Have you seen that post floating around social media entitled A Homeschool Confrontation in the Grocery Store? I have seen it around several places and it is a very well written post about how a homeschool mom handled a rude confrontation with a lot of grace. Many of us as homeschoolers can relate to that. I have had numerous confrontations with strangers in the grocery store, family members, and even people in my church. (I will say that on the flip side of that I have had several moments where I have braced myself for the confrontation that I was sure was coming and instead heard some very positive remarks.) This isn't just an issue that homeschool parents face from those that are against homeschooling. It's an issue that all parents face on a number of parenting issues.
Parenting Is Hard!
I know you are shocked by that comment :) Right from the very beginning we have to make choices for our children, constant decisions. It starts out with things like:
What type of carseat, crib, stroller?
Breastfeed or bottle feed?
Give the baby a pacifier or not?
Co-sleep or put the baby in a crib?
Some issues that may seem a little bigger:
Epidural or natural child birth?
Vaccinate or don't vaccinate?
If it's a boy do we circumcise?
Stay at home or daycare?
The list goes on and on and your child hasn't even been born yet!
As the child grows the decisions do not end.
TV or no TV, what kind of shows are ok?
What types of foods are the best?
Sign up for social activities (dance, sports, etc..) or not?
Electronic devices which ones are ok? How long is ok?
A bigger one:
What kind of schooling for my child?
I'd love to tell you it gets easier after that but we all know it doesn't. As they grow and get older the decisions can get harder. Friends, dating, driving, employment, college choices, and so many more. There are so many decisions to make!!!
As a parent, each of us only wants the absolute best for our children. In the course of this decision making, we don't always know what is the best. All we can do is what we think is best for our child at that point in time. Different people determine that different ways: prayer, knowledge, seeking advice from others. Often we second guess these decisions. I know I do....often. What we as parents don't need is someone else second guessing it for us.
What you think is best may not be what is best for someone else.
We get going in this parenting thing, make some decisions for our children that we think are great and sometimes we forget that what is great for us is not great for everyone. Then we become like the woman in the grocery store, being so nasty to someone just because they made a different choice then we did. It's not just non homeschoolers being less than nice to homeschoolers. Homeschoolers can be that way to non homeschoolers, and even to other homeschoolers who have a different homeschooling philosophy! The same situation can exist between working and stay at home moms, parents who choose to breastfeed and those that choose the bottle, ladies that go through natural child birth and those who get the epidural as soon as they walk through the door, parents who only feed their children organic food and those who eat ramen noodles, etc.., etc..etc.
I could write an endless post on all of the different sides of every issue that we face. But, instead lets focus on one thing:
Spend time encouraging and building up other parents rather than discouraging and beating them down because their choices are not what YOU think is best.
It's ok to disagree with other parents. It's ok for them to make different choices than you do. We need to be respectful and build them up, not beat them down. Instead of not wanting a child to attend a play group because the family doesn't homeschool, invite them. Make them feel welcome. Instead of turning your back on the mom who no longer homeschools, reach out. Call and ask her how things are going (only if you can be kind if she is having trouble), find a way to include them in things. Instead of kicking homeschoolers out of a FB group because they have a different homeschool philosophy, listen and learn from each other.
A bit of an aside: If a child comes to your house and there are things that they are not supposed to do, we need to be respectful of that. Just because Scooby Doo is ok with you it may not be with somebody else. Respect that parents choices and if you send your child off someplace and there is something that you don't want your child watching or eating, don't forget to mention it ahead of time so that they know rather than being upset later about something that happened that they didn't know :)
I know there are things that we are passionate about. Two of mine (in the parenting aspect) are homeschooling and breast feeding. I ALWAYS want to encourage people if I can. If they are seeking encouragement or have an interest in looking for information. I do NOT want to make people feel like these are the only "right" choices. But, if you find yourself in a conversation about something that you have strong opinions about and it becomes more of a confrontation then conversation, change the subject. If there are people in your life that are consistently discouraging about a particular topic, don't go to them when you need encouragement. As much as we wish everyone will be encouraging, some just will not be and you do not need that.
We as parents second guess ourselves enough. We don't need others to do it for us. We are not going to make the right decision all of the time. All we can do is the make the decisions we think are best at that time. If a decision ends up not turning out the way you think it should, give yourself some grace and encouragement. You are doing the best you can.
"But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called "Today," so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness." Hebrews 3:13
Happy Homeschooling!
+
Our Family
Showing posts with label Parenting. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Parenting. Show all posts
Wednesday, January 28, 2015
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Breastfeeding In Public
A few months ago, we were out having lunch at the Olive Garden. We were sitting at a table off to the side of the rest of the room, and my back was to the rest of the restaurant. Before our entrees were served, Emelia decided that she needed her lunch too. I flipped her blanket up over my shoulder, settled her in and started nursing her. The only thing you could see was one part of her foot sticking out of the blanket that she was kicking up and down. The woman behind us (who again could only see my back and the baby's foot) started talking very loudly to the other woman at her table and just couldn't believe that I had the nerve to be nursing my baby in the middle of a restaurant. She kept going on about it loud enough for me to hear. After I finished feeding Emelia and handed her back to her daddy, I had to take one of the children to the restroom. I had to walk past the lady that was so outraged at me feeding my baby discreetly under a blanket, and she was wearing a very tight fitting low cut shirt that showed more of her breasts than I have ever bared feeding any of my children in public.
I have been seeing and reading more and more lately about the "controversy" of breast feeding in public, and I have to say, I really don't understand why this is such a "controversy." It is a well known and proven fact. Breastfeeding is absolutely best for babies. Breastfed babies are healthier and happier than formula fed babies. There is absolutely NO formula that can even compare to breast milk. God made women so we could feed our babies, and man will never be able to copy that formula. Why then does this have to be such an issue? The world has no problem with string bikinis or low cut revealing clothing, but we are going to look down upon and embarrass woman who are providing nutrition for their babies? What is wrong with this picture?
For the last 10 years, I have been either pregnant, breastfeeding, or both. I have nursed my babies just about every place you can possibly imagine. I don't think that because I am nursing a baby that I should stay at home, or be separated from the rest of my family when we are out in public. Not that the "nursing rooms" are a bad idea. It can be convenient when there is no other place to sit down, but I am not going to go out of my way to walk halfway across the mall without the rest of my family with a screaming baby that could have been fed and happy by the time I got there. Breastfeeding can be done in a very discreet manner and if you don't want to see a woman breastfeeding her baby in public, all you have to do is look away. If seeing a baby's feet sticking out of her blanket or even a nursing baby not covered by a blanket so upsets your sensibilities, don't look at them.
