Sam has 6 teeth now!!! Two more have emerged on the top - Mark noticed this morning! Looking back it seems that the weeks preceeding the teeth coming in have been crappy ones - So.... I think those bottom ones are working their way thru - that would explain his awful sleep and grumpiness lately.... we will see!
6 down.....
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Friday, June 26, 2009
The most important pledge of all
This was written by Clinical psychologist and writer Marie Murray, its long but worth the read!
Parenting never ends: it is a lifelong undertaking. It is the most momentous venture, yet the one for which least preparation is received.
No prior training is provided unless actively undertaken or serendipity provides a chance to learn about relating to children.
Many parents hold a baby for the first time when they hold their own child. Now that is daunting: a little living creature, new, needy, utterly helpless and totally dependent. Parents looking into the dark depths of their baby's eyes are understandably overwhelmed that this human being is of their making, reliant on them and will be in a relationship with them until death do them part.
If vows are given at marriage, what a pledge is given at the birth of a child! It is more than to love, more than to cherish, more than to guide and prioritize. It is to be an appropriately integral, influential part of this person's life, all the days of that life, when needed. It is to be caring, available, advisory, forever.
If parenting was a singular skill it could be taught and it could be acquired, classes could be undertaken, data digested, books read, principles appropriated and applied. Parenting awards might be granted as one achieved the various levels of knowledge and aptitude required at each stage of the child's life.
But parenting is not like that.
While there are some immutable tenets - such as the need for gentleness, consistency, protection, boundaries, modeling, affirmation and love - each child is different and parents find themselves responding to the individuality of their children rather than to behaviorist principals.
This is because parenting is not a skill: it is a disposition that gets enacted skillfully if one knows one's child and has insight into oneself. It is not a set of techniques: it is a particular kind of presence and response to each individual child and each circumstance that arises in the parent-child relationship.
Parenting is not the implementation of regulations regardless of the child's temperament or the context of events as if one method serves all children all the time.
There is no one method; there is no one right way.There is no perfect prescription. Parenting is not about "doing". It is about "being". It is not about management. It is about relationship.
As each child is different, temperamentally, in personality, attachment and capacity to cope, parenting is about adaptation to the individuality of the child. Most parents do this intuitively, unconsciously, courageously and with a depth of insight into their own child that is not available to anyone else.
Parenting is not a way of controlling but a capacity to monitor appropriately, protect decisively, understand empathetically, listen carefully, guide judiciously, restrict benevolently, respond thoughtfully and care to the extent of human compassion and love for all of one's life as parents of a child.
That is why parenting never ends. Regardless of how grown up, financially independent, emotionally secure, personally mature or well established one's children are in their own families even as parents to your grandchildren, your child remains your child forever.
Your adult child, your middle-aged child, your child is always your child. This is a relationship that cannot be dictated. Elusive when we attempt to define it, it is special. It is unique - simultaneously holding on and letting go.
It is for life.
Parenting is a privilege, a life-long one. Enjoy it. Trust it.
Parenting never ends: it is a lifelong undertaking. It is the most momentous venture, yet the one for which least preparation is received.
No prior training is provided unless actively undertaken or serendipity provides a chance to learn about relating to children.
Many parents hold a baby for the first time when they hold their own child. Now that is daunting: a little living creature, new, needy, utterly helpless and totally dependent. Parents looking into the dark depths of their baby's eyes are understandably overwhelmed that this human being is of their making, reliant on them and will be in a relationship with them until death do them part.
If vows are given at marriage, what a pledge is given at the birth of a child! It is more than to love, more than to cherish, more than to guide and prioritize. It is to be an appropriately integral, influential part of this person's life, all the days of that life, when needed. It is to be caring, available, advisory, forever.
If parenting was a singular skill it could be taught and it could be acquired, classes could be undertaken, data digested, books read, principles appropriated and applied. Parenting awards might be granted as one achieved the various levels of knowledge and aptitude required at each stage of the child's life.
But parenting is not like that.
While there are some immutable tenets - such as the need for gentleness, consistency, protection, boundaries, modeling, affirmation and love - each child is different and parents find themselves responding to the individuality of their children rather than to behaviorist principals.
This is because parenting is not a skill: it is a disposition that gets enacted skillfully if one knows one's child and has insight into oneself. It is not a set of techniques: it is a particular kind of presence and response to each individual child and each circumstance that arises in the parent-child relationship.
Parenting is not the implementation of regulations regardless of the child's temperament or the context of events as if one method serves all children all the time.
There is no one method; there is no one right way.There is no perfect prescription. Parenting is not about "doing". It is about "being". It is not about management. It is about relationship.
