Potty training. Ah, that beloved time that all parents get to go through at some point in their lives (unless you somehow manage to find someone to do it for you!). It's a right of passage, to be sure.
We all have our own potty training stories- the ups and downs, the bribes, the spills, the stains. And ultimately, the excitement of being trained!
It's always good to take a light-hearted approach to potty training. It's important to see the humor in having pee all over your floors, couch, clothes, on your hands, on your favorite book, even on your new baby!
And so, without further ado, You know you're in throes of potty training when:
1. You utter the phrase "Pee pee goes in the potty, not on the floor!" for the 100th time in one day, as you plaster a big fake smile on your face (you smile of course, because you don't want your baby to associate pee pee as a bad thing...or whatever that internet article said)
2. You immediately assume that anything wet on the floor, on the couch, on your pants, on anything is pee
3. You find stickers on every surface of your house, EXCEPT the sticker chart that you so artistically made
4. Going to the bathroom becomes a family affair- everyone gets to watch and cheer
5. Using the potty becomes the highlight of your day because EVERYONE cheers for you (especially your toddler who seems overly pleased that you had success).
6. You find yourself saying "Yay, mommy went pee pee on the potty" even if no one else is around
7. You go potty and immediately reward yourself with an m&m
8. You time your outings based on when your toddler last peed and how much fluid she had
9. You know where every bathroom is in a 10 mile radius of your house
10. Somebody farts (maybe your husband, but has also been known to happen when you're in the bathroom stall at Wal-mart and the lady next to you must have accidentally let one out as she was relieving herself) and your toddler yells "Poo poo!", causing you much embarrassment
11. You assumed incorrectly that once potty trained, you could get rid of the diaper bag. Rather, you almost need a BIGGER one because suddenly you need 2 changes of clothes to be on the safe side, plastic bags, and maybe even that plastic potty seat to put on top of the public toilets if you're a germ freak like me!
12. You used to let your toddler just play in the crib for awhile when she woke up in the morning or from her nap, but now you rush in immediately so you can take her potty
13. Your toddler hasn't peed in the potty for a few hours and you wonder to yourself where she may have stashed it. You step in something wet....(see #2)
I hope you had a laugh.Or even just a chuckle. If you're a bit confused about all of the potty training tips out there, read my blog on Potty Training tips for the Confused Mom. If you'd like to read about my own potty training story, read my blog on how I potty trained Miss Fits.
And, of course, if you have any of your own to add, please feel free to do so!
Sunday, February 23, 2014
Friday, February 21, 2014
Rough and Tumble
I love my babies! They have cute little personalities and are such a joy to be around. Here's the scoop on my two:
As you may have noticed in some other blog posts, I have nicknames for my two bundles of joy. I refer to the two of them as Rough and Tumble. Jaelyn is rough. She always has been. She's a little tom boy- loves to jump and flip and play rough. She's as tough as nails!
Phillip is Tumble. Mostly because he falls over a lot!
I often refer to Jaelyn as Miss Fits. She's a toddler for sure- in the throes of her terrible twos. She's always had an extreme personality- right from birth! When she's happy she is deliriously happy and excited! She squeals, jumps for joy, and her smile can light up the room. When she's upset...the whole world knows! Or at least the whole house and maybe even the neighbors. She squeals (but this time a high pitched scream), she throws herself onto the ground kicking and screaming, tears stream down her face and she is difficult to console. Extreme.
Phillip is Mr. Mellow. He's the opposite of Jaelyn in most respects. He's so laid back and easy going. He's typically content to just sit and watch. He has been such a good baby from the get-go. He will smile the biggest smile and melt even the coldest of hearts. When he laughs he barely makes any noise- just sort of chuckles quietly. Chill.
I'm absolutely in love with my kiddos. For years I have dreamed of being a stay-at-home mom, and the reality of it is absolutely amazing. Obviously there are days that are ridiculous and hard and I wonder what I have gotten myself into. Days when Miss Fits is throwing tantrum after tantrum, drawing on the couch, trying to eat batteries, making her brother roll over even though he clearly doesn't want to. Days when my generally calm Mr. Mellow is fussy and insists on being held constantly. Days when I haven't showered, I'm drinking cold coffee...again, the house is a disaster and I'm just cranky.
Those days are there. Those days are hard. But I wouldn't trade it for the world. Because I have the blessing and the privilege to raise these little Rugrats. And oh what a blessing and joy it is! Rough and Tumble have penetrated the deepest parts of my heart and soul.
As you may have noticed in some other blog posts, I have nicknames for my two bundles of joy. I refer to the two of them as Rough and Tumble. Jaelyn is rough. She always has been. She's a little tom boy- loves to jump and flip and play rough. She's as tough as nails!
Phillip is Tumble. Mostly because he falls over a lot!
I often refer to Jaelyn as Miss Fits. She's a toddler for sure- in the throes of her terrible twos. She's always had an extreme personality- right from birth! When she's happy she is deliriously happy and excited! She squeals, jumps for joy, and her smile can light up the room. When she's upset...the whole world knows! Or at least the whole house and maybe even the neighbors. She squeals (but this time a high pitched scream), she throws herself onto the ground kicking and screaming, tears stream down her face and she is difficult to console. Extreme.
Miss Fits
(That's her "cheese" face)
Phillip is Mr. Mellow. He's the opposite of Jaelyn in most respects. He's so laid back and easy going. He's typically content to just sit and watch. He has been such a good baby from the get-go. He will smile the biggest smile and melt even the coldest of hearts. When he laughs he barely makes any noise- just sort of chuckles quietly. Chill.
Mr. Mellow
Those days are there. Those days are hard. But I wouldn't trade it for the world. Because I have the blessing and the privilege to raise these little Rugrats. And oh what a blessing and joy it is! Rough and Tumble have penetrated the deepest parts of my heart and soul.
These two pictures capture the essence of who they are:
Miss Fits...clearly throwing a fit.
Mr. Mellow...chilling in his bouncy, albeit looking a bit freaked out. But calm, nonetheless.
Ah, the beloved Santa Clause. Miss Fits is just showing the crowded mall that she marches to the beat of a different drummer. And Mr. Mellow...well, he's just taking it all in.
They may be as different as night and day, but they are still best friends!
Thursday, February 20, 2014
12 Potty Training Tips for Confused Moms
There are lots of tips out there for potty training your
toddler. Let me help you sort through the confusing mess and make life much
easier for you and your offspring.
My top 12 Tips:
1. Potty train in the Summer- If you potty train
your bambino in the summer, you can just let him be naked outside all day long.
No worrying about leaks and accidents and spills. After all, it’s nature!
2. Do not potty train in the summer- children
running around naked?! While it seems like a good idea in theory, it’s really
pretty terrible. Toddlers fall a lot. Sidewalks can hurt WITH clothes on, so just
imagine what it’d be like if you fell on the sidewalk while you were running as
fast as you can after a blowing leaf…while naked!
3. Let your child be naked from the waist down
while at home- It’s important for your toddler to know when he or she is going
pee. If you put on pull-ups or even underwear, it may hinder them from feeling
the pee.
4. Don’t let your toddler run around naked, even at
home- Put on underwear so that your toddler will be uncomfortable in wet
undies, should he or she have an accident. It will help them realize that pee
pee goes in the potty, not in their pants.
5. Don’t use a timer to make your child go to the
bathroom every 15-30 minutes- This will only cause your child to be annoyed
with the potty and have no desire for it whatsoever!
6. Use a timer to take your child to the bathroom
every 15-30 minutes- For one thing, YOU may need a reminder to take your child
to the potty. Plus, if you give your kiddo ample opportunities to use the
potty, they will get the concept quicker
7. Give your toddler lots of juice- If you fill up
your tyke with lots and lots of fluids, he or she will have to go to the
bathroom often. This is great because they will have many chances to try to get
the pee pee in the potty! The more often that they are using it, the more
likely they are to grasp the concept.
8. Do not overdue the drinks- Kids learn better
when they are doing things naturally. It’s not natural for them to have to use
the potty every 15 minutes. And really, it’s just annoying to have to go the
bathroom that often. This approach will quickly make your toddler resent the
potty.
9. Use Bribes- Do what you can to make the potty
fun and exciting for your precious one. Use candy, stickers, bubbles, whatever
your kids favorite thing is…use that! Bribery works wonders to get kids to use
the potty!
10. Do
not bribe your kids- Your child will use the potty when he or she wants to.
Bribery only causes more problems in the long run.
11. Don’t
start too early- Your toddler will learn to use the potty when he or she is
ready. All the coaxing, bribing and excitement you can bring to the whole
experience won’t do a darn thing if your kid isn’t ready!
12. Start
when you want to- Potty training is like any other kind of training. Your kid
will learn as you teach him or her. The same with learning to use utensils,
learning to tie shoes or ride a bike. We don’t stop teaching them when they don’t
do it right the first few times. Learning takes time and patience.
I hope that helped clear up a few things for you. The
internets, with its gamut of information can be overwhelming to a mommy as she’s
trying to figure out this whole potty training thing.
