Tonight I took the littles out (Michael and Jacob aren't home from Australia yet [they'll be home late tonight!!!!] so I only have the other 2) so I could gas up the van, grab a coffee and get our mail. We were driving back from Starbucks when I spotted an awesome babywearer!!
There was a family (mom and 3 children) who looked to be of African descent (the mom seemed she might have grown up there because of some cultural things I noticed) walking on the sidewalk on the opposite side of the road... let me paint you a picture:
9ish year old boy in front carrying a box on his head. A girl that seemed a couple years younger than the boy, carrying a grocery sack. Then mom with a young child (1 or 2 y/o) in a sling on her back - mom was also carrying a grocery bag in one hand and had another sack balanced on her head! The mom was dressed in what seemed to be cultural attire (long, printed skirt and matching top, with some sort of head covering).
It truly was an awesome and moving sight. Beyond the fact that her older two seemed very well behaved and they were out on foot walking along the sidewalk of a very busy street (Academy for you locals), they were not ashamed of their culture/heritage.
As I drove away from the light, I began to ponder her uniqueness and how extremely practical those things are. Truly, it might be beneficial if we all had proper posture and stride so we could balance things on our heads! How many times have you seriously wished you had an extra arm or two? And wearing the baby, well, we all know some of the benefits to babywearing (closeness, security for baby, free hands for mom, etc.). Modesty in dress, that doesn't really need an explanation.
** I do not personally know this family and cannot attest to anything about them. My speculation of ethnic origin is based on the cultural things I noticed and the very beautiful, dark skin tone they all had. I could be COMPLETELY wrong and I am aware of that. It's just a hypothesis, OK?**
Showing posts with label parenting. Show all posts
Showing posts with label parenting. Show all posts
Friday, July 17, 2009
Friday, June 12, 2009
What do you wear?
Stephanie at Adventures in Babywearing is hosting a linkup today. It's all about showcasing what/how you wear your kids, and I thought it would be great to participate!!
This is the back carry in the Beco Butterfly II (purchased at a local cloth diaper shop). I use the back carry mostly for hiking or things where we'll be doing a lot of walking.
This is my brown linen ring sling. I ordered it from Li'l Peeper Keepers on Etsy and we love it! It's awesome for sleeping babies (especially in airports or on flights).
This is my Hotsling (it's a pouch)! This is my pick for ease and quickness! Rachael currently prefers being in the Beco (I also prefer her in the Beco), but if we're in a hurry, this one just slips on and I pop her in and we're ready to go! Also, a great plus to this sling is that it's available at Target. I bought mine at a Super Target and was able to try it on to test out the fit!!
This is the front carry in the Beco Butterfly II. I LOVE this carrier. It's not the quickest of my stash, but it's definitely the most comfy and having both hands completely free (rather than one shoulder not having full motion) is awesome! I was a bit apprehensive about how structured it is, having tried one of those Bjorn type things and none of my kids liked being in it and I was never able to get it comfy, but this one has definitely proven it's worth. My favorite feature of this carrier is the ability to secure Rachael in it before I even put it on. This allows me to be able to get her on my back safely without any help. You can also put it on and then put the child in, but I prefer to snap her in first, it just seems easier to me.
This is the back carry in the Beco Butterfly II (purchased at a local cloth diaper shop). I use the back carry mostly for hiking or things where we'll be doing a lot of walking.
This is my brown linen ring sling. I ordered it from Li'l Peeper Keepers on Etsy and we love it! It's awesome for sleeping babies (especially in airports or on flights).
This is my Hotsling (it's a pouch)! This is my pick for ease and quickness! Rachael currently prefers being in the Beco (I also prefer her in the Beco), but if we're in a hurry, this one just slips on and I pop her in and we're ready to go! Also, a great plus to this sling is that it's available at Target. I bought mine at a Super Target and was able to try it on to test out the fit!!
This is the front carry in the Beco Butterfly II. I LOVE this carrier. It's not the quickest of my stash, but it's definitely the most comfy and having both hands completely free (rather than one shoulder not having full motion) is awesome! I was a bit apprehensive about how structured it is, having tried one of those Bjorn type things and none of my kids liked being in it and I was never able to get it comfy, but this one has definitely proven it's worth. My favorite feature of this carrier is the ability to secure Rachael in it before I even put it on. This allows me to be able to get her on my back safely without any help. You can also put it on and then put the child in, but I prefer to snap her in first, it just seems easier to me.
Friday, October 17, 2008
The new normal
I'm finally starting to feel like I'm getting my brain back! You know what I'm talking about... those early days (especially once you have more than one child) are killer and it's all about survival. No attempt at routines, just do what you have to do to get thru each day. It doesn't help that I have to be a trouble maker and keep everyone on their toes with medical issues for far longer than anyone expected.