As each child is different, temperamentally, in personality, attachment and capacity to cope, parenting is about adaptation to the individuality of the child. Most parents do this intuitively, unconsciously, courageously and with a depth of insight into their own child that is not available to anyone else.
Parenting is not a way of controlling but a capacity to monitor appropriately, protect decisively, understand empathetically, listen carefully, guide judiciously, restrict benevolently, respond thoughtfully and care to the extent of human compassion and love for all of one's life as parents of a child.
That is why parenting never ends. Regardless of how grown up, financially independent, emotionally secure, personally mature or well established one's children are in their own families even as parents to your grandchildren, your child remains your child forever.
Your adult child, your middle-aged child, your child is always your child. This is a relationship that cannot be dictated. Elusive when we attempt to define it, it is special. It is unique - simultaneously holding on and letting go.
It is for life.
Parenting is a privilege, a life-long one. Enjoy it. Trust it.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Things I said I would never do as a parent but have….
1) Give him used toys – The price of toys is unbelievable! The Leap frog table was $40 – the exersaucer was $100 – foam mats were $25 – the jumper was $40 – it adds up so fast! 2 words – CRAIGS LIST! Love this place! My mom and I have found great things on there! A practically brand new exersaucer for $30! Leap frog table for $15 – the foam mats $30 for 3 sets!!! I also found a consignment shop for toys and got Sam a BRAND new basketball/baseball toy that sells for $35 at Toys-R-Us – I paid $14.99! (ok so that wasn’t technically used) But I also found the Peek-A-Block giraffe there for $4.99!!!! I actually get excited when I find a great deal on stuff – the only problem is that I find stuff that he can’t use until he is 2 or 3 but I sooo want to buy it now (Step 2 up and down roller coaster for $20!!! Oh I sooo want to buy it!!!!)…. lol…. But I haven’t =) Oh and mom found a jumper on CL for $15!!!! So now we can give Lynsi back hers =)
2) Give him used clothing – again, hindsight is 20/20 right? I wanted Sammy to have brand new things but when my friend Cindy offered me about 4 overflowing tubs of clothes from her son I couldn’t resist – his teachers at Daycare always comment on how they love his clothes and I laugh because I haven’t really bought much of anything! Thanks Cindy! My sister Michelle then gave me all of Justin’s things – so now I have bins of clothes all the way up to 5T!!!! Sam is set and boy do we save some money!!!
3) Generic diapers – I have always been a brand name snob – toothpaste, cereal, lotion, you name it! Our grocery bill has gotten out of hand so a few weeks ago I bought Wegman’s brand of lucky charms – just as good as the real stuff! I bought Safeway brand cookies (the boys joked that I bought the cheap ones) and they were fine too! Anyway, I was buying Pampers for Sam and then someone on the parenting boards raved about Walgreens diapers and they were on sale buy one get one free and $2 off each pack – so each pack was $2.50 (pampers are $12 per pack) – I got 8 packs of size 3 and 8 packs of size 4 and guess what? They work great! No leaks after 12 hours (overnight) and the money I am saving is once again a bonus!!!
4) Cry it out – ugh! This one truly breaks my heart and I am happy to say Sam was about 7 months old the first time I did it (one night only) but I had to do it last night =( Sam would NOT go to sleep so I would leave for 5 mins at a time –It killed me when I went in and his nose was running and the tears were POURING down his face but I was at my wits end…. He did finally go to sleep =) Sorry Sammy… mommy loves you!
6) Nurse past a year – ok, hope this isn’t too personal for some of you – Breastfeeding was a huge struggle for me in the beginning – LOTS of tears – it was HARD! But we plowed thru and Sam and I have a great nursing relationship these days! I actually enjoy it! It’s our special bonding time and he is just so cute when he knows it’s coming – he starts rooting around for it – LOL! And when he is done he sits up and just gives me this huge smile. Anyway, in the beginning my goal was to nurse for 1 year then wean but now I think it will last longer – I have no intention of nursing him at 5yrs old – haha – but I know that in 3 short months (when he will be 1) neither of us will be ready. I will however be done with pumping –HOORAY! Now that I cannot wait for!!!!!
