It's now 6:39 A.M. A perfectly respectable time to get up in the morning. That would have been awesome if that is when I actually got up. I've been up since 4. Ugh.
Now to give you the full perspective on this, you have to know that I am a nursing mother. With a baby who doesn't understand the concept of sleeping through the night. K is almost a year old. He's had about 4 long stretches.....in his life. A typical night has me awake 2-4 times, his average stretch being 3 hours.
I'm tired.
All.
The.
Time.
And I have two more kids under 5 to take care of. I will readily admit that sometimes "taking care of" means a day of movies and snacks while mama lays on the couch trying to recover.
Normally my goal is for the baby to get through the night without screaming and waking the rest of the house up. To that end, I nurse him when he wakes up. I know that he doesn't need to eat, but it's easier and I'm tired. And I also know that this has created a habit that I'm going to have to break. Got it, thanks.
The secondary concern for being up that many times is getting sleep inbetween wakings. I leave all the lights off and navigate my house like I have radar. I manage to stay in a bit of a stupor and return to my bed often unable to remember how many times I was up during the night.
But today was one of the frustrating days where I returned to my bed completely unable to fall back asleep. I tossed and turned. Jotted down notes that I will be unable to comprehend because I can't manage to write well in the dark. Contemplated getting in a workout and finally stumbled out to my computer.
I figure if I can't sleep I may as well get something done.
Facebook-check
(I'm on PST so at least I have plenty of friends 3 hours ahead of me)
Email-check
Window shop new Gymboree line-check
Upload new pictures-check
And finally...
Blog-check.
It's now 6:51 and my family will wake soon. The lights will come on. The cartoons and whining will start. The dogs will beg for breakfast and my husband will rush around frantically looking for clean laundry. But for now, it's quiet, save for a snoring dog. The snow is falling and I am alone. And while I'd still rather be sleeping, I'm trying to appreciate the gift of a bit of time to myself. The lull before the storm. A beautiful storm.
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Saturday, March 12, 2011
Two posts in one day, imagine that!
This one is inspired by a friend's status on Facebook about her Houdini baby and the inevitable diaper removal. Sounds funny, when it's not your baby. And not your job to clean up the mess that usually results from a commando baby.
All these tips can be used seperately, together or in succession. Some of them work, some of them may just slow baby down a bit.
Put the diaper on backwards. This only works with certain brands, but worth a try.
Put regular underware on over the diaper. You will need them sooner or later, so might as well try it out.
If baby is big enough, try a Pull up. The closures are different and they may confuse them.
Find a sleeper or outfit without feet and put it on backwards. The snaps or zipper in the back should slow baby down quite a bit.
Duct tape on the diaper flaps. This one is really hit or miss because some baby's will figure out to tear the paper instead.
Good luck!
This one is inspired by a friend's status on Facebook about her Houdini baby and the inevitable diaper removal. Sounds funny, when it's not your baby. And not your job to clean up the mess that usually results from a commando baby.
All these tips can be used seperately, together or in succession. Some of them work, some of them may just slow baby down a bit.
Put the diaper on backwards. This only works with certain brands, but worth a try.
Put regular underware on over the diaper. You will need them sooner or later, so might as well try it out.
If baby is big enough, try a Pull up. The closures are different and they may confuse them.
Find a sleeper or outfit without feet and put it on backwards. The snaps or zipper in the back should slow baby down quite a bit.
Duct tape on the diaper flaps. This one is really hit or miss because some baby's will figure out to tear the paper instead.
Good luck!
Don't start what you don't want to finish.
Parenting advice is something that I try not to give unless asked for. *Note: by coming to my blog, you asked for it. Aren't you lucky?
But if someone does ask, or has me jot something down on a piece of paper for some lame baby shower game, this is the nugget of wisdom they get.
Don't start what you don't want to finish.
Kid's are creatures of habit. And while some experts will tell you that you need to do something X number of times for it to become a habit, kids often think otherwise. And it's never good things that they cling to after one time, it's stuff you wish you could go back and never introduce.
So to save you the pain, let me share a few of these scenarios that I can't, but wish, I could undo.