And relax! This was meant as a joke. We are all just as confused as the next mom. So when one of these tips isn't working, try the opposite approach. I'm certain your precious tyke will eventually be potty trained. And if not...well then count your blessings because you will get to have your kid/teenager/adult at home with you forever!
Here's my own potty training story with Miss Fits. And when you do find yourself in full blown potty training mode, don't forget to have some fun (and write down the many many funny stories!)
And relax! This was meant as a joke. We are all just as confused as the next mom. So when one of these tips isn't working, try the opposite approach. I'm certain your precious tyke will eventually be potty trained. And if not...well then count your blessings because you will get to have your kid/teenager/adult at home with you forever!
Here's my own potty training story with Miss Fits. And when you do find yourself in full blown potty training mode, don't forget to have some fun (and write down the many many funny stories!)
Tuesday, February 18, 2014
Pee pee goes in the Potty
Potty training. I was both excited and nervous to begin the
adventures in potty training with my daughter. Excited to not have two kids in
diapers. Nervous about the actual process and how it would go.
Here is my story in successfully potty training my daughter
by 20 months:
We started introducing the potty concept when she was 13
months old. Just every once in a while I would sit her on it and we would talk
about it. She was curious about it anyway whenever I would go to the bathroom.
I attempted to start when she was just 17 months old. But…I
didn’t think it all the way through. We were about to start traveling almost
every week to raise support, as well as for the upcoming holidays. So in order
to be consistent with her and not confuse the poor kid, I decided to wait until
we moved to Texas and got settled.
When we finally moved 2 months later, I came up with a plan.
I decided to try and make the potty as fun as possible! Everything I read
online said that kids would potty train when THEY were ready, and if they
weren’t…well then it would just be terrible for everyone.
I kind of have a different theory. Potty training is just
like any other kind of training that we do with our babies and toddlers. We
have to teach them! We taught them how to use a spoon and a fork, how to drink
from cup, how to self-soothe. You teach your kids how to read and write, ride a
bicycle, etc etc. Potty training is just the same. It has to be taught.
But learning also needs to be fun. If it’s not fun, then why
would a toddler want to do it? If we don’t make it fun for them, then yes…it
will end up being terrible for everyone.
Another thing to remember is that this isn’t your
achievement, it’s your toddlers. Don’t get frustrated or upset with him because
he doesn’t get it or doesn’t do it. It’s not about you, it’s about your little
person! Give lots of praise and act like it’s the most exciting thing anyone
can ever do!
Here’s how I potty trained little Miss Fits before she
turned 20 months:
I started on a Friday and I determined that we were just
going to have fun with it. The problem we had previously was that she just
didn’t want to sit on it. So I made sitting on the potty super fun for her.
Every time she sat on the potty that day I would paint one
of her toenails and one of my toenails. She LOVED it! After she had sat on it
10 times, I switched to bubbles. I would let her play with the bubbles every
time she sat on the potty. But…that quickly got messy. She wanted to hold
everything and the bubbles spilled everywhere.
I also praised here a TON when she sat on it- like a
ridiculous amount. Like she had just won the Nobel Peace Prize or discovered
that Pluto is, in fact, a planet. I went overboard! And she got really excited
about it too.
The next morning I took off her diaper NEVER to put one on
her again (okay, that’s not true. We still use diapers for naps and night
time)!
I explained that pee pee goes in the potty- not in her
pants, not on the floor. And any time she would start to pee or pee all the way
I would say “Yay! Pee pee!” and take her to the potty. Then I would tell her
again (in a chipper voice) that pee pee goes in the potty.
If she did go in the potty (even if she started peeing
somewhere else and finished in the potty), I would over praise her and then
give her an m&m. I explained that if she went in the potty, she would get
an m&m. She loved it!
I kid you not, the child got the concept that day! Any time
she needed to go, she would run to the potty and sit down. All by herself! She
was so excited about it!
The next day was Sunday and I was a bit nervous because we
had church. I contemplated putting a diaper on her, but then thought better of
it. I had said no more diapers and I meant NO MORE DIAPERS! So I put on her big
girl undies, some plastic pants and her jeans. And off to church we went!
I told the nursery she was potty training and to please take
her several times. Jaelyn doesn’t say when she needs to go, she just goes to
the potty and sits down. Kind of hard if there aren’t any little potty chairs
just hanging around the nursery.
When I picked her up they said they had taken her once, but
she didn’t need to go. I took her again before we left, but she didn’t have to
go. I was nervous she would pee in the car. But lo and behold, she did not!
Our first outing, and she didn’t have an accident!
The following week she did great! Seriously. I don’t
understand it, but this kid was potty trained. I continue to say she is potty
training, but truthfully she is already trained! I don’t know how it happened
in such a short amount of time, but she really grasped the concept!
That first week she would have an accident if she had on
undies or pants. This is simply because she just wouldn’t pull them down. She’d
still sit on the potty and go- just fully clothed.
It has been over a month now and we very rarely have
accidents. She has learned to pull her pants down now before sitting on the
potty.
Our next step is transitioning the little potty into the
bathroom and eventually using the big potty! Currently she insists that her
potty chair be in the living room. I have put her potty in the bathroom several
times, but every time she has to pee she will literally pick it up and carry it
back to the living room before using it.
So that’s my story in potty training. If you are considering
potty training your toddler (even if they are younger than when most parents
start), I say go for it! It might take a while, but consistency and fun always
pays off!
So grab your mop and nail polish and go have some fun!
Little Miss Fits sporting her new big girl undies!
So proud!
Monday, February 3, 2014
Theme Songs for Life
I like to categorize my life into different titles; different themes. Usually revolving around a song that really just seems to sum up my life (or so I thought. I tend to be a bit on the dramatic side, so a lot of my themes seem overly dramatic as I look back on them). I'm sure I'm not the only one that does this, right? Right?! I've done this since I was in high school. The theme for my life back then was "Don't let me get me" by Pink. Yeah...
When I lost my grandma, a classmate and a neighbor all in the same year my theme for that time was "Walk by Faith" by Jeremy Camp. It hurt. A lot. But I knew that God was still there and He was still in control. Even if I couldn't see it, I could trust it. I had faith that he would heal the brokenness. And in time He did.
In college I went through a series of many different themes. I feel like my college years was when I was really trying to find myself. Most of my college years themes had to do with relationships (or rather, lack of relationships) and my frustrations in that area. Again...I have a flair for the dramatic, so don't be surprised when I say that my two back to back themes were "The one I'm waiting for" by Relient K and "Scars" by Papa Roach (hey, I never said they were great songs/themes!"). I really liked this guy, and hoped he could turn into the one I was waiting for. It broke my heart when things didn't turn out the way I longed for them too. It also made me angry. Hence the Papa Roach song.
The song "Who I am hates who I've been" from Relient K (I was really into Relient K) was a big theme for quite awhile. It's when I was going through a period of needing God's grace over and over because every single day I was failing miserably. I knew I was sinning, yet I continued to do it. It was a difficult battle. And it lasted a long time. Thankfully God doesn't give up on us like I sometimes think he should.
When I was dating my now husband, my theme for that time was "Love Story" by Taylor Swift. It was a bittersweet time in my life. I was deeply in love with this man, yet we faced many obstacles as our families were less than thrilled about us being together. Eventually it all worked out for the good. God is pretty awesome like that. But it took time.
I have changed a lot since my college days. I have grown in my faith and truly discovered the woman that God has meant me to be. I have a lot of growing to do still, obviously. But I no longer question my identity and wonder who I am or where I am going. Parts of my journey are still a mystery. But my overall identity is clear. And my overall mission in life is clear too. God has called me higher. He has called me deeper...deeper than my feet could ever wander.
And this leads me to my theme songs for my life right now. Two of them, yes. I'm getting greedy in my upper 20's age.
"Oceans" by Hillsong is a song that permeates through to my very core. I feel like this song was written for me. The part that really speaks to me is this:
Spirit lead me where my trust is without borders
Let me walk upon the waters
Wherever You would call me
Take me deeper than my feet could ever wander
And my faith will be made stronger
In the presence of my Savior
The other song is "You have called me Higher" by All Sons and Daughters. I've been struggling desperately with where I know the Lord is calling me to serve. You can read more about that here.
God knows my heart. I share my struggles with him daily. I also know that he cares deeply for me. That is why I trust him with my very life. That's also why I know he gives me gentle reminders like these songs to help me see things a little more clearly.
As I was sitting in church a few weeks ago I was being brutally honest with God. I told Him I wanted to say no to His calling. I wanted to stay and not go. These are things He already knows. But I felt like I needed to share them with Him again. Emphatically. Then one of the members of the worship team began singing this song. It broke me. It was just what I needed to hear.
Sometimes I need God to be brutally honest with me as well.
Here are the words that brought me to my knees and made me realize how desperately I need God. And how much I desire to serve Him....wherever He is calling me.
