile, I suggest you do not open the boxes and you remember where you bought them. Many stores, like Target, will exchange unopened boxes for another size, requiring you to pay the difference.
~SLEEP. I can't stress this enough. Children require exponential amounts of sleep. Learning your child's 'tired signs' can be a struggle, especially for a first timer but knowing what they are and listening to them, will save your sanity!!!
~Explain things to them. Do not simply tell them, 'Because I said so.' or 'Just 'cause.' The only time that is acceptable, if you ask me, is when the situation cannot be explained to your child, ie. they want to visit a friend's house but it's not a safe environment or something similar.
~Love them. Do not make fun of them in any way. Do not belittle them or purposely embarrass them and do not allow their brothers and sisters to do so. I believe that a family is supposed to be a unit. A UNITED UNIT. It's true, that you will not be able to stop every cruel thing that is said to your child but you should not be the cause of it. Momma and Daddy need to be their safe zone. The place where they are protected and loved no matter what they look like, how different their tastes are or what they may have failed at. Children automatically receive their view of the Lord from how you, as their parent, love them. God's love is unconditional. He is forgiving and isn't judgmental. He loves every part of us, including our faults. This is how we are to love our children.
~Rock them to sleep every once in a while. Do this just because it's fun. Do it because the opportunity doesn't last long. Do it because you can. I think it's a horrible idea to do it every night because it becomes a sleep prop and the last thing you want is a child who won't go to sleep on their own. However, I do think that, on occasion, it's good idea.
~Do not them sit in front of the TV, especially at a very young age. Do you know why we love to watch TV so much?? It's because it literally turns your brain off. That's why you're so tired when all you've done is watch TV all day. I know they say that TV can be educational and it's great for your children to watch it but that's a complete lie. Watching too much television can actually impair your child's ability to read. Yes, it is true, they can 'learn' things from it. They do repeat words they've heard or copy movement but do not use the TV as a baby sitter. That's just being a lazy parent, in my opinion.
~LISTEN to them before you react. An example that comes to mind is when I found Paige in our bedroom, holding a glass horse of mine. She didn't hear me come in so I waited to see what she did with it. She took it to the other side of the room and placed it on a different shelf. I realized that I had moved it the day before and she thought it was in the wrong place, so she was putting it back for me. It's so easy to assume they're doing one thing when they're actually doing another. You must pay attention to what they're doing and listen to what they're trying to tell you before you punish or praise them for anything.
~Pay attention to what they like. Do not force your desires upon them. Children already have the tendency to follow whatever Momma and Daddy do but when they begin to go in a another un-harmful direction, let them. Don't live the childhood you never had through them.
~Don't make them pay for your mistakes. Maybe it's because it's late at night but I don't think that needs anything added to it.
~If you aren't ready to feed that baby, don't pull that bottle out of the cabinet! That sucker better be shaken, stirred, and ready to go when they see it.
~Do not make excuses for them. Do not treat them like they are the greatest thing that ever happened to this earth. When they get in trouble, do not act like the accuser is just out to get them. Do not blow up your child's ego by teaching them that they can do no wrong. Do not instantly defend them when they are accused of a wrongdoing. Make sure you calm down the Momma Bear instinct and listen to the full accusation. When they are wrong, require them to face the consequences. When they mess up, gently and lovingly point them back in the right direction. If we teach our children from the moment they enter the world, that they are perfect and can never make a mistake, how can these children recognize their need for a Savior? How can these children know that they are sinners separated from a holy God if they are treated as if they have done no sin? Children need to understand 'all have fallen short of the glory of God'. (Romans 3:23) Children should know that they are loved no matter what, not that they are right no matter what.
Like I said, these are just things that have been on my mind. I'm sure there are many things I will add to this later on but for now, it's all I can think of. Feel free to add to it, give me advice or present a different view. I haven't been a parent long and have no idea what I'm doing or how to do it. I'm sure I never will!