Ranch Dressing- In an attempt to get my daughter to eat veggies, I gave her Ranch dressing. She ate her veggies, and anything else she could dip. I've seen my daughter eat a brownie with Ranch. God forbid we run out, the poor child would starve. I've tried to wean her and she is back down to just veggies, fries and chicken. But that was a battle, one I wish I'd never had to wage.
Quarters for the dumb ride outside a store-Not all re-dos are mommy's fault. I have never given my kids money for the rides or games that we find at stores and restaurants. But Thank You Grandma! My announcement of "Mommy doesn't have quarters for that ride." was instantly met with her digging in her purse. All fine and dandy for them to have a little fun, but now every.single.time. we go into that store they campaign for a ride. They beg, they protest and I lose a bit more of my already dwindling mind. I have now come up with a solution though. Since my kids love me taking their picture, they climb in the ride and I snap a photo with my phone and show it to them. They are happy and we move on.
Riding in the big part of the shopping cart-Again, not my fault. I blame Daddy.
Can they "un-watch" a show?- Plenty of these. My current least favorite is Fish Hooks.
Driving Woes-Also known as "Mommy, what's an Idiot?". I do much better now that we don't live in a major city, but I get grumpy at people when I drive. To this day if you ask my daughter what an idiot is, she will tell you it's someone who can't drive. I'm glad she went with my explanation, but I'd just as soon never yelled it in front of her.
Honey Nut Cheerios-This one covers lots of food choices. But in simplest terms, if the original is good......don't offer up the next option. I rue the day I passed over the big yellow box. Now my kids have to be tricked into eating them. The trick? Well, it also helps with the cereal aisle melt down should I have to suffer the trauma of taking kids groccery shopping. They are allowed to pick any kind of Cheerios they want (not totally true, we don't do the yogurt, chocolate or banana ones) and I get a box of regular ones. At home, I pour both boxes into a Tupper cereal box. They get half the good stuff and half the healthy. So I guess it's only half a solution, but it's working.
I'm sure there are dozens more examples. As moms we have a lot of talents, too bad seeing into the future isn't one of them. Do your best to think down the road and you may save yourself a struggle or two. Or four.
But if someone does ask, or has me jot something down on a piece of paper for some lame baby shower game, this is the nugget of wisdom they get.
Don't start what you don't want to finish.
Kid's are creatures of habit. And while some experts will tell you that you need to do something X number of times for it to become a habit, kids often think otherwise. And it's never good things that they cling to after one time, it's stuff you wish you could go back and never introduce.
So to save you the pain, let me share a few of these scenarios that I can't, but wish, I could undo.
Ranch Dressing- In an attempt to get my daughter to eat veggies, I gave her Ranch dressing. She ate her veggies, and anything else she could dip. I've seen my daughter eat a brownie with Ranch. God forbid we run out, the poor child would starve. I've tried to wean her and she is back down to just veggies, fries and chicken. But that was a battle, one I wish I'd never had to wage.
Quarters for the dumb ride outside a store-Not all re-dos are mommy's fault. I have never given my kids money for the rides or games that we find at stores and restaurants. But Thank You Grandma! My announcement of "Mommy doesn't have quarters for that ride." was instantly met with her digging in her purse. All fine and dandy for them to have a little fun, but now every.single.time. we go into that store they campaign for a ride. They beg, they protest and I lose a bit more of my already dwindling mind. I have now come up with a solution though. Since my kids love me taking their picture, they climb in the ride and I snap a photo with my phone and show it to them. They are happy and we move on.
Riding in the big part of the shopping cart-Again, not my fault. I blame Daddy.
Can they "un-watch" a show?- Plenty of these. My current least favorite is Fish Hooks.
Driving Woes-Also known as "Mommy, what's an Idiot?". I do much better now that we don't live in a major city, but I get grumpy at people when I drive. To this day if you ask my daughter what an idiot is, she will tell you it's someone who can't drive. I'm glad she went with my explanation, but I'd just as soon never yelled it in front of her.