I could just sit
I could just sit and wait for all Your goodness
Hope to feel Your presence
And I could just stay
I could just stay right where I am and hope to feel You
Hope to feel something again
And I could hold on
I could hold on to who I am and never let You
Change me from the inside
And I could be safe
I could be safe here in Your arms and never leave home
Never let these walls down
But You have called me higher
You have called me deeper
And I'll go where You will lead me Lord
You have called me higher
You have called me deeper
And I'll go where You lead me Lord
Where You lead me
Where You lead me Lord
And I could hold on
I could hold on to who I am and never let You
Change me from the inside
And I could be safe
I could be safe here in Your arms and never leave home
Never let these walls down
But You have called me higher
You have called me deeper
And I'll go where You will lead me Lord
You have called me higher
You have called me deeper
And I'll go where You lead me Lord
Where You lead me
And I will be Yours, oh
I will be Yours for all my life
When I lost my grandma, a classmate and a neighbor all in the same year my theme for that time was "Walk by Faith" by Jeremy Camp. It hurt. A lot. But I knew that God was still there and He was still in control. Even if I couldn't see it, I could trust it. I had faith that he would heal the brokenness. And in time He did.
In college I went through a series of many different themes. I feel like my college years was when I was really trying to find myself. Most of my college years themes had to do with relationships (or rather, lack of relationships) and my frustrations in that area. Again...I have a flair for the dramatic, so don't be surprised when I say that my two back to back themes were "The one I'm waiting for" by Relient K and "Scars" by Papa Roach (hey, I never said they were great songs/themes!"). I really liked this guy, and hoped he could turn into the one I was waiting for. It broke my heart when things didn't turn out the way I longed for them too. It also made me angry. Hence the Papa Roach song.
The song "Who I am hates who I've been" from Relient K (I was really into Relient K) was a big theme for quite awhile. It's when I was going through a period of needing God's grace over and over because every single day I was failing miserably. I knew I was sinning, yet I continued to do it. It was a difficult battle. And it lasted a long time. Thankfully God doesn't give up on us like I sometimes think he should.
When I was dating my now husband, my theme for that time was "Love Story" by Taylor Swift. It was a bittersweet time in my life. I was deeply in love with this man, yet we faced many obstacles as our families were less than thrilled about us being together. Eventually it all worked out for the good. God is pretty awesome like that. But it took time.
I have changed a lot since my college days. I have grown in my faith and truly discovered the woman that God has meant me to be. I have a lot of growing to do still, obviously. But I no longer question my identity and wonder who I am or where I am going. Parts of my journey are still a mystery. But my overall identity is clear. And my overall mission in life is clear too. God has called me higher. He has called me deeper...deeper than my feet could ever wander.
And this leads me to my theme songs for my life right now. Two of them, yes. I'm getting greedy in my upper 20's age.
"Oceans" by Hillsong is a song that permeates through to my very core. I feel like this song was written for me. The part that really speaks to me is this:
Spirit lead me where my trust is without borders
Let me walk upon the waters
Wherever You would call me
Take me deeper than my feet could ever wander
And my faith will be made stronger
In the presence of my Savior
The other song is "You have called me Higher" by All Sons and Daughters. I've been struggling desperately with where I know the Lord is calling me to serve. You can read more about that here.
God knows my heart. I share my struggles with him daily. I also know that he cares deeply for me. That is why I trust him with my very life. That's also why I know he gives me gentle reminders like these songs to help me see things a little more clearly.
As I was sitting in church a few weeks ago I was being brutally honest with God. I told Him I wanted to say no to His calling. I wanted to stay and not go. These are things He already knows. But I felt like I needed to share them with Him again. Emphatically. Then one of the members of the worship team began singing this song. It broke me. It was just what I needed to hear.
Sometimes I need God to be brutally honest with me as well.
Here are the words that brought me to my knees and made me realize how desperately I need God. And how much I desire to serve Him....wherever He is calling me.
I could just sit
I could just sit and wait for all Your goodness
Hope to feel Your presence
And I could just stay
I could just stay right where I am and hope to feel You
Hope to feel something again
And I could hold on
I could hold on to who I am and never let You
Change me from the inside
And I could be safe
I could be safe here in Your arms and never leave home
Never let these walls down
But You have called me higher
You have called me deeper
And I'll go where You will lead me Lord
You have called me higher
You have called me deeper
And I'll go where You lead me Lord
Where You lead me
Where You lead me Lord
And I could hold on
I could hold on to who I am and never let You
Change me from the inside
And I could be safe
I could be safe here in Your arms and never leave home
Never let these walls down
But You have called me higher
You have called me deeper
And I'll go where You will lead me Lord
You have called me higher
You have called me deeper
And I'll go where You lead me Lord
Where You lead me
And I will be Yours, oh
I will be Yours for all my life
Saturday, January 25, 2014
When did I become a schedule person?!
Having kids changes a person. I mean really changes a person. The past year and half has brought forth a completely different me. A better me, I hope. But definitely different.
I used to be so impatient. Now I'm learning to wait and it's okay.
I used to be so selfish. Now I'm learning to share. I share my food at almost every meal, I share my hugs and my lap and most definitely my love and affection. I even share my colds, though I'm certain nobody appreciates that!
I used to lack discipline. Now I'm learning to prioritize and follow through.
I used to be very spontaneous. Now I thrive on a schedule.
This schedule thing has be befuddled. Who have I become?! I actually used to pride myself in how spontaneous and carefree I was. Let me share a few examples. I once quit my job just so that I could drive to Canada with my friend. I used to get in the car with a friend and we would flip a coin at every crossroad to determine which way we should go. Planning was not part of the fun. On a whim I've adopted multiple puppies, only later to realize that I just wasn't ready to take care of them. I've called off of work multiple times simply because my friends wanted to hang out and do something more fun (okay...that's more of the lack of discipline thing. And a terrible sense of responsibility).
Spontaneous and carefree. Could those words describe me now? I'm starting to think not. In my heart of hearts I truly want to be that person again. But I know that it's just not possible. Having two kids changes things. I thrive on a schedule. I desire it, I love it, I get excited over it. Who have I become?
But the truth is, having a schedule makes life so much easier. It didn't matter when I wasn't married and didn't have kids. I only needed to look out for numero uno. But now I have other lives that depend on me. And children thrive on routine. So I adapted. And I kind of like it.
The kiddos are on a great routine- and I can see how much better they are both doing since we've been on it. It was difficult being on a schedule before we moved to Texas because we were constantly traveling and doing presentations and meeting with people in order to raise support. We were rarely home for a week at a time. But now...now we get to settle. And the kids are really thriving!
Here is our schedule (because I'm seriously that excited about it):
Wake up between 6:30-7:30
Breakfast and play time
Nap time for Mr. Mellow from 9-10:00 am
More playing or a walk outside if it's nice
Lunch at 11:00 am
Nap for both kiddos from 12-2:00 p.m (sometimes longer if we're really lucky!)
Snack time for Miss Fits around 3:00 p.m.
More playing or we will go out somewhere (usually to the store to walk around)
Nap for Mr. Mellow from 4:30-5 p.m
Dinner at 5:30
Bath at 6:00 for Miss Fits, followed by bedtime at 6:30
Bath for Mr. Mellow at 6:30, followed by bedtime at 7:00
Quiet time!
It's consistent and it's amazing! But it's still so strange to me that I have become a schedule person!
I used to be so impatient. Now I'm learning to wait and it's okay.
I used to be so selfish. Now I'm learning to share. I share my food at almost every meal, I share my hugs and my lap and most definitely my love and affection. I even share my colds, though I'm certain nobody appreciates that!
I used to lack discipline. Now I'm learning to prioritize and follow through.
I used to be very spontaneous. Now I thrive on a schedule.
This schedule thing has be befuddled. Who have I become?! I actually used to pride myself in how spontaneous and carefree I was. Let me share a few examples. I once quit my job just so that I could drive to Canada with my friend. I used to get in the car with a friend and we would flip a coin at every crossroad to determine which way we should go. Planning was not part of the fun. On a whim I've adopted multiple puppies, only later to realize that I just wasn't ready to take care of them. I've called off of work multiple times simply because my friends wanted to hang out and do something more fun (okay...that's more of the lack of discipline thing. And a terrible sense of responsibility).
Spontaneous and carefree. Could those words describe me now? I'm starting to think not. In my heart of hearts I truly want to be that person again. But I know that it's just not possible. Having two kids changes things. I thrive on a schedule. I desire it, I love it, I get excited over it. Who have I become?
But the truth is, having a schedule makes life so much easier. It didn't matter when I wasn't married and didn't have kids. I only needed to look out for numero uno. But now I have other lives that depend on me. And children thrive on routine. So I adapted. And I kind of like it.
The kiddos are on a great routine- and I can see how much better they are both doing since we've been on it. It was difficult being on a schedule before we moved to Texas because we were constantly traveling and doing presentations and meeting with people in order to raise support. We were rarely home for a week at a time. But now...now we get to settle. And the kids are really thriving!
Here is our schedule (because I'm seriously that excited about it):
Wake up between 6:30-7:30
Breakfast and play time
Nap time for Mr. Mellow from 9-10:00 am
More playing or a walk outside if it's nice
Lunch at 11:00 am
Nap for both kiddos from 12-2:00 p.m (sometimes longer if we're really lucky!)
Snack time for Miss Fits around 3:00 p.m.
