Showing posts with label Parenting. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Parenting. Show all posts

May 14, 2014

Thoughts On Parenting








I set down to write this post three times, and have deleted every single draft. It's hard to put thoughts into words when you have ideas coming together in haphazard manner. So here it goes.
I think about what it means to be a parent. A lot. And how it changes me as a human being.
Few weeks ago, hubby and I had a night off (sorta) from being parents. We dropped Jonathan off at my mom's for the night and headed out. Although we were physically away from our child, we were still very presently parenting. After exchanging pleasantries we talked about that little guy that occupies most of our lives. 
We talked about his cute little quirks and the annoying-us-to-death things he does. We talked about life and how much joy that energetic boy has brought into our lives. At the end of the evening, the house felt awkwardly silent without the bubbling toddler running around. It felt a little weird not going into his room to make sure he isn't too hot, or not checking his diaper. His room was empty and it felt as if I never been to that place of just us two. Like we always had him in our lives.   
I thought, I would feel free. I thought, I was craving to relinquish the responsibility of parenthood for just one night. I thought, I missed the freedom.
But the only thing that missed that night was our boy.
Ones you become a parent, you never ever stop being one. No matter what happens in life, no matter the choices that child makes, no matter how geographically disconnected you are, no matter what he/she does, no matter what, you don't ever stop loving.
It was awesome to have a night out on the town with just the two of us, reminiscing about the good ole days. It felt so special to hold hands and not worry about third mouth to feed or the diaper duty. We needed that breath of romance and sweet time alone, and loved every minute of it.
But the next day it was all right with the world again - there were three of us. Hearing that cute babble first thing in the morning, goofing around in bed, chasing around the house, reading books and gathering around the table together. 
As much as I loved the dating and the newlywed stage, and miss being able not to think about nap schedule, I love this new stage in my life. I'm learning to embrace it and savoir every moment of adorable cuteness and naughty mischievousness. I'm learning to have more patience, to let go of the things that bother me and to live in the moment. I'm learning to hit pause for a minute to just sit down and play with Jonathan and remember the moments that brought me so much happiness.
When you hold that precious little baby in your hands, you give up the power and right to act, speak, or think as you want without consideration for another human being that depends on you for everything. That's what it means to be a parent. 

April 8, 2014

The Gentle Reminder






When everything is going well, we do not appreciate or take the time to enjoy what we have. We brush things off, ignore people and pass by our children being busy with who knows what. We just keep on living without realizing how much we have, how fragile life is and how it only takes a second for everything to come crushing down. 

We had a health-related scare with our little guy. As first time parents, we were freaked out and frightened. We didn't know what was going on and at the time, everything seemed possible and scary. After a short visit to the E.R. we were relieved with a mild diagnosis and went home with a thankful heart.

As we put the little guy to sleep and the house turned into silence, we realized that everything could have gone much worse, that really, we have so much. With a tearful prayer and a thankful heart we were locked in the most intimate and lovable embrace. We were so so glad. We were happy.  It was the bittersweet realization that it's so good to have each other, that we really are amazing together, that we didn't crack under stress, that we didn't blow up or shout at each other. Also, a gentle reminder from the Lord to always be thankful, to live every day to the fullest, to be kinder to each other, to spend more time with our son, to make memories, to be happy in the moment, to be mindful of our hearts, to be sincere in our walk, to love the Lord our God with all our hearts. 

I believe God puts us through difficult things for a very specific reason. We may not know it at the time but among one of them is to make us appreciate the good times. We go through testing and trials to understand God's grace, to know that His love sustains and His mercy endures forever. It's the gentle reminders we all need. 


March 26, 2014

Parenting Toddlers


When it comes to parenting, different stages of child's life require much wisdom. Babies are sweet and sleepy; they want to hang out on your shoulder and as long as they are fed and changed, it's all good. Now, toddlers are a totally different story. They are fully functioning members of a family, as they try prove themselves at every possible opportunity. They are very independent at this age and yet need us the most. So here's how parenting a toddler has changed my life. 

