Tag Archives: baby

What My Toddler Taught Me of Patience

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In this fly by the seat of our pants society where everything was created for immediate use the virtue of patience is not easily found. It seems my toddler, the same who enjoys his Cheerios more when spread on the floor, has mastered the art of teaching. In his young *year* I have learned more about myself as a person than I could have without his guidance. Delayed gratification takes on a whole new meaning. Waiting for what I perceive to want is not the toil I once believed it to be.

1. Take it one step at a time. Literally. My son has mastered the art of climbing and as with any new-found skill you want to do it constantly. He takes to the stairs hourly with me following behind. He giggles and coos as he climbs each step stopping occasionally to inspect a hair or mislaid cheerio intently. He doesn’t rush to his destination, the top, but saviors the climb. He enjoys the journey. I find climbing stairs laborious but necessary. Through his eyes I stop to enjoy each step. If that is not an intense baby Yoda metaphor in the making I am not sure what is!

2. One truck is enough. We have all heard of hoarders. My toddler would be perfect hoarding therapy. I have watched him play with one truck or block for upwards of an hour. He studies it. Bangs it on every surface to hear each noise it produces. Chews on it endlessly. I could be taken an amazing lesson of minimalism from enjoying each item as I receive them, fully. The greater lesson that stands out to me is once again his patience. He does not delve into the box for more toys after eying one. He enjoys fully what he has in the moment.

3. Savor every bite. As with the stairs he has another newly learned skill.  His love of texture and taste are making for meal time fun. Well for him at least. I tap my foot at each poke at the eggs or manipulation of that grape. He truly enjoys what he is eating. Not as a rush to the next bite but as understanding this one. A healthy habit to enjoy indeed.

4. Count the days. He used to fit in this last week. I remember when he required a paci to sleep. I used to swaddle him it that. All phrases I utter repeatedly to remind myself  when patience slips. This too shall pass so savor the moments.

 

 

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The Heart of a Mother(‘s Day)

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One of the things I, conveniently, had forgotten about pregnancy was the dreadful insomnia. When My Sweets is sleeping I lay awake unable to sleep, when he is awake I can barely keep my eyes open. This too shall pass but I am just now remembering my previous pregnancy clearly. I have to say that a healthy baby is one of the greatest blessings I have received but it still brings back memories. Memories of sitting through NSTs galore and memorizing magazines on my OBs waiting room wall. I worried so much with baby number one. Do I feel the baby move as much today? Did I sleep on the wrong side last night? Did that have caffeine in it? So much worry.
After it all was said and done I remember taking in my little wrinkly peaches leg folds and yawn creases. I remember the huge relief that this baby was so healthy and here. He was and still is my baby that God has gifted me, entrusted to me. To raise and protect until the end of my days. It is these thoughts that probably have contributed to my insomnia this go around. Not thoughts of worry this time but enormous thoughts of gratitude.
This week has been exhausting and still I lay awake sometimes staring at him. Thanking God for giving me the opportunity of such a great love. Thanking God for loving me that much.

Kid’s Cowboy Party Idea!

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My little man turned one this week and I had so much fun planning his party. We were creative with the cowboy theme and turned some old cardboard boxes into an “outlaw city” that the kids loved. We also started up the fire pit for Smores that were a huge hit. I made almost fifty packages and had only one left post party!  The men folk had a friendly apple bobbin’ competition that brought lots of laughs and our dime store mustaches were a bigger hit than I thought they would be. It just goes to show you that you do not have to spend a ton to make big memories.

Do you have any great Birthday party tips or ideas? I would love to hear them!

Some More Things…

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Last night was HARD. I was up until 3 am with My Sweets comforting him through my nauseous haze. We sat and rocked in every chair in the house and cuddled until he finally found comfort.  Through it all I remembered back to the days before he was a part of our lives. I remember the loss of our first baby. Being told we could not conceive naturally. Having my beautiful loving sister offer to one day, if we needed her to, carry our child.