More playing or we will go out somewhere (usually to the store to walk around)
Nap for Mr. Mellow from 4:30-5 p.m
Dinner at 5:30
Bath at 6:00 for Miss Fits, followed by bedtime at 6:30
Bath for Mr. Mellow at 6:30, followed by bedtime at 7:00
Quiet time!
It's consistent and it's amazing! But it's still so strange to me that I have become a schedule person!
And here are my favorite little people...I like to call them Rough and Tumble!
Sunday, January 19, 2014
Crying it Out....on my terms
Once our amazing, calm, and great sleeping baby was almost 4 months old things drastically changed. He no longer slept for hours at night, and his nap time diminished greatly during the day. I was floored as to what happened to my little angel.
Having had a very difficult, colicky, and poor sleeping baby our first time around, I was convinced that he was going to end up like that. Somehow. Someway.
He continued to be the calm, cool and collective little guy that he had always been, but when it came to sleep he was a little terror. He woke at least once an hour, demanding to be fed, but really only wanting to nurse as a means of getting back to sleep. I happily obliged because I was so exhausted and it only took about 2 minutes to get him back to sleep.
After a month of this though, my body started to really wear out. I was completely exhausted. I was losing my patience with my toddler and my husband, and growing increasingly frustrated with nearly everything. I was sleep deprived and the whole family was suffering.
I knew that something needed to be done, but I didn't want to be inconsistent in what I was doing. With the holidays upon us, and with us packing up and moving across the country, I determined that it just wasn't smart to start any type of "sleep training" because I couldn't be as consistent as I needed to be.
Finally! We moved and were settled into our new place. The kids each had their own room, and for the first time since the little guy was born, he would not be sleeping 2 feet from me. I thought for sure him being in his own bed and in his own room would make night time easier. Wrong! Did it get worse? It sure seemed like it.
The first week in our new place was exhausting! Little Miss Fits was up in arms about...well, everything! The first day we got here she threw a fit because she could only get her shirt halfway off. Then when anyone would try to help her get it all the way off she would throw another fit. If someone offered to help her put it back on, another round of fits! She cried at every turn, threw herself to the ground out of frustration, and walked around whining like her life depended on it. Exhausting!
Something needed to be done! And the first step was getting the little guy to sleep. I just knew that if he could sleep better, we would all be better. Or at least, I knew that I would be better. And I think that a happy and restful mama is the key to having a happy family.
My minimal cry approach:
I am not a proponent for cry it out. I have read up on all of the different methods and strategies for getting your baby to sleep better/longer, and I know what I am comfortable with. Crying it out just isn't for me. At least not in the traditional sense.
I opted for the longer and longer method, with my own twist. The twist was simply that I never let him cry longer than 4 minutes before I went in there.
I braced myself for a LONG week of crying and very little sleep. I told my husband that it would only get worse before it got better and that I would need lots of grace because of how terrible it would be!
Night 1: I did the usual bedtime routine with the little guy; bath, jammies, nursing and night night. I laid him down awake, gave him his paci and said "Night night little guy. Mommy loves you", and walked out of the room.
When he started crying I waited two minutes, went in and gave him his paci and said "Night night little guy. Mommy loves you", and again walked out of the room.
Then I went in after 3 minutes of crying, then 4 minutes and then 4 minutes again. By that 4th time of going in he went to sleep.
He slept for 3 hours, woke up, ate and went back to sleep. Then he woke up again around 3am, and I determined that he probably wasn't hungry because it hadn't been 3 hours and we did the whole routine again. This time it only took me going in there twice. He slept until 5:30 am, ate and went back to sleep until 630. This, my friends was a HUGE success!
Night 2: I was once again prepared for a battle. We did our nightly routine, and I laid him down awake. He cried for 2 minutes, I went in, gave him his paci and said "Night night little guy. Mommy loves you", and left the room. He went right to sleep!
Woke up at 9:15 and went back to sleep after a total of 2 minutes.
Woke at 11 pm, ate and went back to sleep immediately.
Woke again at 1:30, I changed his diaper and gave him gas drops because he was farting like a grown man and fussing like his tummy hurt. Cried for a total of 8 minutes. Just as he was almost asleep, I fed him (my theory was that I didn't want to reward him with nursing after he had been crying. *shrugs* I'm new at this).
Up again at 5:30, ate and back to sleep until almost 8 am!
Night 3: I had read the third night is usually much easier. And so, since my first two nights were quite easy, I was certain that this night would be ridiculously hard. And to make matters even worse (I thought), the little guy had gotten sick.
Again, I did our usual bedtime routine and again laid him down while he was still awake. He cried for about 30 seconds and I decided to just quickly go in and give him his paci (why wait the full 2 minutes if that's all he needed?!). I said "Night night little guy. Mommy loves you", and left the room. He didn't fall right to sleep, just laid there looking around (Oh...I have a video monitor, by the way. Something I would absolutely recommend to everyone!), and in a couple of minutes he drifted off to sleep.
He woke up at 1:00 a.m, we did a quick diaper change and I fed him. He fell right back to sleep. Up again at 4, nursed him and he went right back to sleep and slept until 7:10.
Night 4: Again....bedtime routine. I put him down awake and he went to sleep after a total of 6 minutes of crying (this time I just did every 2 minutes, so I went in there 3 times before he went to sleep). He woke up at 9 pm, and because he didn't nurse very well at bedtime, I went ahead and fed him then. Up again at 11 for a diaper change and then the kid slept until 5:30 a.m!! I couldn't believe it!
Naps are going much better too. I know I haven't written about nap time, but I do the same thing- put him down awake and allow him to fall asleep on his own. I have not had one problem since beginning this new way of getting him to go to sleep. Naps are easier and longer, and bedtime has become something to look forward to, not something that I dread. AND...I am a much happier wife and mom because I am getting sleep too!
So, overall I really like this method. I have never been a proponent of cry it out, but I feel like this is a happy/healthy middle ground. If you're like me, then getting to the end of your rope in lack of sleep may push you to do things you wouldn't have done otherwise. I'm glad that I tried this approach-even though I tweaked it to my own liking-because the little guy is doing so much better!
Having had a very difficult, colicky, and poor sleeping baby our first time around, I was convinced that he was going to end up like that. Somehow. Someway.
He continued to be the calm, cool and collective little guy that he had always been, but when it came to sleep he was a little terror. He woke at least once an hour, demanding to be fed, but really only wanting to nurse as a means of getting back to sleep. I happily obliged because I was so exhausted and it only took about 2 minutes to get him back to sleep.
After a month of this though, my body started to really wear out. I was completely exhausted. I was losing my patience with my toddler and my husband, and growing increasingly frustrated with nearly everything. I was sleep deprived and the whole family was suffering.
I knew that something needed to be done, but I didn't want to be inconsistent in what I was doing. With the holidays upon us, and with us packing up and moving across the country, I determined that it just wasn't smart to start any type of "sleep training" because I couldn't be as consistent as I needed to be.
Finally! We moved and were settled into our new place. The kids each had their own room, and for the first time since the little guy was born, he would not be sleeping 2 feet from me. I thought for sure him being in his own bed and in his own room would make night time easier. Wrong! Did it get worse? It sure seemed like it.
The first week in our new place was exhausting! Little Miss Fits was up in arms about...well, everything! The first day we got here she threw a fit because she could only get her shirt halfway off. Then when anyone would try to help her get it all the way off she would throw another fit. If someone offered to help her put it back on, another round of fits! She cried at every turn, threw herself to the ground out of frustration, and walked around whining like her life depended on it. Exhausting!
Something needed to be done! And the first step was getting the little guy to sleep. I just knew that if he could sleep better, we would all be better. Or at least, I knew that I would be better. And I think that a happy and restful mama is the key to having a happy family.
My minimal cry approach:
I am not a proponent for cry it out. I have read up on all of the different methods and strategies for getting your baby to sleep better/longer, and I know what I am comfortable with. Crying it out just isn't for me. At least not in the traditional sense.
I opted for the longer and longer method, with my own twist. The twist was simply that I never let him cry longer than 4 minutes before I went in there.
I braced myself for a LONG week of crying and very little sleep. I told my husband that it would only get worse before it got better and that I would need lots of grace because of how terrible it would be!
Night 1: I did the usual bedtime routine with the little guy; bath, jammies, nursing and night night. I laid him down awake, gave him his paci and said "Night night little guy. Mommy loves you", and walked out of the room.
When he started crying I waited two minutes, went in and gave him his paci and said "Night night little guy. Mommy loves you", and again walked out of the room.
Then I went in after 3 minutes of crying, then 4 minutes and then 4 minutes again. By that 4th time of going in he went to sleep.
He slept for 3 hours, woke up, ate and went back to sleep. Then he woke up again around 3am, and I determined that he probably wasn't hungry because it hadn't been 3 hours and we did the whole routine again. This time it only took me going in there twice. He slept until 5:30 am, ate and went back to sleep until 630. This, my friends was a HUGE success!
Night 2: I was once again prepared for a battle. We did our nightly routine, and I laid him down awake. He cried for 2 minutes, I went in, gave him his paci and said "Night night little guy. Mommy loves you", and left the room. He went right to sleep!