Honey Nut Cheerios-This one covers lots of food choices. But in simplest terms, if the original is good......don't offer up the next option. I rue the day I passed over the big yellow box. Now my kids have to be tricked into eating them. The trick? Well, it also helps with the cereal aisle melt down should I have to suffer the trauma of taking kids groccery shopping. They are allowed to pick any kind of Cheerios they want (not totally true, we don't do the yogurt, chocolate or banana ones) and I get a box of regular ones. At home, I pour both boxes into a Tupper cereal box. They get half the good stuff and half the healthy. So I guess it's only half a solution, but it's working.
I'm sure there are dozens more examples. As moms we have a lot of talents, too bad seeing into the future isn't one of them. Do your best to think down the road and you may save yourself a struggle or two. Or four.
Saturday, February 12, 2011
The Weekend
I used to be such a fan of weekends. Days off work, time to myself. Enough time to have fun and catch up. Both. Got things accomplished, met Sunday evening with an aire of productivity and the greeted the week with a solid mindset.
Not so much anymore.
Two days, 48 hours is much less time in my world now. I figure when you divide by 6 (5 members of the family and I'm counting the pets collectively as their own) and take out time for sleep (and naps) we are left with about 6 hours each day of usable time. Not nearly what it used to be, with so much more to work on.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not wishing to back to my world as a single girl with a cool apartment downtown. No....I never daydream about that at all......never. :)
I adore my kids, I love my husband and I live in my dream home. But every weekend rolls around and the upkeep on everything in my life becomes more obvious. The actual time needed to make those things work comes to light and I find myself over compensating and trying to make up for my week dominated by children to get it ALL done. All being, a house that is put together and presentable, kids who are happy and loaded down with family bonding time, relaxation seeping from every pore and possibly even some time for mommy and daddy to remember that they are, first and foremost, a couple in love. It's a tall order.
And the reason it never happens comes down to this....
Weekends are jumbled. Not defined. I know why, it's obvious, yet unsolvable in our house. Weekends are a mess because it's everyone's weekend, but that means different things in different roles. My husband, kids and I all have different ideas of what a weekend should be.
My husband works. He works very hard, long hours during the week. To him weekends are supposed to be relaxing. A break between the grind. Time to sleep a little more and take it easy.
For the kids, it's a day off school, everyone is home so we can pummel each other kind of approach. They are still to little for our weekends to be full of soccer games, dance recitals and sleepovers. But we do get an occasional crazy two days of birthday parties and family activities. Although the weekend rush will start soon enough as our 4 year old dives into the world of recreational soccer this spring.
For me, weekends aren't all that different than my normal week. I'm still responsible for the kids and the family schedule and for keeping the house from becoming an uninhabitable pit by Sunday night.
The big difference for me, and this is where our troubles start, is that I am happy to have another grown person around the house for a few days. My poor husband. In his attempt to take respite from his taxing job, I come in with a list of activities and chores that I need done. Not only that, I enjoy his company and probably talk his ear off more on weekends because he understands words that are longer than 3 syllables. It's nice. For me.
So out I trot the Honey-Do list of picture hanging, toy fixing, garage related anything and ultimately the time allotment for him to take the kids so I can get a project or two done. And before I even realize it, I have filled the weekend with tasky things that I normally assume should occupy our Saturday morning, but manage to dominate most of our two day stretch. That is, if we even get to them. Often we abandon our mission early due to boredom, sleep deprivation (that would be me) or the bickering we seem to employ as an obvious end to the work.
So here it is, Saturday morning. And as I try to figure out how to use these two days in a productive manor and he tries to figure out how to use them in a restful one, we sit at an empasse once again.
Not so much anymore.
Two days, 48 hours is much less time in my world now. I figure when you divide by 6 (5 members of the family and I'm counting the pets collectively as their own) and take out time for sleep (and naps) we are left with about 6 hours each day of usable time. Not nearly what it used to be, with so much more to work on.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not wishing to back to my world as a single girl with a cool apartment downtown. No....I never daydream about that at all......never. :)
I adore my kids, I love my husband and I live in my dream home. But every weekend rolls around and the upkeep on everything in my life becomes more obvious. The actual time needed to make those things work comes to light and I find myself over compensating and trying to make up for my week dominated by children to get it ALL done. All being, a house that is put together and presentable, kids who are happy and loaded down with family bonding time, relaxation seeping from every pore and possibly even some time for mommy and daddy to remember that they are, first and foremost, a couple in love. It's a tall order.
