Things I said I'd Never Do::52 Weeks of Blogging with a Purpose

This prompt is a good one.  Before we become parents we have this grand idea of how we will parent.  We envision our kids being the perfect ones and are so quick to criticize what we see others doing.  Once you become a mom, the game changes.  You realize that everyone has their days and while yeah there are still things I see and I know I will never allow such a thing to occur being a mom is humbling experience. I cant think of too many but the ones that come to mind were things I was very adamant about pre-kids.

1. Do Cry it Out

I always thought I wouldn't be the mom who did this, it seemed cruel and cold.  Well...que six months old and still waking to eat every 1-2 hours...yeah I was over it.  I still say I wouldn't do it before 6 months but in reality choosing to do this was one of the best parenting decisions I have made.  By six months L was waking so often and wanting to eat so much at night we were wearing thin.  I talked to his pediatrician and made sure there were no health issues that could be causing this and with her good graces we did it.  It was rough.  It was not fun.  But I loosely used the Mom's On Call method and within three nights he was sleeping 12 hours.  There were still nights he would wake up here and there but they were few and far between.

2. Have a Child Who Throws a Fit in Public

yeah this one... I swore it would never happen to me...big fat WRONG.  It has happened I mean the full on laid out on the floor screaming fit.  We quickly left the store and even still when he has his moments I don't subject others to his carrying on.  We leave.  Nothing is so important at a store or restaurant that we need to stay and allow that behavior.  Kids do this and I think you can teach them its unacceptable but it still happens from time to time.

3. Go in Public with  Mismatched Messy Child

Once again motherhood put me in my place.  Is it something that happens often? No, but sometimes you just need to run to the store and kids are messy creatures.  It happens.  We were quite the scene at Target the other day, all I could do was laugh about it.  I had gotten off work and swapped cars with the hubby and had to stop at Target for a few things.  Most days when we have to swap cars like this the hubby has fed and dressed L for the day.  Of course not this day.  I was weary and had clearly worked all night, L still had his footie jammies on, his hair all over the place and dried snot on his face. Yeah we had run out of wipes and I literally had nothing to clean him with. It was a scene and then he caused a scene such as mentioned in #2 as we were leaving.  Yeah it was fun.

4. Give my Child Fast Food/Junk

I always thought I would not be the mom to give my child sweets or junk food.  While its not the norm I do give him cookies and we do frequent the drive through from time to time. Not McDonalds though, I really hate that place. He really prefers healthier foods though and whenever he asks for a snack it usually is some kind of fruit. I think you have to have balance and the occasional junk will not hurt them. Plus, I love how happy he is when I give him a few cookies and chicken nuggets :)

5. Let my Child Watch TV More Than X Number of Hours

Well, this one went out the window long long ago!  TV, movies, and iPad are my lifesavers!! There is no way I could get half of what I do done and also work night shift without the above items.  He actually has learned A LOT from the ipad games and who doesn't love to just sit and watch TV I mean I know I do so why should I deprive my child of that? In all fairness I'm not raising a lazy couch potato we do play outside when the weather allows and read a lot of books but sometimes you just need technology!

Five on Friday

It's friday and for me it actually is a friday! That's not a common thing but I work tonight then me and the little are headed to San Antonio to spend a little extra time with my parents.  My mom is awesome and this is her last weekend before her last class starts as she finishes her Masters!! 

Lets jump right in to my Five on Friday this week...

{ONE}

I made this recipe this week for a friend who just had a baby and just went ahead and made a double recipe and we ate it for dinner ourselves.  It was so good and easy and is a "make ahead" meal so I plan to add it to my list of recipes to make for our freezer in preparation for our new addition.  This recipe was a sure winner and I know this because L asked for seconds and ate it twice the next day as leftovers!! The link is here -->> Kraft Recipes

{TWO}

This bad boy, the 4moms Mamaroo, is on the top of my wish list for this baby!! I plan to sell the swing we have because I am not a fan and I have heard so many rave reviews of this thing I am eager to get one and try it out! Obviously the baby would be trying it out but you get the idea :)

Mamaroo

{THREE}

My sweet lovebug has a cold, he woke up the other day super congested and hasn't been himself the past few days.  He is such a trooper though and still is such a sweet boy and continues to sleep good at night.  We have the head of his bead elevated and broke out the coolmist humidifier.  He should be on the mend in no time!

{FOUR}

As I had previously mentioned, all of L's baby clothes that were light colors had these old yellow stains on them that made their debut after being stored in a box for two years.  I was able to get them all stain free! I soaked them in a TON of oxyclean in the bathtub for about three days then hung them in the sun to dry.  They need washed in baby soap to soften them up but they are all back to their stain free self!! 

{FIVE}

I just finished a fantastic book that really sucked me in from the first pages.  Saving CeeCee Honeycutt by Beth Hoffman It was so very good and if your looking for a quick read this would be my recommendation!

The Best Coffee Cake

I hosted play group at my house this past week and I wanted to make a little something to share with everyone.