Woke up at 9:15 and went back to sleep after a total of 2 minutes.
Woke at 11 pm, ate and went back to sleep immediately.
Woke again at 1:30, I changed his diaper and gave him gas drops because he was farting like a grown man and fussing like his tummy hurt. Cried for a total of 8 minutes. Just as he was almost asleep, I fed him (my theory was that I didn't want to reward him with nursing after he had been crying. *shrugs* I'm new at this).
Up again at 5:30, ate and back to sleep until almost 8 am!
Night 3: I had read the third night is usually much easier. And so, since my first two nights were quite easy, I was certain that this night would be ridiculously hard. And to make matters even worse (I thought), the little guy had gotten sick.
Again, I did our usual bedtime routine and again laid him down while he was still awake. He cried for about 30 seconds and I decided to just quickly go in and give him his paci (why wait the full 2 minutes if that's all he needed?!). I said "Night night little guy. Mommy loves you", and left the room. He didn't fall right to sleep, just laid there looking around (Oh...I have a video monitor, by the way. Something I would absolutely recommend to everyone!), and in a couple of minutes he drifted off to sleep.
He woke up at 1:00 a.m, we did a quick diaper change and I fed him. He fell right back to sleep. Up again at 4, nursed him and he went right back to sleep and slept until 7:10.
Night 4: Again....bedtime routine. I put him down awake and he went to sleep after a total of 6 minutes of crying (this time I just did every 2 minutes, so I went in there 3 times before he went to sleep). He woke up at 9 pm, and because he didn't nurse very well at bedtime, I went ahead and fed him then. Up again at 11 for a diaper change and then the kid slept until 5:30 a.m!! I couldn't believe it!
Naps are going much better too. I know I haven't written about nap time, but I do the same thing- put him down awake and allow him to fall asleep on his own. I have not had one problem since beginning this new way of getting him to go to sleep. Naps are easier and longer, and bedtime has become something to look forward to, not something that I dread. AND...I am a much happier wife and mom because I am getting sleep too!
So, overall I really like this method. I have never been a proponent of cry it out, but I feel like this is a happy/healthy middle ground. If you're like me, then getting to the end of your rope in lack of sleep may push you to do things you wouldn't have done otherwise. I'm glad that I tried this approach-even though I tweaked it to my own liking-because the little guy is doing so much better!
Look how happy he is!
Monday, January 13, 2014
Our Cross-country Move
Well we did it! The day finally came for us, and we moved from our snowed in apartment in Illinois to the warm and bristly Texas. I say bristly because...well, everything seems to be rough and thorny and almost dead. Phil's says it's because it's winter. I think it's just Texas. We shall see...
It was uncertain if we'd even be able to move or not. The weekend before our scheduled departure we were bombarded with a massive snow storm. The roads were literally shut down. The whole area was declared to be in a "state of emergency", and only emergency vehicles were permitted to be on the roads. Even if we tried to go out (which we...uh...did), there were massive piles of snow on the roadways and it was impossible to leave our ridiculously small town.
We were scheduled to pick up the U-haul on Sunday. Unfortunately all of our plans had to be cancelled for that day- even our plans to say goodbye to our dear friends. Monday was much of the same. Tuesday it seemed like things were clearing up a bit- we were no longer in a state of emergency and could drive on the roads. The ones that were cleared off anyway. So we made our way out into town that evening, got the U-haul trailer and loaded up the things that needed to go into storage. Phil....bless his heart, drove the 45 minutes, unloaded the trailer by himself, and got back around midnight.
We got up early the next morning and preceded to load our lives into the tiny trailer. It was a difficult task; we had zero help, had a fussy baby and a sick toddler. Not to mention the below zero temperatures and the 3 inch thick ice on our bottom 4 steps. It was miserable!
Unfortunately we were not quite finished loading the trailer and cleaning when the landlord came over to do his walk-through. But what a huge surprise! Because he came with cash in hand and gave us back our deposit anyway! He said we were by far is best tenants and he appreciated having us living in one of his apartments. Then he told us horror stories about some of the other tenants he has.
We finished cleaning and loading, and waited for my mom to come over. After all, she was helping us drive down to Texas!
By 7pm we were ready to hit the road! We drove for 3 hours and stopped to pick up my brother- who also happened to be helping us drive down (we took 2 vehicles).
All in all, the trip wasn't terrible. The kids...well they did great for having to be in the vehicle for 20 hours. We were blessed in that we had a portable dvd player to entertain Jaelyn, and even Phillip from time to time! The poor girl was sick and miserable, but she was a real trooper. The little guy wasn't too bad either, though he seriously hated being in his carseat.
Overall, I would opt to NOT drive across the country with 2 under 2 again. Someone else can drive our U-haul, but me...I'm flying!
It was uncertain if we'd even be able to move or not. The weekend before our scheduled departure we were bombarded with a massive snow storm. The roads were literally shut down. The whole area was declared to be in a "state of emergency", and only emergency vehicles were permitted to be on the roads. Even if we tried to go out (which we...uh...did), there were massive piles of snow on the roadways and it was impossible to leave our ridiculously small town.
We were scheduled to pick up the U-haul on Sunday. Unfortunately all of our plans had to be cancelled for that day- even our plans to say goodbye to our dear friends. Monday was much of the same. Tuesday it seemed like things were clearing up a bit- we were no longer in a state of emergency and could drive on the roads. The ones that were cleared off anyway. So we made our way out into town that evening, got the U-haul trailer and loaded up the things that needed to go into storage. Phil....bless his heart, drove the 45 minutes, unloaded the trailer by himself, and got back around midnight.
We got up early the next morning and preceded to load our lives into the tiny trailer. It was a difficult task; we had zero help, had a fussy baby and a sick toddler. Not to mention the below zero temperatures and the 3 inch thick ice on our bottom 4 steps. It was miserable!
Unfortunately we were not quite finished loading the trailer and cleaning when the landlord came over to do his walk-through. But what a huge surprise! Because he came with cash in hand and gave us back our deposit anyway! He said we were by far is best tenants and he appreciated having us living in one of his apartments. Then he told us horror stories about some of the other tenants he has.
We finished cleaning and loading, and waited for my mom to come over. After all, she was helping us drive down to Texas!
By 7pm we were ready to hit the road! We drove for 3 hours and stopped to pick up my brother- who also happened to be helping us drive down (we took 2 vehicles).
All in all, the trip wasn't terrible. The kids...well they did great for having to be in the vehicle for 20 hours. We were blessed in that we had a portable dvd player to entertain Jaelyn, and even Phillip from time to time! The poor girl was sick and miserable, but she was a real trooper. The little guy wasn't too bad either, though he seriously hated being in his carseat.
Overall, I would opt to NOT drive across the country with 2 under 2 again. Someone else can drive our U-haul, but me...I'm flying!
Friday, December 20, 2013
Christmas Traditions
This Christmas year is so exciting to me. I just love that we are a family of four and that we will be starting or own Christmas traditions with our kids.
The one tradition that I am most excited about is the gifts. I have decided that we will only do 4 gifts each for Christmas; something you want, something you need, something to wear and something to read.
I really want to focus on the real meaning of Christmas, and not really focus on just giving/getting many gifts. Birthdays are the time when the kids will get many gifts! I think it birthdays are awesome because you get to really focus on each individual child and just shower them with love and affection (and gifts!). But Christmas isn't really about that. It IS about love and affection, but it's not about the gifts.
As the kids get older, we will do the "Angel tree" thing, but in a different way. We will also do the four gifts for another child, and I will let the kids pick those gifts out. That way we will teach them about giving and doing for others. After all, I feel like that's more appropriate for the Christmas season.
Another tradition is Christmas jammies! Every year the family will get a pair of jammies for Christmas, and we will get to open those on Christmas Eve so we can wake up in our new jammies!
I'm just so excited to celebrate with the kids! As they get older, it will be fun to really talk about the true meaning of Christmas. Right now they are a bit young. However, we did read about baby Jesus being born, and that was also a fun new tradition to begin.
I'm looking forward to the years to come when the kids will be more involved, and we will hopefully have more kids to share the love with!
Thursday, November 14, 2013
A Period of Mourning
It’s getting closer. The restlessness within tells me that
change is just around the corner. The excitement that comes with something new,
with an adventure, has been bubbling up within me for years now. The
anticipation of what’s to come is almost too much to stand.
Our journey starts in 2 months. In 2 months we pack up all
of our belongings, say goodbye to beloved family and friends, and move to Texas
for the last part of our training Stateside. In 2 months we leave…
I am thrilled beyond belief. I am overjoyed about this
opportunity. I am excited that what I have always dreamed, what I have always
said I would do, what I know I am being called to do, is finally happening. The
preparation, the schooling, the dreaming….it’s all becoming a reality- it’s all
finally coming together. And I am filled with joy.
But I am also filled with sorrow.
When I think about leaving…I almost can’t stand it. The pain
that billows up inside of me is overwhelming. It’s not something that I have
ever experienced. It is immense heartache. It is loss. The thought of saying
goodbye brings tears to my eyes. I can’t even write this without crying.