And the reason it never happens comes down to this....
Weekends are jumbled. Not defined. I know why, it's obvious, yet unsolvable in our house. Weekends are a mess because it's everyone's weekend, but that means different things in different roles. My husband, kids and I all have different ideas of what a weekend should be.
My husband works. He works very hard, long hours during the week. To him weekends are supposed to be relaxing. A break between the grind. Time to sleep a little more and take it easy.
For the kids, it's a day off school, everyone is home so we can pummel each other kind of approach. They are still to little for our weekends to be full of soccer games, dance recitals and sleepovers. But we do get an occasional crazy two days of birthday parties and family activities. Although the weekend rush will start soon enough as our 4 year old dives into the world of recreational soccer this spring.
For me, weekends aren't all that different than my normal week. I'm still responsible for the kids and the family schedule and for keeping the house from becoming an uninhabitable pit by Sunday night.
The big difference for me, and this is where our troubles start, is that I am happy to have another grown person around the house for a few days. My poor husband. In his attempt to take respite from his taxing job, I come in with a list of activities and chores that I need done. Not only that, I enjoy his company and probably talk his ear off more on weekends because he understands words that are longer than 3 syllables. It's nice. For me.
So out I trot the Honey-Do list of picture hanging, toy fixing, garage related anything and ultimately the time allotment for him to take the kids so I can get a project or two done. And before I even realize it, I have filled the weekend with tasky things that I normally assume should occupy our Saturday morning, but manage to dominate most of our two day stretch. That is, if we even get to them. Often we abandon our mission early due to boredom, sleep deprivation (that would be me) or the bickering we seem to employ as an obvious end to the work.
So here it is, Saturday morning. And as I try to figure out how to use these two days in a productive manor and he tries to figure out how to use them in a restful one, we sit at an empasse once again.
Monday, January 10, 2011
Review: Baby Food
Not that I think I'm an expert in parenting. Not in the least.
But I do think that my extensive experience in purchasing and using kid/baby items give me plenty of room to rant or rave about merchandise.
So here if my first rave. I'm in love. In awe, if you will.
Baby Food Pouches!
Basically, it's pureed baby food that you are familiar with. But in much better flavor combos and in far better packaging.
So, how do you make baby food more appealling to baby? Simple. Make it taste better and make it easier to eat yourself.
As far as flavor, the brands I like are organic. And while I'm not super gung-ho on having every last little item in my house be organic (and nor can afford it, they call it Whole Paycheck for a reason), I do think there is a lot to be said for organic veggies and be able to taste the freshness. But on top of that, they combine fruits and veggies together.
Now, I've never had much issue getting my kids to eat fruit. Really, who does? But green beans, peas and spinach. Not so much.
But tonight, my son ate an entire pouch of sweet potato, corn and apples. His favorite has spinach and pears. Brilliant!
Then dilema #2 for baby food has always been the mess. In our case, the mess is caused by the interest from the earliest of spoon feeding to want to do himself. I've tried it all, from giving him one spoon to play with while I try to feed him and even letting him do it himself. All attempts have ended up with baby covered in food and getting a bath in the kitchen sink. Don't even get me started on the state of the highchair.
But a pouch, a gloriously easy pouch, lets me feed him so quickly and cleanly, it's astounding. All I have to do is guide it and spot him to make sure he doesn't remove it and squeeze it all over. He thinks he's doing it all himself and I get to feed a baby without massive cleanup after.
I do realize that my kid might be 5 before he figures out how to work a spoon for himself. But as long as it's this easy, I'm just gonna pretend I'm preparing him for the space program and life as an astronaut. He'll figure it all out sooner or later.
And not to forget the helpful part. Favorite brands include Ellas Kitchen, Plum Organics and for bigger kids Revolution Foods.
Big Thumbs up from this house!
