According to Blogger, I have been MIA since February. I need to get back on track with my blog. I originally started blogging to share my experiences in hopes that they would encourage and help others. For the month of August, I am challenging myself to blog everyday. Or maybe every other day. Or perhaps once a week would be a good re-start.
So what have we been up to since February. Well, I have found that with the adventures of raising a family, you have little time left for enjoyable extras, like blogging. Being a momma of two is quite busy. But I truly wouldn't have it any other way.
Highlights from our life:
We have embarked on and succeeded with potty training!! More to come on this topic later
Our first ever family vacation to Chicago
Austin graduated out of speech therapy!
Austin gained a new food allergy - apples. Seriously his allergies are laughable, I cannot make up these allergies. Unfortunately his list of "safe" foods is becoming shorter with each allergist appointment.
Aubrey turned the big 1! Thanks to pinterest inspiration, I was able to throw her a pretty fun party. I am planning an entire post dedicated to her party. I can't wait to share.
Well, I don't want to over do it on day 1 of my blog challenge. Till tomorrow...
My family
My Family
Tuesday, July 31, 2012
Thursday, February 2, 2012
To pierce or not to pierce?
Aubrey is 6 months old! Whoa, time is going by super fast. I am having fun experiencing life with a GIRL!!! Last Sunday, Aubrey and I went to lunch and shopping with my mom, sisters, and niece. I love knowing that the two of us have a special mama/daughter bond. She is soooo different from her brother. Aubrey is a sweetheart. She really enjoys to lay her head on your shoulder and gaze lovingly into your eyes.
Lately I have been comptemplating the idea of piercing her ears. I have had my ears pierced since I was a baby. So it just seems normal for me to pierce my daughter's ears. I am torn on this decision.
I know some parents wait for their daughter to make the decision. This route is perfectly acceptable. Aubrey will maybe one day want her ears pierced. We could make a fun day of the experience. She would most likely be old enough to exhibit the feeling of being scared before the actual act was done. She would also most likely cry. She would hopefully have great memories of the day she got her ears pierced. Or awful memories depending on how bad she remembers the pain. Or she might never want them pierced -- or be 20 years old and not want her mama to come along.
The other option is to get Aubrey's ears pierced now, while she is still a baby/toddler. She would be young enough that she will not experience the feeling of fear before the trigger is pulled. She will still cry. And, she will not remember the whole experience.
If we discuss what I want to do, the answer is yes I want my daughter's ears pierced. Her little ears would look adorable with tiny studs in them. But this isn't about me and what I want.
I recently read a blog (that I cannot locate) about the deep regret a mother experienced after piercing her baby's ears. The author's stance was that the ears were not hers to pierce. I do see the authors point. I do, I really get it.
But I still want to pierce her ears, ugh decisions, decisions.
I also have thought about what effect piercing Aubrey's ears would have on her - long term. Does the act paint the idea that I didn't think she was "pretty enough", so I pierced her ears to make her look more beautiful?? I don't want her to ever think a thought like that. Will she HATE them and request them taken out, but always carry with her the scar left behind. Or will she enjoy her earrings and have fun matching outfits and bows to her jewlery.
Lately I have been comptemplating the idea of piercing her ears. I have had my ears pierced since I was a baby. So it just seems normal for me to pierce my daughter's ears. I am torn on this decision.
I know some parents wait for their daughter to make the decision. This route is perfectly acceptable. Aubrey will maybe one day want her ears pierced. We could make a fun day of the experience. She would most likely be old enough to exhibit the feeling of being scared before the actual act was done. She would also most likely cry. She would hopefully have great memories of the day she got her ears pierced. Or awful memories depending on how bad she remembers the pain. Or she might never want them pierced -- or be 20 years old and not want her mama to come along.
The other option is to get Aubrey's ears pierced now, while she is still a baby/toddler. She would be young enough that she will not experience the feeling of fear before the trigger is pulled. She will still cry. And, she will not remember the whole experience.
If we discuss what I want to do, the answer is yes I want my daughter's ears pierced. Her little ears would look adorable with tiny studs in them. But this isn't about me and what I want.