Instead of making nursing moms feel uncomfortable or embarrassed about nursing in public, we should be going out of our way to educate women on the benefits of breastfeeding and encourage them to nurse their babies. Breastfeeding is a healthy and natural way to feed your baby and whether or not people want to admit it, that's what breasts were made for.
Read my blog post here for more information on why breastfeeding is the right choice.
I have been seeing and reading more and more lately about the "controversy" of breast feeding in public, and I have to say, I really don't understand why this is such a "controversy." It is a well known and proven fact. Breastfeeding is absolutely best for babies. Breastfed babies are healthier and happier than formula fed babies. There is absolutely NO formula that can even compare to breast milk. God made women so we could feed our babies, and man will never be able to copy that formula. Why then does this have to be such an issue? The world has no problem with string bikinis or low cut revealing clothing, but we are going to look down upon and embarrass woman who are providing nutrition for their babies? What is wrong with this picture?
For the last 10 years, I have been either pregnant, breastfeeding, or both. I have nursed my babies just about every place you can possibly imagine. I don't think that because I am nursing a baby that I should stay at home, or be separated from the rest of my family when we are out in public. Not that the "nursing rooms" are a bad idea. It can be convenient when there is no other place to sit down, but I am not going to go out of my way to walk halfway across the mall without the rest of my family with a screaming baby that could have been fed and happy by the time I got there. Breastfeeding can be done in a very discreet manner and if you don't want to see a woman breastfeeding her baby in public, all you have to do is look away. If seeing a baby's feet sticking out of her blanket or even a nursing baby not covered by a blanket so upsets your sensibilities, don't look at them.
Instead of making nursing moms feel uncomfortable or embarrassed about nursing in public, we should be going out of our way to educate women on the benefits of breastfeeding and encourage them to nurse their babies. Breastfeeding is a healthy and natural way to feed your baby and whether or not people want to admit it, that's what breasts were made for.
Read my blog post here for more information on why breastfeeding is the right choice.
Thursday, November 17, 2011
Potty Training ! (again)
I am not one to push potty training at a young age. If your child is not ready it ends up back firing, and will be a lot more work. How do you know when they are ready? Well, every child is different and there is no magic age for readiness. Some signs your child may be ready are: going for long periods of time without wetting, complaining when their diaper is wet or dirty, interest in sitting on the potty, and ability to dress themselves. For the boys, I didn't even attempt potty training until they were three. That seemed to be their magic number that they showed they were ready and it only took a couple of weeks until they were daytime trained. The exception was Anthony who we began potty training right before his 3rd birthday, but had his tonsils out the week after his 3rd birthday. The surgery put potty training on hold until several weeks later when he was completely recovered and back to normal.
Lily won't be 3 until March, but she really wants to use the potty. She has never liked having a wet or dirty diaper and as soon as she could talk would ask to be changed. She can dress and undress herself with very little help and she has a strong desire to wear pretty panties. We bought some Disney Princess ones when she saw them at the store and she couldn't wait to put them on. Yesterday we starting working on potty training. It's been about 12 years since I have potty trained a girl, but I was successful with the last one and all the boys in between.
My tips for potty training (when your child shows readiness)
Lily won't be 3 until March, but she really wants to use the potty. She has never liked having a wet or dirty diaper and as soon as she could talk would ask to be changed. She can dress and undress herself with very little help and she has a strong desire to wear pretty panties. We bought some Disney Princess ones when she saw them at the store and she couldn't wait to put them on. Yesterday we starting working on potty training. It's been about 12 years since I have potty trained a girl, but I was successful with the last one and all the boys in between.
My tips for potty training (when your child shows readiness)
- Don't start potty training before a big change in a child's life (move, new baby, illness, siblings starting school, parent job change etc..)
- Pull ups are a huge waste of money and don't really teach the child to be potty trained. We go straight from diapers to underwear and only use pull ups at night once a child is day trained.
- Keep books or other small toys in the bathroom to encourage your child to sit on the potty.
- Make a routine for the child-potty as soon as she gets up in the morning and at nap time and try sitting on the potty every 30 min or so for a few minutes (some children will not need to go this often)
- Make it fun! My children love coming out of the potty and having the older children clap and cheer for them. We also do a small reward (sticker/candy) every time they go.
- Make sure they are wearing clothes (or not wearing any sometimes) that they will be able to get on and off easily.
- Don't make a big deal if they have an accident. Clean it and them up and move on.
- Be ok with backing off if it is not going well, the child resists, or is not feeling well. Forcing the issue will not be good for you or them.
- Don't be concerned if your child has to wear pull ups at night for a long time. Children's bladders are small and they can be deep sleepers. It is quite common for children who are trained during the day to still wet at night.
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Getting Control of the Budget
For the longest time I was doing so well at coming in or under our monthly grocery budget. Food/household items are our second biggest expense every month. Ever since I was pregnant (and so sick) with Emelia, I started not paying so close attention. It was much easier to buy frozen foods then to make from scratch. Menu planning and couponing moved lower on my priority list. Running through a drive thru on our way to various activities just became easier (which is not cheap when you have a big family even if you order off the dollar menu.) Then, the cost of groceries has been steadily creeping up. I raised our budget after Emelia was born to account for the extra diapers we would have to buy. Soccer season soon came around and we were spending an outrageous amount of money on gas and snacks. Even with the raised grocery budget, I have still been consistently going over every week.
I had to go over our finances and with the extra money at the grocery store, extra gas money, and occasional take out food, our monthly spending has been way over what it should be! Even the chicken feed went up. It is time to take control of the budget once again. Avoiding take out and lowering our gas money should be fairly easy especially now that soccer is over. I will have to avoid the temptation of eating out, and commit to only eating out for special occasions. I will have to be more diligent in my menu planning/price matching/couponing to try and pay the lowest price possible for the food we buy. The frozen/convenience foods that we have gotten used to in the last year since I was pregnant with Emelia will have to be replaced by foods made from scratch. I will go back to shopping for 2 weeks or a month at a time with a smaller weekly shopping for milk, lunch meat, and produce. I have found in the past that shopping/meal planning for a month saves me the most money, but requires a lot of extra planning and patience at the grocery store (hard to maintain with the crowd.) Shopping for two weeks will probably work out best for us right now. I am committed to lowering our expenses so we can stay on budget, pay off our debt sooner, and become debt free.