Time and again I have asked God to take this cup from me- to
allow me to do missions in some other way. Is there a way that I can do this
and not have to leave everyone I love?
It’s bittersweet. I am so excited to go. I have wanted to do
this for years. But I’m also mourning the loss of the closeness of family and
friends. I don’t want to leave everyone. But God has called us on this journey
right now, and I know that He will ease the burden in some way. I will always
feel the sting of leaving those I love, but I am trusting that God will
somehow, someway, make it not unbearable.
But right now, I am mourning what I will be losing.
Saturday, November 9, 2013
24 Clear Signs You are a Mother
I saw this and just HAD to share it. If you are a mom, then you will totally find this true and hilarious!
We asked the moms of www.wemothers.com what it means to be a mom. Here is what they told us. You know you are a mom when:
1. Instead of running from projectile vomit, you run towards it.
2. You do more in seven minutes than most people do all day.
3. Happy hour has become the 60 minutes between your kids going to bed and you going to bed.
4. A night of drinking requires more recovery time than minor surgery.
5. A glass of wine counts as a serving of fruit.
6. You have mini-therapy sessions all day long with anyone who will listen.
7. Going to the grocery store by yourself is a vacation.
8. You can experience heaven and hell at the same time.
9. You think of physical pain on three levels: pain, excruciating pain and stepping on a Lego.
10. You have the ability to hear a sneeze through closed doors in the middle of the night, two bedrooms away, while your SO snores next to you.
11. You'd rather have a 103 degree fever than watch one of your kids suffer with it.
12. You'd rather go to sleep than have sex.
13. A 15-minute shower with the door locked feels like a day at the spa.
14. Peeing with an audience is part of the daily routine.
15. You use baby wipes to clean up random spills and the dash of your car.
16. You lock yourself in the bathroom and pretend to have diarrhea just to get a break.
17. You love Moms' Night Out and Date Night with the Hubs.
18. You have a secret chocolate stash because frankly, you're sick of sharing.
19. You've been washing the same load of laundry for three days because you forgot to dry it.
20. You realize you've been watching Nick Jr. alone, even though your kids have been in bed for over 30 minutes.
21. You can cook dinner, breastfeed, talk on the phone and yell at the kids, all without breaking stride or missing any of the TV show you are watching.
22. You get more excited about the Mini Boden Catalogue than J Crew's.
23. You decide to stick with your car for the next decade because a) you can't afford to switch and b) you haven't found a car wash that knows how to get all the milk stains and glitter removed.
24. By the end of the day, brushing your teeth feels like a huge accomplishment.
Shared from wemothers.com
Tuesday, November 5, 2013
Breathe...just breathe
It has been a whirlwind around here the last 2 1/2 months. I cannot believe my little boy is almost 3 months old already. Really, honestly, where has the time gone?
Last week I took a breathe. Finally. I sat down and realized that these months have flown by so fast as we have rushed around preparing to move, planning for the future, going to and from doctor appointments, grocery shopping, meeting with people, etc. It has been a blur of constant go go go! Don't get me wrong, we are home a lot. There are days when we don't even leave the house. And there are times when it is quiet and it is calm. But it seems like even in those moments, those rare moments, my mind is racing with a million things to do. My lists stretch from one room to the next. My brain is constantly buzzing with the next project, the next email, the next phone call, the next feeding, diaper change, meal... the list...is...infinite.
But last week I took a breathe. I really did just sit. I really did just look around without my brain about to explode from overload. I really did just let the dishes and laundry go. I turned off the laptop, put away my to-do lists and just sat. And took a breathe. And it was so refreshing.
These days are going too fast. The time is flying and my babies are getting bigger. Yes, there are countless things to do. The house needs to be cleaned. That's for sure. We cannot live in a pigsty. Letters need to be written, phone calls need to be made, appointments need to be set up. That is certainly needed. We have to have support in order to move out of the country. All of this is needed, all of this is necessary. But it's also necessary to just breathe. To take a few moments, a few hours even to watch your baby sleep or your toddler attempting to put her shirt on like they are pants. Because there will come a time when your baby doesn't just sleep anywhere and your toddler can dress herself. These moments will end, but the to-do lists will always be there.
So just breathe. Take a moment and just breathe
Last week I took a breathe. Finally. I sat down and realized that these months have flown by so fast as we have rushed around preparing to move, planning for the future, going to and from doctor appointments, grocery shopping, meeting with people, etc. It has been a blur of constant go go go! Don't get me wrong, we are home a lot. There are days when we don't even leave the house. And there are times when it is quiet and it is calm. But it seems like even in those moments, those rare moments, my mind is racing with a million things to do. My lists stretch from one room to the next. My brain is constantly buzzing with the next project, the next email, the next phone call, the next feeding, diaper change, meal... the list...is...infinite.
But last week I took a breathe. I really did just sit. I really did just look around without my brain about to explode from overload. I really did just let the dishes and laundry go. I turned off the laptop, put away my to-do lists and just sat. And took a breathe. And it was so refreshing.
These days are going too fast. The time is flying and my babies are getting bigger. Yes, there are countless things to do. The house needs to be cleaned. That's for sure. We cannot live in a pigsty. Letters need to be written, phone calls need to be made, appointments need to be set up. That is certainly needed. We have to have support in order to move out of the country. All of this is needed, all of this is necessary. But it's also necessary to just breathe. To take a few moments, a few hours even to watch your baby sleep or your toddler attempting to put her shirt on like they are pants. Because there will come a time when your baby doesn't just sleep anywhere and your toddler can dress herself. These moments will end, but the to-do lists will always be there.
So just breathe. Take a moment and just breathe
Thursday, August 29, 2013
Baby has Landed
Well he made it! Little Phillip made his debut right between
his two due dates. He was born on August 15th, and he is absolutely
perfect.
Once again, the doctors were wrong in estimating his size.
He was a whopping 7.4 lbs; Just a tad smaller than his sister was. But he was
quite a long baby, measuring 22 inches.
Labor and delivery. Ah, what a story. Allow me to share my
experience. I chose to be induced upon the doctor’s request. There is always a
slight fear of induction, because I never want it to be the case where I don’t
progress and end up needing a c-section. But thankfully that has not happened!
This time with the induction I held off getting an epidural
until I just couldn’t stand it any longer. The contractions were strong, long
and very painful. But they were endurable. However, 8 hours into labor I opted
for the epidural. And let me tell you…that experience was worse than the
contractions! Looking back now, I probably could have held off on that because
it was less than an hour later that I delivered my son. Hindsight, ya know.
Anyway…the lady administering the giant needle to my spine
had to have been in her 90’s. My initial thought: who let’s an elderly lady
near a needle?! Yes, it was a disaster. She didn’t get it at first. And then
she made it out like it was my fault. Apparently I wasn’t leaning over
properly. Well thanks for giving me those instructions BEFORE you attempted to
stick a needle in my spine! And it’s not like the contractions decided to stop
while this was taking place. Misery. Complete misery.
After that ordeal and the dreadfully old and mean epidural
lady and all the nurses left, Phil finally came back in the room and suggested
that I try to get some sleep. I thought that was a fabulous idea! He turned out
the lights and left me to get some rest. Well that lasted all of 20 minutes.
Suddenly I started to feel some immense pressure- like
perhaps I needed to go to the bathroom. And I panicked a little because I
remembered from last time that if you feel that kind of pressure, it’s time to
push. I reached for the call light. No call light. Where was that call light?!
The old lady must have moved it and forgot to put it back. I was reaching all
over the place trying to get that call light. In my effort to find it, I
managed to knock my cell phone onto the floor. Now I was really panicking! It’s
not like I can just get out of bed and get it. My legs don’t work!!
Then I remembered that hospital beds have call light buttons
on them. So I frantically push it. Nothing! It’s not working at all. I was
trying to figure out how I was going to deliver my baby in the dark hospital
room all by myself, when suddenly the nurse walks in an nonchalantly says “Well
it’s the end of my shift. So and so is here and she will be your nurse for the
rest of the night” (she probably said the girls name, and not actually so and
so). Before she could finish her whole sentence I said “Something’s happening!
I think I have to poop”. Now, I’m really not sure why I said that last part. I
knew that I didn’t really have to poop. And that’s such an awkward thing to
say!
She calmly said “Well we will have the other nurse check
you”, at which time the other nurse walks in, checks to see how dilated I am
and announces “There’s a head!”. Immediately the lights come on, the nurses get
busy preparing the room, someone is scrambling to call the doctor, and I’m
trying really hard not to push or cry.
I asked one of the nurses if I could have my cell phone to
call my husband. I thought for sure I would be delivering the baby without Phil
there. Luckily though, Phil, my mom and the doctor all came in just in time. 3
or 4 pushes later, little Phillip was born!
Aside from the painful epidural and the fear of thinking I’d
deliver by myself, the whole thing was a piece of cake. I pushed for about 10
minutes. That was even easier than with Jaelyn, where I pushed for about 30
minutes.
And that, my friends, is my birth story.
The end.
Well, not the end. Here are some pictures of my gorgeous baby boy, and then it’s the end:
Monday, August 12, 2013
Due Date...