7) Give a pacifier – I was ANTI pacifiers! I got several at my shower…. The 2nd day home from the hospital Sam was inconsolable and Mark asked me “are you sure you don’t want to give him a pacifier??” I was like “give him one, NOW!” and guess what? He calmed down immediately! Sam loves his paci!!!! His Aunt Allison and Uncle Jeff bought him his first wub-a-nub (a frog named Kirby) and since then he has gotten a Monkey named Nelson and a Long Horn Bull named Dallas (Chad named the frog and monkey) and I picked Dallas for the Longhorn for Mark (he wanted us to have a Samuel Dallas (after his good friend) but I vetoed it – haha) – so now Sam has a paci named Dallas =) The paci has become a life saver for me =)
8) Shouted “Don’t make me come down there” – I posted about his before but I will say it again here. Usually when the boys were loud it didn’t matter but now that Sam is here of course I have become a true “mother” - I still can’t believe I said that…. I feel old! Haha
2) Give him used clothing – again, hindsight is 20/20 right? I wanted Sammy to have brand new things but when my friend Cindy offered me about 4 overflowing tubs of clothes from her son I couldn’t resist – his teachers at Daycare always comment on how they love his clothes and I laugh because I haven’t really bought much of anything! Thanks Cindy! My sister Michelle then gave me all of Justin’s things – so now I have bins of clothes all the way up to 5T!!!! Sam is set and boy do we save some money!!!
3) Generic diapers – I have always been a brand name snob – toothpaste, cereal, lotion, you name it! Our grocery bill has gotten out of hand so a few weeks ago I bought Wegman’s brand of lucky charms – just as good as the real stuff! I bought Safeway brand cookies (the boys joked that I bought the cheap ones) and they were fine too! Anyway, I was buying Pampers for Sam and then someone on the parenting boards raved about Walgreens diapers and they were on sale buy one get one free and $2 off each pack – so each pack was $2.50 (pampers are $12 per pack) – I got 8 packs of size 3 and 8 packs of size 4 and guess what? They work great! No leaks after 12 hours (overnight) and the money I am saving is once again a bonus!!!
4) Cry it out – ugh! This one truly breaks my heart and I am happy to say Sam was about 7 months old the first time I did it (one night only) but I had to do it last night =( Sam would NOT go to sleep so I would leave for 5 mins at a time –It killed me when I went in and his nose was running and the tears were POURING down his face but I was at my wits end…. He did finally go to sleep =) Sorry Sammy… mommy loves you!
5) Ignore my dog – Tami warned me about this and I didn’t listen – Piper has always been my baby and I assured everyone when Sam came along Piper would still gets lots of attention – she does not =( I totally neglect her and I hate it! The evenings are so rushed I just don’t have time – after Sam is in bed I do always take a few minutes to rub her belly and tell her how much I love her – the only thing that helps is knowing that for almost 8 years she got ALL my attention. Poor Piper – I might have to send her to Camp Grandma later this summer =) LOL
6) Nurse past a year – ok, hope this isn’t too personal for some of you – Breastfeeding was a huge struggle for me in the beginning – LOTS of tears – it was HARD! But we plowed thru and Sam and I have a great nursing relationship these days! I actually enjoy it! It’s our special bonding time and he is just so cute when he knows it’s coming – he starts rooting around for it – LOL! And when he is done he sits up and just gives me this huge smile. Anyway, in the beginning my goal was to nurse for 1 year then wean but now I think it will last longer – I have no intention of nursing him at 5yrs old – haha – but I know that in 3 short months (when he will be 1) neither of us will be ready. I will however be done with pumping –HOORAY! Now that I cannot wait for!!!!!
7) Give a pacifier – I was ANTI pacifiers! I got several at my shower…. The 2nd day home from the hospital Sam was inconsolable and Mark asked me “are you sure you don’t want to give him a pacifier??” I was like “give him one, NOW!” and guess what? He calmed down immediately! Sam loves his paci!!!! His Aunt Allison and Uncle Jeff bought him his first wub-a-nub (a frog named Kirby) and since then he has gotten a Monkey named Nelson and a Long Horn Bull named Dallas (Chad named the frog and monkey) and I picked Dallas for the Longhorn for Mark (he wanted us to have a Samuel Dallas (after his good friend) but I vetoed it – haha) – so now Sam has a paci named Dallas =) The paci has become a life saver for me =)
8) Shouted “Don’t make me come down there” – I posted about his before but I will say it again here. Usually when the boys were loud it didn’t matter but now that Sam is here of course I have become a true “mother” - I still can’t believe I said that…. I feel old! Haha
Now for a cute pic of me and Sam (kirby too) =)
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Does anyone read this thing?
LOL
No one ever leaves comments.... why not? Embarrassed? Don't know what to say?? Leave me a comment, telling my why you DONT leave comments - haha - and be entered to win a gift card!
seriously..... come on!
No one ever leaves comments.... why not? Embarrassed? Don't know what to say?? Leave me a comment, telling my why you DONT leave comments - haha - and be entered to win a gift card!
seriously..... come on!