So much is taken for granted in the waking hours. When sleep is few and far between I could catch my breath to curse the clock or I could soak in this little blessing. He only found comfort in me last night. No matter what we went through to reach this day it was worth it. I know everyday that passes with him in our life is a gift. I hope to smile in all the bad times for the memories I made last night. Carrying our second blessing while holding our first, I looked around and found myself so grateful for where I am in life.

Never give up in your journey towards what you want. It will come when you are ready to receive it in gratitude.

It Is Approaching

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That dreaded date for many Moms. Or maybe just me. I am not excited for the month come when I say good bye to my cuddly little first born baby and enter into toddlerdom. Don’t get me wrong I am grateful beyond words to have a healthy, happy and joyous little one growing in leaps and bounds everyday. It is not that. It is that with everyday that pass he slides farther from my ability to relate to him and closer into the “maleverse”. Only approaching one year and he actually giggles at his own burps? Oh how I know what the years ahead of me hold. Challenges in relating to his quirky maleness and struggles teaching him how to princely admire the fairer sex.

My husband eagerly bids his time. The days of a lifelong playmate approach. He already smiles coolly as we pass the sporting section at Target. With each shortened nursing session and every wiggle to climb from my lap I am reminded how quickly it goes.

BABIES DON’T KEEP

Mother, oh Mother,

come shake out your cloth,

empty the dustpan,

poison the moth,

hang out the washing

and butter the bread,

sew on a button and make up a bed.

Where is the mother whose house

is so shocking?

She’s up in the nursery,

blissfully rocking.

Oh, I’ve grown shiftless as Little

Boy Blue (lullaby, rockaby, lullaby loo).

Dishes are waiting and bills are past due

(pat-a-cake, darling, and peek, peekaboo).

The shopping’s not done

and there’s nothing for stew

and out in the yard there’s a hullabaloo

but I’m playing Kanga and this is my Roo.

Look! Aren’t her eyes the most wonderful hue?

(lullaby, rockaby, lullaby loo).

The cleaning and scrubbing

will wait till tomorrow,

for Children grow up,

as I’ve learned to my sorrow.

So quiet down, cobwebs.

Dust go to sleep.

I’m rocking my baby and babies don’t keep……

~Author Unknown ~

Enter Motherhood

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My son is almost a year old now and today was the first time I felt like a Mom. Don’t get me wrong, I love Motherhood. It is the antithesis of where I believed I would end up. But it fits. Just fits my being.

I love being a Mom. I love the late night nursing sessions, the creative play and learning-oh so much-about myself. Even through all these transitions I have never felt Mom-ish. Well, not completely.

Today involved a Doctor’s appointment and trip to the pharmacy. That is it. Not a big deal right? Wrong! When I arrived home I collapsed in bed for a power nap out of sheer exhaustion.

My doctor’s appointment was nothing amazing. I spent it deflecting squeals and screams of delight while attempting to nurse and answering personal medical questions from the beginning of time. No big deal. You learn to juggle eventually. It was the trip to the pharmacy that awoke my epiphany. Apparently everyone on this base has a medicine need and we waited for two hours to reach the counter. (Luckily they had Giada on the big screen or I would have counted tiles to avoid stares) My Sweets decided he would pick today to transition into squirmy screech monkey that did not want the stroller or Momma’s grasp. He also preferred to eat his milk as if I was a two-way drive through.There I sat for two hours wrestling my baby to keep him from crawling on the dirty floor. Nursing with very little discretion by the end out of sheer exhaustion and apologizing profusely to everyone seated around me that My Sweets tried to take down.

After receiving my medication and piling us back into the car I caught a glimpse of myself in the rear view mirror. Flush and glistening from the ordeal and could not help but laugh. This is my life now? But I still rock hot shades and killer boots? My little one fell asleep on the ride home and I carried him inside to bed.  He rested his little head on my shoulder and gave the sweetest sigh. Yep, this is my life and I am so blessed to have ended up here.

What is the exact moment you realized you were officially a parent? Please share you stories in the comments!