1. Take care of your own messes.
2. Balance your checkbook.
3. Avoid debt.
4. Make the most of every moment.
5. Take lots of pictures.
6. Take the time to preserve your memories somewhere else besides just in your head.
7. Be involved in your childrens' lives, and involve your children in yours.
8. When you love someone, you serve them.
9. Father may be the Head of the home, but Mother is the Heart.
10. Trust in the Lord.
Happy Mother's Day.
Sunday, May 8, 2011
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Leashes for Toddlers
Okay, the technical name is "harness," but so many people have jokilngly called it a "leash" that I find it amusing to do the same.
So, I have a "leash" for my kids. I used it on G starting around age 2 and it was wonderful to have on hand, especially when Z was a newborn. I could put the baby in the Moby Wrap or Ergo, and put the harness on G, and take a walk to the mall, or anywhere else. And I didn't have to deal with a cumbersome stroller.
I've recently started trying out the harness with Z now, and he's responding pretty well. I remember the first few times I tried the harness on G as a toddler, it took him a while to figure it out and he kept falling down when he ran or walked too far too fast. But Z seems to be more sensitive to the gentle tugging of the harness, and has not fallen down at at. Though, he has sat down a few times and refused to budge lol.
In my opinion, though, there is a wrong way and a right way to use a child harness.
WRONG WAY: For instance, once last summer I was at the park with my boys. It was a very safe park, with a large grassy area all around the playground, and even the slide was perfectly safe for any kid over 18 months. There was a mom there with her toddler on a harness. It was rather comical. The mom was just following her kid everywhere she went: up the steps, down the slide, through tunnels, up ladders...And this little girl, even though she was smaller than my son, was havimng very little difficulty with any of it. And yet here was her mom, practically being dragged by her daughter all over the playground. Was the harness really necessary? Not at all.
RIGHT WAY: When I take my boys for a walk, my toddler appreciates the freedom of not having to hold my hand constantly. But having him on a harness allows him to have that freedom, while still preventing him from dashing into the street, or around a corner without me. I am still teaching him to hold my hand when we do go into the street, and he is usually willing to do so. But, as soon as his feet are back on the sidewalk he is permitted to let go. Also, as soon as he reaches the end of his "rope," I say "Stop," so that he will learn to associate the word with the action.
In other words, I use the harness as a tool, to keep my toddler safe as I teach him how to be safe outside my arms. It worked well with G. He is pretty much perfectly independent now, when we go out. He has learned well, to stay within arm's reach while crossing a street or parking lot; and more recently, I have been teaching him to stay on the lookout for moving cars so that by the time he's in Kindergarten he will be able to safely cross the street alone. I trust him to play alone for short periods of time outside, even though we do not have a fenced-in yard.
A harness should be used as a tool for teaching safety, not as an excuse for lazy parenting.
So, I have a "leash" for my kids. I used it on G starting around age 2 and it was wonderful to have on hand, especially when Z was a newborn. I could put the baby in the Moby Wrap or Ergo, and put the harness on G, and take a walk to the mall, or anywhere else. And I didn't have to deal with a cumbersome stroller.
I've recently started trying out the harness with Z now, and he's responding pretty well. I remember the first few times I tried the harness on G as a toddler, it took him a while to figure it out and he kept falling down when he ran or walked too far too fast. But Z seems to be more sensitive to the gentle tugging of the harness, and has not fallen down at at. Though, he has sat down a few times and refused to budge lol.
In my opinion, though, there is a wrong way and a right way to use a child harness.
WRONG WAY: For instance, once last summer I was at the park with my boys. It was a very safe park, with a large grassy area all around the playground, and even the slide was perfectly safe for any kid over 18 months. There was a mom there with her toddler on a harness. It was rather comical. The mom was just following her kid everywhere she went: up the steps, down the slide, through tunnels, up ladders...And this little girl, even though she was smaller than my son, was havimng very little difficulty with any of it. And yet here was her mom, practically being dragged by her daughter all over the playground. Was the harness really necessary? Not at all.
RIGHT WAY: When I take my boys for a walk, my toddler appreciates the freedom of not having to hold my hand constantly. But having him on a harness allows him to have that freedom, while still preventing him from dashing into the street, or around a corner without me. I am still teaching him to hold my hand when we do go into the street, and he is usually willing to do so. But, as soon as his feet are back on the sidewalk he is permitted to let go. Also, as soon as he reaches the end of his "rope," I say "Stop," so that he will learn to associate the word with the action.
In other words, I use the harness as a tool, to keep my toddler safe as I teach him how to be safe outside my arms. It worked well with G. He is pretty much perfectly independent now, when we go out. He has learned well, to stay within arm's reach while crossing a street or parking lot; and more recently, I have been teaching him to stay on the lookout for moving cars so that by the time he's in Kindergarten he will be able to safely cross the street alone. I trust him to play alone for short periods of time outside, even though we do not have a fenced-in yard.