DO...
1. GIVE FREEDOM (as much as it is safe). They have very little control over their world - from what they eat to where they sleep, we decide everything for them. So whenever possible and you can give them the freedom they so desire, do so. Let them experiment with different foods and textures, run freely in controlled environment and don't be too harsh when they make a mess. 

2. TEACH. At this point in their life, they soak up every single bit of information that comes their way. Toddlers are very observant, that's why they imitate adults so much. Give them place and time to learn instead of restricting everything all the time. Whenever you have time, sit down, play, read and have fun with them. It may seem like not much to you but they are learning even when you are just goofing off. They are learning valuable social skills of human interaction and trust.

3. BE FAIR. Keep everyone in your household, including yourself to the same standards. If you think they shouldn't have candy but you are \eating M&Ms by the bag full, they will catch on very soon. They may not understand it and you may be able to get away with it now, but sooner or later they will resent your partiality. 

4. REDIRECT. When so little of your life is in your control, and you can't do this or that, frustration comes on easily. Toddlers are frustrated a lot at the world around them because they either can't do something, won't do something or simply don't want to do something. Redirect their attention away from the frustration and engage them in something else.

5. BE CALM. Whenever toddlers are upset, frustrated or cranky, it's best to stay calm. It won't do any good to you or them to get all frizzled and start yelling. Escalating situation by yelling and making arguments will just make it worse because they will resist it. Just accept the fact that they will be upset in some near future and will refuse to do whatever it is you want them to do. So keep calm - you have a toddler on hands.

DON'T...
1. REASON. At this point in game, they don't understand reasoning. You can explain all you want why they need to go to sleep and why mommy loves them, but they don't understand it. When making rules, be firm but soft spoken. Assure them by hug or kiss but still keep on doing what you must. 

2. BRIBE. I know it seems that everyone is doing it but it's simply very ineffective way to train. It teaches the child that he needs to do something only if there is a reward for such behavior. They need to learn that obeying and listening is part of their life. It's simply what they need to learn without alternatives and bribes.

3. IGNORE. Sometimes you just want to close your eyes and not see what's happening. But your toddler is watching you every moment of the day. Sure there are times when it's better to just walk away and not engage, but ignoring mean and defiant behavior will not do him/her any good. It needs to be addressed, punished and corrected.

4. GIVE UP. When it seems like you've tried every option and they still refuse to follow directions or eat that veggie, just step away. Don't keep at it if there are no results but don't get so frustrated you just want to give up. Sometimes, you just need to regroup, find another approach and start all over again. Repetition and consistency is your best friend when it comes to toddlers.


March 19, 2014

When A Household Is Sick

Unrelated shot when everyone was well and actually had time to take pictures.

Last weekend was part of 'it was the worst time of my life' story and it all started Saturday morning. 

I woke up feeling tired, achy and overall blah. I did not want to get out of the bed and had no appetite. Hubby was a sweetheart and got up with Jonathan while I got to snooze extra hour or so. We had plans with a few of our friends to go out of town. I hate to cancel on people, so we ended up going and had a great time. But by the end of dinner I was shivering and coming down with some awful chills, that the entire ride home I was jittery and cold. 

All night and the next morning I was ready to die. I had the worst chills and my body felt like I was run over by a train a million times. All that along with never-ending pain in my throat let me think I had the flu. Dear husband took Jonathan to church and cooked lunch, went to the store and got me medicine and fruit so I could stay in bed. I went to see the doctor  Monday morning and the diagnosis was strep throat.

Next day, hubby started getting down with same kind of  fever and chills. He was feverish all night and next day had the same diagnosis - strep. It had got to be the worst - both of us with a full of life and energy toddler. Shoot me now.

Two out of three people in our household had strep throat, so we quarantined ourselves inside the house without anyone in or out. Since strep is highly contagious and awfully painful, I'm was so worried about Jonathan getting it too but thankfully, he didn't. I wiped down the entire house with Clorox wipes and rewashed every utensil I used every day. We feeling better but still not totally there.

It was hard being a parent while being sick. 