This week has been a pretty good one. Rachael is pretty consistent in her eating patterns (2.5 -3 hour intervals) and most nights she sleeps wonderfully and Jacob and Eli seem to be adjusting fine. The main problem is me learning how to get everyone dressed and fed (and I also have to work in pumping) to get out the door for school on T/TH and for the other appts. that are part of our lives (PT for Eli and lots of medical appts. for me).
I'm starting to feel like we're settling into our new normal now and that I will eventually get a hold on the morning routine. I've managed to work in school work for the boys a few times on the days they aren't at preschool and the house work is getting back to normal. I'm out of the only-do-what-NEEDS-doing phase and feel like I can actually think about getting my homemaking schedule back on track. It's nice to have laundry mostly caught up and not HAVE to do laundry because I let someone run out of undies!!!
I even had enough brain capacity to sit down yesterday and make out my meal plan for the next 2 weeks. I also made my detailed shopping list and was able to get all but 3 items at the grocery store - I recently started shopping at a new grocery store and I LOVE it - they carry much better items and more of the nourishing items that I purchase that I now don't have to get at the expensive health food store.
What I'm not excited about is the fact that Michael is leaving on Sunday for 2 weeks, then he'll be home for 8 days and leave again for another 11 days.... good ole' military! My grandmother is actually coming to visit for 9 of the days he's gone the first trip and it will be very nice to have a little help. I'm totally not ready to go it alone while he's TDY.
This week has been a pretty good one. Rachael is pretty consistent in her eating patterns (2.5 -3 hour intervals) and most nights she sleeps wonderfully and Jacob and Eli seem to be adjusting fine. The main problem is me learning how to get everyone dressed and fed (and I also have to work in pumping) to get out the door for school on T/TH and for the other appts. that are part of our lives (PT for Eli and lots of medical appts. for me).
I'm starting to feel like we're settling into our new normal now and that I will eventually get a hold on the morning routine. I've managed to work in school work for the boys a few times on the days they aren't at preschool and the house work is getting back to normal. I'm out of the only-do-what-NEEDS-doing phase and feel like I can actually think about getting my homemaking schedule back on track. It's nice to have laundry mostly caught up and not HAVE to do laundry because I let someone run out of undies!!!
I even had enough brain capacity to sit down yesterday and make out my meal plan for the next 2 weeks. I also made my detailed shopping list and was able to get all but 3 items at the grocery store - I recently started shopping at a new grocery store and I LOVE it - they carry much better items and more of the nourishing items that I purchase that I now don't have to get at the expensive health food store.
What I'm not excited about is the fact that Michael is leaving on Sunday for 2 weeks, then he'll be home for 8 days and leave again for another 11 days.... good ole' military! My grandmother is actually coming to visit for 9 of the days he's gone the first trip and it will be very nice to have a little help. I'm totally not ready to go it alone while he's TDY.
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Milkies!!
Why is it that nursing hasn't been in the cards for me?
* When Jacob was born I didn't have enough support and I was too shy/intimidated to contact a lactation consultant. His latch was terrible - even though the nurses in the hospital swore that there was nothing wrong with it - and he caused cracking, bleeding and TONS of pain (but I also think I may be more sensitive in the milky area because I have an EXTREMELY high pain tolerance otherwise). I ended up pumping and feeding him breastmilk from a bottle from about 5 days old. However, that only lasted until he was about 8 weeks old because I got a really bad mastitis infection and that combined with bad information and a husband who had deployed when he was 6 weeks old made me throw in the towel. It was sad, but at the time I did what I thought was best, I know better now..... and I regret having given up so early.
* With Eli, I had decided to pump exclusively once home from the hospital based on the fact that I thought I wasn't cut out to nurse, but I do know breastmilk is best and I can produce and pump effectively. So, that is what we did and it was working well. Then when Eli was 6 weeks old I developed huge complications and my body stopped producing milk. It was quite the shock because I went from plenty to NOTHING in a matter of about 24 hours.... Strange, no? By the time I was better, about 4 weeks later, I couldn't be bothered trying to make myself start producing again, so he stayed on formula.
* With Rachael I have managed to be solely pumping again.... argh. Her latch was PERFECT and she was only causing a little soreness (which is normal in the first few days). Then I landed in the ICU and they were only allowed to bring her to me for feedings for very short times. I felt pressured and uncomfortable being on a time limit and it just stressed me out to think that she had to eat all she wanted in the short time span they were allowed to bring her out of the Mother/Baby Unit to the floor I was on, so I had Michael bring my pump to the hospital so I could pump between her feedings and just bottle feed her.