A harness should be used as a tool for teaching safety, not as an excuse for lazy parenting.
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Thoughts on Child Spacing
I make it a point of mine to never ask friends and acquaintances with young children, whether they plan on having more, or when. When people ask me this question (which isn't annoyingly often, just once in a while) I usually say something like, "Well, two's enough for now."
When G was just over a year old, I thought it was a good time to start on Baby #2. I wanted G to have a sibling who was near his age. I thought a 2-year age gap would be just about right. As it happened, I was able to get pregnant again within just a month or two of trying. When I miscarried later, I tried again right away as soon as my doc said it was okay. Z was born when G was 2 and a half; and as sad as I was about my miscarriage, in the end I think it a blessing that I had that extra 6 months before Baby #2 came along. In fact, if I could go back and do it differently, I think I'd have tried to give myself a whole extra year.
Planned parenthood is a very personal thing. I know couples who have had 3-5 kids all in about a year of each other, and I think they're a little crazy, but I also admire them. In a way, it seems like a good idea to have all of one's babies quickly and then to be able to be done with babies after five years or so; but then, the stress of those five years... On the other hand, I know families where their children are all spaced 5 or 6 years apart, and I don't think I envy those moms having to go through baby after baby after baby, stretched out over practically their entire adult life.
I have my two boys so far, and they are 2 and a half years apart. If I had to do it over again, I think I would have them at least 3 years apart, or else no more than one year apart. In other words, either far enough apart that the oldest is most likely potty trained and semi-independent; or else close enough in age that they can go through many milestones at the same time. But then, like I said, planned parenthood is a very personal thing; and the spacing that I think works best for me may turn out to be a bad choice for someone else; and what I would find to be a nightmare, another mother might thrive on.
Also, while I have been fortunate enough so far to pretty much get pregnant (or avoid it) at will, I know there are many women out there who don't have that luxury and are just happy to have their babies if-ever and whenever they happen to come.
Most of all, I just hope I never have triplets. ;)
When G was just over a year old, I thought it was a good time to start on Baby #2. I wanted G to have a sibling who was near his age. I thought a 2-year age gap would be just about right. As it happened, I was able to get pregnant again within just a month or two of trying. When I miscarried later, I tried again right away as soon as my doc said it was okay. Z was born when G was 2 and a half; and as sad as I was about my miscarriage, in the end I think it a blessing that I had that extra 6 months before Baby #2 came along. In fact, if I could go back and do it differently, I think I'd have tried to give myself a whole extra year.
Planned parenthood is a very personal thing. I know couples who have had 3-5 kids all in about a year of each other, and I think they're a little crazy, but I also admire them. In a way, it seems like a good idea to have all of one's babies quickly and then to be able to be done with babies after five years or so; but then, the stress of those five years... On the other hand, I know families where their children are all spaced 5 or 6 years apart, and I don't think I envy those moms having to go through baby after baby after baby, stretched out over practically their entire adult life.
I have my two boys so far, and they are 2 and a half years apart. If I had to do it over again, I think I would have them at least 3 years apart, or else no more than one year apart. In other words, either far enough apart that the oldest is most likely potty trained and semi-independent; or else close enough in age that they can go through many milestones at the same time. But then, like I said, planned parenthood is a very personal thing; and the spacing that I think works best for me may turn out to be a bad choice for someone else; and what I would find to be a nightmare, another mother might thrive on.
Also, while I have been fortunate enough so far to pretty much get pregnant (or avoid it) at will, I know there are many women out there who don't have that luxury and are just happy to have their babies if-ever and whenever they happen to come.
Most of all, I just hope I never have triplets. ;)
Saturday, April 30, 2011
weaning a toddler
Every time I start typing the "story" of our progress so far, I just struggle to put things simply and straight-forward enough. So sorry, no details. But, I am working on weaning Z-- finally-- and wish me luck, because I need it! 21 months of nursing is just a wee bit longer than I had bargained for, and I am so ready to move on to a new phase with my little boy. Now I just have to convince Z to get fully on board with the program.
Friday, April 22, 2011
This year's garden
Yesterday, I sowed the first seeds for this year's garden. It may be too early, and they may not make it (it's still been cold on-and-off up here), but then again, they might be just fine and then I'll have a head start on my garden.
I tried having a garden last year, out in front of our condo, and the only things that really did well were the sunflowers and the lettuce. This year, I'm using one of the garden boxes at my in-laws', and expect to see better results.
When I first started looking into gardening two summers ago, I did A LOT of research. I read all about each kind of crop I was interested in planting, about ways to keep away pests, about companion planting, crop rotation, and so forth. I drew up diagrams of my future garden, making the most of every sqaure inch of space. I was careful, methodical. At least, that's how I was on paper.