I recently read a blog (that I cannot locate) about the deep regret a mother experienced after piercing her baby's ears. The author's stance was that the ears were not hers to pierce. I do see the authors point. I do, I really get it.
But I still want to pierce her ears, ugh decisions, decisions.
I also have thought about what effect piercing Aubrey's ears would have on her - long term. Does the act paint the idea that I didn't think she was "pretty enough", so I pierced her ears to make her look more beautiful?? I don't want her to ever think a thought like that. Will she HATE them and request them taken out, but always carry with her the scar left behind. Or will she enjoy her earrings and have fun matching outfits and bows to her jewlery.
Thursday, January 12, 2012
1, 2,...5
Austin is the tender age of two. His days are full of snacks, playing, and learning. He has been working on learning his colors and numbers. Colors are going well, did you know that everything is "red". It is, really...in the world of Austin.
Numbers are going fabulous! This engineer in training counts everything. I mean - everything. You may not be familiar with toddler number order, allow me to school you. Numbers 3,4,7, 8, and 10 are just not important, so you can just go ahead and forget they exist. Also, when you finish counting to any number, you BLASTOFF! Let me provide you with an example of the Austin way of counting.
1,2,5,6,9...BLASTOFF!!!
I am not sure what the lasting effects of loosing numbers will be for our future. I pray that in the event Austin does become an engineer like his dad, our roads and bridges will not be impacted by his new way of counting.
Numbers are going fabulous! This engineer in training counts everything. I mean - everything. You may not be familiar with toddler number order, allow me to school you. Numbers 3,4,7, 8, and 10 are just not important, so you can just go ahead and forget they exist. Also, when you finish counting to any number, you BLASTOFF! Let me provide you with an example of the Austin way of counting.
1,2,5,6,9...BLASTOFF!!!
I am not sure what the lasting effects of loosing numbers will be for our future. I pray that in the event Austin does become an engineer like his dad, our roads and bridges will not be impacted by his new way of counting.
Saturday, January 7, 2012
Sometimes Mom's Don't Know Everything
As a mother, I feel that I know what is best for my children. And if I don't already have the knowledge to come to a conclusion on what is the best, I will do my own research.
Austin was a HORRIBLE sleeper. I cannot express how awful it truly was. He was well over a year old before successfully sleeping through the night. At eleven months old, he would wake at least 2 times a night for a nursing session. To rectify this ongoing sleep issue, I read many books. I spent countless wakeful hours on websites that guaranteed success. Nothing worked.
Aubrey was born last July. As the months have past, she fell into a sleep pattern that was unfortunately very familiar. This time was a bit different. We have 2 children to care for. I have found that it is virtually impossible to be a "good" mama on a measly 2 or 3 hours of sleep.
So I began re-reading sleep books, we attempted these methods - no change.
A few weeks ago, I admitted defeat. I am a mom. I don't know everything. And I need help.
I called a friend for a recommendation for a sleep specialist. Immediately I dialed the number for the Sleep Center at St. Lukes Hospital. The poor receptionist that took my call, I poured out my frustrations to her. She scheduled our appointment, 3 weeks away.
Three weeks is quite a long time when you are keeping sleep logs. You can see in black and white the sleep or in our case - lack thereof, you are getting
Just after Christmas Adam and I met with a sleep nurse. She is such an incredible person, full of great knowledge of babies and how to get them to sleep. Her assessment of Aubrey's sleep habits were in a nutshell, "she sleeps worst than a newborn baby. Inadequate sleep is harmful to a child's health and development." I am so happy we met with her. What was I thinking with Austin? Why was I unable to admit defeat and seek help from a professional back then? Better late than never, I guess.
We left the appointment with a strict plan to help Aubrey get some good quality sleep - and us too. We are a week into sleep training and I am happy to report - it is going much better than expected. Last night we logged 4 consecutive hours of sleep. Adam even had a dream - rather a nightmare of Aubrey's crib collapsing.
By next week (if Aubrey follows the plan) my entire house will be asleep - all night! We will be energized and ready to spend the day together. I can't wait!