My goal was to get her off the bottle as soon as we got home and I even talked to the lactation consultant before I left the hospital and she gave me some tips on how to achieve this and told me it may take up to 2 weeks to get her completely off the bottle. The second day we were home, I decided to give it a go and it was terrible. I tried all day (every feeding) and realized that I just did not have the energy to do it. Little did I know I was about to experience more complications that would put me back in the hospital and I would be separated from her again and her already being on a bottle actually came in handy.
So here I am, Rachael will be 3 weeks tomorrow and I am exclusively pumping. It's not the easiest thing in the world to do either because I have a 4 yr. old, 2 yr. old and her, but I know it's best and I'll keep doing it as long as I'm able and don't feel too overwhelmed with trying to keep up. It's actually a bit of a blessing to be able to do it this way because I have 17 bags stored in the freezer (7-8 oz. each) already and I'm still able to produce more than she's eating at this point. I don't know how long that will last (I'm taking a bit of Fenugreek and can always increase that if I get low) so it's good to know that I have some in the freezer in case I can't keep up.
* When Jacob was born I didn't have enough support and I was too shy/intimidated to contact a lactation consultant. His latch was terrible - even though the nurses in the hospital swore that there was nothing wrong with it - and he caused cracking, bleeding and TONS of pain (but I also think I may be more sensitive in the milky area because I have an EXTREMELY high pain tolerance otherwise). I ended up pumping and feeding him breastmilk from a bottle from about 5 days old. However, that only lasted until he was about 8 weeks old because I got a really bad mastitis infection and that combined with bad information and a husband who had deployed when he was 6 weeks old made me throw in the towel. It was sad, but at the time I did what I thought was best, I know better now..... and I regret having given up so early.
* With Eli, I had decided to pump exclusively once home from the hospital based on the fact that I thought I wasn't cut out to nurse, but I do know breastmilk is best and I can produce and pump effectively. So, that is what we did and it was working well. Then when Eli was 6 weeks old I developed huge complications and my body stopped producing milk. It was quite the shock because I went from plenty to NOTHING in a matter of about 24 hours.... Strange, no? By the time I was better, about 4 weeks later, I couldn't be bothered trying to make myself start producing again, so he stayed on formula.
* With Rachael I have managed to be solely pumping again.... argh. Her latch was PERFECT and she was only causing a little soreness (which is normal in the first few days). Then I landed in the ICU and they were only allowed to bring her to me for feedings for very short times. I felt pressured and uncomfortable being on a time limit and it just stressed me out to think that she had to eat all she wanted in the short time span they were allowed to bring her out of the Mother/Baby Unit to the floor I was on, so I had Michael bring my pump to the hospital so I could pump between her feedings and just bottle feed her.
My goal was to get her off the bottle as soon as we got home and I even talked to the lactation consultant before I left the hospital and she gave me some tips on how to achieve this and told me it may take up to 2 weeks to get her completely off the bottle. The second day we were home, I decided to give it a go and it was terrible. I tried all day (every feeding) and realized that I just did not have the energy to do it. Little did I know I was about to experience more complications that would put me back in the hospital and I would be separated from her again and her already being on a bottle actually came in handy.
So here I am, Rachael will be 3 weeks tomorrow and I am exclusively pumping. It's not the easiest thing in the world to do either because I have a 4 yr. old, 2 yr. old and her, but I know it's best and I'll keep doing it as long as I'm able and don't feel too overwhelmed with trying to keep up. It's actually a bit of a blessing to be able to do it this way because I have 17 bags stored in the freezer (7-8 oz. each) already and I'm still able to produce more than she's eating at this point. I don't know how long that will last (I'm taking a bit of Fenugreek and can always increase that if I get low) so it's good to know that I have some in the freezer in case I can't keep up.
Friday, August 15, 2008
Overwhelmed
I know I have been missing from the blogosphere lately and I'm going to tell you why.
I am totally and utterly overwhelmed with life at this point in time.
* Hubby has been taking two classes each week (thankfully they ended on Wednesday) leaving him home only long enough to change out of his uniform and grab a bite to eat and not returning home until after I'm asleep, typically. These 2 classes (since they are short terms 5 weeks) have required LOTS of homework consisting of reading, writing papers and participating in message boards online - leaving very little time for much else on the evenings he's actually at home.
* Jacob was sick last week, hubby has been VERY sick this week and Eli now has it, too!
* Hubby has also been playing softball one evening each week, which puts him away from home most of the evening and this won't be over for several more weeks. Even though I typically take the kids to the games, it requires much extra work on my part to make sure they are playing safely and don't run out in the road or onto the field.