I continue to read and attend gardening classes to learn more about the best ways to garden. But alas, when it comes time to actually sow the seeds, my approach to gardening is much like my approach to pretty much everything else I do: haphazard, improvising as I go. Just pop the seeds into the ground and see what happens...
So, what am I attempting to grow in my garden this year?
broccoli
carrots
parsnips
lettuce
spinach
bush beans
beets
cucumbers
pumpkin
yellow squash
tomatoes
sugar snap peas
strawberries
Like I said, we'll see what happens...
I tried having a garden last year, out in front of our condo, and the only things that really did well were the sunflowers and the lettuce. This year, I'm using one of the garden boxes at my in-laws', and expect to see better results.
When I first started looking into gardening two summers ago, I did A LOT of research. I read all about each kind of crop I was interested in planting, about ways to keep away pests, about companion planting, crop rotation, and so forth. I drew up diagrams of my future garden, making the most of every sqaure inch of space. I was careful, methodical. At least, that's how I was on paper.
I continue to read and attend gardening classes to learn more about the best ways to garden. But alas, when it comes time to actually sow the seeds, my approach to gardening is much like my approach to pretty much everything else I do: haphazard, improvising as I go. Just pop the seeds into the ground and see what happens...
So, what am I attempting to grow in my garden this year?
broccoli
carrots
parsnips
lettuce
spinach
bush beans
beets
cucumbers
pumpkin
yellow squash
tomatoes
sugar snap peas
strawberries
Like I said, we'll see what happens...
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Life is a Video Game
We got a new game for our Wii a week or so ago, called My Sims. G and I have been playing it together, since it's a bit difficult for him to manage on his own. It's fun, and cute, and all that. G likes it, and it keeps me interested for the most part, too.
Anyway, the last few days G has taken to pretending that he is in his own video game. He calls it "Super G__ World." He wanders around, jumping, making sound effects, and all that. If his Daddy or I call to him to do something else, he'll "pause" his other activity first. Earlier today, he informed me that he was "Player Two," and Daddy was "Player One." He even told me the made-up name of the kid who was playing his "character," though I don't remember it as it was a gibberish name.
He's becoming more and more imaginative as he grows older. It's rather gratifying, and entertaining, too. I indulge his fantasy as much as I can, while also reminding him that sometimes he has to live in the "real world."
Anyway, the last few days G has taken to pretending that he is in his own video game. He calls it "Super G__ World." He wanders around, jumping, making sound effects, and all that. If his Daddy or I call to him to do something else, he'll "pause" his other activity first. Earlier today, he informed me that he was "Player Two," and Daddy was "Player One." He even told me the made-up name of the kid who was playing his "character," though I don't remember it as it was a gibberish name.
He's becoming more and more imaginative as he grows older. It's rather gratifying, and entertaining, too. I indulge his fantasy as much as I can, while also reminding him that sometimes he has to live in the "real world."
Monday, April 18, 2011
Yep.
Z's new word for the day was "Yep." It was so stinkin' cute every time he said it. Before now, whenever he wanted to answer in the affirmative to something, he'd just kind of grunt and nod his head. But not today. Today he finally found a word to express himself.
"Z, do you want some oranges?"
"Yep."
"Is that good?"
"Yep."
On and on, all day. So cute. And probably the only reason I didn't feel more like shutting him in a room somewhere, because he was asking to nurse constantly today. This nursing-my-toddler-like-he's-a-newborn phase is really wearing me out. I am so ready to be done already. But, my kid apparently has other plans. Anyway, he just got a couple of molars in lately, so maybe he's still got more coming and he's just doing it more for the comfort than anything else (he never did take to the binky, unfortunately).
I remember a similar phase with my oldest-- the "yep" thing, not the nursing. Some of G's phrases that I remember (he went through them in stages), were "uh-huh," "sure," "of course," and even more recently at age four, "absolutely." Interesting to witness how thier vocabulary grows and changes over time.
"Z, do you want some oranges?"
"Yep."
"Is that good?"
"Yep."
On and on, all day. So cute. And probably the only reason I didn't feel more like shutting him in a room somewhere, because he was asking to nurse constantly today. This nursing-my-toddler-like-he's-a-newborn phase is really wearing me out. I am so ready to be done already. But, my kid apparently has other plans. Anyway, he just got a couple of molars in lately, so maybe he's still got more coming and he's just doing it more for the comfort than anything else (he never did take to the binky, unfortunately).
I remember a similar phase with my oldest-- the "yep" thing, not the nursing. Some of G's phrases that I remember (he went through them in stages), were "uh-huh," "sure," "of course," and even more recently at age four, "absolutely." Interesting to witness how thier vocabulary grows and changes over time.
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