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
He did it!
Sam's teacher, Miss Keira, just called.... he crawled!!! I told her a few weeks ago that unlike most parents who dont want to know these things that I wanted a phone call when Sam crawled..... I asked her if he was going after a toy or what - she said that she put Mariella on the floor and Sam crawled to her!!! LOL Sam is such a ladies man!!!
Before she hung up I told her that he better crawl for me when I pick him up... the pressure is on!
Good Job Sam!
To be fair to his cousin Hailey (who is crawling on all 4's) Sam is only army crawling - lol - still very cute but not 100% the "real" thing.
Before she hung up I told her that he better crawl for me when I pick him up... the pressure is on!
Good Job Sam!
To be fair to his cousin Hailey (who is crawling on all 4's) Sam is only army crawling - lol - still very cute but not 100% the "real" thing.
Monday, June 22, 2009
I am my mother.....
I was talking to a girl at work today about our weekends and I was telling her the boys had some friends over Saturday night and I had just gotten Sam down and they were being really loud.... I opened up the basement door and I yelled "If I have to come down there your gonna be in trouble!"
omg..... I am old..... I cannot believe I said that......... I am officially my mother =) hahahah
love you mom!
omg..... I am old..... I cannot believe I said that......... I am officially my mother =) hahahah
love you mom!
Your smater than you think you are!
Zac has been having a heck of a time in his honors math class so Mark has been tutoring him on the weekends. Up here (no clue how others do it) there are no "D's" - 70-79 is a C and anything below 70 is a F. Zac needed an A on his final in order to pass math for the year. We found out friday that Zac got a 91% on his math final and had one of the highest grades in the class (out of 60 students) - WAY TO GO ZAC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I told him "see, your smarter than you think you are"!
His response : "yeah, but I had to study like 2 hours a day for a MONTH"!
lol
Alas, summer is here and no more studying...... man I wish I still had a summer vacation! =)
I told him "see, your smarter than you think you are"!
His response : "yeah, but I had to study like 2 hours a day for a MONTH"!
lol
Alas, summer is here and no more studying...... man I wish I still had a summer vacation! =)
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Happy Father's Day
Dear Daddy,
Today is a very special day for you – it’s a day that I get to tell you how very much you mean to me (then again, who needs a reason for that!). When mommy was pregnant I remember hearing a man’s voice and I wondered who it was – then when I was born you were the first one to hold me and I felt the love in your heart that very moment – I heard your voice and I knew you were the one I heard when I was in mommy’s belly - I waited a long time to meet you! You have been a wonderful daddy to me! I love it when you sing the ABC’s with me, soon I will be able to sing them with you; I love it when you tickle my belly, it makes me laugh; I love it when you let me sleep on your chest, it makes me feel safe and warm. You greet me each morning with a big smile and a kiss as you head to work and I want you to know that I love you very much! You’re the best dad in the whole wide world..... make that the universe!!!
Love,
Sam
Today is a very special day for you – it’s a day that I get to tell you how very much you mean to me (then again, who needs a reason for that!). When mommy was pregnant I remember hearing a man’s voice and I wondered who it was – then when I was born you were the first one to hold me and I felt the love in your heart that very moment – I heard your voice and I knew you were the one I heard when I was in mommy’s belly - I waited a long time to meet you! You have been a wonderful daddy to me! I love it when you sing the ABC’s with me, soon I will be able to sing them with you; I love it when you tickle my belly, it makes me laugh; I love it when you let me sleep on your chest, it makes me feel safe and warm. You greet me each morning with a big smile and a kiss as you head to work and I want you to know that I love you very much! You’re the best dad in the whole wide world..... make that the universe!!!
Love,
Sam
Josh and Zac love you too but they wouldn't write you a note -haha =)
We had a great fathers day! Josh made a pancake family for Mark and then we did dinner at Outback - yum!
Happy Father's Day to all the Dad's out there!!
Thursday, June 18, 2009
I promise to never make you wear your hair like this!
Mark decided to give Sam the ole "comb over" look last night - LOL!
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Sunday, June 14, 2009
My little man!
Sam is so much fun at this age. Doing new stuff all the time! He is doing really well with feeding himself too! I normally feed him spaghetti but I decided since it was bath night he could try it out himself - he wasnt sure at first...
and then .......
Sammy also pulled himself up on Saturday =) I was so excited I started to yell for my mom to grab the camera and just when I was heading over to him he let go and BAM! Fell on the floor - he was not happy - the floor is hard! Luckily he calmed down after a few minutes and was Mr.Happy again.
Friday, June 12, 2009
Happy Birthday Josh!