* Hubby has also hit end of year crunch (end of fiscal year for the military) and has started getting overloaded at work and working extra to try to keep up.
* I am 34 weeks pregnant and my brain has turned to mush....
Needless to say, I am READY to have my husband back. I don't think we've had a meaningful conversation in WEEKS and most of our conversations are either by email or text..... UGH.
Since my brain has turned to mush and being overwhelmed leaves me not really wanting to do anything (and being this far along in pregnancy tends to make me feel lazy, too), I am so far behind on things around the house that it's truly sad. Here's what has happened:
* No homeschooling for several weeks
* I vacuumed yesterday for the first time in about 3 weeks
* I have been feeding my family much more processed food than I consider acceptable
* Jacob ran completely out of shorts to wear a few days ago because I was slacking on laundry. (needless to say, ALL laundry is caught up after that because it made me feel horrible to put him in a pair of shorts that didn't fit)
* My series on modesty is on the back burner because that requires A LOT of brain power and reasearch and the ability to put coherent thoughts together.
* My grass hasn't been cut in nearly 3 weeks (it's up to Eli's knees) because Michael was sick this week and I have been asked not to cut the grass at this late stage of pregnancy - oh, and it's raining today, so it won't happen today either.
* I have one diaper that still needs to be sewn and 3 that need snaps
* I got behind with my work and am just getting caught up this weekend.
* My kids attitudes are reflecting my current attitude and I don't like it at all.
Whew - I pray that God will give me strength to make it through the next few weeks until this baby arrives. I can make it on a little sleep deprivation much easier than I can on a non-functioning brain. I know God can and will sustain me (and the rest of our family) through this time and am fully relying on Him to direct me. I also pray that my children will come out of this mommy-slump unscathed and getting them back on track will not be as difficult as I'm imagining it will be.
Any prayers you might think to offer up on behalf of our family would be greatly appreciated.
I am totally and utterly overwhelmed with life at this point in time.
* Hubby has been taking two classes each week (thankfully they ended on Wednesday) leaving him home only long enough to change out of his uniform and grab a bite to eat and not returning home until after I'm asleep, typically. These 2 classes (since they are short terms 5 weeks) have required LOTS of homework consisting of reading, writing papers and participating in message boards online - leaving very little time for much else on the evenings he's actually at home.
* Jacob was sick last week, hubby has been VERY sick this week and Eli now has it, too!
* Hubby has also been playing softball one evening each week, which puts him away from home most of the evening and this won't be over for several more weeks. Even though I typically take the kids to the games, it requires much extra work on my part to make sure they are playing safely and don't run out in the road or onto the field.
* Hubby has also hit end of year crunch (end of fiscal year for the military) and has started getting overloaded at work and working extra to try to keep up.
* I am 34 weeks pregnant and my brain has turned to mush....
Needless to say, I am READY to have my husband back. I don't think we've had a meaningful conversation in WEEKS and most of our conversations are either by email or text..... UGH.
Since my brain has turned to mush and being overwhelmed leaves me not really wanting to do anything (and being this far along in pregnancy tends to make me feel lazy, too), I am so far behind on things around the house that it's truly sad. Here's what has happened:
* No homeschooling for several weeks
* I vacuumed yesterday for the first time in about 3 weeks
* I have been feeding my family much more processed food than I consider acceptable
* Jacob ran completely out of shorts to wear a few days ago because I was slacking on laundry. (needless to say, ALL laundry is caught up after that because it made me feel horrible to put him in a pair of shorts that didn't fit)
* My series on modesty is on the back burner because that requires A LOT of brain power and reasearch and the ability to put coherent thoughts together.
* My grass hasn't been cut in nearly 3 weeks (it's up to Eli's knees) because Michael was sick this week and I have been asked not to cut the grass at this late stage of pregnancy - oh, and it's raining today, so it won't happen today either.
* I have one diaper that still needs to be sewn and 3 that need snaps
* I got behind with my work and am just getting caught up this weekend.
* My kids attitudes are reflecting my current attitude and I don't like it at all.
Whew - I pray that God will give me strength to make it through the next few weeks until this baby arrives. I can make it on a little sleep deprivation much easier than I can on a non-functioning brain. I know God can and will sustain me (and the rest of our family) through this time and am fully relying on Him to direct me. I also pray that my children will come out of this mommy-slump unscathed and getting them back on track will not be as difficult as I'm imagining it will be.
Any prayers you might think to offer up on behalf of our family would be greatly appreciated.
Friday, June 27, 2008
Busy, busy, busy
That's how I would describe my life right now.