But I do think that my extensive experience in purchasing and using kid/baby items give me plenty of room to rant or rave about merchandise.
So here if my first rave. I'm in love. In awe, if you will.
Baby Food Pouches!
Basically, it's pureed baby food that you are familiar with. But in much better flavor combos and in far better packaging.
So, how do you make baby food more appealling to baby? Simple. Make it taste better and make it easier to eat yourself.
As far as flavor, the brands I like are organic. And while I'm not super gung-ho on having every last little item in my house be organic (and nor can afford it, they call it Whole Paycheck for a reason), I do think there is a lot to be said for organic veggies and be able to taste the freshness. But on top of that, they combine fruits and veggies together.
Now, I've never had much issue getting my kids to eat fruit. Really, who does? But green beans, peas and spinach. Not so much.
But tonight, my son ate an entire pouch of sweet potato, corn and apples. His favorite has spinach and pears. Brilliant!
Then dilema #2 for baby food has always been the mess. In our case, the mess is caused by the interest from the earliest of spoon feeding to want to do himself. I've tried it all, from giving him one spoon to play with while I try to feed him and even letting him do it himself. All attempts have ended up with baby covered in food and getting a bath in the kitchen sink. Don't even get me started on the state of the highchair.
But a pouch, a gloriously easy pouch, lets me feed him so quickly and cleanly, it's astounding. All I have to do is guide it and spot him to make sure he doesn't remove it and squeeze it all over. He thinks he's doing it all himself and I get to feed a baby without massive cleanup after.
I do realize that my kid might be 5 before he figures out how to work a spoon for himself. But as long as it's this easy, I'm just gonna pretend I'm preparing him for the space program and life as an astronaut. He'll figure it all out sooner or later.
And not to forget the helpful part. Favorite brands include Ellas Kitchen, Plum Organics and for bigger kids Revolution Foods.
Big Thumbs up from this house!
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
The partially clean house
I am not the best housekeeper, not by a longshot. I don't have a lot of time and like any mom will tell you, things don't stay clean long. I'm constantly picking up one mess only to come back and find it recreated for me by the kids. This coupled with spending so much of our time in the main rooms of our house has created The Partially Clean House effect. Basically you can walk in my front door and come upstairs to the main level and all looks somewhat in order. There may be dishes in the sink and some clutter on the counter, but all in all, not bad. I try to keep it company ready or at least 15 minutes from company ready. And that is where it ends.
My bedroom is where all the clutter I clear away when someone is coming over ends up. In piles, boxes, laundry hampers and on the floor. And that is where the laundry ends up before the long journey to actually getting folded and (almost never) put away. The master bath is cluttered, the floor of the closet holds as many clothes and shoes as the racks and shelves and the massive soaking bathtub is full of the maternity clothes I am now done with (hopefully forever). Add in my husbands clutter, computer desk and seemingly untrainable act of throwing laundry on the floor rather in a hamper and you have a disaster. I often say that my bedroom looks like a TV crew is going to show up on my porch, clean it out, host a garage sale and use the money to redecorate. I know it's not quite that bad, especially since we can still walk around and the bed is mostly clear.
Don't get me started on the basement that has become a kids' play area/guest room/storage room/craft room.
Or the garage.
But even with those three allowably messy areas (for now, judgement day is coming), I still try my best to keep the house in visitable shape. I've said in the past that I'd rather spend time with my kids than clean, true. I've said that it's too difficult and even unsafe to clean in those rooms with them underfoot, also true. But the reality is that it's just plain hard and I don't know where to start. I'll get the laundry sorted, but inevitably at the end of the day it's back in piles as we push it off the bed. I'll get some clutter cleaned up, tended too and tossed only to find a new one has grown back in it's place. So for today, this random Tuesday, it's back to sweeping the main room floor, getting the dishes handled and probably some dusting while the rest sits untouched. And someday soon, I will climb the mountain of laundry, albeit clean, and conquer my bedroom. Huzzah!