When a sweet, babbling baby wanted to clime in bed with us and play pick-a-boo but all I wanted to do is bury my face in a pillow, it was hard. When he wanted to play with me and kiss me all over and I couldn't, it was hard. When he wanted to be held and carried but I was too tired to even get out of bed, it was hard. It was hard not to be physically close, kiss, hold and love my baby when he so desperately needed it. It was probably harder then going through the pain and ache and after only a day of being away from him, I realized how much I missed that sweet boy of mine.

So if anyone in your house is ever sick, stay away from them. Do not sleep in the same bed (even if they want to cuddle), do not share a glass (unless you sanitized it), do not give them a kiss goodbye (so cold, I know) and certainly, do not exchange any bodily fluids (wink). It's hard being sick and caring for a baby but when both are sick, it's even worse. Take that from me.

Thank you for stopping and hope your week is going better than mine!



February 24, 2014

Five Things Every Mother Needs


After a year of motherhood, I fell like I know a little bit about what it takes to be a mother.  I'm certainly not an expert but from personal experience, I've discovered these are the things every mother needs. No questions asked.

1. A GOOD NIGHT'S SLEEP.
Every mother, no matter how much experience she has, will agree with me that all she really needs is a good night's sleep. Without any interruptions, without anyone calling for water, or a clean diaper or asking where the new diapers are. It's those precious eight hours that feel like heaven and make everything seem better, rejuvenate your spirits and make the world brighter. So whenever you can, treat yourself to the luxury of a full night's sleep, even if you have to turn in at 8 pm and don't get up until you absolutely must. I guarantee, you will feel better and those dishes will still be there in the morning (I promise I won't tell anyone).

2. TRIED AND TRUE BEAUTY ROUTINE
When you are running late (which is like me 99% of the time) and still haven't had a drop of food in your mouth, while trying to get everyone else ready, the last thing you want is to spend time trying stuff on. To look fresh and put together, you need to figure out what works for you, personally. Your hair, your skin and body type are something that defines who you are. Learn to accentuate your strengths, work with your body type and find drug-store make up that gets the job done. You don't have to spend hundreds of dollars on make up and clothes to look good. Figure out what works for you and stick to it.

3. A TRUSTED BABYSITTER
Every mother (and father) needs a break. The last thing you want to do while on a date night is worry about your child(ren). You need to find someone, be that friends, family or hired help, who you trust with your  child(ren) completely. There cannot be any doubt that the person you are leaving your child(ren) with is fully capable of handling that responsibility. Make your wishes fully known, specify things they should and should not do. It's your child(ren)'s well being you are talking about and you shouldn't have to apologize for anything.

4. ALONE TIME
When you are running out of steam and just about rip to shreds everything that comes your way, it's time to step aside and take a breather. Every mom needs some 'me time' to refocus, relax and simply take your mind off everything that has to do with feeding, changing and taking care of babies. Mothers with tiny newborns, preschoolers, school-age children, or teenagers, either one or many, need time away from motherhood responsibilities just to ensure their sanity. Put some 'me time' in your schedule or it will never happen and you will feel run down and exhausted. 

5. A SENSE OF HUMOR
It's impossible to get through a day of motherhood without laughing, whether it's at the kids or yourself. The moment when your child does something wrong and you know you should reprimand him/her but all you could do is laugh? Yes that one. It happens to everyone. Just go ahead and smile at your child because really we need more laughter in our lives. If you can't do anything about a situation, you can at least get a good laugh from it and that's worth something. Stop taking yourself so seriously and take it easy, and life will seem much simpler when you can show your children you can laugh at yourself and be silly too. 

And that's that!
Thank you for reading.

December 9, 2013

Real Parenting




We had a taste of 'real parenting'. Jonathan has been an easy baby every since he was born - sleeping through the night right away, no colic, no ear infections or major spit-ups (thank God) and we've been spoiled. His bottom teeth came in without a cinch and we were thrilled. 
Fast forward two months and he was cranky, didn't want to eat from the spoon, constantly wining and wanting to be on hands. Once we realized that his top teeth are popping through, at least we could take some measures, stocking up on baby Tylenol and finger foods. As it would happen, hubby was working nights that week and I was alone holding down the fort. 
Jonathan had it rough with sleepless nights, bleeding gums and no solids. He didn't want the spoon because it hurt his gums, so he only ate the stuff he could pick up with hands. We were getting frustrated because he was practically living on formula, super cranky and needy. The teeth finally cut through and we were relieved to have the happy and easy-going baby back. He is sleeping through the night, eating as he supposed to and loving his independence again. 
Those hard times, sleepless nights and cranky baby really proved our marriage. When neither of us wanted to get up to get Jonathan in the middle of the night, when we were snappy and irritable, it took a lot more effort not to kill each other. Glad we didn't because I still kind of like this guy. Scratch that, I love him  and our life together. 