Here's what we have going until the end of July:
~ Tumbling class for Eli at the YMCA (Tuesday mornings)
~ Swim lessons for Jacob start on Monday at the YMCA (M & W afternoons)
~ T-ball practice for Jacob, again at the Y (Tuesday evenings)
~ Michael goes to school (Tuesday evenings from 6-10)
~ Softball for Michael (Thursday evenings)
~ T-ball games for Jacob (Saturday mornings)
~ Jacob will be going to summer camp thru his preschool 1/2 days (July 7-18)
~ On July 16, Michael's new class starts (changes to Wednesdays)
That's just for the next 4 weeks (except for Michael's school classes), otherwise I might run myself into the ground and be too tired by the time Rachael gets here!
Oh wait, I forgot to mention:
~ I'm currently putting in 10-15 hours per week for my job (the one that pays $$$). I telecommute and work for the law firm I was with in Oklahoma before we moved here. The 10-15 hours per week is likely to continue for a while since they've recently lost 2 employees.
~ There's also the homemaking bit and actually spending time and playing with my kids!
~ And the homeschooling, we try to fit in a couple of hours a day.
~ We also try to squeeze in some play dates with friends.
Whew! Where am I pulling all this time from? I don't feel over extended yet, so maybe that's a good sign. We'll make it thru the next month and then things will calm down, at least for about 6 weeks.... then we'll have a baby.
Thursday, May 29, 2008
In which chaos ensues...
First - I love my kids dearly and cherish the time I am privileged to be with them every day since I don't work outside the home. This post is in no way meant to convey anger, disrespect or make it seem as though I don't appreciate them. I'm just venting.
I've had one of "THOSE" afternoons/evenings.
The earlier part of the day was normal - went to the gym, came home and the kids played while I showered, then it was lunch and naps...
After naps it all began to slide downhill. We went to the Commissary to order Eli's birthday cake (of which he can't eat because he's still off gluten and dairy - but he's back on eggs and soy with no reaction so I'm dreading what the culprit might be....that's a different post though) for his party on Saturday. I also bought a gluten free chocolate cake mix while we were there. Then we got Jacob's hair cut at the Barber shop on base and Eli started collapsing as we were leaving.
Eli got a lollipop because Jacob got a hair cut - because it's just not fair for Jacob to get one for being a good boy during the haircut and Eli to not get one. I figure one lollipop every 4-5 weeks won't hurt anyone! When his lollipop was down to a little nub I took it away and OH.MY.GOODNESS he totally went bonkers. SCREAMING. And I don't mean just a little crying. If he hadn't been strapped in his carseat he would have been on the ground flailing about and hitting at things (this anger issue is also a whole post in itself) screaming the whole time.
I let him carry on for a bit - because, really, what can he do while he's strapped in the carseat? We got home and to distract him I sent them out in the back yard to play. AAAAHHHH Bliss!
30 minutes outside is the limit w/o sunscreen right now since we've just started spending time in the sun. So I had 30 minutes of peace (watching out the window while checking my email!) and they came in and I put on a movie because that helps them sit still and cool down (we don't have a/c in our house). This was super good timing on my part because just as the movie started I got a phone call from a Dr. that I had been expecting for 2 days. Nothing serious - just some things I wanted to discuss about my pre-natal care. I spent 45 minutes on the phone with this dr. and apparently that was about 10 minutes too long for Eli.... because he started SCREAMING again. Sheesh.
While I was on the phone the sales guy from the builder/sales office (we live in a new house and subdivision and they are still building/selling new houses on our street) comes to my door and wants to show some potential buyers our model (theirs isn't quite finished and they can't quite grasp the concept of what the kitchen will look like when it's completed). This showing thing has been previously arranged on a you-call-me-when-you-need-to-show basis (because we get a $40 restaurant gift card everytime we let them take a peek!!!) and he tried to call but because I was on this important call I didn't answer the other line - and my garage happened to be open so he knew I was home! Needless to say, I let them in for the free restaurant gift card WHILE I WAS STILL ON THE PHONE!! I'm tacky, I know. Thankfully, they stayed less than 5 minutes! Whew.
Oh yeah, and Michael called 3 times while I was on the phone!
Finally get off the phone, and get Eli calmed down and think about getting dinner started.... thank goodness for menu plans and thawed meat! I always let the kids help me in the kitchen (when it's not something that has potential to splatter hot grease on them, etc.) and Eli was standing at his normal post (a chair pulled up to the counter) and he was goofing off so I told him if he wasn't still and careful I would 'lock' (just a gate) him in the other room..... He kept it up and eventually fell out of the chair onto the kitchen floor and I just about blew a gasket. Banished him to the other room and the SCREAMING commenced again. He screamed while I was browning the meat, heating the taco shells, cutting the veggies and seasoning the meat and was still screaming when Michael walked in the door from work.
