Aug '05 Mamas - Bring on the May Flowers! - Page 2

[henhao]

I am sending out loving hugs to all who need them now.

To de-stress, I go for walks, write, vegetate in front of the television if I must, take a showe, drink tea.

What I would like to do is yoga, but it's really hard to do that with a toddler around. I'll probably end up taking a class.

Once our pool membership starts up this summer. I'll swim and that will help with stress, too.


Fridgeart-- I hear from lots of friends their children this age are saying that "X do it" about everything. O does not say it, but she does want to brush her hair and teeth on her own. It's tricky. I want to let her figure it out and also want it done well if it involves health (teeth).

Usually, I'll give her one toothbrush (or two t keep both of her hands busy!) and I'll used a third to get in there and brush. Lately, she wants to hold all three of them -- sigh--.

LOL As soon as I get 'smart' and figure out a way to brush her teeth, she skirts around it!

I don't know how you mamas of 2 babies do it. I greatly admire you folks! I am so tired with just one!

[hopefulfaith]

Happy new week, all!

Only 5 more days until dh comes home. Today was Day 9, and I am One Tired Mama. I don't presume to compare myself to a single parent as I'm not working & arranging child care while also caring for the kids solo for these two weeks....but damn, is this hard. I was raised by a single mom, and I have a whole new outlook this week on exactly how difficult it must have been for her. Amazing. Even harder is the weather is topsy turvy (we're indoors again x 2 days) and the kids both have colds so we couldn't go on our road trip to WI as planned Lord willing, we're going to town tomorrow and we'll have lunch and go to Target, I think. That is always fun.

I have been trying to make time to read these days, especially late at night after the kids go to bed. I just finished "Three Cups of Tea" by Greg Mortenson. Anybody read it? I splurged on Amazon this morning and ordered Barbara Kingsolver's new book and one I hadn't read yet by Anne Lamott. What are you all reading lately?

Love to all.

[ktmama]

Emily, hang in there girl! I must admit that I kind of like that one week a year when dh goes out of town for his annual conference. : Just me and my girls then...

Anyway, I'm reading a great book called Paris to the Moon about a New York couple who lived in Paris for five years raising their baby son there. I'm a bit of a, well, not a Francophile, exactly, but I do love all things Parisian and dream of living there or somewhere else in France some day. So I love books about Americans living in France. I'm also a bit of a magazine nut these days since I discovered that my library gives old issues away for free and puts them out on Wednesday morning - the same morning as storytime!

In other news, after two weeks at the Y, I've dropped five pounds! I'm having fun taking Pilates and yoga and playing basketball in the gym in addition to lifting weights. I still would like to lose another ten pounds or so, but mostly I'd just like to be *firmer*. Can I get an "amen" from the choir?

A is now saying "home" when we drive up into the driveway. She says it like, "ommmm".

[Surfer Rosa]

Reading: the new Kate Atkinson. I am not a fan of the genre (it's her first "mystery") but I love the way she writes. I'm also reading "The Penelopiad" by Margaret Atwood. I didn't know Barbara Kingsolver had a new one out-I'll have to get it!
On a non-fun reading level, I am reading the Sears Discipline book.

[K's Mom!]

Henhao~ C also likes to do teethbrushing by himself. BUt, I'm fairly positive that sucking the paste off the bristles constitutes as a good brushing. So, what I do is the "let's take turns" tactic. C gets to brush first for about 1 min. then momma does it for 1 minute and then C finishes. Have you tried this? It seems to be the solution that works for us.

Books~ Hmm. .I'm "reading" (grazing though) a few different. I'm reading Soul Sounds by Mary Summer Rain, How To listen So Kids Will Talk . . . by A. Faber & E. Mazlish, and Raising Boys by Steve Biddulph. I just finished the most recent of Jenny McCarthy's books, Life Laughs. It was very blunt and absolutely hilarious, stating the truths of real life marriage and motherhood!

Welcome Indiemomma!

I hope you all have a lovely Tuesday. . I'm going to go battle my messy house once again. Hopefully this time I'll actually conquer the mess!

[hopefulfaith]

Originally Posted by ktmama

Emily, hang in there girl! I must admit that I kind of like that one week a year when dh goes out of town for his annual conference. : Just me and my girls then...

I hear ya!! The first week was awesome. I love just being 1:1 with the kids and when dh is gone, I say to heck with the bedtime routine as I only have two hands ... and both kids just come to bed with me without trying to put everyone down in different places with different routines. Also, we eat things like pancakes for dinner & grilled cheese for breakfast. Yeah!