I had to go over our finances and with the extra money at the grocery store, extra gas money, and occasional take out food, our monthly spending has been way over what it should be! Even the chicken feed went up. It is time to take control of the budget once again. Avoiding take out and lowering our gas money should be fairly easy especially now that soccer is over. I will have to avoid the temptation of eating out, and commit to only eating out for special occasions. I will have to be more diligent in my menu planning/price matching/couponing to try and pay the lowest price possible for the food we buy. The frozen/convenience foods that we have gotten used to in the last year since I was pregnant with Emelia will have to be replaced by foods made from scratch. I will go back to shopping for 2 weeks or a month at a time with a smaller weekly shopping for milk, lunch meat, and produce. I have found in the past that shopping/meal planning for a month saves me the most money, but requires a lot of extra planning and patience at the grocery store (hard to maintain with the crowd.) Shopping for two weeks will probably work out best for us right now. I am committed to lowering our expenses so we can stay on budget, pay off our debt sooner, and become debt free.
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Getting Baby Started on Solid Foods
 |
| Emelia's first time in her high chair |
 |
| All of the children brought her some toys to play with |
 |
| Emelia eating bananas |
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Oh, You're One Of Those Parents
The first time I ever heard that comment was about 5 years ago. I had taken the children for their well checks (back when we used to go to well checks) and my youngest at the time was just starting to be mobile. After spending about 10 minutes looking him over, the doctor sat down to give me a lecture of rules I should follow to keep the baby safe. You know, always keep him in a car seat in the car, make sure he is sleeping in his own bed, tips on starting solid foods, etc..etc..Then the doctor told me to make sure I kept him in a playpen at all times during the day to keep the baby protected from his older siblings. I actually was pretty surprised by his comment and must have shown it by the expression on my face because he said, "Oh, you're one of those parents who don't believe babies should be kept in a playpen. You're the reason I get called out in the middle of the night because baby just swallowed big brothers Lego's." I told the doctor no I had never used a playpen for any of my children and certainly would not keep a baby confined to a playpen all of the time. We try to keep small toys away from the babies and talk to our older children about the things we need to do to keep baby safe. I thanked him for his time, loaded up the children and went home.
Since then I have been called, "One of Those Parents" many times for different reasons: when people find out we homeschool, don't take our children for well checks, or feed my babies table food. Also when I insisted on nursing even though I was pregnant, and when I refused to stop nursing to take medication and insisted on a different treatment. But, I have to say it doesn't offend me like it did that day in the doctor's office. I don't claim to have all of the answers in parenting or that my way is always right. I do however pray daily for wisdom and guidance in making decisions for my children, and also for courage when the decisions we make go against what most people believe is the best choice. I will happily be "One of Those Parents" who wants nothing but to raise happy, healthy children who love the Lord.
Since then I have been called, "One of Those Parents" many times for different reasons: when people find out we homeschool, don't take our children for well checks, or feed my babies table food. Also when I insisted on nursing even though I was pregnant, and when I refused to stop nursing to take medication and insisted on a different treatment. But, I have to say it doesn't offend me like it did that day in the doctor's office. I don't claim to have all of the answers in parenting or that my way is always right. I do however pray daily for wisdom and guidance in making decisions for my children, and also for courage when the decisions we make go against what most people believe is the best choice. I will happily be "One of Those Parents" who wants nothing but to raise happy, healthy children who love the Lord.
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
You Take All of Your Children Shopping?
My kids go pretty much everywhere with me. Really. We run errands together, go grocery shopping, out to eat, go to the doctor, whatever needs to be done we do it all together. Some people think that is crazy, but that's the way we do things. My wonderful husband works 5 days a week from 7-5. Since we homeschool, the kids are home with me all day so when errands need to be run or we have to go to appointments we all get to go. One of the most frequent comments I get when I am out and about with my bigger than average family is something like this, " I can't believe you take all of your kids grocery shopping (or out to eat, to the doctor, movies, etc...) I only have 2 and I don't even bring them with me!" Or, "I could never take my kids with me. They would never behave!"
Different things work for different families, but I always wonder, how can you expect a child to know how to behave in a given situation if they never have the opportunity to learn how to be in that situation? Did that make sense? What I mean is, a child that is not taught to behave by showing them what is expected and having them do it will not know what is expected of them at the grocery store or church or a restaurant. They have to be able to go out and practice the kind of behavior you want them to show. Is is always easy? No way. Does it take a lot of effort? Of course. Is it worth it? Absolutely!
Kids are kids and they are not always going to act the way they are supposed to (shocking I know.) I have definitely had my share of embarrassing moments when one (or more) of my children have done things that have surprised me (not in a good way either.) But, there are a few tricks that have helped me to teach my kids to use their best behavior when we are out of the house.
1. Especially for younger kids, remind them before you go into the grocery store, pharmacy, exactly what you expect from them. Something like, "Ok guys we are getting ready to go into the store. I need you to remember to stay beside mommy, talk with inside voices, keep your hands to yourselves."
2. Reinforce good behavior. I believe in positive reinforcement. My children know if they behave in the store, they will get a treat on the way out. If they don't they won't. It doesn't have to be expensive. What we usually do is buy a snack to share on the way home. For things that take longer like Dr. appointments we will stop at Sonic or McDonald's for their $1 ice cream. It goes without saying that if a treat is for good behavior and they don't behave and still get the treat you are defeating the purpose. Praise them with your words too! Kids love to know when they are doing a good job at something.
3. Plan outings when children (and moms) are not hungry or tired. Not always possible, but it makes a huge difference in how they (and you) will behave.
4. Keeping items on hand in case you have to wait is always a good idea. Small picture books, toys, notebooks, crayons, word searches (for older ones) and non messy snacks can make time pass much faster at a Dr. appointment.
5. Be as organized as possible when going grocery shopping to speed up the process. Have a list made up on the order that you shop and have coupons, price match items ready when you get to the check out.
6. Don't stop to chat. Often we run into people we know at the store. We smile, say hello, and continue shopping. It takes me about an hour to shop and extending that time standing and talking for 20 minutes will be asking for trouble.
7. We never go out to eat during busy times. My children LOVE to eat out. They usually are well behaved because they know if they are not we will not go back. When we have the opportunity to go out, we do not go to a restaurant that is very busy and has long wait times. We go early and avoid the rush.