Welcome home honey! I hate when he comes home to a screaming/fussy child, but sometimes there's just nothing I can do to calm him down - regardless of the distractions or other tactics I use. I told Michael that it had been about 2 hours of utter chaos and I felt very frazzled and like my head wasn't on straight and I couldn't think. I hate feeling like that, glad it doesn't happen very often.
The screaming fits continued thru dinner. We even went and walked around the mall for a little while afterward to just keep us from going insane until bedtime. Side note - don't think for a second we didn't try every other trick in the book first to get him into a better mood..... The mall didn't really work either, so we came home and pretty quickly got him into bed. I think he was just really tired because he never made a sound after Michael put him in bed and he usually kicks the wall, sings, talks to himself, etc. just his way of winding down.
Tomorrow is a new day. "22 -The unfailing love of the Lord never ends! By His mercies we have been kept from complete destruction. 23 - Great is His Faithfulness; His mercies afresh each day." Lamentations 3:22-23
I've had one of "THOSE" afternoons/evenings.
The earlier part of the day was normal - went to the gym, came home and the kids played while I showered, then it was lunch and naps...
After naps it all began to slide downhill. We went to the Commissary to order Eli's birthday cake (of which he can't eat because he's still off gluten and dairy - but he's back on eggs and soy with no reaction so I'm dreading what the culprit might be....that's a different post though) for his party on Saturday. I also bought a gluten free chocolate cake mix while we were there. Then we got Jacob's hair cut at the Barber shop on base and Eli started collapsing as we were leaving.
Eli got a lollipop because Jacob got a hair cut - because it's just not fair for Jacob to get one for being a good boy during the haircut and Eli to not get one. I figure one lollipop every 4-5 weeks won't hurt anyone! When his lollipop was down to a little nub I took it away and OH.MY.GOODNESS he totally went bonkers. SCREAMING. And I don't mean just a little crying. If he hadn't been strapped in his carseat he would have been on the ground flailing about and hitting at things (this anger issue is also a whole post in itself) screaming the whole time.
I let him carry on for a bit - because, really, what can he do while he's strapped in the carseat? We got home and to distract him I sent them out in the back yard to play. AAAAHHHH Bliss!
30 minutes outside is the limit w/o sunscreen right now since we've just started spending time in the sun. So I had 30 minutes of peace (watching out the window while checking my email!) and they came in and I put on a movie because that helps them sit still and cool down (we don't have a/c in our house). This was super good timing on my part because just as the movie started I got a phone call from a Dr. that I had been expecting for 2 days. Nothing serious - just some things I wanted to discuss about my pre-natal care. I spent 45 minutes on the phone with this dr. and apparently that was about 10 minutes too long for Eli.... because he started SCREAMING again. Sheesh.
While I was on the phone the sales guy from the builder/sales office (we live in a new house and subdivision and they are still building/selling new houses on our street) comes to my door and wants to show some potential buyers our model (theirs isn't quite finished and they can't quite grasp the concept of what the kitchen will look like when it's completed). This showing thing has been previously arranged on a you-call-me-when-you-need-to-show basis (because we get a $40 restaurant gift card everytime we let them take a peek!!!) and he tried to call but because I was on this important call I didn't answer the other line - and my garage happened to be open so he knew I was home! Needless to say, I let them in for the free restaurant gift card WHILE I WAS STILL ON THE PHONE!! I'm tacky, I know. Thankfully, they stayed less than 5 minutes! Whew.
Oh yeah, and Michael called 3 times while I was on the phone!
Finally get off the phone, and get Eli calmed down and think about getting dinner started.... thank goodness for menu plans and thawed meat! I always let the kids help me in the kitchen (when it's not something that has potential to splatter hot grease on them, etc.) and Eli was standing at his normal post (a chair pulled up to the counter) and he was goofing off so I told him if he wasn't still and careful I would 'lock' (just a gate) him in the other room..... He kept it up and eventually fell out of the chair onto the kitchen floor and I just about blew a gasket. Banished him to the other room and the SCREAMING commenced again. He screamed while I was browning the meat, heating the taco shells, cutting the veggies and seasoning the meat and was still screaming when Michael walked in the door from work.
Welcome home honey! I hate when he comes home to a screaming/fussy child, but sometimes there's just nothing I can do to calm him down - regardless of the distractions or other tactics I use. I told Michael that it had been about 2 hours of utter chaos and I felt very frazzled and like my head wasn't on straight and I couldn't think. I hate feeling like that, glad it doesn't happen very often.