Austin was a HORRIBLE sleeper. I cannot express how awful it truly was. He was well over a year old before successfully sleeping through the night. At eleven months old, he would wake at least 2 times a night for a nursing session. To rectify this ongoing sleep issue, I read many books. I spent countless wakeful hours on websites that guaranteed success. Nothing worked.
Aubrey was born last July. As the months have past, she fell into a sleep pattern that was unfortunately very familiar. This time was a bit different. We have 2 children to care for. I have found that it is virtually impossible to be a "good" mama on a measly 2 or 3 hours of sleep.
So I began re-reading sleep books, we attempted these methods - no change.
A few weeks ago, I admitted defeat. I am a mom. I don't know everything. And I need help.
I called a friend for a recommendation for a sleep specialist. Immediately I dialed the number for the Sleep Center at St. Lukes Hospital. The poor receptionist that took my call, I poured out my frustrations to her. She scheduled our appointment, 3 weeks away.
Three weeks is quite a long time when you are keeping sleep logs. You can see in black and white the sleep or in our case - lack thereof, you are getting
Just after Christmas Adam and I met with a sleep nurse. She is such an incredible person, full of great knowledge of babies and how to get them to sleep. Her assessment of Aubrey's sleep habits were in a nutshell, "she sleeps worst than a newborn baby. Inadequate sleep is harmful to a child's health and development." I am so happy we met with her. What was I thinking with Austin? Why was I unable to admit defeat and seek help from a professional back then? Better late than never, I guess.
We left the appointment with a strict plan to help Aubrey get some good quality sleep - and us too. We are a week into sleep training and I am happy to report - it is going much better than expected. Last night we logged 4 consecutive hours of sleep. Adam even had a dream - rather a nightmare of Aubrey's crib collapsing.
By next week (if Aubrey follows the plan) my entire house will be asleep - all night! We will be energized and ready to spend the day together. I can't wait!
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Fallen off the horse
Well blog, you are seriously neglected. Truth of the matter is that raising a family leaves little time for blogging.
Enjoy some updates on our family:
Austin just celebrated his 2nd birthday yesterday! Yikes, we have officially entered into a rather unpleasant stage of his life that will include potty training (what a mess), tantrums, and discipline. But he is just a bundle of energy that I cannot imagine my life without. Austin had super fun birthday parties that I will dedicate an entire post to tomorrow (or the next day). A few weeks ago Austin had ear tubes placed in attempts to keep his ongoing ear infections at bay and possibly help his speech development. He is finally taking good naps! This only took him 2 years to figure out but better late than never. Last week we attempted a photo session with Santa.
Aubrey is 4 months old and weighs in at 14 pounds. She is our chunky baby. Austin was always so skinny and low on the growth charts. Aubrey is just the opposite. She giggles and laughs a lot. No big milestones yet - she is thisclose to rolling over. But she has been for awhile, she is in no hurry to move anywhere. In the last week, she has started sleeping a little better. One good nap in her swing will work for me right now - we are still in survival mode. Last week she took her 1st trip to our local dance supply store. The owner and good friend had her 1st tutu waiting for her. Now she only needs to get bigger so she can fit into her ballet shoes.
Enjoy some updates on our family:
Austin just celebrated his 2nd birthday yesterday! Yikes, we have officially entered into a rather unpleasant stage of his life that will include potty training (what a mess), tantrums, and discipline. But he is just a bundle of energy that I cannot imagine my life without. Austin had super fun birthday parties that I will dedicate an entire post to tomorrow (or the next day). A few weeks ago Austin had ear tubes placed in attempts to keep his ongoing ear infections at bay and possibly help his speech development. He is finally taking good naps! This only took him 2 years to figure out but better late than never. Last week we attempted a photo session with Santa.
Aubrey is 4 months old and weighs in at 14 pounds. She is our chunky baby. Austin was always so skinny and low on the growth charts. Aubrey is just the opposite. She giggles and laughs a lot. No big milestones yet - she is thisclose to rolling over. But she has been for awhile, she is in no hurry to move anywhere. In the last week, she has started sleeping a little better. One good nap in her swing will work for me right now - we are still in survival mode. Last week she took her 1st trip to our local dance supply store. The owner and good friend had her 1st tutu waiting for her. Now she only needs to get bigger so she can fit into her ballet shoes.