ETA: Hooray for you at the Y!

[hopefulfaith]

Originally Posted by K's Mom!

Henhao~ C also likes to do teethbrushing by himself. BUt, I'm fairly positive that sucking the paste off the bristles constitutes as a good brushing. So, what I do is the "let's take turns" tactic. C gets to brush first for about 1 min. then momma does it for 1 minute and then C finishes. Have you tried this? It seems to be the solution that works for us.

We do that, too!

[quelindo]

Hmmm...reading. Well, my latest obsession is gluten intolerance/celiac disease. I am having Henry's stool tested since I suspect it runs in my family (and DH's). I'm on my fourth book on the subject in about three weeks. Right now I'm reading "Dangerous Grains." It's actually pretty interesting!

We have trouble with tooth-brushing, too, though I'm finding that if I explain to Henry why we need to clean his teeth he's a bit more agreeable (and tonight I picked out a small piece of food with the flosser, so then he let me floss the rest of his teeth!).

Henry can't say, "Henry do it," but his version is "HEN-NY!"

[skana]

Hey Mamas. I thought I would pop on for a quick sec to let you all know that I'm alive and well and always lurking.

I've been back at work for two months now (three days a week) and, while not without its challenges, it has gone fairly smoothly. I wouldn't be able to do it full-time, that's for sure. At any rate, Tova and Griffin (when he's not at school) seem to like the sitter and she is very kind and patient and fun-loving. I'm enjoying being at work and feel productive while I'm there. And so far my health is holding up, so here's hoping that will continue. It's almost exactly a year since I had that brutal bout with mastitis and ended up in hospital. We are still nursing, I'm happy to say -- usually two-three times a day when I'm working and three-four times on the days I'm home.

Tova is doing great and I'm finding this to be such a fun age. She is talking more and more now (my silent one has become a Chatty Cathy) and picking up and exploring words every day. The cling factor has subsided a bit, and that makes life more enjoyable. She's found she really enjoys sitting in our armchair and "reading" to her stuffed lab Archie or her Teddy, and that lets Mommy get a few things done for a chance, which is nice. We are loving being outside in this fabulous weather and I feel so rejuvenated when the sun is shining. Our only problem now is that little miss runner hates to hold hands -- and she is quick. I got her a backpack/harness thingy (it's a unicorn) and that seems to be working out OK, although she hated it at first and I wasn't all that fond of it either . I'd rather hold hands since I figure I can prevent falls better that way, but oh well. She still rides in the Ergo but doesn't care to unless she's totally pooped.

Griffin broke his arm about three weeks ago and will have his cast on for another three weeks. Not fun, but he is a trooper. He fell off his bike -- I've never broken a bone, despite always being a "sporty" person, but I suppose it's something of a right of passage.

I was raised by a single mom, and I have a whole new outlook this week on exactly how difficult it must have been for her. Amazing.

Me, too, Emily and I know exactly what you're saying. I remember thinking often after my spirited son was born "how did my mom do it?"

Congrats to the folks who are getting healthy/active. I find I'm getting less exercise now since Tova wants to walk everywhere, but I do walk back and forth to the harbour ferry (about 20 minutes) on work days. Weight isn't so much of an issue, but I do find I'm carrying about five extra pounds right around my middle. Yuck. I went to put on a pair of pants that fit last summer and they were too snug. I hate that. I'm short (5 ft. 3) so every pound makes a difference.

Reading is my passion, too (along with people-watching over a nice Starbucks latte) and I'm in a great book club. We just finished Alligator by Lisa Moore, a Newfoundland author (really liked it) and we're just starting Custodian of Paradise by another Newfoundlander, Wayne Johnston. I'm a big fan of his other books, too. We read Martin Amis's London Fields a couple months ago but I have to say I didn't really care for it. Still reading Dr. Sears's Baby Book for the advice on two-year-olds.

And now my big confession: part of the reason I haven't been posting here is that I'm now on Facebook and I'm afraid I've become a bit obsessed. Everyone at work is on it and we have a Daily News group, so that's fun, but I've also been able to connect with some old friends this way -- it's a bit like TV in that it's kind of a mindless time-passer. And addictive. Luckily I watch very little TV. Just The Office, mostly.

So, on that note, I'm off to do laundry. Lord, beer me strength!

[babycarrier]

Hi all! Mothering 2 young boys is so much work. I never knew how much time or energy it would involve or how amazing it would be. I am fully consumed with it and starting to branch out into the who I used to be. It is fun.