November 15, 2013

Jonathan //9 months//






I remember sitting in my PJ's right after I got home from the hospital, trying to latch you on (crying from the horrible pain) and thinking that this will never end. I will not survive this.
And here we are - nine months later, still alive and well.
You are making all kinds of babble noises as I'm typing away at the computer.

You are smart and fun kid to be around. You love books and every time I open a book you just love turning pages with me and looking at pictures. You play with books by yourself and attempt to turn pages on your own - so stinking adorable.

You are getting into e-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g. There is absolutely nothing out there that doesn't look or sound interesting. Shoes, for example, are the best and you look to chew on them any chance you get.

You still only have two teeth and although the top gums look like they are a little swollen, they aren't coming out yet.
Since we have the luxury of having two living rooms, I bought a gate to keep you in a controlled and safe environment when I need to cook or get stuff done. You play in it for a while but it does get old, and you love to follow me around.

Your regular bed time is 8pm and usually you wake up between 4 and 6am for your bottle. Then fall asleep again until about 8 or 9. But of course the days daddy has a day off and we want to sleep in you will decide to wake up at 7am and proceed to demand to be picked up.

You are eating pretty much everything we do (although finger foods are your absolute favorite). Whenever I'm cooking, I don't add seasoning until the very end and puree your food then season ours.
You have the most adorable and funny laugh and everything is a game. We play and laugh, and read, and goof around together - I'm loving this stage the most.

You love going shopping and sitting in the cart like a big boy, looking around and grabbing pasta boxes any chance you get. You barely fit in your carrier car seat  and it makes me sad that you are growing so fast.
Bath time is a daddy duty and your absolute favorite - you squeal when you see shower start. You two have a lot of fun together, judging by all the laughing that's going on in the bathroom

You finally learned to hold your own bottle and now it's a lot easier putting you down for a nap, although sometimes I let you fall asleep without a bottle.

You have an easy-going personality and as long as you are fed, changed and rested - all is well with the world. You are starting to show your toddler side and definitely will let everyone know when you don't like something - we are working on it.

As much as I can, I'm teaching you the meaning of 'no' and that I mean it. Most of the time you understand it but still keep coming back and doing the same thing over and over again. I'm definitely learning patience.

You love going to new places and stranger's houses don't intimidate you at all. Really, anyone can babysit you and you will have no problem with it. Especially you love being spoiled by grandmas.

You are crawling and cruising everywhere you can, and I don't think walking is too far away. You can get places a lot faster by crawling so walking isn't on your To Do list right now.

Out of all the different stages and changes you have been going through, I'm enjoying every moment. Seeing how fast time flies and you will never been this little again, I'm doing my best to take in every moment, not to complain and just enjoy the life right now. 


October 2, 2013

Love {Motherhood Challenges Series}




Jonathan at 3mo old photo shoot

Love is hard.
It's not just a feeling of butterflies in your stomach, or head spinning from the excitement of newness, or not even sweet feeling of joy when holding your newborn babe.
Love is action. Love is thought. Love is work.
Sometimes love requires a lot of work to stay alive.
We say that we love things - everything from a tasty burger to our mother. But the love I'm talking about is something that you learn to give, something that needs time to grow and mature

To love children it takes...
...patience when they don't listen and obey; when they have stubborn will and awful attitude
...care when they can't care for themselves. Every time of the day, every day.
...compassion for their inexperience when they don't know any better.
...lots and lots of teaching right from wrong and empathy for their mistakes. 
...wisdom to let them go and be independent while carefully watching over. 
...sound judgement when to punish and when to have mercy. 
...kindness in every word we say. 
...goodness and grace. 
...understanding of their little minds and how God designed them.
...tenderness for their fragile soul and impressionable spirit.
...affection and smiles. 

Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up;  does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
Love never fails.
(1 Corinthians 13:4–8)



Love takes much effort on our part and doesn't come easy because, let's face it, we are selfish human beings.
It's hard to give love as a parent without having a constant source to receive from.
This is why God's love to us, people, is such an important part of His existence. He loves us every time we mess up, every time we leave Him and don't obey Him; every time we make mistakes and are unkind. We bring turmoil on ourselves and still ask Him to help us and guide us. And He does.
Truly God's love is amazing!

As a mom, I know that I cannot love my child as much as God loves him. I cannot come even close in understanding, kindness, compassion and wisdom that God has with us but I can try.
It isn't easy and every day grind gets to me.
I fail. I ask His forgiveness. 
I try again to be the best mother I could be. To show my little boy what love really means and how give it to others. How to live it and show love in my everyday life.


October 1, 2013

One Heart




 MUNCHKIN #1                     +                         MUNCHKIN #2

=


MUNCHKIN #3




Over the weekend hubby and I (finally!) got a chance to get away from the daily grind. It was a long awaited but short-lived vacation that we both very much needed. 
One thing I did not expect is to miss my baby so much. 
This little munchkin of mine completely stole my heart. 


My sister was gracious enough to watch Jonathan and, although I trust her completely, I was anxious. The night before we were supposed to leave, I couldn't sleep, was super worried and doubting the entire idea.
 I honestly did not think it was going to be this difficult to leave him behind. For just one night, mind you.

I've read countless stories of mothers who had to leave their child over night (or two) and how they were driving away in tears. I thought that those mothers were taking it a tad too far. Why wouldn't you want to leave your kid somewhere to escape for couple of days? 
You do. Really. You need to.
But when it comes time to leave, you doubt and feel guilty and just about to cry. 

You brought the little munchkin into the world and that heart is a huge part of you.
No matter where, no matter how far away, he will forever and always be with you.
He's a little part of both of us.

Who do you think he looks like?



September 6, 2013

That One Time I Was REALLY Afraid


Blogtember Day 4: A story about a time you were very afraid.

While I was thinking about this topic, I could think of only one time in my life when I was scared. For real. 

When I was pregnant with Jonathan, I had all these different ideas in my head on how his birth is going to be. Every Braxton-Hicks contraction gave me butterflies and I thought that 'this is it'. But they never progressed and at my last check up I wasn't dilated at all.

Doctor told me I could wait another day or two which, given my current situation, probably wouldn't help. Or I could get induced. I really, really, really did NOT want to get induced. After careful discussion and consideration hubby and I decided to go for induction. You can read Jonathan's full birth story here

On the day we were scheduled to be at the hospital, I really didn't sleep much. We got up, had brunch and made sure that my hospital bag was packed to its maximum capacity. I had laptop and movies, snacks and magazines (oh how naive I was) and pretty much everything else did not need. After packing everything into the car, tiding up the house and doing my make up and hair (I had to take some last minute pictures ok?), we were ready to go. 

I still had doubts about our decision but tried to be optimistic and talk myself into it. In my mind I was listing every reason why this was a good idea and why we didn't want to wait any longer, but I was afraid.

I was scared to death of the pain that was coming. It's like seeing a train coming your way and knowing it's going to hit you but not being able to do anything about it. It's going to hurt. A lot. That's the way it is.

I was afraid of the unknown. I haven't been through this before and not knowing what's coming was the worst part of this whole ordeal (being the control freak that I am). 

I was nervous that I'm going to chicken out and get an epidural (which I did). I knew that my pain tolerance was very low and the side affects of epi are great. Nevertheless, the stories I've heard about the pain, made me consider it even more.

I was afraid of all the complications and every horror birth story kept coming to my mind (that's what you get for reading a million blogs). 

I was afraid of something happening to the baby and him having some kind of physical or mental defect. I was so scared that I will blame and will never forgive myself for the rest of my life. 

I was afraid that although my husband was there with me, he couldn't help me much. I felt so alone and scared, that all I kept doing the entire ride was holding on to his hand and praying.