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Arts & Crafts with a Toddler
A few days ago Aubrey was taking a nice nap - rarity at our house. I embraced this alone time with our son with arts and crafts. Austin thoroughly enjoys coloring and stamping. It had been months since we experienced play-doh, so we popped open the lid of blue and started rolling, cutting, and smooshing. After a few moments the phone rang, as I answered the call, Austin took a nice big bite of the blue clay. --Mom mode kicked in and my finger instinctively became a fish hook in his mouth...it was gone. Only remnants of blue bits on his lips.
Flash back to my childhood. My neighbor friend regularly ate play-doh. She is now a remarkable young woman, finishing up her college degree... So, obviously Austin would live to see another day after ingesting the non-toxic clay.
I promptly gave Austin a snack of rainbow colored goldfish and water to wash down the play-doh. We placed the remaining play-doh into its' container and retrieved paint dobbers from the bin. After a short while of splashing paint onto paper, Aubrey awoke. While I tended to her needs, Austin decided his rainbow goldfish were just not quite colorful enough...Yes, he dobbed paint onto the goldfish and was shoveling them into his mouth. Thankfully, the paints were also non-toxic. And before my inquisitive toddler could ingest more "non-toxic" items, we packed up arts & crafts to find something a little less dangerous to play with.
Flash back to my childhood. My neighbor friend regularly ate play-doh. She is now a remarkable young woman, finishing up her college degree... So, obviously Austin would live to see another day after ingesting the non-toxic clay.
I promptly gave Austin a snack of rainbow colored goldfish and water to wash down the play-doh. We placed the remaining play-doh into its' container and retrieved paint dobbers from the bin. After a short while of splashing paint onto paper, Aubrey awoke. While I tended to her needs, Austin decided his rainbow goldfish were just not quite colorful enough...Yes, he dobbed paint onto the goldfish and was shoveling them into his mouth. Thankfully, the paints were also non-toxic. And before my inquisitive toddler could ingest more "non-toxic" items, we packed up arts & crafts to find something a little less dangerous to play with.
Monday, October 10, 2011
October 9th
Austin will be 2 years old in December, therefore he has experienced two October 9ths since his birth. This date seems to carry unfortunate events for him.
Saturday, October 9, 2010 - Austin eats eggs and experiences anaphylaxis for the first time.
Sunday, October 9, 2011 - Austin woke just before midnight with a high fever. We gave him medicine and waited for it to take effect. Several hours later, he was expressing he was in pain and his fever was still climbing. We loaded up at 3am to head to the emergency room. Four hours and $100 later we were home and back in bed with a diagnosis of double ear infection.
As I sat in the waiting room with Austin asleep on my lap, I realized these two medical events had occurred on the same day --October 9th. All in all, I believe we have been blessed to only have had two "medical emergencies" in the two years of his life. One event per year isn't all that bad.
**To clarify, I am not "that" good with dates. My best friend's baby was born October 8th of last year. I was receiving her phone call with her birth announcement when Austin began anaphylaxing. Last Saturday, we attended his 1st birthday party, hours before Austin woke with a high fever.
Saturday, October 9, 2010 - Austin eats eggs and experiences anaphylaxis for the first time.
Sunday, October 9, 2011 - Austin woke just before midnight with a high fever. We gave him medicine and waited for it to take effect. Several hours later, he was expressing he was in pain and his fever was still climbing. We loaded up at 3am to head to the emergency room. Four hours and $100 later we were home and back in bed with a diagnosis of double ear infection.
As I sat in the waiting room with Austin asleep on my lap, I realized these two medical events had occurred on the same day --October 9th. All in all, I believe we have been blessed to only have had two "medical emergencies" in the two years of his life. One event per year isn't all that bad.
**To clarify, I am not "that" good with dates. My best friend's baby was born October 8th of last year. I was receiving her phone call with her birth announcement when Austin began anaphylaxing. Last Saturday, we attended his 1st birthday party, hours before Austin woke with a high fever.
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