Well it's happened again. My due date has come and gone. I thought
for sure that this pregnancy would result in an early delivery. No such luck.
I suppose though, that I do have another
week. After all, the doctor decided to change my due date not that long ago.
How unfair to go the majority of your pregnancy believing your due date was on
August 12, only to be told that no, your due date is now August 19th. Who wants
to wait an extra week?!
Yes yes, I'm close. I get that. It’s just
one more week. Well try telling that to a woman who had been anticipating the
arrival of this precious little baby for over 9 months already. A week is a big
deal! Not to mention…I feel like I’ve been pregnant for 2 years! We found out
we were pregnant when Jaelyn was 5 months old. Only five months of not being
pregnant from August 2011 to August 2013. So yeah, a week is a big deal, thank
you very much.
My doctor wants to induce on Thursday if he hasn’t made his debut
by then. She thinks that he is already a big boy and doesn’t want me to wait
too much longer for fear of him getting even bigger. Well thank you doctor, for
your educated guess. I am all for evicting this baby out of me, but I can’t
take seriously your guess at how big he really is. After all, my previous
doctor with Jaelyn was convinced that she was going to be quite large and
scheduled me for an induction. She wasn’t even 8 pounds! Thankfully everything
went very well and there were no complications with the induction, but I really
don’t want to be induced again.
I want to go into labor naturally. But I also don’t want to wait
another 2 weeks. Once again, I’ve tried all of the natural home induction
methods to no avail. Obviously they are just a myth. Obviously. But I at least
like to believe that it is doing something- even if that something is simply me
doing anything to pass the time. Even if it’s not doing one darn thing, it sure
is fun to try.
There have been a couple of times that we were sure it was “go
time”. Contractions getting quite painful and 5-7 minutes apart. Eventually
though, just before we decide to actually go to the hospital, they end up
subsiding. So FRUSTRATING! But it’s also quite promising. I know that my body
is preparing itself for labor. Unlike last time when I really didn’t experience
any contractions prior to being induced, I am having contractions daily. I’m
convinced it will happen eventually. As they say…the baby will come when the
baby is ready (Gosh I really hate that saying).
And so we wait…
Thursday, August 1, 2013
A Tribute to Moms
I have been reading Tender Mercies for a Mother's Soul. It's an amazing book- encouraging, inspiring, uplifting, and very practical. I love it! Every time I pick it up I just get refreshed and renewed.
In this last chapter that I read, there was a blurb from "A Tribute to Mothers". It was so good. I actually teared up several times. Maybe it was just from the pregnancy hormones. I don't know. It doesn't matter. This tribute just got me thinking about children, my children, and what I would do for them. I know Jaelyn is only one and baby boy Kemp isn't even here yet. But that doesn't matter. I would do anything for my kiddos. A mother's love is so unique. I wish I could explain it. But if you're a mom, you know exactly what I mean. And if you're a mom, then this tribute is for you!!
In this last chapter that I read, there was a blurb from "A Tribute to Mothers". It was so good. I actually teared up several times. Maybe it was just from the pregnancy hormones. I don't know. It doesn't matter. This tribute just got me thinking about children, my children, and what I would do for them. I know Jaelyn is only one and baby boy Kemp isn't even here yet. But that doesn't matter. I would do anything for my kiddos. A mother's love is so unique. I wish I could explain it. But if you're a mom, you know exactly what I mean. And if you're a mom, then this tribute is for you!!
A Tribute To Mothers
Author Unknown
This is for the mothers who have sat up all night with sick toddlers in their arms..., wiping up puke laced with Oscar Mayer wieners and cherry Kool-Aid saying, "It's okay honey, Mommy's here".
Who have sat in rocking chairs for hours on end soothing crying babies who can't be comforted.
This is for all the mothers who show up at work with spit-up in their hair and milk stains on their blouses and diapers in their purse.
For all the mothers who run carpools and make cookies and sew Halloween costumes. And all the mothers who DON'T.
This is for the mothers who gave birth to babies they'll never see. And the mothers who took those babies and gave them homes.
This is for the mothers whose priceless art collections are hanging on their refrigerator doors.
And for all the mothers who froze their buns on metal bleachers at football, hockey, baseball or soccer games instead of watching from the warmth of their cars, so that when their kids asked, "Did you see me, Mom?" they could say, "Of course, I wouldn't have missed it for the world," and mean it.
This is for all the mothers who yell at their kids in the grocery store and swat them in despair when they stomp their feet and scream for ice cream before dinner. And for all the mothers who count to ten instead, but realize how child abuse happens.
This is for all the mothers who sat down with their children and explained all about making babies. And for all the mothers who wanted to, but just couldn't find the words.
This is for all the mothers who go hungry, so their children can eat.
For all the mothers who read "Goodnight, Moon" twice a night for a year. And then read it again. "Just one more time."
This is for all the mothers who taught their children to tie their shoelaces before they started school. And for all the mothers who opted for Velcro instead.
This is for all the mothers who teach their sons to cook and their daughters to sink a jump shot.
This is for every mother whose head turns automatically when a little voice calls "Mom?" in a crowd, even though they know their own offspring are at home -- or even away at college.
This is for all the mothers who sent their kids t o school with stomach aches, assuring them they'd be just FINE once they got there, only to get calls from the school nurse an hour later asking them to please pick them up. Right away.
This is for mothers whose children have gone astray, who can't find the words to reach them.
For all the mothers who bite their lips until they bleed when their 14 year olds dye their hair green.
For all the mothers of the victims of recent school shootings, and the mothers of those who did the shooting. For the mothers of the survivors, and the mothers who sat in front of their TVs in horror, hugging their child who just came home from school, safely.
This is for all the mothers who taught their children to be peaceful, and now pray they come home safely from a war.
What makes a good Mother anyway? Is it patience? Compassion? Broad hips? The ability to nurse a baby, cook dinner, and sew a button on a shirt, all at the same time? Or is it in her heart?
Is it the ache you feel when you watch your son or daughter disappear down the street, walking to school alone for the very first time? The jolt that takes you from sleep to dread, from bed to crib at 2 A.M. to put your hand on the back of a sleeping baby?
The panic, years later, that comes again at 2 A.M. when you just want to hear their key in the door and know they are safe again in your home? Or the need to flee from wherever you are and hug your child when you hear news of a fire, a car accident, a child dying?
The emotions of motherhood are universal and so our thoughts are for young mothers stumbling through diaper changes and sleep deprivation...And mature mothers learn to let go.
For working mothers and stay-at-home mothers.
Single mothers and married mothers. Mothers with money, mothers without
This is for the mothers who have sat up all night with sick toddlers in their arms..., wiping up puke laced with Oscar Mayer wieners and cherry Kool-Aid saying, "It's okay honey, Mommy's here".
Who have sat in rocking chairs for hours on end soothing crying babies who can't be comforted.
This is for all the mothers who show up at work with spit-up in their hair and milk stains on their blouses and diapers in their purse.
For all the mothers who run carpools and make cookies and sew Halloween costumes. And all the mothers who DON'T.
This is for the mothers who gave birth to babies they'll never see. And the mothers who took those babies and gave them homes.
This is for the mothers whose priceless art collections are hanging on their refrigerator doors.
And for all the mothers who froze their buns on metal bleachers at football, hockey, baseball or soccer games instead of watching from the warmth of their cars, so that when their kids asked, "Did you see me, Mom?" they could say, "Of course, I wouldn't have missed it for the world," and mean it.
This is for all the mothers who yell at their kids in the grocery store and swat them in despair when they stomp their feet and scream for ice cream before dinner. And for all the mothers who count to ten instead, but realize how child abuse happens.
This is for all the mothers who sat down with their children and explained all about making babies. And for all the mothers who wanted to, but just couldn't find the words.
This is for all the mothers who go hungry, so their children can eat.
For all the mothers who read "Goodnight, Moon" twice a night for a year. And then read it again. "Just one more time."
This is for all the mothers who taught their children to tie their shoelaces before they started school. And for all the mothers who opted for Velcro instead.
This is for all the mothers who teach their sons to cook and their daughters to sink a jump shot.
This is for every mother whose head turns automatically when a little voice calls "Mom?" in a crowd, even though they know their own offspring are at home -- or even away at college.
This is for all the mothers who sent their kids t o school with stomach aches, assuring them they'd be just FINE once they got there, only to get calls from the school nurse an hour later asking them to please pick them up. Right away.
This is for mothers whose children have gone astray, who can't find the words to reach them.
For all the mothers who bite their lips until they bleed when their 14 year olds dye their hair green.
For all the mothers of the victims of recent school shootings, and the mothers of those who did the shooting. For the mothers of the survivors, and the mothers who sat in front of their TVs in horror, hugging their child who just came home from school, safely.
This is for all the mothers who taught their children to be peaceful, and now pray they come home safely from a war.
What makes a good Mother anyway? Is it patience? Compassion? Broad hips? The ability to nurse a baby, cook dinner, and sew a button on a shirt, all at the same time? Or is it in her heart?
Is it the ache you feel when you watch your son or daughter disappear down the street, walking to school alone for the very first time? The jolt that takes you from sleep to dread, from bed to crib at 2 A.M. to put your hand on the back of a sleeping baby?
