I have become increasingly aware of the number of frustrated parents out there. And what is it that they are frustrated with? No, it's not their children (well, chances are they probably are somewhat frustrated with their kids, but that is not what they are complaining about). What they are frustrated with is other parents. Over the past 5 1/2 months I have become all to familiar with the fact that too many parents judge other parents, as well as the fact that it does not take much to offend a parent when it comes to children and personal parenting style and choices. I get it. I totally get it. But at the same time I think we all need to chill out. Seriously. I have cared for so many different children in my lifetime, and a large majority of my friends have children. I can say with 100% honesty that out of all the parents I have encountered over the years, no two parents choose to parent in the exact same way. Oh, and guess what else...IT'S OK! So chill out people. So someone else doesn't agree with everything you are doing as a parent...or perhaps it has nothing to do with the fact that they don't agree with it, but simply that they may have just chosen to do something a little different than you. So what? Is your child happy, healthy, and thriving? Do you love your children, and care for them to the best of your abilities? Then it sounds like you are probably doing it right. No two children are the same, so it would stand to reason that no two parents are going to tackle routine parenting "issues" the same way either. If I've said it once I have said it a thousand times....parenting books and similar literature are nice guides. But that is all they are: Guides. At the end of the day you have to do what is right for your child/children/family. I am a firm believer in a woman's intuition, and it is no more apparent than when a woman is caring for her own child.
My suggestion? Stick together mommies. Let's cool it with the criticisms, judgments, and let's all make an effort to be a little less defensive. I know it's hard, but the best support system a parent can have is other parents. Who else is going to understand your problems, issues, and frustrations as well as someone else who, more than likely, has experienced the same thing.The same holds true with all the positives things, meaning we should be allowed to share our personal triumphs and be truly happy for each other instead of making everything a competition. Who knows, maybe someday we can all become a little more open minded, and instead of choosing to be offended by one another, we can begin to learn from each other.
Just a thought.
Monday, April 30, 2012
Friday, April 20, 2012
Who Loves the Weekend?...
This guy!...
I will be gone this weekend for a good friend's bachelorette party. It's going to be so much fun, and I am super excited...but I sure am going to miss my boys.
Happy Friday everyone!
I will be gone this weekend for a good friend's bachelorette party. It's going to be so much fun, and I am super excited...but I sure am going to miss my boys.
Happy Friday everyone!
Saturday, April 14, 2012
The Adventures of Baby Bo: 5 Months
5 months.
5 MONTHS!!
I can't believe it. BB is almost half way through his first year of life, and oh what a 5 months it's been! I don't realize how much he really changes over time until I look back at old pictures and videos. I get so excited for every new stage and milestone, but at the same time get so weepy when I realize how quickly everything is going by.
The best thing about his growing self has got to be his emerging personality. He is such a playful, sweet, and sensitive baby. He loves being around "his people" and tends to get sad pretty quickly when he feels like he is alone, or in the care of someone he does not know very well (which doesn't really happen very often). I feel the worst at night when I lay him down to bed (in his own crib finally!) and he immediately lets out such a sad cry, that I know is his "please don't leave me, I'll miss you so much" cry. He has learned to soothe himself by sucking on his hands while falling asleep now, so the crying typically subsides within a matter of minutes, if not seconds. It still doesn't make that first short wail any easier though.
He takes 3 naps a day, unless one is cut short for some reason, in which case a short fourth nap gets shoved in there somewhere. He goes to bed every night now at 7 pm on the dot. Mr.Bo and I originally began with trying to give him an 8 pm bed time in hopes that it would help to regulate his sleeping during the day. After only a few days though, he began to expire around 7. This seems to be the time that his internal clock has set as his bed time, which means he wakes up around 6 am every morning. These times have been working out pretty well, especially on the evenings we are at home, because it means Mr. Bo and I have some time to ourselves at night. The 6 am wake up time has been fine with us since Mr.Bo and I have both been getting up early to get ready for work anyway. However, now that I will not be babysitting during the day anymore, I think we are going to take the next few weeks to work on moving his bed time back to 8 pm, giving him a later wake up time of 7 am. This way we will still have some alone time in the evenings, but will also have a little more flexibility when it comes to making plans outside of the house, without feeling like we have to rush to make it back home by 7 in order to avoid a grumpy, over-tired BB (and I will get to "sleep in" in the mornings).
We have been practicing eating rice cereal over the past month, and he is finally able to keep it in his mouth and swallow it, instead of spitting it all right back out. Our pediatrician told us that at this point the cereal mainly serves the purpose of being a "practice food" and not a food of sustenance. At 6 months he should begin eating pureed veggies, but I imagine we will probably begin that sooner rather than later. He drinks four 8 oz bottles a day, and considering he sleeps a solid eleven hours at night, that seems to be enough (babies his age should apparently only be drinking around 32 oz in a 24 hour period anyway).