The book suggestions have been great! I recently started reading again and I can't get enough. World War Z was a zombieish fun read - i liked the political slant. Just started Kafka on the Shore by Haruki Murakami and I can't put it down. I'm off to read now

[hopefulfaith]

I love hearing about what you all are reading. Keep it coming! What a good variety we have. I hang out with cool people here. :

[wsgrl84]

nak...

How do you mamas find time to read! I have this collection here piling up and I can't seem to finish one book!

-Diaper Diaries by Copeland
-Something Borrowed by Giffin
-Baby Whisperer for Toddlers
-24 Declassified by Whitman (I love Jack Baur, he's so handsome, he's my hero. He can save me any day... ok DH wants me to stop)

and many more...

It's more skimming through for me...before Christopher or Justin wakes up or before Nonny falls asleep...ZZZZZzzzzz

Thanks for telling me it'll get easier Emily, I needed to hear that. I still need to find my rhythm w/ 2, Christopher feels left out/bored maybe during the day... he sits in the corner playing with himself while I'm nursing or changing diaper. I feel SOOO bad that I can't give either of my boys 100% of my attention!

Who thinks I should ween DS1 raise your hands... I feel my water, energy, nutrients and life being sucked out of me when I/ BF 2!

Right now I just want 12 hrs of uninterrupted sleep and a nice buffet all by myself! Mmmmmm yummy...

[wsgrl84]

Originally Posted by farmlife

Hi all! Mothering 2 young boys is so much work. I never knew how much time or energy it would involve or how amazing it would be. I am fully consumed with it and starting to branch out into the who I used to be. It is fun.

Amen to that! minus the fun part...jk...

Boys are major WHINERS! Goodness! When DS1 whines, I copy him and whine too and I find myself whining a lot!

[wsgrl84]

I was just thinking...

Do toddler's appetite change a lot around this age? Like how much they eat or suddenly not liking certain foods.

I just realized Christopher hasn't been eating as much as before. He would drink though. Could he be dieting?? Or just a sudden loss of appetite? Though I wouldn't mind the dieting...he is getting chubby!!

[K's Mom!]

Hey Nonny~ you know what? I didn't start really reading books again until #2 was 9 or 10 mos. old and taking independent naps and sleeping *most* of the night. So don't worry, it'll happen again. Also, It's been my experience that tastes tend to change a lot between 17-19 mos. and they become pickier, also they are too busy playing to eat. I also think that at this age begins the pendulum of eating a lot regulary, stoping that, then grow a lot, stoping. etc. etc. seems to be a reg. cycle for us.

If I may, I'd offer this advice: I would say to still offer food frequently throughout the day and perhaps during lunch I would put out a plate of assorted healthy foods for your DS to graze on for awhile (1-2 hrs.). This is how I've gotten my DD to actually eat a decent amount of food during the day. Don't worry though as I highly doubt that your ds will allow himself to starve. His body will take care of him, hard to ignore pangs of hunger!

[wsgrl84]

Originally Posted by K's Mom!

Hey Nonny~ you know what? I didn't start really reading books again until #2 was 9 or 10 mos. old and taking independent naps and sleeping *most* of the night. So don't worry, it'll happen again. Also, It's been my experience that tastes tend to change a lot between 17-19 mos. and they become pickier, also they are too busy playing to eat. I also think that at this age begins the pendulum of eating a lot regulary, stoping that, then grow a lot, stoping. etc. etc. seems to be a reg. cycle for us.

If I may, I'd offer this advice: I would say to still offer food frequently throughout the day and perhaps during lunch I would put out a plate of assorted healthy foods for your DS to graze on for awhile (1-2 hrs.). This is how I've gotten my DD to actually eat a decent amount of food during the day. Don't worry though as I highly doubt that your ds will allow himself to starve. His body will take care of him, hard to ignore pangs of hunger!

Thanks for the advise! Really lucky to have found this group of mamas

[wsgrl84]

So I actually haven't gotten a chance to take new pictures until now....

Enjoy!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jasonandnon/

[hopefulfaith]

Nonny, they're GOR!

I like the one where Christopher is kissing Justin.

[Mama Coltrane]

Oh the beautiful baby pics!

Guess what? I just went to my first birth as a doula. I got back 4 hours ago or so. I am high and in lala babyland. It was so awesome. Incredible. It was a VBAC homebirth. the Mom , her DH and the baby did a terrific job.
Now I have to go sleep. I am sooooo tired.

- Kerri

[Surfer Rosa]

Wow Kerri-that's so cool!! I imagine doulahood is an amazing job!