That fifteen minute ride to the hospital felt like an eternity and my heart rate was going up with every mile passed by. I was nervous, anxious and jittery which probably wasn't helping the situation. 

The only thing that helped me get through was to get my mind off those things. Even praying wasn't helping because I kept listing and asking the Lord to make sure that none of those afro mentioned things happen, which send me into a mental freak out every time.

It was the scariest time of my life. 
But it was worth it.
I know we made the best decision we could make at the time and I had a perfectly healthy baby in my arm, which I thank God for everyday.








August 30, 2013

Guilt {Motherhood Challenges Series}


Before becoming a mother, I knew of the great responsibility that comes with the role. However I did not know that some of my biggest faults and challenges will come out of hiding and, having another human being in my care, be magnified by like a hundred. 

I've always struggled with guilt. 
Constantly feeling guilty for simple things that I choose to do for myself, my family and what others think of me. I mean, it's difficult being a people-pleasing perfectionist with guilt-ridden mind.
Since motherhood is a constant choice of parenting methods, feeding schedules and sleeping styles it's hard not to look at other moms and think 'how do they have it all together?'

People tell me that I only have one, that it's nothing compared to multiple kids. And maybe they are right. Maybe I'm just a big wimp and maybe I don't know anything but let me tell you something: it's hard.
It's hard enough with only one baby.

Having a community of other mamas, going through exactly the same thing you are going through sure is helpful but at the same time, we only things on very surface. I have fallen prey to letting others think that I'm the best mother out there; that I have it all together.
Most of the time I don't.
And since I'm doing it wrong one time or another, guilt is something that gets me down every time.

I feel guilty for not nursing until 99 months old. Although I'm still doing it and supplementing with formula, there are mamas out there who don't let their kids have a drop of formula. 

I feel guilty for taking time for myself during the day and letting him just play and whine a little on his own.

I feel guilty for letting him cry it out when he just doesn't want to do anything else, given that he's fed and changed. I taught him how to fall asleep on his own, but even that was heartbreaking at first. Letting him cry for five to ten minutes is hard enough but when I hear someone else say that you should pick your baby up every time he cries, just about puts me in tears.

I feel guilty for not taking enough family photos and missing his first laugh  Not taking a video of his first cry or whatever else important may have happened and I didn't have camera on hand.

I feel guilty for wanting to leave him (at mere four months old) with my sister, so hubby and I could go away for a few days. Although it didn't happen, people look at me with shock for not wanting to take the baby along with us. I feel guilty for being so selfish.

I feel guilty for forgetting to pick up my baby from the nursery the very first Sunday we went to church. I mean, who forgets they have a newborn? Apparently I do.

I feel guilty for wanting to go to work and not just be stay-home wife and mama. I hear people say that I should just enjoy him right now, which I absolutely do. Though, at times, I need to feel like I'm a grown adult with other interests besides what color his poop is or what new food should I try feeding him.. 

I feel guilty for not having enough patience with him when he just wouldn't eat those peaches; or when he doesn't want to go to sleep according to my schedule; or when his whining is driving me nuts. 

I feel guilty for getting too busy and not taking time to pray. To pray for my family, my little boy, for wisdom and guidance because I sure need it.

I feel guilty for not playing with him when I have chores to do, or simply not getting home for his bed time. 

I feel guilty for not spending enough time with hubby and constantly focusing on Jonathan. Even our conversations come down to what I do during the day and how long Jonathan naps.

All these things are every day challenges that mothers (read: I) face and I'm sure I'm not the only one. 
Or am I? Please tell me I'm not, so I can stop thinking that I'm crazy.
 With all the perfectly edited and filtered Instagram baby pictures (they don't have any food on their little bow ties and their hair is perfectly combed), I think it's time to get real. 

Life isn't perfect and we all have to deal with issues, we are all in the same boat. It's good to know that you are not the only one dealing with challenges and storm of emotions running through your postpartum body. That other mamas too give their babies formula, let them cry it out, play by themselves, don't have enough time for anything, forget their baby in the nursery, can't wait for 8 o'clock and want to escape the house sometimes. 