The screaming fits continued thru dinner. We even went and walked around the mall for a little while afterward to just keep us from going insane until bedtime. Side note - don't think for a second we didn't try every other trick in the book first to get him into a better mood..... The mall didn't really work either, so we came home and pretty quickly got him into bed. I think he was just really tired because he never made a sound after Michael put him in bed and he usually kicks the wall, sings, talks to himself, etc. just his way of winding down.
Tomorrow is a new day. "22 -The unfailing love of the Lord never ends! By His mercies we have been kept from complete destruction. 23 - Great is His Faithfulness; His mercies afresh each day." Lamentations 3:22-23
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
"Are you Mormon?"
Disclaimer: This post is not intended to offend anyone or judge anyone else's beliefs. This is my family's personal belief.
I am not asking you, the reader, this question... this is actually a question I have been asked several times over the last few years. Why? Because we want more than two children!! Seriously, that is why some people ask us this question.
I was having a coversation with a mom who is my age (with children who are 3 & 1) a few months ago and she actually just came right out and said "so, does that mean you're a mormon?" We were discussing children and how Michael and I wanted more (this was before I got pregnant with the one I'm currently carrying) and that's how the conversation went.
I know it's well known that, in general, Mormons (along with a few other 'religions/denominations') typically have several children. I'm not sure if it's because they don't believe in birth control, or if they simply allow God to bless them with however many children he chooses, or for some other reason.
I don't really know a lot about very many other 'cultures', so I can't tell you what it's like in other countries, but I think there is some unspoken rule in this country that you are NOT suppose to want more than two kids. If it happens, oops, but you can never actually plan to have more than that. In my opinion, this is a terrible way of thinking. I believe God created us to "be fruitful and multiply" and following His will is #1. Trusting in God is the only way to do anything. This includes the number of children you have. God should determine that - not society, family trends, finances, etc. I belive if you truly trust God and put all things at His feet, the rest will fall into place (not to say that doesn't take a tremendous amount of faith, obedience and going-against-the-world, but isn't that what God commands anyway?)
This is not to say that I'm judging those who have decided to stop at one or two children, because that would be wrong of me. I just wish more people would prayerfully consider what God really wants for their lives and truly let God lead them in the proper direction (not just in this, but in all things).
How many children will we have? I honestly don't know. God has not given us a number. We take it one at a time and if we feel that God is leading us to have another after this one, then we will definitely do so.
PS - I only have 2 siblings, but Michael has SIX. His parents were divorced when he was very young (around 2) and they both remarried when he was also young. His mom went on to have one more child (I'm not sure of circumstances, this may have been a medical decision....because she has many times mentioned how she would have liked to have had more) and his dad went on to have FIVE more children. Michael's dad is also one of FIVE and 4 of those 5 children all have more than 2 children of their own.
I am not asking you, the reader, this question... this is actually a question I have been asked several times over the last few years. Why? Because we want more than two children!! Seriously, that is why some people ask us this question.
I was having a coversation with a mom who is my age (with children who are 3 & 1) a few months ago and she actually just came right out and said "so, does that mean you're a mormon?" We were discussing children and how Michael and I wanted more (this was before I got pregnant with the one I'm currently carrying) and that's how the conversation went.
I know it's well known that, in general, Mormons (along with a few other 'religions/denominations') typically have several children. I'm not sure if it's because they don't believe in birth control, or if they simply allow God to bless them with however many children he chooses, or for some other reason.
I don't really know a lot about very many other 'cultures', so I can't tell you what it's like in other countries, but I think there is some unspoken rule in this country that you are NOT suppose to want more than two kids. If it happens, oops, but you can never actually plan to have more than that. In my opinion, this is a terrible way of thinking. I believe God created us to "be fruitful and multiply" and following His will is #1. Trusting in God is the only way to do anything. This includes the number of children you have. God should determine that - not society, family trends, finances, etc. I belive if you truly trust God and put all things at His feet, the rest will fall into place (not to say that doesn't take a tremendous amount of faith, obedience and going-against-the-world, but isn't that what God commands anyway?)
This is not to say that I'm judging those who have decided to stop at one or two children, because that would be wrong of me. I just wish more people would prayerfully consider what God really wants for their lives and truly let God lead them in the proper direction (not just in this, but in all things).
How many children will we have? I honestly don't know. God has not given us a number. We take it one at a time and if we feel that God is leading us to have another after this one, then we will definitely do so.
PS - I only have 2 siblings, but Michael has SIX. His parents were divorced when he was very young (around 2) and they both remarried when he was also young. His mom went on to have one more child (I'm not sure of circumstances, this may have been a medical decision....because she has many times mentioned how she would have liked to have had more) and his dad went on to have FIVE more children. Michael's dad is also one of FIVE and 4 of those 5 children all have more than 2 children of their own.