I made this coffee cake and it was AWESOME! I deviated some from the original recipe but I seriously probably ate half the cake the day I made it!

Honeybun Cake
original recipe is from Tasty Kitchen

Ingredients:

1 boxYellow Cake Mix
4 whole Eggs
1 cup Sour Cream
¾ cups Canola Oil
1 cup Light Brown Sugar
2 Tablespoons Cinnamon
2 cups Powdered Sugar
6 Tablespoons Milk
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

Preheat your oven to 325 degrees.

By hand, blend the cake mix, eggs, sour cream, and oil until well-incorporated. The mixture will be pale yellow; it’s okay if it has some lumps! Then set aside.

In a separate bowl, mix together the brown sugar and cinnamon until well-blended; set aside.

Pour half of the cake batter into a greased 9×9 pan, spreading the batter out into a thin layer. Add half of the swirl mixture to the top, covering the entire layer of batter. Don’t be alarmed if it looks like you’re over-saturating the cake—it’ll taste great! Pour the rest of the batter on top, and spread the batter until the cake is even. Top the cake off with the rest of the swirl mixture. With a knife, swirl the batter until you create a beautiful masterpiece (I always pretend I’m a barista pouring cream into a cappuccino because I’m really nerdy like that).

Place the cake into the oven and bake for 45-50 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

While the cake is baking, make the glaze**. In a bowl, mix the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla until glaze is of desired consistency. When the cake comes out of the oven, immediately pour glaze onto the hot cake. You might have to pick up the cake and tilt it to spread the glaze evenly. Let the cake sit for a few minutes so the glaze can set and serve warm or at room temperature.

**I did not make the glaze because I couldn't get my powdered sugar container open and it was still so good! The recipe above is edited with the changes I made, for the original recipe click the link above!

52 Weeks of Blogging with a Purpose::My Goals for Motherhood

Being a mom as fun and great as it is truly is a huge job.  Not only do you have this cute little mini to play with and ogle over but you have the responsibility to raise them to be a strong upstanding citizen in the future as well.  That is huge.  So much of what your mother teaches you sticks with you for ever.  I find myself time and time again saying and hearing from others "Well when I was little my mamma..." or "My Mamma didn't raise me to..."

When L first came along there where times when I would sit and really think about the responsibility I had and how big a task I have before me.  It can be overwhelming at times really.  Thankfully I have a great God to guide me and a strong support system to back me up.  The saying "It takes a village to raise a child" is a true one in the sense that no, the village should not be raising your child but they are a crucial piece of your support system.

There are a few key things that come to mind as far as my goals in being a mother to these boys...and any future children we have.
One thing that is most important to me is to raise a son who turns is a strong christian man who is honorable, selfless, and has a tender heart for others.  This is huge and not something I can do on my own as a mother.  I pray every day that God will guide me in raising this kind of son.  We live in a society where if you don't have strong beliefs and values you will fall for anything and I hope to instill in him from an early age a good set of values and beliefs.  So much of what we are as an adult is not taught to us but embedded in us over time during our formative years.

There have been several days while at the park a parent has asked me if L has siblings because he shares so openly or commented to me how sweet he is with younger children.  I love this and while I know he has his moments where he doesn't want to share I have witnessed his gentleness time and again with babies and other children where he openly offers the toy he is playing with and is just so sweet to others.  This is something I hope never changes and I know when this new baby comes he will have a period of adjustment and attention seeking behavior I hope he is just as gentle and kind and open  with his brother as he is to the others he is around.

Another thing that is so so important to me is to raise a child with manners.  I read a post recently that was oh so so true and I want to print it and highlight it and hang it on the fridge from Kim at The Nurtured Home about children and their manners these days.  We have from before L has started talking and eating much other than soft baby food taught him please and thank you and that what is offered to you is what you eat and if you don't like it then you will eat more at your next meal.  This is how I was raised and this is how my children will be raised too.  You need to respect others and be grateful for what they do for you.  You say yes ma'am and sir to your elders unless they give you permission to call them otherwise.  We also behave in public and if meltdowns are had then we leave.  There is nothing I need so bad at a store or restaurant that my child can act a fool and think its ok. we have changed our food to take out and left stores before because of this. It irks me more than anything to see rude children, rude children turn into rude adults and Ain't nobody got time for that!!

I was at a playgroup once a while ago and everyone had kind of brought along their own food for themselves and their children and I sat down with L on the floor and we were eating our food and this little girl who I had never met kept wanting a bite of my chicken burrito.  Her mother kept saying no and next thing I know this child has her mouth on MY burrito taking a bite!! I was seriously blown away, this child was old enough and I couldn't believe she helped her mouth to my food... a child I don't even know! I'm all about sharing, but come on!