My bedroom is where all the clutter I clear away when someone is coming over ends up. In piles, boxes, laundry hampers and on the floor. And that is where the laundry ends up before the long journey to actually getting folded and (almost never) put away. The master bath is cluttered, the floor of the closet holds as many clothes and shoes as the racks and shelves and the massive soaking bathtub is full of the maternity clothes I am now done with (hopefully forever). Add in my husbands clutter, computer desk and seemingly untrainable act of throwing laundry on the floor rather in a hamper and you have a disaster. I often say that my bedroom looks like a TV crew is going to show up on my porch, clean it out, host a garage sale and use the money to redecorate. I know it's not quite that bad, especially since we can still walk around and the bed is mostly clear.
Don't get me started on the basement that has become a kids' play area/guest room/storage room/craft room.
Or the garage.
But even with those three allowably messy areas (for now, judgement day is coming), I still try my best to keep the house in visitable shape. I've said in the past that I'd rather spend time with my kids than clean, true. I've said that it's too difficult and even unsafe to clean in those rooms with them underfoot, also true. But the reality is that it's just plain hard and I don't know where to start. I'll get the laundry sorted, but inevitably at the end of the day it's back in piles as we push it off the bed. I'll get some clutter cleaned up, tended too and tossed only to find a new one has grown back in it's place. So for today, this random Tuesday, it's back to sweeping the main room floor, getting the dishes handled and probably some dusting while the rest sits untouched. And someday soon, I will climb the mountain of laundry, albeit clean, and conquer my bedroom. Huzzah!
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Barbie!
I have a four year old daughter and she is turning into quite the girly-girl. Part of me could blame the gifts that others give her, but I'm not going to knock anything that generous friends and family want to give. But recently I've come to realize that I haven't helped much in this area. She is my only girl, will be my only girl. And as much as I want her to play sports, climb trees and skin her knees to build character, I also want her to enjoy being a girl. Some of this has already come back to haunt me though. I wanted her to be comfortable wearing a dress and we are currently in a stage where she wants to wear nothing but a dress. I wanted her to have pretty hair (sounds silly but the girl was near bald for the first two years, so hope for hair is well founded) and now she sits patiently for me to fix it only to undo the braid, pull out the rubberband and lose the barrettes mere minutes after leaving my watchful care (aka preschool).
Our latest interest is the world of all that is girly and pink is Barbie. Grandma got her one for Christmas, as well as a horse for her to ride. Here we are only 6 months later and she has about 7 of them, several being Princess barbies. And don't get me started on the movies. If I never have to watch another bad CGI fairy tale with Barbie worked in as the heroine, I will be a happy woman. Unfortunately, I let her watch one this morning and if I want to get anything done this afternoon she may get another one. They have turned into great motivation for her to behave, darn perils of kiddie bribery.
An unexpected side benefit to growing up Girly is watching my husband shudder in horror as his son takes interest in anything that isn't considered to be boyish. I get a lot of amusement out of watching him recoil when our 2 yo asks for a doll, wants to dress up with sissy or picks a Barbie movie to watch. My husband never would claim to be an enlightened male, he likes boys to be boys, mostly out of old-fashioned thinking. I can't help but take a bit of pride in myself and my kids for being flexible in this area and my mind wanders to one key thought: At least they are sharing.
Our latest interest is the world of all that is girly and pink is Barbie. Grandma got her one for Christmas, as well as a horse for her to ride. Here we are only 6 months later and she has about 7 of them, several being Princess barbies. And don't get me started on the movies. If I never have to watch another bad CGI fairy tale with Barbie worked in as the heroine, I will be a happy woman. Unfortunately, I let her watch one this morning and if I want to get anything done this afternoon she may get another one. They have turned into great motivation for her to behave, darn perils of kiddie bribery.
An unexpected side benefit to growing up Girly is watching my husband shudder in horror as his son takes interest in anything that isn't considered to be boyish. I get a lot of amusement out of watching him recoil when our 2 yo asks for a doll, wants to dress up with sissy or picks a Barbie movie to watch. My husband never would claim to be an enlightened male, he likes boys to be boys, mostly out of old-fashioned thinking. I can't help but take a bit of pride in myself and my kids for being flexible in this area and my mind wanders to one key thought: At least they are sharing.
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