8. Don't expect more than your child may be capable for their age. A two year old probably is not going to sit through a 3 hour movie.
Sometimes it would be easier and faster if I could leave the children behind. But, that just doesn't work for us. So, don't be surprised when you see 7 children trailing after me in Walmart :).
Different things work for different families, but I always wonder, how can you expect a child to know how to behave in a given situation if they never have the opportunity to learn how to be in that situation? Did that make sense? What I mean is, a child that is not taught to behave by showing them what is expected and having them do it will not know what is expected of them at the grocery store or church or a restaurant. They have to be able to go out and practice the kind of behavior you want them to show. Is is always easy? No way. Does it take a lot of effort? Of course. Is it worth it? Absolutely!
Kids are kids and they are not always going to act the way they are supposed to (shocking I know.) I have definitely had my share of embarrassing moments when one (or more) of my children have done things that have surprised me (not in a good way either.) But, there are a few tricks that have helped me to teach my kids to use their best behavior when we are out of the house.
1. Especially for younger kids, remind them before you go into the grocery store, pharmacy, exactly what you expect from them. Something like, "Ok guys we are getting ready to go into the store. I need you to remember to stay beside mommy, talk with inside voices, keep your hands to yourselves."
2. Reinforce good behavior. I believe in positive reinforcement. My children know if they behave in the store, they will get a treat on the way out. If they don't they won't. It doesn't have to be expensive. What we usually do is buy a snack to share on the way home. For things that take longer like Dr. appointments we will stop at Sonic or McDonald's for their $1 ice cream. It goes without saying that if a treat is for good behavior and they don't behave and still get the treat you are defeating the purpose. Praise them with your words too! Kids love to know when they are doing a good job at something.
3. Plan outings when children (and moms) are not hungry or tired. Not always possible, but it makes a huge difference in how they (and you) will behave.
4. Keeping items on hand in case you have to wait is always a good idea. Small picture books, toys, notebooks, crayons, word searches (for older ones) and non messy snacks can make time pass much faster at a Dr. appointment.
5. Be as organized as possible when going grocery shopping to speed up the process. Have a list made up on the order that you shop and have coupons, price match items ready when you get to the check out.
6. Don't stop to chat. Often we run into people we know at the store. We smile, say hello, and continue shopping. It takes me about an hour to shop and extending that time standing and talking for 20 minutes will be asking for trouble.
7. We never go out to eat during busy times. My children LOVE to eat out. They usually are well behaved because they know if they are not we will not go back. When we have the opportunity to go out, we do not go to a restaurant that is very busy and has long wait times. We go early and avoid the rush.
8. Don't expect more than your child may be capable for their age. A two year old probably is not going to sit through a 3 hour movie.
Sometimes it would be easier and faster if I could leave the children behind. But, that just doesn't work for us. So, don't be surprised when you see 7 children trailing after me in Walmart :).
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Quick and Easy Lunches
Many of our summer activities usually go from 9-12, plus we have a 20 min drive home from town. By the time we get here everyone is hot. tired, sweaty, and of course starving. Usually Emelia is ready to be fed also as soon as we walk in the door. In order to help maintain my sanity, I try to plan ahead and have some ideas for quick and easy lunches in addition to traditional cold sandwiches. If I have something ready to throw in the oven when we get home, I can put it in, feed Emelia, and by the time she is done nursing lunch is ready. We also keep plenty of fruit to go along with whatever we are eating. Here are some of my favorite quick and easy lunches:
English Muffin Pizzas (make ahead and leave on a tray in the fridge. Put in a 425 oven and take out when cheese is melted)
Cheese Quesadillas (same idea as pizzas)
Chicken Nuggets
Fish Sticks (hate to put that one down but my kids love it!)
Sandwich Wraps (using tortillas for bread)
Cracker Sandwiches (use lunch meat, cheese, and crackers to "build" your own sandwiches)
Bagels and Cream Cheese or Bagel Sandwiches
Pigs in a Blanket (same idea as pizzas)
Taco Salad
Mac N Cheese
I would love to hear your ideas for quick and easy lunches to add to my list this summer!
English Muffin Pizzas (make ahead and leave on a tray in the fridge. Put in a 425 oven and take out when cheese is melted)
Cheese Quesadillas (same idea as pizzas)
Chicken Nuggets
Fish Sticks (hate to put that one down but my kids love it!)
Sandwich Wraps (using tortillas for bread)
Cracker Sandwiches (use lunch meat, cheese, and crackers to "build" your own sandwiches)
Bagels and Cream Cheese or Bagel Sandwiches
Pigs in a Blanket (same idea as pizzas)
Taco Salad
Mac N Cheese
I would love to hear your ideas for quick and easy lunches to add to my list this summer!
Monday, January 17, 2011
Breastfeeding, The Right Choice
I really felt like I needed to do a post on breastfeeding. I am not an expert, but I do have 6 children with another on the way in a few weeks and and have spent many years nursing. Everyone wants what is best for their baby. There is no doubt that breastfeeding is absolutely the best food choice for your baby. Why?
1. God can make it better than we can, and there is no formula that supplies the same amount of nutrients as breast milk. It is also easier for babies to digest.
2. There are immunities that your baby needs in your breast milk that you pass on to your baby that your baby can't get from anywhere else.
3. It's Free!!!
4. It's always at the right temperature.
5. It doesn't have to be shaken or stirred.
6. No bottle required. (My 4 youngest have never drank anything from a bottle)
7. If your baby sleeps close by at night, night time feedings are much easier with less interruption in your and your baby's sleep.
There are things that you should know before breastfeeding to make it easier on yourself. Read some books, talk to your doctor, take a breastfeeding class, contact a breastfeeding support group for even more information. Talk to a friend with experience. There are many people out there who can help! Here are some things I think is important to know.
1. Nurse your baby for the first time as soon as possible after their birth. Babies are very alert when they are born and you will have better success with an alert baby. Let the nurse know you want to nurse as soon as possible after the birth and that you made need some help.
2.If you are unsuccessful during the first couple tries, try the football hold (this always works for me) It is just like it sounds. Hold your baby like a football with his feet tucked under your arm toward the bed and line his nose up with your nipple.
3. Nurse your baby every time he is awake during the first few days. This serves many purposes. It will help your milk to come in faster, prevent you from becoming engorged, and help flush out the babies system. My babies usually develop jaundice, and the more they are nursed, it flushes out their liver and helps get rid of the jaundice.