I could go on and on with things i.e. goals I want for my children but I think the third and final big one is that I want my children to feel loved and well cared for. This one is an easier one to accomplish as I think it comes down to motherly instinct.  I will say though it saddens me when I see parents yell at their children all the time and get ugly at them yes, children can get on our nerves but I feel if you communicate with your child as you would with an adult maybe they wont say "mom" twenty times before you answer them or ask you the same question twenty times.  We aren't there yet in our development, but, I do know that going back to infancy I took on a pretty laid back approach to mothering L. When he was hungry I fed him even if it was every 45 minutes during a growth spurt or rough day and if he wanted to be held I held him.  Thank God for the Moby because there were days I couldn't put him down.  Even now, there are days I have nearly been late for work or things just didn't get done because L just wants me to sit and hold him.  I will, I feel like we all have rough days and as a toddler if you wake up grumpy and mommy holding you makes you happy then thats what he needs at that time.  So dinner didn't get made before I left for work or the kitchen didn't get cleaned those can wait, one day he won't want me to hold him.  I think feeling secure is more important than dishes or dinner.

This goal often puts my own needs and desires on the back burner for a moment and the selflessness of motherhood comes to the front but I would do it time and again if it means raising a well adjusted child who feels secure and loved.  I also feel like I have to say there is a fine line between this and being a helicopter parent which I am not.  I feel in order for a child to be adventurous and well adjusted outside the home they need to feel secure and cared for when their  needs arise.

Baby #2 Update

This pregnancy is truly flying by, what they say is so true that the second pregnancy goes so much faster than the first! I mean in less than 4 months we will be welcoming another sweet boy into this family!!

We have finally come up with a name! I am undecided wether I will share it here on the blog or not.  I will say this though, he will have the same monogram as L! I have too many cute monogrammed things I want to reuse and the hubby wanted to stick with an L name so it worked out perfect!

I also have finally come up with the design concept I want for his nursery.  It was a hard enough decision deciding what room would be his and now that we have the concept and room selected it's time to get busy! I will share my ideas on its own blog post. I really hope the room pans out the way I am imagining because I'm really excited about it.

I am 24 weeks this week and had my glucose test on monday which I passed but, as I had suspected and mentioned previously my extra tiredness is hopefully related to the fact that my "blood count" was in fact low.  I will start taking some iron and hopefully see a difference.

This boy has certainly grown faster than his brother I think I wasn't this big till almost 30 weeks last time, I will have to find a picture to compare to!

Little guy is a mover at night which is the same as his brother was.  I mean I do work night shift after all so I am really not surprised! Speaking of working night shift.  It feels so much tougher this time around! I know my job is more demanding as far as stress level and walking and bending over goes if you don't work in an ICU let me just say bending over every hour to check multiple chest tube and foley output is no easy task as big ol preggo! By the time I go home my body aches!!

I had to add this outtake... it cracks me up every time!!! Big bro wanted in on the action!!! I love his little face :)

I really haven't had many cravings this time around, I find myself having to remind myself to eat and drink though because I will go half a day without eating before I realize how long its been.

I pulled all of L's old clothes out and to my horror 90% of them had old breast milk spit up stains that have shown up during the time they have been boxed away.  I soaked them in oxyclean for about 3 days and will hang them in the sun today in hopes I can salvage them.

In less fun news, I had to have a root canal yesterday...yuck!! I was always under the impression dental work was a no no during pregnancy but I was wrong.  They had to use a different local anesthetic which apparently wears off quicker and I put a pillow under my hips so as not to be flat on my back for a long time.  The Endodontist was incredible! I was so nervous about going to someone new as I was referred to him from my dentist but he was great.  He had great bedside manor and was very aware of the pregnancy and my comfort during the procedure and in considering the treatment plan.  I really only had it partially done and I will go back whenever I feel like it after baby is born.  He just cleaned out the roots and filled it with medicine and put in a temporary filling to hold me until I make it back which he said there is no rush to do! So many answered prayers around this procedure as I was so incredibly nervous!! I would say it went about as well as any root canal could go!!

52 Weeks of Blogging with a Purpose::If I Could Have One Superpower

This weeks topic is if I could have one super power what would it be...

My initial response was that I would want to be able to freeze time.  There are moments that just feel so prefect that I don't want another minute to pass.  Moments where L will crawl into my lap and just want me to hold him with his head on my shoulder, or holding my hand.  But, thats what a photo and a memory is for.  Thankfully with iphones and such I can snap a sweet picture of my lil guy with his head on my shoulder and when I see that image it brings me right back to that moment.

So, I thought it would be fun to have the power of being invisible!

 There are so many instances when I would love to be a fly on a wall amidst a conversation or go particular places and not be seen.  I love love love to just sit somewhere and listen and observe, airports are great for this but so are hospital waiting rooms, and the mall!

I love to observe people and I love to listen in on other peoples conversations. Its just not socially acceptable to pop in on someones convo that your not a part of and if I was invisible...no biggie!

I am that person that when driving through neighborhoods at night loves to see inside peoples houses.  Not in a creeper way I just love to see how people decorate, how other families function.  Its so interesting to me!! Makes me feel more normal I guess.