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
What would you have done?
Read this story and see how ridiculous it is that this mom is on trial for child endangerment.
I know I've done things like this with my kids and would be totally shocked if I were arrested for it. I frequently leave Eli in the buckled in his carseat, locked van in the preschool parking lot while I go inside to drop off/pick up Jacob and the two boys I babysit. In my opinion, he's much safer inside the locked van than he would be if I took him inside and let him run around unattended (while trying to get coats, hats and backpacks hung up for 3 children) while the door to the preschool stands open where he could just run out.
I can also think of one time when I left both of them locked in the van while I ran in to the gas station to pay for my gas (because I was in desperate need of gas and the place didn't have pay-at-the-pump...). But seriously, I was only 10-15 yards away and could see them the entire time.
Let me just say that I am VERY leary about leaving my kids unattended, even in the locked vehicle, but sometimes there are circumstances where I think it's ok for several reasons.... I would NEVER do it in a "shady" place, or if I were going to be gone more than just a few minutes, or leave the van unlocked, or on a hot day, etc. But, in reality, it snows a ton here, can be extremely cold, there can be icy walking conditions in parking lots, I always lock the doors and leave them buckled in their seats, am never far away and watch the van like-a-hawk. So, I think if someone were going to break into my van which does NOT have automatic locks, so this would require breaking in the front door and manually unlocking the back sliding door - then opening the sliding door, unbuckle my toddler from the 5 point thing and get him out while he's crying because of the stranger - I'm pretty sure I would be alerted to something fishy going on and this process would take more than just a few seconds to accomplish....
I am aware there are laws against leaving small children unattended in vehicles. But I am also aware that these laws were created for stupid parents who leave their kids in hot cars on summer days where the temp. inside the car can reach over 100 degrees in less than 10 minutes and kill the child. And parents that run in the grocery store to get "a few items" while their kid is screaming in the car. Or parents who's kids are old enough to get out of their seatbelts and seats and unlock the car door and get out of the car and be taken by someone, lost or worse, get run over or something. These laws were created to protect children from their dumb parents, not to incarcerate good parents who make an educated decision regarding leaving the child in the car.
Please say a prayer for this mom and what she's facing. I know that you can't really tell what kind of parent she is from just this article, but to me it seems she made the right choice for the right reasons. I probably would have done the same thing.
I know I've done things like this with my kids and would be totally shocked if I were arrested for it. I frequently leave Eli in the buckled in his carseat, locked van in the preschool parking lot while I go inside to drop off/pick up Jacob and the two boys I babysit. In my opinion, he's much safer inside the locked van than he would be if I took him inside and let him run around unattended (while trying to get coats, hats and backpacks hung up for 3 children) while the door to the preschool stands open where he could just run out.
I can also think of one time when I left both of them locked in the van while I ran in to the gas station to pay for my gas (because I was in desperate need of gas and the place didn't have pay-at-the-pump...). But seriously, I was only 10-15 yards away and could see them the entire time.
Let me just say that I am VERY leary about leaving my kids unattended, even in the locked vehicle, but sometimes there are circumstances where I think it's ok for several reasons.... I would NEVER do it in a "shady" place, or if I were going to be gone more than just a few minutes, or leave the van unlocked, or on a hot day, etc. But, in reality, it snows a ton here, can be extremely cold, there can be icy walking conditions in parking lots, I always lock the doors and leave them buckled in their seats, am never far away and watch the van like-a-hawk. So, I think if someone were going to break into my van which does NOT have automatic locks, so this would require breaking in the front door and manually unlocking the back sliding door - then opening the sliding door, unbuckle my toddler from the 5 point thing and get him out while he's crying because of the stranger - I'm pretty sure I would be alerted to something fishy going on and this process would take more than just a few seconds to accomplish....
I am aware there are laws against leaving small children unattended in vehicles. But I am also aware that these laws were created for stupid parents who leave their kids in hot cars on summer days where the temp. inside the car can reach over 100 degrees in less than 10 minutes and kill the child. And parents that run in the grocery store to get "a few items" while their kid is screaming in the car. Or parents who's kids are old enough to get out of their seatbelts and seats and unlock the car door and get out of the car and be taken by someone, lost or worse, get run over or something. These laws were created to protect children from their dumb parents, not to incarcerate good parents who make an educated decision regarding leaving the child in the car.
Please say a prayer for this mom and what she's facing. I know that you can't really tell what kind of parent she is from just this article, but to me it seems she made the right choice for the right reasons. I probably would have done the same thing.
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