Can you believe little ole Josh is a teenager - yikes!!! To think he just turned 8 when I met him and now he is 13! Mark had the day off and Josh got to skip out of school for the day (hey, you only turn 13 once!). They had breakfast at Lancer's diner then headed home for Lunch and then went to a movie - then it was off to the rifle range - check out Josh in action below.
He had a great aim - way to go josh!
He finished the day playing games and hanging with the family - it sure is tiring to be 13......
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Wacky Wednesday!
I put Sam in the exersaucer so I could vacuum and I kept checking on him and he was just hanging out - I started to clean the shades and next time I turned around I found this:
lol
lol
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Update on us!
Josh had playoffs for the flag football team he plays on last weekend - the coach was out of town so Mark got to fill in! He liked it so much he is thinking about coaching Josh's team next year! They did great and came in 3rd place - Way to go Josh!!! He wasn't too happy because last year they were the champions.... we are proud of you for playing a great season!
Sam continues to amaze me each and everyday! He lights up when I walk into his room at daycare to pick him up and starts babbling - I love it! He is trying his hardest to crawl but hasn't succeeded yet. However, tonight we were on the floor playing and he fell onto his back he then proceeded to move his arm and push himself back into a sitting position!!!! Good job my little Sammy!!!! I love this part of being a parent... seeing all these new things that he does - I think I am more excited than he is =) With all this growth has come the lovely 8/9 month sleep regression =( He is waking more during the night and thinks that 4am is "morning" - oh I hope that doesn't last long! I also think he is teething again, bottom left and/or right teeth should be next... will keep you posted!
Zac is doing great at baseball once again. High School ball ended 2 weeks ago but the local league is still going. I will have to find some pics and upload them for everyone to see!
Piper got a dog door and she is loving her freedom of coming and going as she pleases.... so am I - LOL!
Mark headed to California for a meeting this week so Sam and I were alone for the first time in the new house. We survived!!! haha I am such a scaredy cat when it comes to hearing weird noises in the house and let me tell ya, this one has plenty!
So, that's all for now - hope everyone is doing well!
Sunday, June 7, 2009
And then there were four!
That right top tooth has finally emerged...coincidentally he bit me 3 times this morning - luckily it wasnt hard... ouch! 4 down..... lots to go!
How was your night?
Sam took a nap btwn 4 and 5pm yesterday so I knew his bedtime would be later than normal (normally its 7pm) - I nursed him at 7:00 then headed to the store. I got back at 8:30 and Mark said he had finally gotten Sam down around 8:15! Whew - glad I was at the store - haha! Sam woke up around 11 - I figured it had been 4 hours so I nursed him - woke up again at 4am - ok, that was nice, 5 hours... then it started.... I nursed him and he decided it was time to get up! I went back to bed and told mark "your turn". He managed to sleep o n marks chest for about 12 mins then woke back up - I took him and laid with him on the floor for a bit - oh sorry, he doesnt want to lay down he wants to sit up....make that STAND up.....meanwhile I am exhausted and its now 5:30am..... I go back to mark 'your turn'..... mark changes his diaper and then puts him in the jumper... I am trying to sleep and all I hear is squeak, squeak, squeak....lol... the jumper is going crazy! Mark brings him back up at 6am - I nurse him again in the hopes that he will sleep.... oh and he is going 'momomomomomomomom" , so how can deny that sweet face as he reaches for me saying that =) Finally at 7am I give up and get up - we come downstairs and Sam eats a whole container of oatmeal and then about 5 bites of a blueberry muffin - then its time to play! We played with several toys - walked outside - played some more.... at 8:20.... "its your turn" lol - so now mark has Sam duty - I am just amazed he is STILL AWAKE!! I personally am exhausted!!! so.... how was your night?
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Sam goes to the pool!
We found out that Willow Grove NAS had a pool so we took Sam to check it out! Too bad the water was 69 degrees =( Sam hated it!! We sat in the water park area for a photo op then
headed home - we will try again next month!
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Wacky Wednesday!
I thought it would be fun to post a silly picture on Wednesdays... first up... Josh.... what on
earth on you doing in there?? Just being a kid =)
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Your Welcome!
We got the gas bill yesterday – we have gas heat and a gas stove – obviously the heat hasn’t been on for weeks, so it’s just the stove. I always get laughed at because I don’t cook – our eating habits are terrible (cereal for dinner – lol). Anyway, with the new house, new baby, fence, and everything else that comes with moving money is tight! I try to do whatever I can to save and not spend frivolously. So, when the gas bill came in I noticed it was only $30 – I told mark that was my way of saving us money, by not cooking…. No need to thank me honey ♥
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