God has been teaching me patience. He has also been humbling me big time, showing me that I'm just like everyone else, that I don't have it all together, that I need Him every day. More then ever. 

At the end of the day, I pray God will guide me through and help me do my best. Although, when I don't succeed at times, there's always tomorrow and He will be there too. 







August 13, 2013

Jonathan //6 months//

Daddy's teaching you to stand strong and tall
Celebrating your cousin's birthday. All pink and not sure it all. Poor guy.
Handsome little dude. #toomuchcutenessinoneface

I honestly didn't see this day coming so soon. It's your half birthday! Should we get a half of cake? Since you can't have any, we will enjoy something delicious on your behalf dear. 
So 6 months...Where did the time go!?
I remember trying to teach you how to latch on and now I'm stuffing that face with green beans, which you still aren't huge fan of.
Dear boy, you are growing way too fast and yet not soon enough.
You are such a happy baby, I can't believe how many fears I had about having a child but you have proved a lot of them wrong. 

You sleep like a champ, eat like a hungry monkey and enjoy playing by yourself. Now that I know you more and what ever cry, wine and smirk means - life is becoming easier. I don't worry that you will be screaming your lungs out in Walmart or that you won't take the bottle and I will have to nurse you right there in cereal isle. It's like we have our own rhythm and get along very well.
Of course, you have your days and I have my moments but over all, you are one easy-going baby. 

You are rolling all over the floor and sitting up a little too. You love your cereal and don't mind the bottle. But most of all, you still love to nurse and actually will get kind of cranky if you don't get a nursing session in any given 5 hours. And there I thought you will be weaned by 6 months. Yeah, so that didn't happen.

You have the most adorable and contagious laugh I have ever heard and yet most of the time, you are one serious fella. Every grandma loves you but you get very shy around strangers and turn away with a cute smile. Such a heartbreaker already!

You are ever so curious and love looking around, going for long walks and exploring new surfaces and places. You are also a lot more sociable and don't cling to me all the time, which is good when I have to leave you in the nursery during church services. You are fascinated with all the kids there and I'm pretty sure soon it will be your favorite place.

We had a small struggle with getting you used to falling asleep in your crib during the day. You have such a stubborn personality already and a very strong will but finally you got used to it. Now if I see you getting tired and rubbing your eyes, all I have to do is give you a bottle and put you in the crib where you fall asleep all on your own. Such a smart kid. 

It's such a fun time watching you take everything in and explore this new and exciting world. 
Daddy and I love you very much.
We pray for you to grow big and strong, to know God and love others.
Happy half a birthday son!

July 12, 2013

Babies Make Your Heart Grow Softer

 

Once you have a kid, everything changes. I mean, everything
Your priorities shift, or at least they should.
You start asking people where they bought their strollers and begin thinking about what you are going to leave to your kids after you are gone.
Most of all, though, you change your perspective on child rearing.

Before you have kid(s) their cry seems endless, their whining annoying and their smiles - dorky. After you have a kid of your own, it seems that every cry is a call for help, every whine is just cute babble and every smile is pure joy.
Then you realize what you think you know about raising kids and advice you offer has zero ground, no matter how many parenting books you read. You don't know squat.


You start getting more patient, kind, soft spoken, caring and gentle. 
You stop judging other moms in the grocery store whose kids are having a melt down. 
You stop giving looks to parents whose kids don't want to eat anything except hot dogs and cereal.
You don't look down on mothers who bribe their kids with cellphones and ice cream.
You don't roll your eyes at moms who breastfeed for two years because their child refuses to wean.
You don't judge mothers those don't breastfeed at all.
You don't criticize parents who can't go to public places with their chillins.
You don't because you understand, for the very first time, actually how hard this parenting thing is, how much it changes who you are.


These little chubby, adorable human make you softer. 
They bend and twist your heart in the ways you haven't imagined before. 
They make your heart ache when you are away from them.
They make you cry when they cry.
They melt your heart with their smiles.
They make your heart skip a beat with every milestone.
Babies. They are true God-given blessings.
And they make your heart grown softer with every passing day.

BLOG DESIGN BY BELLA LULU INK