4. Drink lots of water. Not only is it good for you, but it will help to get your milk production to increase.
5. Do not let the nurses give your baby a bottle or a pacifier. Every time your baby has the urge to suck, you should be nursing. If you want your baby to have a pacifier, you can always introduce it in a week or two.
6. Do not let the hospital send you home with formula. Sometimes we get frustrated, and it is very easy to change your mind in a moment of frustration if you have baby formula available.
7. You will not starve your baby. Except for in very extreme cases where there is a specific medical reason why a woman is not producing milk, you were made to be able to nurse your baby. Breastfeeding works on a supply and demand schedule. The more your baby nurses, the more milk your body will produce.
Just remember that your body is made to nurse your baby. You can do it!!! Practice makes perfect for both of you. Newborn babies need to eat every 1 1/2 to 2 hours, so don't think that you don't have enough milk because the baby is hungry all of the time. It is perfectly normal. There are also times when babies go through growth spurts and need to nurse more. This is also normal. Remember to take care of mom too. Your baby is dependent on you just like when he was living inside of you. These things will help with your milk production: gets lots of rest, drink lots of water, eat healthy foods, and keep taking your prenatal vitamins.
A question everyone wants to know is will breastfeeding hurt? In the beginning breastfeeding does hurt. Your baby has very strong jaw muscles (and lets face it our nipples are sensitive.) It usually takes a few days to get used to it, and after that it doesn't hurt any more. This is not just true for first time moms, but every time you begin to nurse a new baby. There are things you can do to ease the tenderness: nurse whenever your baby will nurse (to prevent from being engorged), there are nipple creams that are safe for baby, cold ice packs can help, and Tylenol or Motrin. Also, breastfeeding stimulates uterine contractions in order to help your uterus return back to its normal size. This is a very good thing for you even though it can be uncomfortable at times and can be more painful the more children you have. I have found that Motrin helps with this. Remember this is a small amount of discomfort for a few days and worth the sacrifice to ensure your baby is getting the very best.
1. God can make it better than we can, and there is no formula that supplies the same amount of nutrients as breast milk. It is also easier for babies to digest.
2. There are immunities that your baby needs in your breast milk that you pass on to your baby that your baby can't get from anywhere else.
3. It's Free!!!
4. It's always at the right temperature.
5. It doesn't have to be shaken or stirred.
6. No bottle required. (My 4 youngest have never drank anything from a bottle)
7. If your baby sleeps close by at night, night time feedings are much easier with less interruption in your and your baby's sleep.
There are things that you should know before breastfeeding to make it easier on yourself. Read some books, talk to your doctor, take a breastfeeding class, contact a breastfeeding support group for even more information. Talk to a friend with experience. There are many people out there who can help! Here are some things I think is important to know.
1. Nurse your baby for the first time as soon as possible after their birth. Babies are very alert when they are born and you will have better success with an alert baby. Let the nurse know you want to nurse as soon as possible after the birth and that you made need some help.
2.If you are unsuccessful during the first couple tries, try the football hold (this always works for me) It is just like it sounds. Hold your baby like a football with his feet tucked under your arm toward the bed and line his nose up with your nipple.
3. Nurse your baby every time he is awake during the first few days. This serves many purposes. It will help your milk to come in faster, prevent you from becoming engorged, and help flush out the babies system. My babies usually develop jaundice, and the more they are nursed, it flushes out their liver and helps get rid of the jaundice.
4. Drink lots of water. Not only is it good for you, but it will help to get your milk production to increase.
5. Do not let the nurses give your baby a bottle or a pacifier. Every time your baby has the urge to suck, you should be nursing. If you want your baby to have a pacifier, you can always introduce it in a week or two.
6. Do not let the hospital send you home with formula. Sometimes we get frustrated, and it is very easy to change your mind in a moment of frustration if you have baby formula available.
7. You will not starve your baby. Except for in very extreme cases where there is a specific medical reason why a woman is not producing milk, you were made to be able to nurse your baby. Breastfeeding works on a supply and demand schedule. The more your baby nurses, the more milk your body will produce.
Just remember that your body is made to nurse your baby. You can do it!!! Practice makes perfect for both of you. Newborn babies need to eat every 1 1/2 to 2 hours, so don't think that you don't have enough milk because the baby is hungry all of the time. It is perfectly normal. There are also times when babies go through growth spurts and need to nurse more. This is also normal. Remember to take care of mom too. Your baby is dependent on you just like when he was living inside of you. These things will help with your milk production: gets lots of rest, drink lots of water, eat healthy foods, and keep taking your prenatal vitamins.
A question everyone wants to know is will breastfeeding hurt? In the beginning breastfeeding does hurt. Your baby has very strong jaw muscles (and lets face it our nipples are sensitive.) It usually takes a few days to get used to it, and after that it doesn't hurt any more. This is not just true for first time moms, but every time you begin to nurse a new baby. There are things you can do to ease the tenderness: nurse whenever your baby will nurse (to prevent from being engorged), there are nipple creams that are safe for baby, cold ice packs can help, and Tylenol or Motrin. Also, breastfeeding stimulates uterine contractions in order to help your uterus return back to its normal size. This is a very good thing for you even though it can be uncomfortable at times and can be more painful the more children you have. I have found that Motrin helps with this. Remember this is a small amount of discomfort for a few days and worth the sacrifice to ensure your baby is getting the very best.
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Soothing a Crying Baby
Isn't she beautiful?
Babies cry. I think everyone knows that. But, what do you do with a baby whose needs have all been met and the baby won't stop crying? When Chelsea was a baby she cried almost all the time for the first 3 months. Thankfully, Lily does not do that, but she does cry for about an hour every night. Here are a few tips I have learned over the years to help calm a crying baby.
1. Try a pacifier.
2. Motion. Stroller, Rocking Chair, Baby Swing, Walking, or go for a drive.
3. Singing or talking to your baby. Sometimes they are comforted by the sound of your voice.
4. Baths can be very relaxing for babies too.
5. Massage with or without baby lotions. Lily loves it when you rub her feet.
6. Undress the baby from head to toe (including diaper.) You never know if there is something in the clothes that may be bothering her.
7. Head for the outdoors if possible. We all need fresh air and sunshine.
8. Try feeding again. Babies don't always eat on a schedule.
You never know what might work. Sometimes something will calm the baby for a few minutes and then they will start crying again and you might try something else. Sometimes nothing seems to work. It doesn't mean you are doing something wrong. If you have a non stop crying baby and you have done all you can don't get frustrated. To quote the song, "It won't be like this for long." Don't feel bad if you need a break. Put your baby in a safe place (like a crib) and take a few minutes, or ask family or a friend to come and hold the baby so you can get some fresh air.