BB can also roll over now!....Well, he rolled over..... Meaning he rolled over once, and that's it. Despite my best efforts and encouragement, he has not done it again since. I suppose that's ok though. Our pediatrician says by 6 months he should have it mastered, so we still have a month. He is starting to be able to sit up with some support though. Usually not for very long, but when he does he seems to love it. He is definitely ready to join the upright world, instead of always being flat on his back!
We had a great Easter with family this year. Mr. Bo's parents returned from their winter in Arizona, and brought along with them Mr. Bo's brother, wife, and 4-year-old daughter, who all got to spend the week before Easter with us. We spent Easter Sunday with my parents and grandparents. BB even got a little Easter basket! It makes me so happy to know that BB has so many people around that love him. With so much love, it's no wonder he hates to be left alone in his crib. I would be sad too!
5 MONTHS!!
I can't believe it. BB is almost half way through his first year of life, and oh what a 5 months it's been! I don't realize how much he really changes over time until I look back at old pictures and videos. I get so excited for every new stage and milestone, but at the same time get so weepy when I realize how quickly everything is going by.
The best thing about his growing self has got to be his emerging personality. He is such a playful, sweet, and sensitive baby. He loves being around "his people" and tends to get sad pretty quickly when he feels like he is alone, or in the care of someone he does not know very well (which doesn't really happen very often). I feel the worst at night when I lay him down to bed (in his own crib finally!) and he immediately lets out such a sad cry, that I know is his "please don't leave me, I'll miss you so much" cry. He has learned to soothe himself by sucking on his hands while falling asleep now, so the crying typically subsides within a matter of minutes, if not seconds. It still doesn't make that first short wail any easier though.
He takes 3 naps a day, unless one is cut short for some reason, in which case a short fourth nap gets shoved in there somewhere. He goes to bed every night now at 7 pm on the dot. Mr.Bo and I originally began with trying to give him an 8 pm bed time in hopes that it would help to regulate his sleeping during the day. After only a few days though, he began to expire around 7. This seems to be the time that his internal clock has set as his bed time, which means he wakes up around 6 am every morning. These times have been working out pretty well, especially on the evenings we are at home, because it means Mr. Bo and I have some time to ourselves at night. The 6 am wake up time has been fine with us since Mr.Bo and I have both been getting up early to get ready for work anyway. However, now that I will not be babysitting during the day anymore, I think we are going to take the next few weeks to work on moving his bed time back to 8 pm, giving him a later wake up time of 7 am. This way we will still have some alone time in the evenings, but will also have a little more flexibility when it comes to making plans outside of the house, without feeling like we have to rush to make it back home by 7 in order to avoid a grumpy, over-tired BB (and I will get to "sleep in" in the mornings).
We have been practicing eating rice cereal over the past month, and he is finally able to keep it in his mouth and swallow it, instead of spitting it all right back out. Our pediatrician told us that at this point the cereal mainly serves the purpose of being a "practice food" and not a food of sustenance. At 6 months he should begin eating pureed veggies, but I imagine we will probably begin that sooner rather than later. He drinks four 8 oz bottles a day, and considering he sleeps a solid eleven hours at night, that seems to be enough (babies his age should apparently only be drinking around 32 oz in a 24 hour period anyway).
BB can also roll over now!....Well, he rolled over..... Meaning he rolled over once, and that's it. Despite my best efforts and encouragement, he has not done it again since. I suppose that's ok though. Our pediatrician says by 6 months he should have it mastered, so we still have a month. He is starting to be able to sit up with some support though. Usually not for very long, but when he does he seems to love it. He is definitely ready to join the upright world, instead of always being flat on his back!
We had a great Easter with family this year. Mr. Bo's parents returned from their winter in Arizona, and brought along with them Mr. Bo's brother, wife, and 4-year-old daughter, who all got to spend the week before Easter with us. We spent Easter Sunday with my parents and grandparents. BB even got a little Easter basket! It makes me so happy to know that BB has so many people around that love him. With so much love, it's no wonder he hates to be left alone in his crib. I would be sad too!