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
May Status Report
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| Before... |
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| After! |
She also just got through a growth spurt and I was certain the girl was about to start eating the kitchen cabinets. I couldn't keep her full! She ate every 2-3 hours for a solid 2 weeks and slept like a hibernating bear. The worst part was when I woke up to her cries at 3am on a Saturday morning. Once I stumbled out of bed and into her room, I asked what was wrong. She whined, 'Hunneee!!!' I honestly thought it was just a rouse to get out of bed so I replied, 'There's no way you're hungry!' I knew I was dead wrong when she instantly burst into sobs. I just couldn't believe she had woken up hungry at 3am! Needless to say, I let her get up and she wandered around while I scrounged through the fridge, hoping I didn't have to cook anything. Once the girl had some water and a full belly, she went right back to sleep without another word. I still can't believe it. Growth spurts may be the death of me!
Tall Taylor is doing great. In true baby fashion, everything that touches her hands ends up in her mouth, including our dog's ears when the opportunity presents itself. She jabbers up a storm but is instantly quiet when her big sister enters the room. She's too busy watching Paige's every move to talk. Nobody can get her laughing like Paige can. It's a wonderful thing to watch! Her smile is contagious and she shares it with everybody. The funniest thing about the girl is that we never know what position we're going to find her in when we wake her up. We made her some make-shift bumpers but we recently had to take them out. You'll see why...
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As far as the girls interaction goes, Paige continues to treat Taylor like a live baby doll. A few days ago, she tried to move Taylor from her chair to her play mat on the floor. Thankfully, since Taylor is over half of Paige's body weight, it didn't work out. When Taylor is sitting in her chair and holding her head up, Paige tries to push it back down. The first time I told Paige not to do that, she looked at me and said, 'Bed!', telling me that she was putting Taylor to sleep. I still haven't been able to teach her not to do that because this Momma hasn't been issued eyes for the back of her head yet. It's definitely a work in progress! Sweet Taylor takes it all in stride and giggles away at her sister. Paige still loves to hold her and is more than willing to help me with Taylor. She is always on my heels with a baby doll in her arms, copying everything I do with Taylor. That literally keeps me on my toes!On the weekend of May 19, we celebrated Kyle's 22nd birthday with a getaway to Myrtle Beach. We sent the girls to spend the weekend with their favorite Pap Pap and Gigi while we packed everything into 2 days that we could think of!
To set the scene, we started our date weekend by driving an hour to Smithfield and dropping off the girls. Once my parents had taken them, we stopped for a rare treat of Cold Stone ice cream (mind you, it's 9:30pm by now) before driving the hour back to Fayetteville. We arrived in town just in time to catch the last showing of The Avengers. (It's awesome, by the way!!) I think we went to bed around 3am and we can't remember the last time that happened! We certainly didn't waste any time sleeping in the next morning though. We got up, had breakfast, packed and hit the road.
Kyle has been dying for a pair of cowboy boots for weeks now so we decided to take the scenic route and check out a western store off of I-95. Unfortunately, it was a bust. They had a pair that he loved but they didn't have the right size. The salesman tried so hard to sell him a pair but adding inserts to make them smaller but Kyle made the wise decision to walk away. We were disappointed but low and behold, we happened upon another western store just minutes from our hotel. They had the exact same pair of boots in his size. SOLD!! May I just say that he is quite the stud in them?!
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| Check out those boots! |
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| His first ride and he's addicted already. |
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| We passed this sign on the way home. It made us laugh! |
We were excited and sad to head home on Sunday evening. It's wonderful to get away but there's nothing like your own bed, especially when you're used to a king size but you've been sleeping on a double. We spent that night doing nothing because we had sore bums and tired eyes!
We drove back to Smithfield on Monday to pry the girls away from their Gigi. Nothing will warm your heart like those 'I missed you' smiles! We love it so much when Paige runs to hug us. Who wouldn't?!
As always, our life is moving forward. We're focusing on a happy marriage and spending lots of family time together. We've noticed that Paige has begun to desire all of her Daddy's attention when he gets home and we're doing everything we can to make sure she gets a lot of Daddy-Paige time. When his key hits the lock, she hears it immediately, squeals 'Da-yee!!' and runs to greet him. It's the greatest thing in the world to watch.We will be very busy in the coming weeks and I will write again when I get the chance. I have several blogs entries that I've been working on but haven't been able to finish. It's another work in progress!
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