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Why Natural Childbirth?
You spend 9 months eating all the right foods, taking your vitamins, getting exercise, and listening to what the doctors tell you in order to give your child the best start in life that you possibly can. Then, in the last few hours of your pregnancy, you make a decision to have an epidural or pain killers that can have severe consequences for you and your baby.
Today it has become very common to have an epidural, IV drugs, or a shot of Demerol or Nubane during labor. It is so common that people think you are crazy when you tell them you want natural childbirth. Why would you want to do that when you can have a "pain free" labor and delivery?
Now, I am not an expert, but I have given birth 5 times and hopefully will be doing so again in the next couple of weeks. 2 of my deliveries were with epidurals. This last baby will be a natural childbirth. I wish that I had known more about the decision I was making to have an epidural and that is why I am writing this.
First of all, anything (good or bad) that goes into your system also goes into the babies.' When you take Tylenol when your pregnant your baby is taking it too. That fact does not change just because you are in labor. The baby is still inside of you. This is something that should always be considered and pain medication only given when the benefits outweigh the risks such as in a necessary emergency C-section.
I had my first epidural for my second child when I was about 6 cm dilated. The nurse had come into the room and asked me for the 3rd time if I needed an epidural and that once I hit 7 cm it would be too late. I panicked and said yes I wanted one. No one ever told me that it hurts to get an epidural (a lot.) It is also very hard to sit up on the edge of a bed bent over when you are 9 months pregnant and in the middle of a contraction. Moving can be very dangerous because the needle has to go in the right spot. Immediately following the procedure my blood pressure rapidly dropped and I had to be put in oxygen. 20 minutes later I delivered. Getting out of bed for the first time was horribly painful. I couldn't stand up straight or bend over for several weeks.
I was very nervous when I went in to have Christian (baby number 5) I had had a hard pregnancy and was worried about my labor. My friends and family all told me not to be a martyr if I needed the epidural I should have it. When I was 5 cm the nurse came and checked me, asked me to rate my pain and told me that I had a very long way to go. Once again I panicked and on came the needles for the epidural. A few minutes later my blood pressure dropped, I had to be put in oxygen, and the baby's heart rate fell to a dangerously low rate. Alarms rang, the nurses came in and moved me from side to side in the bed trying to get his heart rate back up. I really believed that I was going to go for a C-section but slowly his rate came back up. 20 minutes later I delivered. After getting to hold him for a few minutes, I was told his breathing wasn't as good as it should be (even though they had already had to suction out his lungs) and he would need to go to the nursery to observe him. The nurse brought him over to me and told me to kiss my baby good-bye and he would be back later. Luckily he did OK and after a couple of hours was brought back to my room. I had a hard recovery that included pain in my back for more than 6 weeks and severe head-aches. All of these things had been caused by the epidural and could have been avoided.
I have never had any other pain killers during my labors because I have relatively short labors and these kinds of drugs depress breathing in the baby. I did have a shot of Nubane when I had my appendix out, but all it did was put the baby to sleep and it didn't touch the pain. What I have heard about these medications in labor is that it makes you nauseous (who wants to be throwing up when trying to push) and it doesn't stop the pain it just makes you not care about being in pain. These medications are relaxers which may relax the uterus and make your labor last longer. In addition to causing depressed breathing, babies born to medicated mothers have lower Apgar scores and very often have a problem with their sucking reflex making it difficult for them to nurse. They are also a lot less alert then a natural birth baby and traces of the drug has been found in their system for several days after delivery.
In the next couple of days I will be posting about Natural Childbirth and some things you can do to prepare for it. Two of the main reasons people are unsuccessful are fear and lack of preparation. If you are prepared there is no reason why you can't give your baby the best possible start in this world and make your birth experience a joyful one.
Today it has become very common to have an epidural, IV drugs, or a shot of Demerol or Nubane during labor. It is so common that people think you are crazy when you tell them you want natural childbirth. Why would you want to do that when you can have a "pain free" labor and delivery?
Now, I am not an expert, but I have given birth 5 times and hopefully will be doing so again in the next couple of weeks. 2 of my deliveries were with epidurals. This last baby will be a natural childbirth. I wish that I had known more about the decision I was making to have an epidural and that is why I am writing this.
First of all, anything (good or bad) that goes into your system also goes into the babies.' When you take Tylenol when your pregnant your baby is taking it too. That fact does not change just because you are in labor. The baby is still inside of you. This is something that should always be considered and pain medication only given when the benefits outweigh the risks such as in a necessary emergency C-section.
I had my first epidural for my second child when I was about 6 cm dilated. The nurse had come into the room and asked me for the 3rd time if I needed an epidural and that once I hit 7 cm it would be too late. I panicked and said yes I wanted one. No one ever told me that it hurts to get an epidural (a lot.) It is also very hard to sit up on the edge of a bed bent over when you are 9 months pregnant and in the middle of a contraction. Moving can be very dangerous because the needle has to go in the right spot. Immediately following the procedure my blood pressure rapidly dropped and I had to be put in oxygen. 20 minutes later I delivered. Getting out of bed for the first time was horribly painful. I couldn't stand up straight or bend over for several weeks.
I was very nervous when I went in to have Christian (baby number 5) I had had a hard pregnancy and was worried about my labor. My friends and family all told me not to be a martyr if I needed the epidural I should have it. When I was 5 cm the nurse came and checked me, asked me to rate my pain and told me that I had a very long way to go. Once again I panicked and on came the needles for the epidural. A few minutes later my blood pressure dropped, I had to be put in oxygen, and the baby's heart rate fell to a dangerously low rate. Alarms rang, the nurses came in and moved me from side to side in the bed trying to get his heart rate back up. I really believed that I was going to go for a C-section but slowly his rate came back up. 20 minutes later I delivered. After getting to hold him for a few minutes, I was told his breathing wasn't as good as it should be (even though they had already had to suction out his lungs) and he would need to go to the nursery to observe him. The nurse brought him over to me and told me to kiss my baby good-bye and he would be back later. Luckily he did OK and after a couple of hours was brought back to my room. I had a hard recovery that included pain in my back for more than 6 weeks and severe head-aches. All of these things had been caused by the epidural and could have been avoided.