Saturday, April 7, 2012
A Tale Of Two Kitties
Mr. Bo and I have a blended family. Yes, it's true. Before you go quickly making assumptions, let me clarify.When we got married we both contributed one cat each to our family. Mr. Bo brought along his childhood buddy, Dr. Katz. I brought along with me a cat that I like to refer to as my "frist baby," Dinah. It's been 3 1/2 years now since we were all untied in holy matrimony, and while we now refer to them as "our" cats, deep in my heart I know the truth. I have, and always will, love Dinah more than I love Dr. Katz. She will always be mine, and he will always be Mr. Bo's. This is not simply just a case of "his and mine" though, but actually has more to do with the fact that I find many of Dr. Katz's qualities to be less than savory.
For example, Dr. Katz will not, by any means, drink from the pet water dish. He will do everything in his power to drive you crazy, including but not limited to: yowling, waking you up every morning at 4 on the dot by walking on your face, clawing at the door frames, and peeing in your favorite purse...all in an effort to let you know that he would like you to fill the bathroom sink with water so that he may drink from it. This is the only place Dr. Katz will drink from...that or mine and Mr.Bo's cups that we as ignorant humans think we can set down on the coffee table without having a cat face thrust into it a mere 5 seconds later. Yes, Dr. Katz is very good at letting us know when things aren't going his way. There are times though, that his efforts are completely in vain, because we cannot figure out what in the world it is that he wants. This made the the piles of cat poop that we have been coming home to lately (that we assumed Dr. Katz was leaving for us), all the more frustrating.
Then there's Dinah. Sweet, apple of my eye, cat after my own heart, sweet, precious Dinah. I'm not kidding people. I am obsessed with this cat. All she needs to do is walk into a room and I smile.Over the past few years I have become increasingly aware that the feeling is mutual. She is more loyal to me than any dog I have ever owned. She is everywhere I am, so often so that when I notice she is not in the room I worry that she might have gotten loose (She is always trying to sneak out the door). These days she especially loves to be where I am if I have BB with me. Ever notice how she has made appearances in more than one of my BB photos? In case you haven't, check these out...
I'm only sort of joking when I say that I feel like Dinah and I are kindred spirits who found each other in a wide, wide world of kitties and humans. :)
So imagine my utter dismay when this morning, as I unloaded the dishwasher, Dinah walked in and pooped in the middle of the kitchen floor RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME! I was shocked. All this time I have been blaming Dr. Katz for every disgusting pile I found, when come to find out, they are in on it together! So now what am I supposed to do? I feel as though apologies may be in order from me to Dr. Katz, but how do you apologize to a cat? Treats? Some catnip perhaps?...
... Or maaayybe I will brush this incident under the proverbial rug and pretend it never happened, and go on blaming "his" cat. Yes, that sounds much easier than an apology. I will probably just do that.
For example, Dr. Katz will not, by any means, drink from the pet water dish. He will do everything in his power to drive you crazy, including but not limited to: yowling, waking you up every morning at 4 on the dot by walking on your face, clawing at the door frames, and peeing in your favorite purse...all in an effort to let you know that he would like you to fill the bathroom sink with water so that he may drink from it. This is the only place Dr. Katz will drink from...that or mine and Mr.Bo's cups that we as ignorant humans think we can set down on the coffee table without having a cat face thrust into it a mere 5 seconds later. Yes, Dr. Katz is very good at letting us know when things aren't going his way. There are times though, that his efforts are completely in vain, because we cannot figure out what in the world it is that he wants. This made the the piles of cat poop that we have been coming home to lately (that we assumed Dr. Katz was leaving for us), all the more frustrating.
Then there's Dinah. Sweet, apple of my eye, cat after my own heart, sweet, precious Dinah. I'm not kidding people. I am obsessed with this cat. All she needs to do is walk into a room and I smile.Over the past few years I have become increasingly aware that the feeling is mutual. She is more loyal to me than any dog I have ever owned. She is everywhere I am, so often so that when I notice she is not in the room I worry that she might have gotten loose (She is always trying to sneak out the door). These days she especially loves to be where I am if I have BB with me. Ever notice how she has made appearances in more than one of my BB photos? In case you haven't, check these out...
I'm only sort of joking when I say that I feel like Dinah and I are kindred spirits who found each other in a wide, wide world of kitties and humans. :)
So imagine my utter dismay when this morning, as I unloaded the dishwasher, Dinah walked in and pooped in the middle of the kitchen floor RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME! I was shocked. All this time I have been blaming Dr. Katz for every disgusting pile I found, when come to find out, they are in on it together! So now what am I supposed to do? I feel as though apologies may be in order from me to Dr. Katz, but how do you apologize to a cat? Treats? Some catnip perhaps?...
... Or maaayybe I will brush this incident under the proverbial rug and pretend it never happened, and go on blaming "his" cat. Yes, that sounds much easier than an apology. I will probably just do that.
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