The panic, years later, that comes again at 2 A.M. when you just want to hear their key in the door and know they are safe again in your home? Or the need to flee from wherever you are and hug your child when you hear news of a fire, a car accident, a child dying?
The emotions of motherhood are universal and so our thoughts are for young mothers stumbling through diaper changes and sleep deprivation...And mature mothers learn to let go.
For working mothers and stay-at-home mothers.
Single mothers and married mothers. Mothers with money, mothers without
Wednesday, July 3, 2013
The Second Time Around
Let's just be honest here. The second pregnancy is not as glamorous as the first. Not only do other people pay less attention to you and your expanding belly, but YOU even pay less attention to yourself.
Here are the differences I have noticed the second time around:
1. How many weeks am I?!: Well that's a good question! My first pregnancy I knew exactly how far along I was, what size fruit the baby measured up to, how many days until my due date, and every tiny little detail for that specific week. This time...I'm lucky to know what month I'm in!
2. Exercise: What's that?! When I was pregnant with Jaelyn I walked constantly. Everyday. For miles. I coax whoever I could to taking long walks with me. Sometimes just around the park, sometimes all the way to the store to get some donuts (Hey, I was pregnant, don't judge!). This time...taking a five minute stroll sends my uterus into overdrive! Nevermind going to the grocery store!
3. Cravings: My first pregnancy I craved junk food- donuts, chocolate milk, anything sweet! I also really wanted pickles with caesar dressing. This time...I want cottage cheese (which I HATE, by the way) and I have been craving water like non other. Water? Really?
4. Pain/sickness: With Jaelyn, being pregnant was so easy. It was seriously a breeze. I was rarely sick, I hardly had any kind of pain, and I don't even remember getting Braxton Hicks. I was walking miles with that child when I was past my due date! This time around... I have been sick almost constantly. Bronchitis has been my nemesis! I'm in terrible pain- pain that I don't even remember having when I was in Labor with Jaelyn!
5. Weight: Yes, that's right, I'm going to mention weight on here. When I was pregnant with Jaelyn I gained close to 50 lbs. Yikes! Right? Yes, I know. I was hideous. This time...It's taken me nearly 9 months just to hit the 15 lb mark. Perhaps taking care of an overactive toddler (and all the water I'm craving!) has a little something to do with that. And hey...who's complaining?! Certainly not me.
6. Naps: What's that? When I was pregnant with Jaelyn I was napping ALL the time. I was also completely lazy and put myself on bed rest almost every day. I watched television shows with a friend and ate junk food and drank blue slushies...almost every day. This time...I don't have that luxury. It's hard to find moments of rest and relaxation with a very active toddler in the house!
7. Patience: Okay...let's just be honest here Sarah. At first, I told myself that I would be super patient with this second baby- knowing that, in the end, there would be an infant. A cute, but very needy and sleep depriving infant. And so, for the majority of this pregnancy, I have been extremely patient. Probably mostly because I don't have the time of day to dwell on this pregnancy or think about what it will be like to hold this cute little bundle of love. But these past few weeks...Oh my goodness! I've become SUPER impatient. I feel like I've been pregnant for Years! I am so ready to not be pregnant. I am so ready to have this baby already! And so, this time around is just the same as with Jaelyn. Although, I think I held off a bit longer this time!
Here are the differences I have noticed the second time around:
1. How many weeks am I?!: Well that's a good question! My first pregnancy I knew exactly how far along I was, what size fruit the baby measured up to, how many days until my due date, and every tiny little detail for that specific week. This time...I'm lucky to know what month I'm in!
2. Exercise: What's that?! When I was pregnant with Jaelyn I walked constantly. Everyday. For miles. I coax whoever I could to taking long walks with me. Sometimes just around the park, sometimes all the way to the store to get some donuts (Hey, I was pregnant, don't judge!). This time...taking a five minute stroll sends my uterus into overdrive! Nevermind going to the grocery store!
3. Cravings: My first pregnancy I craved junk food- donuts, chocolate milk, anything sweet! I also really wanted pickles with caesar dressing. This time...I want cottage cheese (which I HATE, by the way) and I have been craving water like non other. Water? Really?
4. Pain/sickness: With Jaelyn, being pregnant was so easy. It was seriously a breeze. I was rarely sick, I hardly had any kind of pain, and I don't even remember getting Braxton Hicks. I was walking miles with that child when I was past my due date! This time around... I have been sick almost constantly. Bronchitis has been my nemesis! I'm in terrible pain- pain that I don't even remember having when I was in Labor with Jaelyn!
5. Weight: Yes, that's right, I'm going to mention weight on here. When I was pregnant with Jaelyn I gained close to 50 lbs. Yikes! Right? Yes, I know. I was hideous. This time...It's taken me nearly 9 months just to hit the 15 lb mark. Perhaps taking care of an overactive toddler (and all the water I'm craving!) has a little something to do with that. And hey...who's complaining?! Certainly not me.
6. Naps: What's that? When I was pregnant with Jaelyn I was napping ALL the time. I was also completely lazy and put myself on bed rest almost every day. I watched television shows with a friend and ate junk food and drank blue slushies...almost every day. This time...I don't have that luxury. It's hard to find moments of rest and relaxation with a very active toddler in the house!
7. Patience: Okay...let's just be honest here Sarah. At first, I told myself that I would be super patient with this second baby- knowing that, in the end, there would be an infant. A cute, but very needy and sleep depriving infant. And so, for the majority of this pregnancy, I have been extremely patient. Probably mostly because I don't have the time of day to dwell on this pregnancy or think about what it will be like to hold this cute little bundle of love. But these past few weeks...Oh my goodness! I've become SUPER impatient. I feel like I've been pregnant for Years! I am so ready to not be pregnant. I am so ready to have this baby already! And so, this time around is just the same as with Jaelyn. Although, I think I held off a bit longer this time!
Wednesday, May 29, 2013
One already?!
Wow. I cannot believe it has already been one year since I brought that precious bundle home from the hospital (the precious bundle that turned out to be colicky and oh so difficult to handle at times!).
My how much changes in just a short little year. I used to think that a year was SO LONG. But now, looking back, it went quite fast. So much happened and changed in that short little year. Jaelyn went from being a helpless little babe that cried almost constantly, to a relatively independent toddler that feeds herself, practically runs now and gets into everything!
Sometimes I still can't believe that she is walking. It's just a marvel that her tiny little legs hold her up and move her about. Of course, she's still a bit clumsy and awkward on those little legs. But to think that just a few short months ago she couldn't even crawl. And now, instead of being a four-legged creature, she has joined the ranks of two-legged humanity! What a feat!
In this year so much has changed- not just with Jaelyn, but in mine and Phil's life as well.
- We had a giant fundraiser and sold a large portion of our stuff in order to raise money for training purposes.
- We packed up (what little we had left) and moved to a different state, to live with family.
- Our plans quickly changed once we were surprised with a pregnancy!
- We were completely devastated and heartbroken when we lost that baby at just 2 months pregnant.
- We were beyond blessed and overjoyed to discover that, just a few short weeks later, we were once again pregnant. And we are happy to announce that this little baby boy is doing so well! We are excited to meet him in August!
- We decided to go to West Africa, in hopes of doing some Community Development work with the nationals there
- We moved to our own apartment (since we are a growing family and will be in the area for a bit longer)
- We celebrated our 3 year wedding anniversary!!
- And we watched our precious baby girl become a One year old!
Wow. What a year!
My how much changes in just a short little year. I used to think that a year was SO LONG. But now, looking back, it went quite fast. So much happened and changed in that short little year. Jaelyn went from being a helpless little babe that cried almost constantly, to a relatively independent toddler that feeds herself, practically runs now and gets into everything!
Sometimes I still can't believe that she is walking. It's just a marvel that her tiny little legs hold her up and move her about. Of course, she's still a bit clumsy and awkward on those little legs. But to think that just a few short months ago she couldn't even crawl. And now, instead of being a four-legged creature, she has joined the ranks of two-legged humanity! What a feat!
In this year so much has changed- not just with Jaelyn, but in mine and Phil's life as well.
- We had a giant fundraiser and sold a large portion of our stuff in order to raise money for training purposes.
- We packed up (what little we had left) and moved to a different state, to live with family.
- Our plans quickly changed once we were surprised with a pregnancy!
- We were completely devastated and heartbroken when we lost that baby at just 2 months pregnant.
- We were beyond blessed and overjoyed to discover that, just a few short weeks later, we were once again pregnant. And we are happy to announce that this little baby boy is doing so well! We are excited to meet him in August!
- We decided to go to West Africa, in hopes of doing some Community Development work with the nationals there
- We moved to our own apartment (since we are a growing family and will be in the area for a bit longer)
- We celebrated our 3 year wedding anniversary!!
- And we watched our precious baby girl become a One year old!
Wow. What a year!
And here are some great pictures of Jaelyn!
Newborn!
One Month
2 Months
3 Months
4 Months
5 Months
6 Months
7 Months
8 Months
9 Months
10 Months
11 Months
12 Months
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