I have never had any other pain killers during my labors because I have relatively short labors and these kinds of drugs depress breathing in the baby. I did have a shot of Nubane when I had my appendix out, but all it did was put the baby to sleep and it didn't touch the pain. What I have heard about these medications in labor is that it makes you nauseous (who wants to be throwing up when trying to push) and it doesn't stop the pain it just makes you not care about being in pain. These medications are relaxers which may relax the uterus and make your labor last longer. In addition to causing depressed breathing, babies born to medicated mothers have lower Apgar scores and very often have a problem with their sucking reflex making it difficult for them to nurse. They are also a lot less alert then a natural birth baby and traces of the drug has been found in their system for several days after delivery.
In the next couple of days I will be posting about Natural Childbirth and some things you can do to prepare for it. Two of the main reasons people are unsuccessful are fear and lack of preparation. If you are prepared there is no reason why you can't give your baby the best possible start in this world and make your birth experience a joyful one.
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Breastfeeding
Yesterday as I sat in the waiting room at the Doctor's office, I overheard part of a conversation from a woman who was there for her 6 week check-up with an adorable baby girl. She told a lady with her that she had started out wanting to breastfeed, but when the baby wanted to nurse every 1 and a half hours she decided that she didn't have enough milk and switched to formula. I have heard similar comments from many first time moms and think this is sad. A newborn baby's stomach is the size of their fist and because breast milk is so much easier to digest than formula, breastfed babies do eat more often then formula fed babies. This does not mean you are not producing enough milk. Actually, the more your baby will nurse in the first few weeks, the better it is for you. Frequent nursing helps shrink your uterus after giving birth, helps prevent engorgement, and increases your milk supply. Not to mention all of the medical benefits it has for your baby. Here are a couple of tips to make breastfeeding more successful.
1. Read books about breastfeeding to educate yourself about what is normal and the How To's of breastfeeding.
2. Nurse your baby whenever they will nurse.
3. Get plenty of rest after having a baby. Sleep when your baby sleeps (especially if you only have one)
4. Eat well-balanced meals with plenty of fruits and vegetables.
5. Drink lots of water. Breastfeeding makes me very thirsty. I always keep a large thermos full of water and have it beside me while I am nursing.
6. Expect that your baby will lose a little bit of weight after he is born. It is normal for them to lose 10% of their body weight, and they start gaining again after a couple of days.
7. The nurses in the hospital are there to help you. Ask for help to get the baby to latch on or for any questions you might have.
8. Avoid giving the baby a bottle of a pacifier for the first couple of weeks.
9. If the baby is having a hard time latching on, try the football hold (this always works for me)
10. Don't give up! Breastfeeding is best for you and your baby. Any time you try something new you have to practice before you know what you are doing. In a couple of weeks you will be an old pro at this parenting, breastfeeding thing. You are doing a great job so hang in there!
1. Read books about breastfeeding to educate yourself about what is normal and the How To's of breastfeeding.
2. Nurse your baby whenever they will nurse.
3. Get plenty of rest after having a baby. Sleep when your baby sleeps (especially if you only have one)
4. Eat well-balanced meals with plenty of fruits and vegetables.
5. Drink lots of water. Breastfeeding makes me very thirsty. I always keep a large thermos full of water and have it beside me while I am nursing.
6. Expect that your baby will lose a little bit of weight after he is born. It is normal for them to lose 10% of their body weight, and they start gaining again after a couple of days.
7. The nurses in the hospital are there to help you. Ask for help to get the baby to latch on or for any questions you might have.
8. Avoid giving the baby a bottle of a pacifier for the first couple of weeks.
9. If the baby is having a hard time latching on, try the football hold (this always works for me)
10. Don't give up! Breastfeeding is best for you and your baby. Any time you try something new you have to practice before you know what you are doing. In a couple of weeks you will be an old pro at this parenting, breastfeeding thing. You are doing a great job so hang in there!
Monday, February 16, 2009
Christian's Big Boy Bed
Friday night was Christian's first night in his big boy bed. At first he was very excited to be going to bed with the boys, but that wore off pretty quickly and he began wandering around the room and playing in the closet. I did have to go up and lay down with him for a little while to settle him down. He fell asleep and slept through the night, even after he fell out of bed. Art and I heard a thump about 11:00 and there he was on the floor. He was still asleep so we put him back into bed. I couldn't believe he fell out even with the bed rail. My husband, the engineer, got some zip ties and made the rail more secure so it can't fall out again. Since Friday Christian has been sleeping fine, but I still am laying down with him for a little while to keep him from climbing in and out of bed. I hope after a week or so he will be more used to it and I won't have to do this anymore.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Living on a Budget
I read somewhere recently that the two biggest New Year's Resolutions had to do with weight loss and finances. Not really a big surprise, but the same article also said that by the second week of the New Year most people have already thrown their resolution out the window. Another thing that really surprises me is the number of people that do not have a budget in place for their finances. Art and I have lived both ways at one time or another and I have to say that living on a budget is much easier than trying to live without it. You have much more control over your finances if you know where all of your money is going. I am not a financial expert, but I thought I would share what works the best for our family.
You need three things in order to make a budget successful: you need to spend less than you make every month, you need to be honest about what you spend, and you and your spouse need to agree on your budget, and hopefully sit down and work it out together. All of your income should have a specific category, and you should put your budget in writing. Art's check is direct deposited every two weeks, so I pay all of our monthly bills using online banking. It is faster, more convenient, and less expensive than writing checks. After money is subtracted out for our regular monthly bills, I withdraw the rest as cash, and pay cash for everything else. We use a system you may have heard of called the envelope system. We have several different envelopes that each get a set amount of money. When the money is gone you can no longer spend money on that category. If you have money left at the end of the month it carries over to the next month. Some examples of our envelopes are: groceries, gas, clothing, savings, camping, Christmas, car maintenance, misc. household expenses (taxes, vehicle registration, etc..) Different families would have different categories and different amounts. As you go along you may discover that you run out of gas money every month, but have a surplus in your clothing envelope, then you can make adjustments to your budget. I feel in much more control of our money when I know exactly how much I have and how much I have spent.
You need three things in order to make a budget successful: you need to spend less than you make every month, you need to be honest about what you spend, and you and your spouse need to agree on your budget, and hopefully sit down and work it out together. All of your income should have a specific category, and you should put your budget in writing. Art's check is direct deposited every two weeks, so I pay all of our monthly bills using online banking. It is faster, more convenient, and less expensive than writing checks. After money is subtracted out for our regular monthly bills, I withdraw the rest as cash, and pay cash for everything else. We use a system you may have heard of called the envelope system. We have several different envelopes that each get a set amount of money. When the money is gone you can no longer spend money on that category. If you have money left at the end of the month it carries over to the next month. Some examples of our envelopes are: groceries, gas, clothing, savings, camping, Christmas, car maintenance, misc. household expenses (taxes, vehicle registration, etc..) Different families would have different categories and different amounts. As you go along you may discover that you run out of gas money every month, but have a surplus in your clothing envelope, then you can make adjustments to your budget. I feel in much more control of our money when I know exactly how much I have and how much I have spent.
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Christmas Traditions
One of the things we talked about at Faithful Moms yesterday was different Christmas Traditions that we could remember from our childhood and new traditions that we have started with our families. The picture above is a Nativity Scene that my mom made out of ceramics in 1981. Every year I can remember putting up our tree the day after Thanksgiving and setting it up under the tree. It was always one of my favorite Christmas decorations and now I am so happy to be putting it under my own tree every year. I hope it survives through many more generations and we will tell the children that it has been under the Christmas tree every year for ____ years. Another tradition I can remember is every Christmas morning when we woke up my dad always had to go downstairs to make sure Santa had already gone before we could go down and open our presents. Our traditional Christmas dinner always was ham, rolls, mashed potatoes, corn, and always Christmas Cutout Cookies that we decorated and left out for Santa every year. Every year for Christmas we got a new ornament and our name and the year was written on the bottom of it. When we got married, we got to take those ornaments with us and hang them on our own tree. I still enjoy taking out these ornaments from my childhood and hanging them on the tree. Since Steven died, mom and dad gave us some of his ornaments to hang on the tree, a good way to keep his memory alive and with us at Christmas. I still get a new ornament every year, and so do all of the children.
Our gift tradition is that each child gets three gifts from Santa Claus (they do get things in their stockings too) The three gifts are symbolic of the gifts that Christ received and it helps keep the holidays simple. A new tradition we have enjoyed the last 2 years is picking out and cutting down our own Christmas tree which is something I hope we can continue to do. We always go to the Candle light service on Christmas Eve at our church. We still make the same Christmas Cookie cut-outs and eat the same Christmas dinner.
One of the suggestions yesterday was reading together on Christmas Eve. I thought this was a great idea. Some of the suggestions were The Gift of the Magi, The Little Match Girl, and The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, followed by the reading of the Christmas Story. Another suggestion I thought was great was having your children (and other family if possible ) put on a Christmas play. Both of these ideas would make great Christmas traditions.
Friday, November 7, 2008
Kids and Money
My mom and dad took Chelsea, Nick and Alex to Walmart with them last week. While they were in the store, Alex asked my mom where she got money to pay for things. She explained that she went to work every day and that she was paid money for doing her job. Chelsea reminded Alex that Daddy does the same thing. He goes to work every day so we can buy the things we need. He said, " My daddy doesn't get paid money to do his job." Mom asked him how we bought the things we need and Alex said," We go to the bank and my mom puts her card in the machine and money just comes out." I guess we are going to have to work on that concept a bit.
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Baby News
Yesterday I had a DR.'s appointment. We all went because I was having an ultrasound and the children were hoping to find out if we were having a brother or a sister. The appointment went well. The baby weighs 8 oz and my doctor says the growth is just fine. We think it will be an average size baby (average is good.) At first the baby was being very stubborn and was holding it's legs closed, but as the technician took some measurements we began to get a better view. The outcome? It is a girl!!! We are fairly confident the baby is a girl as we looked at many different views and saw no boy parts hanging around anywhere. The tech will not guarantee that she is right, but she did say she was more than 90 % sure. The pictures did not scan into the computer very well (sorry I don't know why they did that.) The children are very excited and Alex wanted to bring home the baby yesterday.
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Grocery Shopping
Yesterday was pay day! You know what that means? All of our cupboards were bare and it was time to go grocery shopping. Since we had to drive all the wasy to Texarkana for my doctor's appointment anyway, we decided to do our shopping there. The Walmart there has a much bigger selection, and Texas does not have a grocery tax, so we could save a little money. I am not exaggerating when I say the cupboards were bare. We were out of just about everything and shopping for a whole month of food and household items (with the exception of lunch meat, produce, milk, and bread) so by the time we reached the checkout we had filled two shopping carts all the way to the top. It took us a little over an hour which wasn't too bad considering we were not very familiar with the layout of the store. It was not a very busy time of day, and there were several checkouts open with very few people in line. Even so, the cashier started complaining about how much stuff we had (loud enough for us to hear) as soon as we got in line. I just smiled very cheerfully and continued unloading the basket. I don't see how it makes a difference if they check us out with two shopping carts or two people with one. Out of all the different ways I have tried shopping, going once a month with a few small trips in between has saved me the most time and money. I do not know how many bags we ended up with, but we bought 180 items, and it only took 10 minutes for us to check out.
Monday, September 22, 2008
Be Cautious of Childproof Containers
Either medicine containers aren't as childproof as they used to be, or our children are just getting smarter about opening them. I know many adults that have a hard time open medicine containers, but in the last couple of months I have had two friends whose children (ages 3 and 1) has managed to get a medicine bottle open. One of the little girls did ingest about 4 times a normal dose of Tylenol and had to have hourly blood tests to make sure her body was processing it and the other little girl dumped liquid Motrin all over the floor as her mom was walking into the room. I keep all of our medicine containers in a cupboard, or on the kitchen windowsill over the sink when they are not being used, but I have a bad habit of leaving Tylenol on my bathroom sink when someone is sick. I am trying very hard to break that habit. If you even suspect that your child might have swallowed something, call poison control. Even something as simple as extra vitamins or Tylenol can be very toxic to little bodies and don't assume because it is childproof that they can't get it open.
Friday, September 5, 2008
We Have an Announcement!!!
The newest addition to the Trombley family will be arriving on or around the 23rd of March. The children are very excited, although Anthony doesn't think it looks like a baby, he thinks it is a baby sea turtle. I guess he is kind of right. Alex really wants the baby to be born right now but I told him it has to grow for a few more months. He woke up the next morning patted my belly and said,"I think it is much bigger than yesterday, hasn't the baby grown enough?" Chelsea, Nick, and Alex all think we should have a girl this time, but I explained to them (again) that that decision is out of our hands, that we are praying for a healthy baby and whether it is a boy or a girl does not matter.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)